History Literature / DarthPlagueis

** The Trope even gets invoked in-universe when [[spoiler:Palpatine's debriefing Pestage on what the hell went wrong. Palpatine demands to know why Pestage ''didn't'' warn the Maladian operative about Ronhar. Pestage counters, in fact, he ''did'' warn her; he's just as furious and baffled as to why this somehow fell on deaf ears. The only explanation that makes sense to Pestage is that she willfully ignored his instructions in order to wrack up another Jedi kill for her resume.]]

* AbdicateTheThrone: After Veruna proves to [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness be a complete liability to the Sith]], Palpatine and Plagueis maneuver to force him into a situation where he would be forced to end his kingship early and put Padme on the throne. [[spoiler:Veruna only does so after the failed attack on Sojourn in order to protect himself from Damask and Palpatine's retribution. And that plan ''might'' have worked...if his enemies were just a corrupt banker and politician rather than also secretly Sith Lords who are now feeling vengeful after Sojurun. Damask even tells Veruna on his deathbed that the King's abdication. ironically, ''would'' have been enough to satisfy the Sith into leaving Veruna alone to rot away in his exile. By abdicating only after nuking Sojourn and trying to kill Damask, however, Veruna made it personal and sealed his fate.]]

** Kinda with Plagueis and Pax Teem after the Gran's falling out with Damask Holdings. For over the next decade, Teem is a thorn in Damask's side and does everything in his power to politically hurt the Muuns and Trade Federation. Plagueis tolerates it because while the Sith's original plans for Teem died with Tenebrous, the Gran's corruption still has its uses for weakening the Republic. More, Plagueis ''can't'' just unilaterally assassinate Teem (as their feud is with his civilian identity rather than his Sith alter ego, meaning he needs leverage to justify an assassination to his allies and associates). By the Palpatine becomes Naboo's Senator, though, Plagueis has finally had ''enough'' of Teem and manipulates events and the Grant to acquire said leverage. [[spoiler:And then Teem tries to turn the tables on both Plagueis and Palpatine, which seals his fate]].

* MarriedToTheJob: While training Palpatine, Damask notes that his Muun peers wondered for many years why he chose to remain unwed. They ultimately reached the conclusion that Damask was, in essence, married to his work. As Damask wryly observes, they have no idea just how right they were – except, of coruse, that his real bride wasn't capitalism, but the Dark Side of the Force.

** In-universe, and aligning with the setup from the ''Darth Bane'' Trilogy, the Sith have long known that the post-Ruusan Reformation Republic and Jedi Order would gradually lose the post-war momentum, become complacent, and slowly begin to decline. The Grand Plan was built with that inevitability in mind, charging the Sith to do what they could to hasten the political decay from the shadows and to observe and strike when conditions had finally and sufficiently deteriorated.

* LegallyDead: When Larsh Hill learns Rugess Nome (Darth Tenebrous) has died, Damask makes it clear the Bith's body will never be recovered (and Hill knows better than to ask for further details). Instead, Hill immediately begins working on their legal strategy for executing Nome's estate (and at the very least reclaiming the assets that contractually belong to Damask Holdings). Hill admits they'll have to wait at least a full standard year before they can petition the Probate Courts to have Nome declared legally dead.

** Darth Venamis is subjected to an artificial version of Tenebrous's fate by Plagueis.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Plagueis initially has the idea of creating an army of Yinchorri clones to fight the Jedi, due to the Yinchorri's natural traits as warriors and [[AntiMagic their resistance to Force mind powers]]. However the Kaminoans note it would be difficult and long to make that project a reality; the Yinchorri's natural aggressiveness would need to be reduced and replaced with obedience to orders, and even then there would be a significant growth period per clone. Coupled with the difficulties of replicating their signature Force-nulling characteristics]] and the Jedi Temple attack showing them to be [[DumbMuscle easily tricked]] despite their aggression, Plagueis ultimately abandons this plan.

* TheBadGuyWins: As with most stories during this era, Darth Sidious achieves all that he desires.

** Kinda with Plagueis and Pax Teem after the Gran's falling out with Damask Holdings. For over the next decade, Teem is a thorn in Damask's side and does everything in his power to politically hurt the Muuns and Trade Federation. Plagueis tolerates it because while the Sith's original plans for Teem died with Tenebrous, the Gran's corruption still has its uses for weakening the Republic. More, Plagueis ''can't'' just unilaterally assassinate Teem (as their feud is with his civilian identity rather than his Sith alter ego, meaning he needs leverage to justify an assassination to his allies and associates). By the Palpatine becomes Naboo's Senator, though, Plagueis has finally had ''enough'' of Teem and manipulates events and the Grant to acquire said leverage.

* EvilRedhead: Palpatine.

** Also Thoris Darus, the heavily Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, who is known for his frequent gambling.

* KickTheDog: Somehow, it's not really surprising that [[spoiler: Palpatine comes up with the idea of not just killing the Jedi but completely destroying their reputation and legacy -- thereby turning them into enemies of the Republic.]]

** [[spoiler: Was the Speeder crash that killed the Kims secretly engineered by Tapalo and Veruna to force Vidar from the Senate out of grief and/or fear? Or was it really a genuine malfunction and tragic accident? Luceno gives enough evidence to go either way and it's up to the reader to decide.]]

** It's also implied that there's one between Houses Palpatine and Tapalo of Naboo, with Consinga's grandfather having challenged and lost a duel to Tapalo's father over the Tapalo and Veruna's role in arming the Gungans during the Naboo-Gungan War, and Cosinga being Tapalo's main opponent in his bid to become king. Palpatine claims that Cosinga is in truth motivated by his ambition, as his mistress' brother is Tapalo's competitor for the the throne, and would give him a position of power if elected.

** A really clever and subtle instance when Pax Teem kidnaps Palpatine in Part II. The Senator denies Teem's accusations that Damask is his Master. On the first read, it comes off as Palpatine trying to preserve his cover. [[spoiler:On the reread, it's also a nice bit of foreshadowing about how Sidious ''really'' feels about his Plagueis and his plans for the Muun.]]
** Palpatine then does it again later when hosting a private reception for Valorum at 500 Republica. Sei Taria quotes a recent [=HoloNet=] profile about the Naboo Senator and how he turned a heartbreaking tragic past into a heartwarming dedication to public service. Palpatine responds that every word of the article ''is'' true...[[MetaphoricallyTrue from a certain point of view]]. Valorum and Sei Taria, of course, laugh and don't realize Palpatine's actually having a private inside joke at their expense.

** An in-universe example with Sith Holocrons during Part II. Plagueis cautions Palpatine about consulting them -- or at least at this stage of his Sith training before he's found his own path to the Dark Side. As Plagueis explains, each Holocron contains knowledge specific and idiosyncratic to each Sith Lord who constructed them. ''Real' knowledge is passed by Master to Apprentice during one-on-one training sessions where nothing is codified, recorded, or diluted -- and thus can't be forgotten or altered.

* SarcasticConfession: A really clever and subtle instance when Pax Teem kidnaps Palpatine in Part II. The Senator denies Teem's accusations that Damask is his Master. On the first read, it comes off as Palpatine trying to preserve his cover. [[spoiler:On the reread, it's also a nice bit of foreshadowing about how Sidious ''really'' feels about his Plagueis and his plans for the Muun.]]

* AndShowItToYou: Plagueis actually rips out a primitive alien's heart in a fight.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Plagueis initially has the idea of creating an army of Yinchorri clones to fight the Jedi, due to the Yinchorri's natural traits as warriors and of their resistance to Force mind powers. However he gives up on it after being told by the Kaminoans of how difficult and long it would be to make that project a reality, due to the Yinchorri's natural aggressiveness, which would require lots of time and effort for the Kaminoans to reduce said aggressiveness and discipline them.

* TheGamblingAddict: Gardulla the Hutt is this, hence why Hego Damask eventually cut his ties with her as she became too unreliable in her payments. Also Thoris Darus, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, and Kerred Santhe II of Santhe/Sienar Technologies.

* {{Misblamed}}: After Kerred Santhe's murder by Plagueis, and despite accusations of Rugess Nome and Siennar having assassinated him, it was ultimately the chefs who cooked the Bloated Eel that Santhe ate who were blamed for his death and went through long prison sentences despite their innocence.

** Back during the flashbacks of ''Star Wars: Republic'' #64, Vidar Kim had made veiled referencs to intrigues on Naboo while trying to get Ronhar to renounce his fealty to the Jedi. ''Darth Plagueis'' finally reveals what specifically Vidar was alluding to here (Veruna and Tapolo's crooked deals with the Trade Federation, their political corruption that engineered Tapolo's re-election, and their possible role in the deaths of [[spoiler:Vidar's family]]).