The Personage

Darth Sidious

Dark Lord of the Sith, the Master where Darth Maul is the Apprentice.

Darth Sidious masterminded the invasion of Naboo. He is the Phantom Menace of the title. He is the one who controls the Neimoidians, who orders Darth Maul to hunt down the Jedi, who lurks behind the scenes; pulling the strings. But he does not let his Trade Federation minions know who he is and when, at the end of the movie, the captured Neimoidians pass by the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, they do not recognise him. With the death of this apprentice, there are none left who know him.

He is mysterious, ruthless, determined, peremptory. He is the most dangerous of all the players who amble upon the stage in this tale, the most powerful.

Senator Palpatine

One of the keenest minds in the Galactic Senate, Senator Palpatine of Naboo has achieved the important distinction of representing an entire sector consisting of hundreds of star systems. As a sectorial senator, Palpatine holds a seat in the Main Senate Chamber on Coruscant, skillfully defending the interests of the systems he represents, including the Naboo people of his homeworld. Palpatine's kind features, delicate manners and calm effectiveness make him one of the most liked and respected members of the Senate.

Combining the apparent fatalism of a political realist with the shrewd and subtle power moves of a chess master, this senator from a humble provincial planet is a consummate performer in his chosen arts. The Senate Chamber is Palpatine's stage, and he takes advantage of everything it has to offer in order to drive his points home. The way sound bounces off the walls, the seating arrangement, the lighting that plays differently from one area to the other, the lines of sight everyone has or lacks - Senator Palpatine does not miss a single detail that might help him attain his goal. Which is to help Naboo, of course.

Emperor Palpatine

As a Senator in the Old Republic, Palpatine was a seemingly unassuming man serving during a time of corruption, social injustice, and bureaucratic abuses. However, when Palpatine achieved leadership of the Galactic Senate, his true nature as a power-hungry tyrant became apparent as he introduced the New Order and declared himself Emperor. In time the Jedi were destroyed, the Senate was disbanded and he became the undisputed ruler of the most powerful empire the galaxy had ever seen. The Imperial Palace, built on Coruscant as the headquarters of the Emperor, is taller than any other structure on the planet including the neighboring Senate building and the imposing Jedi Temple. The Palace is said to be an impregnable fortress, with some areas decorated by Palpatine with patterns based on ancient Sith hieroglyphics.

Both strong in the dark side of the Force and possessed of a subtle and dangerous mind, Palpatine has a genius for manipulation. How the Emperor gained mastery of the dark side of the Force remains a mystery, but it was through his influence that Obi-Wan's apprentice later became the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader.

For a time, the Emperor believed that nothing could seriously threaten his rule: his old enemy, Mon Mothma, was clever and strong, and the Rebel Alliance was growing, but without the Force, neither could ever become a serious threat. In some ways, the Rebellion was a useful scapegoat, giving him an excuse to further undermine and corrupt the Old Republic's justice under the pretense of an emergency state of martial law. Soon he would not need them any more, and in the fullness of time, they would be attended to. All was right with the galaxy and the New Order was unstoppable.

But the Emperor has become aware of a new current in the ever-flowing energy of the Force. It began as a subtle, barely perceptible surge, but in a short time has grown into the bright light that he now knows as Luke Skywalker. Lord Vader observed to his Emperor that if Skywalker could be turned to the dark side of the Force, "he would become a powerful ally." And so the Emperor plots to deal with this young Skywalker: he will join the New Order, or he will die. Pitting Vader against Skywalker, with all their psychological threats for each other, is all part of the Emperor's plan, and he remains evilly confident that no matter who is killed, he will settle the balance of the Force to his satisfaction.

These last two descriptions were taken from the official Star Wars website. The official Star Wars website that doesn't have a bio for Darth Sidious.

This omission in itself is rather eloquent, as is the name.

Darth Sidious doesn't exist. He is a phantom. A smokescreen. He has no more substance than the hologram as which he appears to his lackeys. The Sith have been in hiding for a thousand years, but they have survived. If they are to exact their revenge, they must assert themselves in a public arena. The Sith Lords are transformed: they now take on an overt identity. Darth Maul openly attacks the Jedi, while Sidious, who is Palpatine (unless George Lucas has a hidden trump, an explanation to contradict all the evidence), takes control of the Republic.

As Palpatine takes over, the demonic aspect within him shall emerge.