The Skywalker Saga films don't make it all that clear how Palpatine survived after Return of the Jedi. For that, we'll have to look to other Star Wars projects.
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Star Wars: How Did Palpatine Survive After Return Of The Jedi?
Palpatine is such a villainous mastermind that he was able to cheat death. Darth Vader ended up turning on his former master at the end of "Return of the Jedi," tossing him into the depths of the second Death Star before it was destroyed by the Rebels' fleet. However, as we would learn in 2019's "Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker," Palpatine returned from the dead somehow to try and reclaim the galaxy. So, how exactly did Palpatine survive?