Entertainment
The Code Of The Sith Is Key To The Empire's Doom In Star Wars
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
When you think about it, the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire in Star Wars is fascinating: we witness Emperor Palpatine singlehandedly transforming a millennia-old Republic into a fascist empire over the course of a few years, but the entire thing falls apart a couple of decades later. Both fans and in-universe characters would be right to ask themselves how the heck Palpatine managed to fumble things so badly after all of his earlier manipulations proved to be a success. The answer, though, is depressing: simply put, Palpatine’s Code of the Sith ultimately doomed him and his Empire.
The Rule Of Two And The Code of the Sith
That’s because the Sith are obsessed with the Rule of Two, which means there must always be a Sith Master and a young apprentice who is just waiting for their turn to betray their teacher and assume ultimate power for themselves. On paper, this philosophy ensures that the reigning Sith Master is always as strong as possible and, should he falter, he gets replaced by someone better. In reality, though, this vaunted Code of the Sith ensured that Palpatine had no real successor to run his Empire after he died.
In the real world, major leaders have replacements standing by; corporate leaders take proteges under their wings, for example, and presidents are supplemented by vice presidents. Of course, this system works because the newer person isn’t simply waiting to stab their boss in the back and take his place. In Star Wars, for example, it seemed abundantly clear that if and when Grand Moff Tarkin died, another member of the Imperial Bureaucracy (like those stuffed shirts Vader uses the Force to scare) would be able to step up and easily replace him.
However, we can see the problems with the Code of the Sith begin to present themselves in The Empire Strikes Back. It turns out that Tarkin’s replacement is Darth Vader, but Vader spends all of his free time plotting to betray and murder his own boss, Emperor Palpatine. Vader’s desires lead directly to the film’s climax, where he reveals that he is Luke Skywalker’s father and implores the young Jedi to team up with him and overthrow the Emperor so they can rule the galaxy as father and son.
If Luke had said “yes,” the Code of the Sith wouldn’t have been a problem. They’d simply kill Palpatine and begin ruling the Empire themselves. But Luke’s refusal to join Vader leads into Return of the Jedi, where Vader at first appears to be cowed by Palpatine’s power. But Luke convinces Vader to destroy Palpatine and effectively save the galaxy, leading directly to the fall of the Empire. As we see in shows like The Mandalorian, the Empire quickly falls apart in the absence of the Emperor.
Therefore, if Palpatine hadn’t been such a stickler for the Code of the Sith, the Empire would have been in a much better place after he died. He could have had some kind of Junior Tarkin type of figure waiting in the wings who could assume command in his absence. For example, the man himself was stuck on the other side of the galaxy, but if Palpatine could have had someone with Grand Admiral Thrawn’s intelligence and charisma on hot standby, that person could immediately assume control and fight back against the Rebellion before the Empire had been reduced to a shadow of its former glory.
Of course, Palpatine was true to himself to the very end: he both lived and died by the Code of the Sith, and the same forbidden instructions that helped him achieve power in the first place ultimately doomed his Empire. Maybe all of this is the will of the Force, a message from the cosmos about hubris and shortsightedness. Or it could just be a message from George Lucas, reminding us of the dangers of letting religious cultists rule us (even if they do have cool laser swords and can charge your phone with their fingers).
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
