Rumours suggest that the announcement of the "Star Wars" Episode 7 movie is imminent. The announcement is expected to list the cast for the movie and possibly the title. There may also be a trailer to engage the fans.

There are a lot of rumours floating online regarding how exactly will the Sith return with the emperor Palpatine dead. Some suggest that he will return as a clone others suggest that a new apprentice will take his place as the new lord of the Sith.

The indications are strong that emperor Palpatine will return, especially with rumours that Ian McDiarmid has been cast in the movie. So, how will he return? What will be his goal? And who will he turn to the dark side this time? Here is a speculation of his role in "Star Wars" episode 7.

Return of Darth Sidious:

Emperor Palpatine also known as Darth Sidious was killed by Darth Vader, but he may be the first Sith lord to return in spirit form in the "Star Wars" movies. So far only the Jedi like Yoda, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi have returned in spirit form.

If Darth Sidious returns in spirit form he is expected to turn the next generation of Jedi to the dark side. This could be the son of Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill is rumoured to have been cast for the role of Luke.

The spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi:

The work of Obi-Wan Kenobi may not have ended. If a Sith lord comes back from the dead to influence the Jedi, the spirits of the powerful Jedi will have work to do. Fans could see a sort of spirit wars when the spirits of Jedi and Sith try to influence the young Jedi.

"Star Wars" episode 7 could see the son of Luke Skywalker as a rebellious teenager who would rather explore the galaxy like his uncle Han Solo rather than practice the discipline of the Jedi. Such a character can be an easy target for the Sith to turn him to the dark side.

Han Solo Saves the Day:

In the original trilogy Han Solo repeatedly helped Luke Skywalker at critical moments. In many ways Luke may not have succeeded had it not been for the support he got from Han. But what role will he play in the new movie?

If "Star Wars" episode 7 focuses on the journey of a young Jedi to the dark side, there may not be many wars to fight for Han Solo. With his age he may be given a role of a diplomat or a farmer.

But Harrison Ford fans would like to see some action from the star as Han Solo, will he once again save the day at an unexpected critical moment? What plot could allow for another epic space battle?

Click here to read more speculation about the plot of "Star Wars" episode 7, to discover where the setting for space battles can be and who will be fighting.