在《西斯的复仇》上映之前，观众们是否知道帕尔帕廷就是皇帝？ 第1页

当然知道。1976年11月（比电影上映早半年）出版的第一部《星球大战》小说版开篇序言就告诉大家皇帝的名字是“帕尔帕廷”，相关章节原文如下：

……
Aided and abetted by restless, power-hungry individuals within the government, and the massive organs of commerce, the ambitious Senator Palpatine caused himself to be elected President of the Republic. He promised to reunite the disaffected among the people and to restore the remembered glory of the Republic.
Once secure in office he declared himself Emperor, shutting himself away from the populace. Soon he was controlled by the very assistants and boot-lickers he had appointed to high office, and the cries of the people for justice did not reach his ears.
……

这本小说国内引进翻译出版过不止一次了，我20多年前接触的第一批《星球大战》作品之一就是它。当时别说《西斯复仇》，连《幽灵的威胁》都没上映。这本书的最新译版是2015年海星社（清华大学出版社）出的。