The Politics of Star Wars: Episode III
The political brilliance of Revenge of the Sith cannot be overlooked. More than any other Star Wars movie, it conveys the gravity of its consequences profoundly, solidifying its status as one of the greatest cautionary tales of our era.
The turning point in the Star Wars saga—the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire—was cinema at its absolute finest. Revenge of the Sith is not only arguably the best Star Wars film but is certainly the crown jewel of the prequel trilogy. Yet, like its predecessors, it faced criticism, particularly regarding its political themes.
Some viewers lamented the political undertones of The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, complaining there was “too much politics” in what they had expected to be straightforward space opera. Such criticisms are baffling. The rise of an empire is, by definition, a political event. However, the critique of Revenge of the Sith wasn’t about an excess of politics but rather a lack of understanding of how democracies fall. One of the most common refrains in 2005 was that the Empire’s rise felt “too easy.” There was no grand conquest, no climactic siege—just the methodical erosion of democracy.
That’s exactly the point.
Democracies are not always violently overthrown; often, they are willingly surrendered. As John Adams observed, “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” This is precisely the tragedy of Revenge of the Sith.
“It got me to thinking about how democracies turn into dictatorships, not how they're taken over or how there's a coup or anything like that, but how the democracy turns itself over to a tyrant. I looked at how after the Senate in ancient Rome killed Caesar, they turn around and give the empire over to his nephew and make him emperor. And then at the same time, it's with the French Revolution. After they've gone to all this trouble to have a revolution and get rid of the king and all the people in power, eventually they turn the democracy over to Napoleon and make him the emperor. So it has to do more with the historical precedence, and it does happen a lot, more than one would think.” - George Lucas, Revenge of the Sith Commentary
George Lucas’ magnum opus is rife with political allegory, drawing not only from historical events but also from contemporary politics—both at the time of its release and in the years since. In 2005, the Iraq War was raging. The September 11 attacks had given the Bush administration the authority to expand surveillance and curtail civil liberties under the Patriot Act. The justifications for the war—particularly the false claims about weapons of mass destruction—were unraveling, exposing the dangers of political manipulation. Revenge of the Sith was as poignant then as it is now.
The decline of the Galactic Republic was meticulously laid out in the first two prequels. Just because some viewers failed to recognize the slow unraveling of democratic institutions does not mean it wasn’t there. The conquest of the Republic did not happen through brute force but through a series of political maneuvers orchestrated by Palpatine. His ascension began in The Phantom Menace when he was elected Supreme Chancellor. From there, he orchestrated a crisis, manufactured a war, and manipulated propaganda to position himself as the Republic’s savior. By Attack of the Clones, his Emergency Powers Act had effectively consolidated his control. President Eisenhower’s warning about the military-industrial complex was playing out in a galaxy far, far away.
Imagine living in the Star Wars galaxy and watching Republic propaganda during Palpatine’s rise. It’s heavily implied that his tenure far exceeded what was constitutionally permitted, justified by the ongoing war. A slogan like “Make the Republic Great Again” would not be out of place. He railed against corruption, dismantled civil liberties in the name of security, and painted his enemies as existential threats. The people overwhelmingly supported him, although there were some cautious and skeptical members.
One of the film’s early subplots is Palpatine’s push for greater legislative oversight of himself, a move that Anakin Skywalker sees as pragmatic since it will “end the war quicker.” This is how authoritarianism works—not through a sudden coup but through incremental erosions of freedom. As the brilliant series Andor later put it, “the Empire has been choking us so slowly, we’re starting not to notice.” The very same can be said about Palpatine. It is his regime after all.
Each new security measure, each expansion of executive power, is rationalized until it becomes the new normal.
History offers numerous parallels. Adolf Hitler used the Reichstag Fire to justify emergency powers, reworking the German constitution to make himself chancellor for life. The Reichstag Fire is the Clone Wars; Revenge of the Sith chronicles Palpatine’s careful dismantling of democracy.
“This is how liberty dies. With thundering applause.” - Senator Amidala, Revenge of the Sith
Midway through the film, Palpatine and Anakin discuss the Jedi Order, branding them as traitors and threats to the Republic. It’s difficult not to hear echoes of Donald Trump labeling the left as “radical lunatics” and calling for military intervention against his political opponents. The Jedi, like modern institutions under authoritarian threats, were not perfect. They made miscalculations, engaged in their own forms of secrecy, and struggled with internal divisions. But their fate serves as a warning: once institutions are delegitimized and labeled as enemies of the state, their destruction is inevitable.
By the time Palpatine declares the Galactic Empire, he is merely formalizing an arrangement that has already been in place. He has consolidated power, dismantled checks and balances, and eliminated his enemies. Order 66 was not a singular event but the culmination of a long campaign to undermine trust in the Jedi, just as real-world authoritarians work to delegitimize courts, the media, and law enforcement.
Order 66 has real-world analogs. In 1838, during the Missouri Mormon War, Governor Lilburn Boggs issued Executive Order 44, calling for the extermination or expulsion of Mormons from the state. Based on rumors and paranoia, this decree led to the mass displacement of Mormons, mirroring the Jedi Purge in Revenge of the Sith. Order 44 was not formally rescinded until 1976, a sobering reminder of how long institutionalized persecution can endure.
“In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society.” - Emperor Palpatine, Revenge of the Sith
Revenge of the Sith remains chillingly relevant because it highlights how fear, war, and political ambition can dismantle democracy from within. It is a cautionary tale reminding us that authoritarianism rarely arrives in the form of a military coup. More often, it comes through slow, systematic erosion of democratic institutions—facilitated by the very people it will ultimately oppress. The fall of the Republic was not inevitable; it was enabled by a populace too willing to trade liberty for security. It is a warning that must not be ignored.
We stand at a precipice as a society and humanity, and it appears highly probable that it’s already too late. The impending phase is rebellion, some may even call it a revolution. We have allowed our education system to fail us, failing to provide us with the essential information or tools to comprehend the profound depths of history. Art and media are under attack, when it’s evident that we require artistic works to draw parallels to the current state of the world. We need Star Wars and we need geniuses like George Lucas. Then I’m reminded of how many “critics” failed to grasp the essence of the saga even in the first place.