Darth Plagueis the Wise

Plagueis came to a stop in the middle of the walkway. "How deep does your interest go? To what position do you aspire? Republic Senator? Monarch of Naboo? Supreme Chancellor of the Republic?"

Palpatine glanced at him. "You'll think less of me if I tell you."

"Now you underestimate me, as you do your father."

Palpatine took a deep breath and continued. "I want to be a force for change." His look hardened. "I want to rule."

[At this point Plagueis recounts a long story to Palpatine about how he had his whole family killed and became the sole inheritor of an abundance of wealth; it was at the end of this exchange that I found chilling in a good book drama sort of way.]

Plagueis stood tall and folded his thin arms across his chest. In turn, Palpatine trained his gaze on the gazebo's wooden floor. Plagueis detected the quiet whir of 11-4D's photoreceptors focusing on the youth.

"You think me a monster," he said when a long moment of silence had elapsed.

Palpatine raised his head and said, "You underestimate me, Magister."