Throughout the Star Wars franchise, the origins of the Empire have been retconned and fleshed out in such a way that it's now become evident the Emperor had plans for his regime from his very first days as Chancellor of the Republic. Becoming elected after orchestrating a vote of no confidence in the former Chancellor Valorum in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, it seems Palpatine began working toward cementing his power and legacy immediately. Having meticulously planned for almost every eventuality with a strong ability to foresee the future through the dark side, Palpatine was essentially ruling the galaxy even before he was ever officially named Emperor.
Some of Palpatine's biggest schemes include his fabrication of the Clone Wars by manipulating both sides of the conflict, clouding the Jedi's attunement to the Force, and grooming Anakin Skywalker for his eventual corruption to the dark side as Darth Vader. However, there have been recent additions to the canon which point to Palpatine's preparations for his Empire more than a decade before the regime was actually formed from the ashes of the Republic and the fall of the Jedi Order. Here are some of the biggest examples of the future Emperor's earliest plans and work to ensure his legacy in spite of his death (the first time).
