Darth Plagueis is first mentioned in the 2005 Star Wars prequel film Revenge of the Sith, during the opera scene. Chancellor Palpatine, who is secretly the Sith lord Darth Sidious, tells Anakin Skywalker about the tragedy of Darth Plagueis "The Wise". Palpatine explains that Plagueis could use the dark side to prevent death and create life, powers unknown to the Jedi. Palpatine then explains that Plagueis was killed in his sleep by his own apprentice. Later in the film, Palpatine, as Sidious, tempts Anakin to the dark side by promising to use this power to prevent Anakin's pregnant wife Padmé Amidala from dying, as Anakin has foreseen.
''Star Wars Legends''
The character is featured in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis, a Star Wars Legends novel written by James Luceno released on January 10, 2012. The novel covers the later life and machinations of Sith lord Darth Plagueis, over a roughly fifty-year period pre-dating and culminating concurrently with the climax of The Phantom Menace. The novel details Plagueis' overthrow of his own master Darth Tenebrous; his work as head of a powerful banking consortium on the Muun homeworld; his discovery, recruitment and training of the teenaged Palpatine of Naboo; and the efforts of Plagueis to undermine the Galactic Republic and ensure the dominance of the dark side of The Force. Daryl Thomen of Newsday called Darth Plagueis "the best Star Wars publication to date."
''The Rise of Skywalker'' novelization
Darth Plagueis is mentioned in Rae Carson's novelization of the 2019 film The Rise of Skywalker. In the book, it is revealed that Palpatine had discovered Plagueis's "secret to immortality", using this knowledge to survive after his death in Return of the Jedi. The novel further explains that Plagueis had attempted to create a powerful connection with Palpatine known as a 'Force dyad', a concept mentioned in the film. Plagueis's inability to use his powers to save himself from death is also detailed in the novelization; Plagueis "had not acted fast enough in his own moment of death" to prevent Palpatine from killing him.
Reception
Despite never appearing on screen, Darth Plagueis has remained a popular Star Wars character. The quote in which Darth Plagueis is mentioned in Revenge of the Sith has become a popular internet meme. Some fan theories have suggested that Darth Sidious / Palpatine is Darth Plagueis in disguise, though they have been debunked as The Rise of SkywalkerExpanded Edition states Darth Plagueis is Palpatine's master. One theory regarding the origins and identity of the sequel trilogy's Supreme Leader Snoke was that he was Darth Plagueis, or a clone of him.
