Palpatine's radio rants in Fortnite spark controversy five years later

In December 2019, a notable Fortnite event took place where the character Palpatine, from the Star Wars franchise, made a surprising broadcast claiming he had returned after cheating death. This event, which has become somewhat of a historical oddity, marked an intriguing intersection between video gaming and the Star Wars narrative. Notably, it was regarded as a canonical moment in Star Wars lore, but it was not included in the film itself, The Rise of Skywalker. The event's importance was later emphasized as one of the two canonical references to Palpatine’s return within the franchise. Interestingly, the Fortnite broadcast was declared an essential part of the overall Star Wars story but was only available to experience during its initial event in 2019 and is now archived only through player recordings. Furthermore, the text of Palpatine's broadcast can be found in the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker, as explained by author Rae Carson, which indicates that it was a Lucasfilm-provided script rather than content specifically created for Fortnite. This raises questions about how such a significant plot moment could simultaneously be tied to a different medium yet overlooked in the main film adapted from the saga. The situation exemplifies the broader complexities and peculiarities surrounding Star Wars continuity—a franchise that often promotes the idea that all media linked to it holds equal weight. The Palpatine Fortnite event thus serves as a critical examination of this premise while also showcasing the challenges in reconciling various forms of storytelling within the universe. As fans strive to understand the intricacies of Star Wars continuity, Palpatine's announcement through a video game proves to be a bizarre but vital reference point, even though it has become an artifact of gaming history. The absurdity is further compounded by the reality that many aspects of Star Wars lore are subject to reinterpretation and revision. Similar situations have emerged within other properties, such as Marvel, which have also attempted to maintain coherent narratives despite changes and inconsistencies over time. Ultimately, the implications of this Fortnite event extend beyond trivial entertainment into the ongoing conversation surrounding the coherence of interconnected narratives in popular franchises like Star Wars.