George Lucas' canceled TV show, Emperor Palpatine. For several decades, the Emperor was only known by his last name, while his first was a complete mystery. This changed in 2014 when Star Wars: Tarkin by James Luceno revealed that Palpatine's first name is "Sheev."

During an interview on the Full of Sith Podcast, Luceno explained that Lucas created this name for Underworld. Sharing his first name was Palpatine's way of bringing allies into his inner circle, hence why most people don't know about "Sheev." This change had a mixed reception among fans, but it isn't the only way Underworld would have developed Palpatine.

Star Wars: Underworld Planned To Flesh Out Palpatine A Lot More

Even giving him a tragic love story

Underworld would have fleshed out several Star Wars ​​​​​​characters, both old and new, but it seems Palpatine would have had a surprisingly emotional story. In the Star Wars ​​​​​​movies, Palpatine is purely an evil character, the embodiment of the dark side who manipulates everyone else. However, in a 2016 interview with GamesBeat, God of War creative director Cory Barlog revealed that parts of the game's story were inspired by the scripts he had read for Underworld:

It was the most mind-blowing thing I’d ever experienced. I cared about the Emperor. They made the Emperor a sympathetic figure who was wronged by this ****ing heartless woman. She’s this hardcore gangster, and she just totally destroyed him as a person. I almost cried while reading this. This is the Emperor, the lightning out of the fingers Emperor. That’s something magical. The writers who worked on that, guys from The Shield and 24, these were excellent writers.”

While Barlog doesn't specify if this would have happened to Palpatine in Underworld or if the show was fleshing out his backstory, it's still a fascinating direction to take the most evil man in the galaxy. It's an interesting parallel to Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side to save his wife, giving a greater connection between the two Sith. Ultimately, the show's execution would determine if this idea worked, but it would have been a remarkable development.

It's Incredible To See Even A Canceled Star Wars TV Show Has A Legacy

A glimpse into what Star Wars could have been

Underworld was a highly ambitious series with so much potential for greatness, so it's nice to see it has even a small legacy. Perhaps some of the show's unused concepts, including the significance of Emperor Palpatine's name and his failed love life, can make their way into future Star Wars stories. Expanding on one of the saga's greatest villains and revisiting what made him into the man he is can always make for a good story.

This isn't the only legacy Underworld has had, as Disney would eventually produce the first live-action Star Wars show with The Mandalorian. Lucasfilm incorporated new technology that made crafting a cinematic show on a budget easier, as Lucas always wanted, and some of The Mandalorian's Coruscant episodes show Underworld's potential. With all the scripts sitting in Lucasfilm's archives, who knows what influence Star Wars: Underworld will continue to have?