NOTE: Don't let the size of your scroll bar scare you off, this isn't larger than my normal blogs really. It just contains massive quoting of the Episode IV script. Which you'll be scrolling past most of it anyway.
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This is a pretty direct follow-up to my (somewhat expectedly) wildly unpopular thoughts from my last entry. So I figured the only way to follow up something like that is with something I personally would dislike even more, but might improve the wooden bridge between the two trilogies by turning it into a steel bridge nearing the level if the movies had been made in order.

Any future entries along this line won't be suggesting changes but arguing against them.

To immerse yourself in this argument you first have to realize one thing. George doesn't care much about the Expanded Universe one way or the other, he doesn't like to destroy it though (thus borrowing the name Coruscant amongst other things) so this change would likely never come to pass. Still, it's interesting to think about... This is technically possible now.
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The answer to the question in the title is "Yes"
In 1977, Yes. In 1982, Yes. In 1995, Yes. In 1997, Yes. In 1999, Yesish.
In 2002, Probably. In 2005 and onward... I'm not sure.

Senator Palpatine... Grand Chancellor Palpatine... Darth Sidious... Emperor Palpatine

We see the origins of his power in Episode I... The cementing of them in Episode II... The finalization of them in Episode III... The extent of his influence in Episode V... And the end of his reign in Episode VI.

I... II... III... V... VI

I suspect your infinite powers of deduction have realized what's missing. We have a venerable Palpatine black hole in Episode IV. There was an Ian McDiarmid black hole in Episode V until he was digitally inserted in the 2004 DVDs, that hole has been filled.

Tarkin fills his role in IV and for over twenty years there was nothing wrong with that. We had Tarkin and Vader, then we had Vader and a bit of the Emperor, then we had the Emperor and Vader. It flowed nicely if you're just watching the original trilogy. Starting in 1999 though he became a hole, an oddity, a sore thumb. An eloquent, brilliantly acted, moody hole, but a hole nevertheless.

Fast forward to 2007 or so, Blu-Ray DVDs are on the rise and the "Archival Saga" edition of the DVDs are being released just in time for the TV series to come out too. Digital technology is even better than that which allowed Ian to be inserted into V and Jabba into IV among other changes.

Should Tarkin even be there anymore? Could Palpatine himself better serve the role? We now have the technology to digitally composite Ian into it and remove Tarkin.

Let's go through all of the lines revolving around Tarkin in the script and replace them with Palpatine, minor audio changes were required as well, with the magic of Lucasfilm sound mixing this wouldn't be difficult.

For added effect read the script aloud with your best Palpatine impression

All changes to the script have been bolded along with my commentary.
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TAGGE: The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial
Senate as long as....

Suddenly all heads turn as Commander Tagge's speech is cut
short and Palpatine, Emperor of the Galactic Empire, enters.
He is followed by his powerful ally,
The Sith Lord, Darth Vader. All of the generals stand and bow
before the thin, evil-looking emperor as he takes his place
at the head of the table. The Dark Lord stands behind him.

PALPATINE: The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us.
I have just dissolved the council permanently.
The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.

TAGGE: That's impossible! How will you maintain control
without the bureaucracy?

PALPATINE: The regional governors now have direct control over
territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this
battle station.

No real problems there. Palpatine claiming the last remnants of the Old Republic being swept away is consistent with his speech we just saw about an hour ago during our Saga marathon during Episode III. The Grand Empire is now firmly in place without the Senate, to ensure peace and security... Through fear.

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VADER: I find your lack of faith disturbing.

PALPATINE: Enough of this! Vader, release him!

VADER: As you wish.

PALPATINE: This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with
the location of the Rebel fortress by the time this station is
operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.


Palpatine is just sadistic enough to let Vader do some choking before telling him to stop and he also makes a lot more sense as the man with the power to tell Vader to stop. And don't tell me "We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke!" isn't a very Palpatinelike thing to say, it's right up his alley! "Wipe them out... All of them." "From here you will witness the destruction of the Alliance and the end of your insignificant rebellion."

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PALPATINE: Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of
persuasion.

VADER: What do you mean?

PALPATINE: I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this
station. (to soldier) Set your course for Princess Leia's home planet
of Alderaan.

We'll likely learn that Bail Organa and Alderaan has been a thorn in Palpatine's side for years in the course of the TV show and it's already evident in the Expanded Universe. He has dual reasons for choosing Alderaan.

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LEIA: Emperor Palpatine, I should have expected to find you holding
Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on
board.

PALPATINE: Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it
signing the order to terminate your life!

LEIA: I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility
yourself!

PALPATINE: Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my
guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No
star system will dare oppose me now.

LEIA: The more you tighten your grip, Palpatine, the more star systems
will slip through your fingers.

PALPATINE: Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way,
you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed
first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the
Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power...
on your home planet of Alderaan.

LEIA: No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't
possibly...

PALPATINE: You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name
the system!

Palpatine waves menacingly toward Leia.

PALPATINE: I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where
is the Rebel base?

Leia overhears an intercom voice announcing the approach to
Alderaan.

LEIA: (softly) Dantooine.

Leia lowers her head.

LEIA: They're on Dantooine.

PALPATINE: There. You see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. (addressing
Motti) Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.

LEIA: What?

PALPATINE: You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an
effective demonstration. But don't worry. I will deal with your Rebel
friends soon enough.

LEIA: No!

Ah and here's the scene where it makes perhaps the most sense. Leia would be familiar with Palpatine of course as a member of the Imperial Senate and would indeed expect anyone to be on his leach. It also makes more sense for Palpatine to give the order to destroy a planet rather than a Grand Moff theoretically without the Emperor's approval.

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Imperial Officer Cass stands before Emperor Palpatine and the
evil Dark Lord Darth Vader.

PALPATINE: Yes.

OFFICER CASS: Our scout ships have reached Dantooine. They found the
remains of a Rebel base, but they estimate that it has been deserted
for some time. They are now conducting an extensive search of the
surrounding systems.

PALPATINE: She lied! She lied to us!

VADER: I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion.

PALPATINE: Terminate her...immediately!

And now young Leia... You will die.

Darth Vader paces the room as Emperor Palpatine sits at the far
end of the conference table.

VADER: He is here...

PALPATINE: Obi-Wan Kenobi! What makes you think so?

VADER: A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the
presence of my old master.

PALPATINE: Surely he must be dead by now.

VADER: But I have felt him my master...

PALPATINE: The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe.
You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion.

There is a quiet buzz on the comlink.

PALPATINE: Yes.

INTERCOM VOICE: My Lord, we have an emergency alert in
detention block A A-twenty-three.

PALPATINE: The princess! Put all sections on alert!

VADER: Obi-Wan is here. The Force is with him.

PALPATINE: If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape.

VADER: Escape is not his plan. I must face him alone.

This would be in the same vein as Palpatine saying "Are you sure?" when Vader senses Luke but Palpatine does not. James Earl Jones would have to come in for one line because Vader saying "Don't underestimate the power of the force" wouldn't make much sense to say to his master Palpatine. It also makes more sense for Palpatine to competely remember Obi-Wan than Tarkin. He knows who it was that put Vader in the suit, Vader and Palpatine have a personal connection here. It would make alot of sense for him to report it to his master before going after his former master for a rematch

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Darth Vader strides into the control room, where Palpatine is
watching the huge view screen. A sea of stars is before him.

PALPATINE: Are they away?

VADER: They have just made the jump into hyperspace.

PALPATINE: You're sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I'm
taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work.

Similar to V and VI, Palpatine's trust in Vader is not absolute.

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Emperor Palpatine and a Chief Officer stand in the Death
Star's control room.

OFFICER: We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger.
Should I have your ship standing by?

PALPATINE: Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate
their chances!

You can actually leave this scene in, showing Palpatine's overconfidence. You would then simply film a new scene with an Episode IV Vader Suit (with someone with approximately David Prowse's build in the suit) and Ian in which Palpatine orders Vader to go after the fighers himself, while Palpatine heads for his shuttle. Palpatine does need to live after all, even if Tarkin doesn't.

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So there you go, every single one of Tarkin's lines seems perfectly in character with Palpatine as we know him today. The blogs and questions about why Tarkin could seemingly control Vader would end and the Palpatine hole would be filled with a bit of high tech compositing of Ian and a bit of creative cutting and sound edits. Only one new scene being required.

Also of note a change this massive might drive ticket sales if re-released to theaters. This ain't your daddy's (IE: Me) Star Wars. This is Episode IV: Reign of the Sith!

Just to make things clear. I like the trilogy the way I originally saw it, but I also think the bridge between the two sagas is a bit wooden right now. As long as George is going to keep changing things in the Official version... Should we make that bridge steel?

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