In the narrative elements of a tragedy is necesary to show the evolution of the power of the antagonists
In ep I, Palpatine managed to separate both Sidious and the senator/chancellor roles, because he is a master of deceive (This is one of his first shown skills, heīs strong in the dark side but heīs also extremely cuning) While episodes or acts of tragedy advance both heroes and villians evolve in skills, but there is a diference, heroes evolve in virtue (in the greek sense of areté) while villians evolve in evilness and vice.
In ep II, Palpatine shows more confidence in his power than before, because he is at the head of the Republic. At the end of Aotc (I didnīt remember the lines) Yoda and Mace conclude they canīt trust in Palpy and must keep an eye on his behavior. He accomplished his plans: make the separatist clash with the Republic in a conflict that will weaken both and made him the only option to solve the crisis.
Jedis were fighting in this conflict because they care about people and wanted to safe the most lives.
The two previous episode brought the conditions for the rise of the empire in rots, when Palpatine controls the army to overcome the Jedi with order 66. At this point all Jedi were distrutful with Palpy but only a hero in tragedy could discover the hidden truth, Anakin, because he was growing in Power and virtue, he discovered Palpatine was the Sith Lord, because he was close to him, and he had an advantage in force sensitivity among the Jedi group.