Sidious toyed with him, encouraging the Jedi to use his hatred and strike him down. When Luke willingly arrived, seeking to turn Darth Vader, his father, to the light side of the Force, he was brought before Sidious. There, he laid a trap for the Rebels and Luke Skywalker while the Death Star looked unfinished, it was actually fully operational.

The Empire had begun construction of a new Death Star, and the Emperor made a rare visit from Coruscant to oversee its completion.