De acordo com o artigo do Wookieepedia sobre a bengala do Imperador :
Sometime before 0 BBY, the cane fell into the hands of Galactic Emperor Palpatine.3 Palpatine used the cane in order to appear to be weak instead of actually needing it.5 When he inspected the second Death Star in the days preceding the Battle of Endor, Palpatine carried the cane with him, and brought it into his throne room.1
E como nas anotações nos bastidores:
The Emperor's cane first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.1