Showdown on Coruscant

"It's treason, then."

- Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

The Duel in the Chancellor's Office was, at first, the planned arrest of the corrupt Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was in fact the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, by Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Kit Fisto near the end of the Clone Wars. However, it began as soon as all were suddenly murdered by Palpatine, except for Windu. Windu and Palpatine fought one-on-one in the Chancellor's office, but the cause of the duel began sometime before.

Meeting Supreme Chancellor Palpatine at the Galaxies Opera House, Anakin Skywalker learned of a Sith Lord named Darth Plagueis the Wise from his mentor. He was so intuned with the Force that he could manipulate midi-chlorians to make life, Palpatine told the young Jedi. He also told him that he could even save the ones he loved from dying but, one day, his apprentice killed him in his sleep after learning that power. Anakin realized it was the only power to save Anakin's wife, Padmé Amidala, from dying at childbirth as he had forseen.

When Anakin later met up with Palpatine to inform him that General Grievous engaged Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau, he finally revealed himself as the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for, Darth Sidious. He revealed that he had Plagueis's power and he could teach it to Anakin if he became his new apprentice.

Anakin told Mace Windu of Palpatine's identity. Distrusting Anakin, he took a squad of Jedi&mdash;Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin&mdash;to arrest Palpatine for his dealings which ultimately resulted in the Duel in the Chancellor's Office, the first formal duel of the Clone Wars taking place on Coruscant in Palpatine's office.



The Jedi saw their plan of arresting Palpatine fail, as he ignited a lightsaber that had remained hidden in his sleeve and attacked them with fury. He jumped at Agen Kolar and thrusted his lightsaber through his stomach. Then, Saesee Tiin tried to strike Palpatine, but Palpatine was faster and killed the Iktotchi Jedi Master by slashing him across the chest. Palpatine then attacked the remaining two Jedi Masters. Very few lightsaber blows were exchanged until Kit Fisto fell to the Sith blade. The Nautolan let out a scream of pain and collapsed. Mace Windu, as the only Jedi left, attacked Palpatine.

As Windu and Palpatine, revealed as Darth Sidious, dueled, they went up near the apartment's window that was shattered by Windu's purple blade. Windu then kicked Sidious in the face, sending his lightsaber out the window. Unarmed, Palpatine laid against the wall, Windu's blade a centimeter from his throat, seemingly defeated.

It was at that moment that Anakin arrived, unable to resist his personal conflict regarding the promises of Darth Sidious. Sidious hurled Force lightning at Mace, but he deflected it back with his lightsaber. The bolts flowed through Sidious, seemingly injuring him and deforming his face. The Chancellor begged for mercy and repeated in a raspy, tired voice that he was too weak as his face literally melted away, although he was merely faking weakness in an attempt to lure Anakin further towards the dark side. He called out to Anakin for help while Windu counseled him not to trust him. The Jedi Knight remained undecided, standing and watching as Palpatine seemed to suffer.

As Mace was about to deliver Sidious the killing blow, Anakin finally decided. The young Jedi cut off Windu's arm and Sidious seemed to shift from weakness to superiority in an instant, sending an endless barrage of Force lightning to shatter the Jedi Master's body and finally hurl it out of the window.

Anakin pledged himself to Sidious's teachings to learn Plagueis's power of life. He would now be known as Darth Vader.

The Great Jedi Purge had begun.

Behind the scenes

 * In the novelization of Revenge of the Sith, there were a few differences from the film's interpretation, as is usually the case with novelizations of the movies. Mace sent Saesee Tiin and Agen Kolar to the Chancellor's desk to block the way to the door. Firstly, Sidious tricked Saesee Tiin by asking him to read his mind (to establish if the Chancellor was truly a Sith Lord) then used the distraction as a chance to behead the unexpecting Iktotchi. Agen tried to escape and run to the two other Jedi Masters, but Palpatine was faster and pierced his lightsaber through the Zabrak's head. Agen Kolar dropped his lightsaber and collapsed. After that, the remaining two Jedi fought Sidious. Then, Kit Fisto was beheaded from a sudden strike of Sidious's blade. Kit's death was not described firsthand&mdash;instead Anakin found Fisto's head on the Chancellor's table with the Nautolan's typical smile on it. The movie scene was originally scripted that way as well, but George Lucas decided it was too violent, and thus changed it.


 * In the video game adaptation, instead of severing Mace's arm, Anakin has an actual duel with Windu that ends with the Jedi Master stabbed to death and thrown out of the window not by Palpatine, but by Anakin. This is clearly a non-canon depiction for gameplay purposes.


 * Throughout the battle, the lightsaber hilt Palpatine is using alternates between his saber's and Anakin's due to the fact that originally, he was going to use Anakin's lightsaber against the Jedi. Anakin was scripted to be present throughout the duel at first, but the battle was rechoreographed at the last minute and Anakin was scripted to arrive at the exact moment Palpatine loses his saber. His saber's hilt remains visible in some shots of the finished film though, making this one of many lightsaber bloopers found throughout the movie.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (novel)
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (game)