Someone PLEASE explain things to me as after all this time Im still confused.

My beef is what are Sidious's intentions with the Trade Federation? What good will it do for him if their occupation of Naboo is made legitimate? It doesnt seem he is looking to make them start a civil war like in AOTC when he talks of making their occupation 'legal'.

Why does he want Maul to bring Amidala back to sign the treaty when surely that would have prevented him from manipulating her into ousting Chancellor Vellorum in the Senate allowing him to take the position instead?

Did the Dark Lord originally mean to control the Republic via the Trade Federation and other Corporations from behind the scenes? If so, by the Jedi delivering Amidala to Coruscant did he then seize the opportunity and alter his plans to what hes now doing in Episode 2?

Please give me your thoughts!

This is my take:



Palpatine was going to use the takeover of Naboo to set himself up as a sympathetic figure in the senate. With his people veritable prisoners he would then get a conspiring senator to call for a vote of No Confidence in Chancellor Valorum.

Being the quick thinker that he is, when everything wasn't going exactly to plan, he manipulated Amidala to call for the vote instead.

Notice that once the new vote has been set into motion, he no longer cares if Amidala lives or dies.



The Federation, being pawns, were unaware of the shift in plan. So they were still trying to capture the queen.



Once he became supreme chancelllor, I suspect he would've "convinced" the Federation to leave Naboo. This would make him a hero, and actually help to consolidate his power faster.

ahaa... now what youre saying makes sense alright. I cant remember the dialogue in detail, but im sure its possible for a Senator to call a motion of no confidence.

It follows suit that he was lying to the Trade Federation all along and explains why Dooku said in AOTC that Sidious "betrayed" them.

And as you say, having achieved his objectives by his election to office he is happy for the TF to dispose of them - particularly the Jedi I would imagine so as to clear up the affair and any links to him.

And only the TF would be bothered about Amidala signing the treaty in the end. Sidious would no longer care and probably use their occupation as an excuse for the creation of a Republican Army to remove them and start the war etc etc.

Thanks for clearing this up for me, Ill be surprised if anyone else here says different to your explanation. Still, a convuluted plot if ever there was one!