“Somehow, Palpatine returned.” That three-word line has haunted Star Wars ever since “The Rise of Skywalker” premiered in December 2019. Whether you loved or hated “The Last Jedi,” Darth Sidious’ inexplicable return from the dead left most fans baffled and, in some cases, enraged. It felt like lazy writing — a cheap way to shoehorn in some nostalgic goodwill after the most divisive film in the history of the franchise. Ever since, Lucasfilm has been slowly and steadily building out the Star Wars lore to make Palaptine’s return easier to swallow.
Project Necromancer is a huge part of that reparative project. Though it’s yet to be explored in full detail, the name — a reference to wizards who can resurrect and control the dead — leaves a clear impression. “The Bad Batch” reveals that from the moment he becomes emperor, Palpatine is fixated on Force-sensitive cloning. He has Kaminoan scientist Nala Se kidnapped and commissions the evil scientist Royce Hemlock to begin new cloning experiments.
The end goal of Project Necromancer is obvious: immortality. Palpatine seeks a way to turn his temporary rule into eternal power. M-counts are significant because midi-chlorian-rich genetic material makes for better Force-sensitive cloning stock. That’s part of why the Imperial Remnant searches for Grogu in “The Mandalorian.” During Season 3 of that series, a meeting of the remnant’s secret “Shadow Council” takes place where it’s implied that Project Necromancer is the long game. It takes him decades, but Palpatine ultimately succeeds as a king of resurrection through cloning.
