Star Wars: The Bad Batch Hints Palpatine's Biggest Secret Has Been Discovered

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3, episode 9.

Summary Asajj Ventress may know Palpatine's Sith Lordship, hinting at a deeper connection to the Empire's dark secrets.

Palpatine kept his Sith identity hidden, with only a select few aware of his true power throughout the galaxy.

Asajj Ventress understands the danger of the Empire, likely fueled by her knowledge of Palpatine's Sith nature and past alliances.

One of Emperor Palpatine’s greatest secrets is implied to be known to a returning Star Wars character in Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Palpatine, like most Dark Lords of the Sith in Darth Bane’s dynasty, kept his Sith Lordship secret as he undermined the Jedi and Republic. As Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and as Darth Sidious, the Star Wars saga’s ultimate villain controlled both sides of the Clone Wars, using the manufactured conflict to turn the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire and wipe out the Jedi.

Even as Emperor Palpatine, Sidious kept his Sith Lordship under wraps, with few beings within the Empire aware of his secret – and most being dark side-using affiliates of the Sith themselves. Following Palpatine’s first death at the Battle of Endor, however, his true identity became more well-known throughout the galaxy in both Star Wars continuities. One character who is not part of the Empire, however, seems to have deduced Palpatine’s Sith Lordship during the early years of the Empire.

2:10 Related Asajj Ventress' Return Explained: Resurrection, Yellow Lightsaber, & Star Wars Future Asajj Ventress makes her exciting return to Star Wars in The Bad Batch season 3, having cheated death with some exciting teases for the future.

Ventress Hints She Knows Palpatine Is A Sith

Asajj Ventress Created By George Lucas , Genndy Tartakovsky Cast Nika Futterman , grey delisle First Appearance Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) Alias The Bald Banshee Alliance Sith, Bounty Hunters

In The Bad Batch episode “The Harbinger,” Asajj Ventress tests Omega’s connection to the Force and warns her about the Empire, noting that it is “darker than it seems.” As a former Sith assassin who was the unofficial apprentice of Count Dooku, Ventress would be aware of Darth Sidious as the true power behind the Separatist Alliance. Asajj Ventress’s description of the Empire strongly implies her knowledge that Emperor Palpatine and Darth Sidious are one and the same, meaning the Empire is ruled by the galaxy’s deadliest dark side user.

Palpatine Kept His Secret For Years

Palpatine kept his Sith identity secret throughout his Republic and Imperial political careers. The general public seemed to know little about the Sith (and most who did likely assumed that they were extinct) and Palpatine ensured that the majority of beings who were aware of his Sith Lordship were either dead or loyal enough to him to maintain its secrecy. Asajj Ventress was seemingly killed on Christophsis and laid to rest on Dathomir, as shown in Christie Golden’s novel Dark Disciple, so while her knowledge would make her potentially troublesome to Palpatine, she is presumed dead.

Asajj Ventress notably speaks to Darth Sidious via hologram in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie.

Asajj Ventress, due to her familiarity with Darth Sidious and proximity to Count Dooku, likely noted the similarities between the Sith Lord and now-Emperor Palpatine. She may have also learned that the Separatists were a controlled opposition during her time among the Nightsisters, whose leader – Mother Talzin – was once a close ally of Palpatine’s. Asajj Ventress’s fear of incurring the wrath of the Empire in Star Wars: The Bad Batch is well-founded, however, as even she would be no match for Emperor Palpatine in a conflict, directly or indirectly.

Bad Batch Season 3 Episode No. Episode Title Air Date 9 "The Harbinger" 3/27/2024 10 "Identity Crisis" 4/3/2024 11 "Point Of No Return" 4/3/2024 12 "Juggernaut" 4/10/2024 13 "Into The Breach" 4/17/2024 14 "Flash Strike" 4/24/2024 15 "The Cavalry Has Arrived" 5/1/20