If Emperor Palpatine was so racist, why did he take Maul as his apprentice? Did he just not become racist until he assumed control of the resurrected Empire, if so, for what reason did he change? It's a well known fact from the books that he was very racist....

I think you're misunderstanding, only the species that are less humanoid he considers inferior, races like Chiss, Iridonians, etc.. he considers near equal, Pureblood Sith were the real racists in Star Wars, far more elitist than Sidious.

Well, it's been a while since I've read any of the books, but I don't remember him making exceptions for any non human race.

Oh, he was racist all right, but he did make full use of the tools he had, like Maul and Thrawn, who was an admiral no less. Maul was a powerful warrior whom Sidious used to further his goals. Edited December 29, 2011 by blooddodo

maul was seen as a tool for him to use and manipulate, not as an equal. He didn't even think vader as an equal.

It would seem that Darth Sidious was an equal opportunity hater, but by playing to the dominant species of the galaxy, humans, he could garner the largest amount of followers and slaves. The humans get to hear that they're special and thus find no fault that less special people should be enslaved. He's an opportunist, through and through, feeding off of hate and despair is just a bonus to him.

ya I guess

The Emperor wasnt racist, he was speciest. Even with that I dont think so either. There are a couple of things to consider. He master wasnt human, his first apprentice wasnt human, those closest to him while he was chancelor werent human. He was also aware of the Vong, which to my understanding was why the Deathstar was planned for. At any rate humans are easier to control. But the main reason for me is that he was scared of other species. And we all know where fear leads to...

The Empire was pro-human because it made the whole institution easier to control. I have never gotten the feeling Palpatine was himself racist in anyway. Hell he looked down on EVERYONE not because they "weren't human" but because he had convinced himself that he was no longer a mere human either. He thought he was literally the Dark Side made manifest, and that made him superior to everyone regardless of race.

I don't believe Palpatine himself was ever a xenophobe, it was the rest of Imperial High Command (Grand Moff Tarkin) that implemented the Human High Culture idea. Palpatine saw the use in those that would serve him loyally (Thrawn) and as someone else said letting the idea of Human High Culture helped him keep humans under him and aliens squashed.

Palpatine and the Empire in general have the reputation to consider aliens like animals and slaves. But Palpatine liked he ones who could serve him and who could be useful to him.

 

Maul was a tool for him and was powerful, so he didn't care if he was an alien.

 

And Thrawn, well, Palpatine is intelligent enough to understand that it's better to keep that genius with him than against him. But he didn't like to "show" him and Thrawn was working in the Unknown regions far from the others. Both were happy with that.

In the time of the republic, Palpatine surrounded himself with aliens. I don't believe he was racist, but he is opportunist.

 

Humans are by far the most dominant species in the entire galaxy, occupying nearly every sector. I would say there are are as many living humans as half of all sentient aliens combined.

 

Therefor, by focusing loyalties on one dominant species, and taking advantage of their own specist tendencies and feelings he was able to rest more support.