I am one of the very few who thinks Palpatines return was crucial to the story. It feels poetic and would have him as the Mastermind behind all 9 movies. i just wish it was either more explained or handled differently. Although it might conflict with what is given, i Connect it with how Horcruxes work, and i like to believe that He split his spirit and possessed different beings to where he goes back to Exegol and puts himself back together.

I also wouldn't have Palpatine create Snoke or secretly be the mastermind of the First Order since it was never set up. Though, I do agree having Palpatine be the main villain of The Skywalker Saga as a whole is poetic.

Tease his return throughout all three films, not just dump him on the last one.

I think the idea of Palpatine coming back is overall a really cool idea, but Disney just throwing him in Episode 9 was not the way to go about it. Hint at it throughout Episodes 7-early 9, actually give a little more context as to how tf he's back, and then reveal him later on in Episode 9.

I like the idea of Palpatine returning, but his return needed to be set up through out the trilogy.

I agree that Palps just being 'dumped' in as the bad guy was annoying. Especially since there were a lot of potential for Snoke's backstory and why/how he became ruler of the FO. Just going 'haha Snoke is a clone joke's on you' was annoying.

The original one was projection like Luke had in The Last Jedi and his real body was somewhere else gaining more power

I would go with Palpatine transferring his essence into Vader's helmet with Palpatine's voice masquerading as Vader tricking Kylo. Palpatine wants a vessel to possess and initially plans to possess Kylo but later turns to Rey which by the climax he succeeds only to be defeated for good by Anakin.

Starwarsfanforevers idea is pretty good. I’d just not kill snoke in TLJ and let him be the big baddy in the last one plus give him more depth

I would have him stay dead. The first six movies, and everything that happened in between, are pointless if the good guys didn't defeat Palpatine and remove him forever as a threat. It's a terrible failing in franchise writers that they think fans want to see the same bad guys over and over (which obviously some do) instead of coming up with new ideas.