In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Emperor Palpatine got a new disciple when he rose from the dead, long before the Rise of Skywalker.
Prior to Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars, Emperor Palpatine, Dark Lord of the Sith, had many more disciples than just Darth Vader in the Expanded Universe (now known simply as Legends), a vast catalog of stories deemed in 2014 to no longer be canon. Foremost among them was Sedriss QL, who essentially became Palpatine’s right hand after the Emperor’s first death.
Introduced in 1994’s Star Wars: Dark Empire II #1, by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy, Sedriss began life as a Force-sensitive mercenary named Qaga Lok. In the past, he had taken some work from the Galactic Empire, but always refused offers to join. However, that relationship dramatically changed when Qaga killed a group of Imperial officers, for which he was apprehended a n d sentenced to death. Before he could be executed, though, the Imperial Inquisitorius, a division of Dark Side agents, took Qaga into custody and brought him before the Emperor himself.
Palpatine made Qaga a deal: They would duel right then and there, and, should Qaga win, he could kill Palpatine. But if he lost, he would serve the Emperor forever. Qaga accepted the offer, and was easily crushed by the Emperor. Even though he surrendered, Palpatine continued to hurt Qaga with the Force, impressing upon the young man that he now belonged to the Emperor, and that his power dwarfed Qaga’s own.
After his telekinetic beating, Qaga knelt before Palpatine, accepting him as his master. He then began his training, and even learned how to wield a lightsaber, hoping to one day possess the same level of power as his new master. To further honor Palpatine, Qaga discarded his old name, took the Old Sith word “Sedriss” for himself, and used his initials as his last name. Thus, Sedriss QL was born, ready to unleash the Emperor’s wrath upon any who dared stand in his way.
Sedriss would not get his moment in the spotlight until after Palpatine’s death during the Battle of Endor. Seeing how the leaderless Empire was turning on itself, Sedriss took most of the Dark Side adepts to the secret world of Byss, where their last hope lay: a cloning facility for Emperor Palpatine. Sedriss guarded the planet for five years before the Emperor finally returned in one of his clone bodies. For his loyalty, Sedriss was made Executor of the Empire, which placed him in command of the Imperial military and made him one of the most powerful men in the galaxy.
Sedriss was tasked with ensuring that no loyal Imperial division would try to take control of the Empire if Palpatine died again. To that end, Sedriss was once again in charge of protecting Byss, but he was also in command of Operation Shadow Hand, a coordinated military effort to place free worlds under Imperial control. The man who never wanted to join the Empire now fought to protect its future.
Sedriss went on to lead Operation Shadow Hand after Palpatine’s second death, trusting that his master would return in time. However, he was repelled by a free world and returned to Byss only to discover that most of Palpatine’s clones had been destroyed by traitors. With options to extend his life quickly disappearing, Palpatine ordered Sedriss to capture Leia Organa before she gave birth to her third child so that Palpatine could possess the infant.
Trusting his followers to get the job done, Sedriss was dismayed to learn that they too had failed. Running out of time and patience, Palpatine gave Sedriss one last chance to redeem himself, and ordered him to capture Luke Skywalker on Ossus. In Veicht and Kennedy’s Dark Empire II #3, Sedriss follows the Jedi to the ancient world of Ossus. There, Sedriss challenged Luke to a duel, but was caught off-guard by Ood Bnar, a Jedi Master who was hibernating in secret. Sensing his defeat, Sedriss once again chose loyalty to Sidious over his own needs and tried to take Skywalker with him, calling on all his power, he unleashed a lightning attack to kill everyone near him. Unfortunately for him, Luke escaped and Sedriss was killed by his own attack.
Although Palpatine was quick to replace Sedriss, the apprentice was essential to the Emperor’s return to power. His protection of the Emperor’s cloning facility not only allowed Palpatine an opportunity for revenge, but also demonstrated a devotion that even Darth Vader never showed. That permitted Palpatine to almost reconquer the galaxy and temporarily turn Luke to the Dark Side.
