Why was there a pit in the Emperor's chamber on Death Star?

Question

At the end of Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader threw the Emperor into a pit. Why was there a pit in the Emperor's VIP chamber on the Death Star?

Maybe the same reason Jabba the Hutt has one. Sometimes you just want to see captives thrown into a pit for entertainment. Or it might have been a mix-up with the plans. The pit was meant to be in the next chamber over, but someone misread the blueprints. If you think building an extension to your house is bad, try constructing a Death Star... — Royal Canadian Bandit, Apr 22 '14 at 08:14
Slightly more serious speculation: The Death Star was still under construction, so maybe this was a temporary throne room and/or they were planning to wall off the pit later. (There was a fantastic Robot Chicken sketch in which the Emperor has to yell at a construction crew to keep the noise down while he is monologuing at Luke.) — Royal Canadian Bandit, Apr 22 '14 at 08:29
For the same reason there is a ridiculous amount of metal scaffolding and sheer drops in Cloud City, Eric Bana's ship in the Star Trek relaunch, and many other shows; dramatic fight scenes. As a galactic Emperor, Palpatine knew full-well his throne room needed to be decked out to the nines for a dramatic fight scene. — James Sheridan, Apr 22 '14 at 11:00
This is explicitly called out in TVTropes' page on No OSHA Compliance — Avner Shahar-Kashtan, Apr 22 '14 at 11:59
I feel this question could be better put or phrased. As it is the clear answer is merely, and tritely, "to service the plot". — Paul, Apr 22 '14 at 15:00
@JamesSheridan: Maybe your answer is not that wrong: Palpatine new that the empire is reined by fear. Such an empire needs a throne room that radiates fear: "Do you see that architectonic otherwise expendable pit...? Better watch your mouth!" — Einer, Apr 22 '14 at 15:08
I politely request a spoiler alert placed at the beginning of similar questions in the future! Now I'll never watch Episode VI.... — FreeAsInBeer, Apr 22 '14 at 16:01
@FreeAsInBeer: Really? Ep6 was released more than 30 years ago. What in the name of the Dark Side have you been doing with your time since then? :-) — Royal Canadian Bandit, Apr 23 '14 at 10:06
Same reason Syndrome has his lair in a volcano in the Incredibles. Sometimes just to show off your amazingness you put insane things in your lair. Yeah, you know you could be thrown down it, but in the end you look more awesome being surrounded by danger and just walking among the threats as though you are bigger than them. Hell, think of how dangerous space itself is. Why even risk being on a giant artificial structure in the first place when there are so many inhabitable planets you can safely rule from? — Kai Qing, Apr 25 '17 at 22:03

score 53 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 18 '15 at 15:33

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Well we can rule out it being a temporary throne room, as it is described in immense detail in the following article (also referenced by Max's answer):

"Emperor's Throne Room", Wikia

Considering the following excerpt:

Surrounding the throne room and its neighboring rooms was the abyss, an open shaft surrounding the turbolifts, which led directly to the Death Star's power core, 400 km (250 miles) below. The receiving area, or inner sanctum, was separated by a retractable walkway. The Receiving area was used for meetings with local system governors and/or the Emperor's advisors.

From this I would surmise that, being a Sith Emperor who rules the galaxy through fear, the Emperor intentionally constructed his throne room with an "abyss" in it in order to intimidate the governors and other people who would enter that room.

The fact that he could so easily be thrown into it served as even more of a "fuck you" to those people as it showed that he considered them to be of utterly no threat to him at all.

edited Jun 18 '15 at 15:33

Mark Rogers

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answered Apr 22 '14 at 15:45

Wayzgoose

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I'm willing to buy "because intimidation". And Palpatine looks a lot like Monty Burns, so... – joshbirk Apr 22 '14 at 19:34
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It's probably fair to say that the Emperor never considered the possibility he'd be overpowered. Remember this is the guy who beat Yoda! He probably assumed he'd be the one doing the throwing... – Liath Apr 23 '14 at 07:04
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"Madness? THIS IS THE EMPIRE!" – Michael Paulukonis Apr 28 '14 at 20:50
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Is ANY of that "immense" detail actually referenced properly aside from "I'm describing in words what I see in the movie"? – DVK-on-Ahch-To Dec 08 '14 at 00:46
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@Liath, yes. The pit is clearly there for the Emperor to throw people into. – A E Dec 08 '14 at 22:47
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400km radius?! Damn, I knew the Death Star is big, but that is one big battle station... – flq Jun 18 '15 at 18:40
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@MichaelPaulukonis "Make them fly, Vader! I want to see them fly!" – Wolfie Inu Sep 30 '15 at 06:36

score 20 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 22 '14 at 10:07

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Numerous areas throughout the Death Star consisted of vast air shafts. These shafts helped circulate air, pressurise the battle station's habitable sections, and also channeled heat that expended from generators located within the shafts.

Imperial Death Star Owners Workshop Manual, p.82

answered Apr 22 '14 at 10:07

PhilPursglove

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Okay, but was that necessary in Emperor's VIP chamber? – user931 Apr 22 '14 at 10:09
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In case the Emperor himself needed to "demote" some generals. – Chahk Apr 22 '14 at 13:12
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It was necessary for the Emperor to feed the ducks. Old people like to feed ducks, and there were many ducks in the pond at the bottom of that pit. – James Sheridan Apr 22 '14 at 13:20
@JamesSheridan Electric ducks? – Zibbobz Apr 22 '14 at 13:27
@Zibbobz: That's right. And he had a few robot chickens he liked to feed in a coop around the back. – James Sheridan Apr 22 '14 at 13:29
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At least the pit makes more sense than there being a Death Star Owners Workshop Manual. Like the Emperor is going to tinker with his Death Star in his own workshop. – mcv Apr 22 '14 at 13:43
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@JamesSheridan: Probably a typo. Should be "feed the ducts" – Einer Apr 22 '14 at 14:12
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@SachinShekhar Hey, the Emperor cares a lot about having the temperature just right in his throne room. So yeah, he gets the best A/C available. – Doc Apr 23 '14 at 04:46
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"Feed the ducts! Tuppence a bag!" – Gustav Bertram Dec 08 '14 at 07:45
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFvRvSxsW-I Shaft! – Peter Dec 09 '15 at 20:25
Grilles had not yet been invented. – Organic Marble Mar 26 '16 at 11:23

score 8 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 22 '14 at 13:23

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If I remember correctly, the Emperor's chamber was at the top of a tall spire on Death Star II.

The "pit" was simply the tower shaft.

See: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_throne_room_(Death_Star_II)

answered Apr 22 '14 at 13:23

Max

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OK. But as I understand it the question is, why have a huge opening to the pit, into which people can easily fall (or be thrown)? – Royal Canadian Bandit Apr 22 '14 at 14:10
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Palpatine is evil. The pit is impressive, scary, and good for throwing people into. The psychological effect of all that on people visiting the throne room is probably deliberate. Of course, he was probably arrogant enough that the idea someone might one day throw him into it never even occurred to him. – anaximander Apr 22 '14 at 15:59
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@anaximander Yep. I know if I were the Emperor, and they asked me if I wanted a pit or no pit, I'd want the pit. Well, I'd want one of those hyper-fast blast doors for it too, installed horizontally and to look more or less like ordinary floor... – Dronz Nov 14 '14 at 06:51

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 26 '16 at 10:50

Echoing WayzGoose's excellent answer, the Emperor had the pit in his throne room because, well, it's very impressive. And if you're the evil Emperor of a Empire consisting of several trillion inhabitants, it certainly helps if your visitors are suitable cowed before they've even gotten to speak to you.

THE EMPEROR has called for his servant, and Darth Vader has come to the Death Star’s immense throne room to receive his orders.
To approach the Emperor’s throne, visitors must cross a narrow bridge over a vast chasm. If they dare peer over the edge they will see, a mile below, the terrible glow of the space station’s main reactor.
Then they must climb several sets of stairs placed there for no reason other than their own inconvenience.
There is no luxury in this throne room. It is all girders and catwalks and strange machinery that hums, buzzes, and sometimes growls.
Even the throne is menacing, more like a chunk of black rock than a chair. It doesn’t even have a cushion.
This whole throne room was designed for just one purpose: to intimidate.

_{^{Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Beware the power of the Dark Side}}

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 23 '14 at 08:52

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Intimidation. Long, deadly drops cause unease in those coming before the emperor. Especially when he has force powers to flick people off the edge.

It's the usual half-baked plan by an evil villain that backfires when he becomes a victim of it

answered Apr 23 '14 at 08:52

user

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Why was there a pit in the Emperor's chamber on Death Star?

5 Answers5