Padme Amidala Episodes I-III

Ever since seeing the Star Wars Trilogy for the first time, Darth Vader has always been my favorite character, and he began to intrigue me even more after seeing "The Empire Strikes Back," because in this film it was revealed he had a human past, that of Anakin Skywalker, which has, up until the release of Episode I, been shrouded in mystery. Then, of course, came "Return of the Jedi," and in one very emotional sequence in the film, Luke Skywalker asks Princess Leia about their mother:

"Leia, do you remember your mother? Your real mother?"

"Just a little bit. She died when I was very young."

"What do you remember?"

"Just images, really, feelings."

"Tell me."

"She was...very beautiful. Kind but...sad. Why are you asking me this?"

"I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her."

Then came yet another object of curiosity. What kind of woman would marry Darth Vader? Of course, it is obvious that she would have married him before he became a Sith Lord. So before becoming a servant of the Dark Side of the Force, Anakin Skywalker must have been just an ordinary human being, experiencing all of the feelings and emotions that we all experience in everyday life. He must have been the "good man" that Obi-Wan described him as, or this woman would not have loved him, and what better way to paint Darth Vader as a character worthy of redemption than by showing his human self, that of Anakin Skywalker, truly loving someone and having that someone truly love him in return? And who is that someone? Padme Naberrie Amidala. And up until the release of Episode I, virtually nothing was known about the character of Luke and Leia's mother, except that she was beautiful, kind, and sad. Of course, we all know why she is beautiful and kind now that we have seen "The Phantom Menace," and we can all guess why she is sad, so what else makes Padme Naberrie Amidala such a fascinating character? She is so fascinating because we know so little about her. Therefore, speculation can run amuck. And isn't that the best part? Speculating about what we don't know? But we do know that she is the missing piece of the Star Wars saga and after 16 years of waiting, it is finally on its way to completion. She is also the missing piece of Anakin Skywalker, just as he is the missing piece of her. When Anakin was separated from his mother at such a young age, he lost the only person in the world that he shared a common bond with. But even as a child, he had a strong emotional connection with Padme. If you have not read the novelization of "The Phantom Menace" by Terry Brooks, there are many scenes between Anakin and Padme that show this bond, but were left out in the movie (I will go into these scenes later). Then toss in a certain life-altering event that occurs in the middle of Episode II, and Padme suddenly becomes the center of Anakin's life (gee, I sure didn't give that one away...I'll go into this more later as well for all you spoiler-freaks). What is different in Episode II as compared to Episode I, is that Padme begins to feel that same bond with Anakin as their relationship takes a completely different path, one that will eventually have both a devastating and liberating effect on the galaxy. But that little bit of information, those three little descriptive words (beautiful, kind, sad) spark a whole plethora of speculation feeding off our curiosity to know more about this extremely important character that we currently know so little about. So, with that said, let's start with what we know about her from "The Phantom Menace": Born Padmé Naberrie, Queen Amidala was the formal name of the royal leader of Naboo. Elected just months prior to the Trade Federation invasion of the peaceful world, Amidala was prodigiously talented and extremely well-trained for a girl of 14 years. Padmé was born in a small mountain village to humble parents. She was identified early as one of Naboo's best and brightest, and trained accordingly. She served as supervisor of the city of Theed for two years before being elected Queen of Naboo. As Amidala, she had achieved the apex of her education's goal, and to be Queen was the natural fulfillment of her potential and her training. Amidala replaced King Veruna, who abdicated the throne in scandal, embroiled in outworld politics after a rule of 13 years. Amidala was elected in an electronic global election that lasted less than four minutes.

While Queen Amidala was the ruler of Naboo she had a large staff of advisors and aides that handled the day-to-day affairs. Sio Bibble, for instance, was Naboo's governor. Captain Panaka was Amidala's loyal bodyguard and head of security. Ric Olie was the pilot of the Queen's gleaming Royal Starship and leader of Bravo Flight. Perhaps most important in Amidala's entourage were her five handmaidens. Saché, Yané, Rabé, Sabe, and Eirtaé not only helped the Queen with her intricate gowns, hairstyles and make-up, but they were also trained in self defense. When in danger, Queen Amidala disguised herself as one of her handmaidens, and adopted her less formal name of Padmé. When disguised as Padmé, Sabé assumed the role of Queen in her place. During the siege of Naboo, the scheming Trade Federation, secretly allied with the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, tried to force the strong-willed Amidala to sign a treaty that would legitimize a brazenly illegal occupation. Amidala refused, and was sentenced to a prison camp. En route to incarceration, Amidala was freed by Jedi ambassadors, who took the Queen and part of her retinue to Coruscant, to plead her case before the senate with the help of Naboo's galactic representative, Senator Palpatine.

On Coruscant, Amidala learned of the inefficiencies of galactic politics, watching as Trade Federation political maneuvering stalemated her plea. Following advice from Senator Palpatine, Amidala called for a Vote of No Confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum. Fed up with the senate, Amidala returned to Naboo. She requested aid from the native Gungans in freeing her captured capital. During the Battle of Naboo, Amidala infiltrated her own palace, and forced Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray to end the occupation. The cowardly Neimoidians, having their armies defeated, capitulated, and freedom was brought back to Naboo.

Now let's backtrack a little. At the tender age of twelve, Padme was already a major government official, a supervisor for the city of Theed. And even before this, she was taken away from her family to pursue a life of study and service to her people. Now I don't mean that she lived in seclusion with her mentors and wasn't allowed to make contact with the people she cared about like some kind of Jedi-hopeful, but how much time do you think she had to visit her family and friends and just plain be a normal girl between her studies and training? If you said "not much," that's probably correct. And when she was elected Queen of Naboo, that didn't help her social situation very much either. It is almost like she is desensitized, being taught to put the good of the Republic before her own feelings and desires. We can even see when we watch Episode I how seemingly distant and cold Padme is as queen. Her feelings are concealed by a mask of solemnity and seriousness. We can't really feel anything for Padme or relate to her in any way as Queen Amidala. So from an early age, she learned to put the welfare of her people before her own personal happiness...and then Anakin Skywalker walks back into her life 10 years later...ooooh...the dilemma...quite the predicament she is in now. So here we have an internal conflict that Padme will be having with herself throughout the whole movie: "Do I stay true to my duties and responsibilities and continue to be the selfless public servant that I have always been, or do I give into my feelings for once and allow myself to open up and fall in love?" Hmmm...we obviously know what she chooses eventually, but it is still fun to analyze. More on this later. Now let's get back to Episode I. Whenever the Queen is in danger, she disguises herself as one of her own handmaidens, taking her true name, Padme Naberrie. The identical hooded dresses and similar appearances of Amidala's handmaidens make it easy for Padme to appear and disappear quietly from the group. Being disguised as Padme robs Amidala of her regal power, but gives her the freedom to live as a normal person; she gets a chance to escape the pressures of palace life and be herself. As humble Padme, Amidala observes things that might not be revealed to the Queen. In Episode I, when Qui-Gon Jinn determines to go into Mos Espa to get parts for the queen's Royal Starship, Padme decides to keep an eye on him. In one of the town's many junk shops, the Star Wars saga's most fateful meeting takes place: that of Padme Naberrie and the young Anakin Skywalker. Her disguise nearly fools everyone, but the nine-year-old Anakin quickly senses that Padme is special. He is drawn to her, and she returns his affection, not quite knowing what to make of the gifted young boy:

Anakin Skywalker could not take his eyes off the girl. He noticed her the moment he entered Watto's shop, even before Watto said anything, and he hadn't been able to stop looking at her since. He barely heard what Watto said to him about watching the shop. He barely noticed the strange-looking creature that had come in with her and was poking around in the shelves and bins. Even when she noticed her was staring at her, he could not help himself.

He moved now to an open space on the counter, hoisted himself up, and sat watching her while pretended to clean a transmitter cell. She was looking back at him now, embarrassment turning to curiosity. She was small and slender with long, braided brown hair, brown eyes, and a face he found so beautiful that he had nothing with which to compare it. She was dressed in rough peasant's clothing, but she seemed very self-possessed.

She gave him an amused smile, and he felt himself melting in confusion and wonder. He took a deep breath. "Are you an angel?" he asked quietly.

The girl stared. "What?"

"An angel. They live on the moons of Iego, I think. They are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they makes even the most hardened space pirates cry like small children."

"I've never heard of angels."

"You must be one of them. Maybe you just don't know it."

"You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"

"I listen to all the traders and pilots who come through here. I'm a pilot, you know. Someday, I'm going to fly away from this place."

"How long have you been here?"

"Since I was very little-three, I think. My mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us to Watto, betting on the pod races. Watto's a lot better master, I think."

She stared at him in shock. "You're a slave?"

The way she said it made Anakin feel ashamed and angry. He glared at her defiantly. "I am a person!"

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, looking upset and embarrassed. "I don't fully understand, I guess. This is a strange world to me."

He studied her intently for a moment, thinking of other things, wanting to tell her of them. "You are a strange girl to me," he said instead. "My name is Anakin Skywalker."

"Padme Naberrie."

................................

Anakin looked at Padme and the girl at him. Their laughter died away. The girl reached up to touch her hair self-consciously, but she did not divert her gaze.

"I'm going to marry you," the boy said suddenly.

There was a moment of silence, and she began laughing again, a sweet musical sound he didn't mind at all. The creature who accompanied her rolled his eyes.

"I mean it," he insisted.

"You are an odd one," she said, her laughter dying away. "Why do you say that?"

He hesitated. "I guess because it's what I believe..."

Her smile was dazzling. "Well, I'm afraid I can't marry you..." She paused, searching her memory for his name.

"Anakin," he said.

"Anakin." She cocked her head. "You're just a little boy."

His gaze was intense as he faced her. "I won't always be," he said quietly.

Now how's that for an intense scene? I personally think that The Flanneled One should have left that last bit of dialogue in the movie. Here we have a nine-year-old Anakin telling Padme that he is going to marry her someday. Of course, Padme doesn't believe a word of it because he is just a child, but then Anakin cleverly responds: "I won't always be." And of course we all know that what he tells her is true, and he definitely won't be a "little boy" anymore in Episode II. This scene just touches on the bond that Anakin starts to develop with Padme throughout the movie, and it also touches on some of Anakin's character flaws that eventually lead to his downfall: arrogance, anger and aggression. But Anakin's analysis will come later. Let's go on to explore more of Anakin's developing relationship with Padme in Episode I. Here is another except from the novelization of "The Phantom Menace," the scene where Anakin takes Padme, Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, and R2-D2 to his home to avoid the sandstorm:

Even as he fought his way through the storm, Anakin's thoughts were directed elsewhere. He was thinking of Padme, of having the chance to take her home to meet his mother, of being able to show her his projects, of holding her hand some more. It sent a flush through him that was both warm and kind of scary. It made him feel good about himself.

Now it is evident from that last scene that Anakin has very strong feelings for Padme, as young as he may be. He may not yet understand the idea of "love" or being "in love," but he does know that what he feels for her is something stronger than friendship. In another scene, which was also deleted from the final cut of the film, Anakin has a strange, and yet eerily-interesting dream about Padme:

Anakin Skywalker dreamed that night, and in his dream he was of a different, but indeterminate age. He was young still, though not so young as now, but old, too. He was cut from stone, and his thoughts were emblazoned with a vision so frightening he could not bring himself to consider it fully, only to leave it just out of reach, simmering over a fire of ambition and hope. He was in a different place and time, in a world he did not recognize, in a landscape he had never seen. It was vague and shadowy in his dream, all flat and rugged at once, changing with the swiftness of a mirage born out of Tatooine's desert flats. The dream shimmered, and voices reached out to him, soft and distant. He turned toward them, away from a wave of dark movement that suddenly appeared before him, away from the sleep that gave his dream life.

"I hope you're about finished," he heard Padme say. But Padme was at the head of the dark wave of his dream, and the wave was an army, marching toward him... R2-D2 whistled and beeped, and C-3PO chimed in with hasty assurances, saying everything was done, all was in readiness, and he stirred again. A hand touched his cheek, brushing it softly, and the dream faded and was gone. Anakin blinked awake, rubbing at his eyes, yawning and turning over on his side. He was no longer stretched out by the parts crate where he had fallen asleep the night before, but was back in his own bed. The hand lifted away from his cheek, and Anakin stared up at Padme, at a face he found so beautiful it brought a tightness to his throat. Yet he stared at her in confusion, for she had been the central figure in his dream, different from now, older, sadder...and something more.

"You were in my dream," he said, swallowing hard to get the words out. "You were leading a huge army into battle." The girl stared at him in wonder, then smiled. "I hope not. I hate fighting." Her voice was merry and light, dismissive in a way that bothered him. "Your mother wants you to get up now. We have to leave soon."

Okay. All I have to say is...whoa...a glimpse of things to come in Episode III, I would say...now I have two questions: 1) Why is Padme leading an army into battle against Anakin? Does Padme fight him while he is still Anakin Skywalker (because in his dream he is still young), or after he becomes Darth Vader (he becomes Darth Vader when he is about 23 or 24...so technically he is still young here too)? Does Padme ever find out what becomes of Anakin after his fateful duel with Obi-Wan, or does Obi-Wan simply tell her that he died in battle, not able to tell her of the horrible monster that he has become?

Okay, that's more than one question...er...or it is a question with multiple parts. I personally think that Padme sees Anakin on the brink of turning to the Dark Side, but after his duel with Obi-Wan (which finally completes his turn), Obi-Wan simply tells Padme that he died in battle or while he tried to save him. I don't think that Padme ever finds out what he becomes. That would just destroy her. But if Lucas really wants Episode III to be an emotionally-charged tear-jerker, that would most definitely be the most emotional scene in the entire saga. Padme does die at an early age, I would say in her late twenties or early thirties, because in ROTJ, Leia only has vague memories of her mother, so maybe she does find out. But the thing is, we don't really know how she dies, but the pain of losing her husband and the fact that her family has been torn apart and thrown into different corners of the galaxy must eat away at her everyday. Maybe it just becomes too much for her one day. It's not unheard of, people dying from broken hearts. But who knows? Maybe she is just killed by the Empire, not in a dramatic chase where she is running for her life, but maybe she is just traveling aboard a cargo ship and the ship is attacked and she is killed accidentally. Who knows? Maybe we will never know how she dies, and I think it is more interesting that way. Leaves room for speculation. Sometimes it is better not to know. We all have our ideas about how Padme will die, and by not showing her death in the movie or telling us how she dies, Lucas leaves us all satisfied by leaving it up to our imaginations.

However, I know for a fact that she will not die in Episode III. There won't be any overly-dramatic sequence where Anakin watches Palpatine "force-lightning" her to death (and some claim this is true because it parallels the scene in ROTJ where Palpatine does the same thing to Luke, and that explains why Anakin saves him: he couldn't bear to watch two people that he loves die that way. This will JUST NOT HAPPEN). Besides, I don't think that Anakin would just stand there at let Palpatine kill her. No matter how much anger and hatred there is in him, he loves this woman. He has loved her since he was 9 years old. True, back then it was a different kind of love, but it was always love. They are a part of each other and I just can't see Anakin standing by and watching her die. Another reason why she will not die in Episode III is because the twins are just born probably near the end of the movie, so she must live a few more years in order for Leia to have those kinds of memories of her. Just expect to see a very emotional separation, Anakin and Padme going their separate ways. So I guess my second question would be, what does Padme mean when she says, "I hope you're about finished." Finished with what, you ask? To tell you the truth, it beats the heck out of me. Any speculation, send it in. Your guess is as good as mine. So I guess I digressed a little from my Episode I analysis, but I just can't help myself. Speculation is just so much fun. Anyhoo, back to what I was talking about before that little spiel there. We have seen that even as a young child, Anakin had very strong feelings for Padme and has a deep emotional connection with her (she haunts his dreams and he can feel that she will be something more to him eventually), and though not as apparent in Episode I, in Episode II she will be a VERY big part of what is going on in him. Anakin has the habit of feeding off his emotions, and because of this, he sometimes does things that are rash and reckless. Take this excerpt from "The Phantom Menace," for instance:

Anakin walked home with his mother and C-3PO, still wrapped in the euphoria of his victory, but wrestling as well with his sadness over the departure of Padme. He hadn't thought about what would happen to her if he won the Boonta Eve, that it would mean Qui-Gon would the hyperdrive generator he needed to make their transport functional. So when she bent to kiss and hug him good-bye, it was the first time he had given the matter any serious thought since her arrival. He was stunned, caught in a mix of emotions, and all of a sudden he wanted to tell her to stay. But he couldn't bring himself to speak the words, knowing how foolish they would sound, realizing she couldn't do so in any case. So he stood there like a droid without its vocoder, watching her ride away behind Qui-Gon, thinking it might well be the last time he would ever see her, and wondering how he was going to live with himself if it was. ....................

He was just approaching the connector to Mos Espa Way when a Rodian youngster, bigger than himself, blocked his way. Anakin had cheated, the Rodian sneered. He couldn't have won the Boonta Eve any other way. No slave could win anything. Anakin was on top of him so fast the bigger barely had time to put up his arms in defense before he was on the ground. Anakin was hitting him as hard and fast as he could, not thinking about anything but how angry he was, not even aware that the source of his anger had nothing to do with his victim and everything to do with losing Padme.

Ah, a very important last line there: "Anakin was hitting him as hard and fast as he could, not thinking about anything but how angry he was, not even aware that the source of his anger had nothing to do with his victim and everything to do with losing Padme." Padme is an EXTREMELY important part of what is going on in him, and because of that, he relies on his emotions to tell him what to do. He follows his heart more than his head, and that can sometimes be a dangerous thing. In Episode II, Anakin commits several acts which may seem virtuous and noble if done a certain way, but his rage gets the best of him and we see the seedlings of evil begin to sprout up within him. He does all the wrong things for all the right reasons. It's all with the best intentions, they're just misplaced, and that is the real beauty of it. That is what the council was afraid of and why they initially didn't want him to be trained as a Jedi in Episode I. They believed that his emotions were too strong for him to control. Anakin was wrestling with his parentage, with his separation from his mother, his friends, and his home. ESPECIALLY his mother. He was old enough to appreciate what might happen, and the result was an uncertainty that worked within him like a caged animal seeking to break free. The Jedi Council knew that it could not tame that uncertainty from without, that it could be mastered only from within. They believed that Anakin Skywalker was too old for this, that his thinking and his beliefs were too settled to be reshaped safely. He was vulnerable to his inner conflicts, and the dark side would be quick to take advantage of this. Unfortunately, due to certain events, that is exactly what happens. His internal conflicts consume him and eventually get the best of him and his fall to the dark side is imminent. See if you can see what I mean from the following excerpts: Anakin Skywalker had made a promise to himself that he would protect Qui-Gon Jinn and Padme Naberrie from harm, that he would see to it somehow that nothing bad happened to them. He knew when he made the promise how hard it was going to be to keep. Somewhere in the back of his mind where he would admit such things privately, he knew how foolish it was to even make such a commitment. But he was young and brave at heart, and he had lived his live pretty much on his own terms because to live it any other way would have broken him long ago. It hadn't been easy doing so, especially as a slave. He had survived mostly because he had been able to find small victories in difficult situations and because he had always believed that one day he would find a way to overcome the circumstances of his birth. His belief in himself had been rewarded. His life had been changed forever by his victory just days earlier in the Boonta Eve Podrace on Tatooine. It was not so strange then that he should decide he could somehow affect the lives of a Jedi Knight and a Naboo Queen as well, even if he did not know precisely how. He was not afraid to accept such responsibility. He was not daunted by the challenge his decision presented. But now his resolve was put to the test. .....................

Anakin stood at the base of a temple column, still trying to come to terms with Padme's revelation. Everyone had been surprise, of course, but no more than he. He wasn't sure how he felt about her now, knowing she wasn't just a girl, but a Queen. He had declared he would marry her someday, believing it so, but how could someone who had been a slave all his life marry a Queen? He supposed things wouldn't be the same after this, but he wished they could. He liked her as much now as he had before, and to tell the truth he didn't care if she was a Queen or not. He glanced over at the girl and the Jedi Knights and thought how different things were here than they had been on Tatooine. Nothing had worked out the way he had hoped for any of them, and it remained to be seen if leaving his mother and home to come with them was a good idea after all. ....................

Anakin Skywalker stood with Obi-Wan Kenobi near the Queen. He was feeling out of place and embarrassed. He thought the parade was wonderful, and he appreciated being honored with the others, but his mind was elsewhere. It was with Qui-Gon, gone back into the Force. It was with Padme, who had barely spoken to him since he had been accepted for training by the Jedi Council. It was with his home, to which he might never return. It was with his mother, whom he wished could see him now. He wore the clothing of a Jedi Padawan, his hair cut short in the Padawan style, a student in training to become a Knight of the order. He had achieved all that he had hoped in coming with Qui-Gon to Coruscant and beyond. He should have been happy and satisfied, as he was. But his happiness and satisfaction were clouded by the sadness he could not banish at losing Qui-Gon and his mother both. They were lost to him in different ways, to be sure, but they were gone out of his life. Qui-Gon had provided the stability he required to leave his mother behind. With the Jedi Master's death, Anakin was left adrift. There was no one who could give him the grounding that Qui-Gon had provided - not Obi-Wan, not even Padme. One day, perhaps. One day, each of them would play a part in his life that would change him forever. He could sense that. But for now, when it mattered most, he felt all alone. So back to what I was saying before, and since I am in a quoting mood today, I'll go ahead with another except from "The Phantom Menace" which again shows Anakin and Padme getting closer: Suddenly she seemed to sense him watching, and turned quickly toward where he crouched. Her beautiful face seemed tired and careworn as she approached and knelt beside him. He stiffened, trying desperately to stop from crying, but he couldn't hide either the tears or his shivering, and was left huddled before her, revealed.

"Are you all right, Annie?" she asked him softly.

"It's very cold," he managed to whisper.

She smiled and removed her heavy overjacket, wrapping it around his shoulders and tucking it about him. "You come from a warm planet, Annie. Space is cold."

"You seem sad."

"The Queen is worried. Her people are suffering, dying. She must convince the Senate to intervene, or else..." She trailed off, unwilling to speak the words. "I'm not sure what will happen," she finished, her voice distant, her eyes sliding away from his to fix on something else.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen to me either," he admitted worriedly. "I don't know if I'll ever see-"

He stopped, his throat tightening, the words fading away into silence. He took a deep breath, furrowed his brow, and reached into his pocket.

"Here," he said, "I made this for you. So you'd remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet. Take it. It will bring you good fortune."

He handed her an intricately carved wooden pendant. She studied it for a moment, face lowered in shadow, then slipped it around her neck.

"It's beautiful. But I don't need this to remember you." Her face lifted to his with a smile. "How could I forget my future husband?" She looked down at the pendant, fingering it thoughtfully. "Many things will change when we reach Coruscant, Annie. My caring for you will not be one of them."

The boy nodded, swallowing. "I know. And I won't stop caring for you, either. Only, I miss-"

His voice broke, and the tears sprang into his eyes once more.

"You miss your mother," the girl finished quietly.

Anakin nodded, wiping at his face, unable to speak a word as Padme Naberrie drew him against her and held him close.

Here we see Padme being a kind of big sister to Anakin, although their relationship runs much deeper. She understands him and knows what he is feeling, and Anakin doesn't forget that. And as I said before, she will eventually play a part in his life that will change him forever. That's when we get into Episode II. I know, finally. So without further ado...here is a "brief" (yeah, right) analysis of Anakin and Padme's relationship, as well as other Padme info, relating to the next chapter of the Star Wars saga. Now it is pretty much common knowledge that Padme is no longer the Queen of Naboo in Episode II, but a member of the Galactic Senate, and some people are troubled by this because they seem to think that it is a downgrade in status for her when it is actually quite the opposite. As Queen, Padme had a tremendous amount of power and influence in her own home world, but when it came to galactic politics, she was not taken seriously by many other worldly leaders. She was just the ruler of one of hundreds, maybe thousands of planets in the Republic, so her influence is mainly domestic. However, as a Senator, she has the opportunity to participate and voice her opinions in issues that would affect the whole of the Republic, not just her own home world. She also has the opportunity to influence other members of the Senate and raise concerns and uncertainties that she has about certain matters of governmental policy. This is one of the main plot points of Episode II because she can directly affect the outcome of certain issues that are raised in the Senate. For some time now, Palpatine has been secretly laying the plans for the creation of a powerful clone army. Padme finds out about the plans for the clone army and the secret dealings going on in the Senate, and being the dignified Republic servant that she is, wants to make sure the Senate is and stays an honest and noble organization. By trying to end corruption and other secret dealings in the Senate, Padme makes herself a threat to some of the most powerful individuals in the galaxy. This definitely makes for a more interesting plot and makes Padme's character more exciting.

As a Senator, Padme also has more room to grow as a character and this parallels the life of her future daughter, Leia, who was also a member of the Galactic Senate and represented the sovereign system of Alderaan. Now deep down, Padme is not just a former-Queen-turned-Senator, she is a human being, a young woman who suffers enormous emotional upheavals and a tragic figure in a dramatic family saga of the struggle to balance the good and evil that exists in all of us. She is a lover, a fighter and a mother who unwillingly becomes an instrument in a game of corruption and loyalty. But she is also strong, both of heart and of mind...and in Episode II she finds herself struggling to balance the two. She has always been unwavering and displaying only conviction and purpose in her service to her people, but how much of her own happiness is she willing to sacrifice for the good of the Republic?

As Queen Amidala, she needed to be reserved, staid, and totally lacking in emotion, fear or even affection. But as Padme, a simple girl, she is liberated from her royal burdens, and we find her talking about her fears and hopes, but still hiding her true self under the mask of a handmaiden. Her true nature as a warm, loving, and indeed quite vulnerable young woman will finally be revealed to us in Episode II. So let's get into the movie shall we? There are many choices that both Padme and Anakin must make in Episode II. We will be surprised at the dramatic change that they have both gone through in the past ten years. Padme is no longer unsure of herself or her place in the Republic's welfare. Her devotion to service remains as strong as it was in Episode I, but now it is supported by an equally powerful confidence that has come with her years of experience. But when she gets unwillingly thrown into a conspiracy of greed, intrigue and betrayal that runs deeper than she can possibly imagine, this leads to her very life being in danger, and the audience will be blown away when they come to realize why she is, in the end, the biggest victim of the Dark Side. We realize that all her selflessness and sacrifices may yet lead to her downfall. And her reunion with Anakin complicates her life in a way that she is not sure how to deal with.

From the get-go, we realize that the tone of Episode II is MUCH different than that of Episode I. As a member of the Galactic Senate and representing the sovereign system of Naboo, she is called upon to travel to Coruscant and vote on a very serious issue: the creation of a clone army to serve as a kind of policing unit in addition to the Jedi. As the movie opens, we see how the Naboo Royal Starship approaches Coruscant. It's escorted by several starfighters. The Starship lands on one of the landing platforms. The starfighters escorting the ship land on a different platform. We see how a delegation leaves the Royal Starship: apparently it's Padme and her guards. Suddenly, there's an explosion near the ramp. Many lay dead and wounded. Padme's decoy, Cordé, is killed in the blast, but Padme is uninjured: she was piloting one of the accompanying Naboo Starfighters. She was never onboard the starship when going to Coruscant, so she escaped assassination.

Padmé rushes over to the dying Cordé. In a tender scene Padmé holds the young girl in her arms. Cordé's last words are: "...I'm sorry, M'Lady...I'm...not sure I..." She dies in Padmé's arms. Captain Typho, Padmé's personal bodyguard and R2-D2 were also in fighters and they are the only survivors. Padme lowers Corde to the ground. She gets up and looks around at the devastation. There are tears in her eyes.

Typho: "M'Lady... You are still in danger."

Padme: "I should not have come back."

Typho: "This vote is very important. You did your duty and Corde did hers. Now come. M'Lady, please!"

Padme torn between what she must do and her passion for her people. She is obviously affected deeply by this tragic death, and is probably afraid for her own life now as well, but she decides to go on at the urging of Captain Typho, the security officer who is in charge over the protection of the young senator. R2-D2 goes with them. In the Senate, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is about to announce Padme's death when, to his surprise, she shows up and reports what has happened. She voices her concern about the lack of security and safety in the galaxy and the Senate spends the rest of the session discussing this issue. Ah, and now the reunion we have all been waiting for. Anakin and Jar Jar Binks...just kidding. The Supreme Chancellor has contacted the Jedi Council, asking for help in protecting Senator Padme. Jedi Masters Yoda and Mace Windu arrive, along with Ki-Adi Mundi and Adi Gallia, also members of the High Jedi Council. They talk about the assassination attempt on the life of the Senator, who believes this is another act of terrorism by the Separatist Movement. But both the Jedi and Palpatine do not believe this is the case. Palpatine goes on to talk about how Count Dooku, the leader of the these Separatists, the Confederacy of Independent Systems as they are called politically, has so far been trying to avoid war. The Supreme Chancellor cannot see any reason for Count Dooku wanting to kill Senator Amidala. What purpose would that serve?

Yoda: "In dark times nothing is what it appears to be, but the fact remains Senator, in grave danger you are." They agree on assigning Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker to protect the Senator. Now keep in mind that Palpatine specifically asks the council to assign Anakin and Obi-Wan to protect her. Hmmm...what is he planning? The two Jedi arrive at the Republic Executive Building. Inside Palpatine's Quarters, they are explained their assignment. Anakin is very happy to see Senator Padmé Amidala again, to whom he has secretly felt attracted for the past ten years, but is displeased when she does not seem to recognize him. But the young, and in the matter of love, inexperienced Anakin is mistaken. Padme does, in fact, recognize him quite well, whilst Jar Jar does not at first. And so follows the dialogue:

Anakin: "She didn't even recognize me, Jar Jar. I thought about her every day since we parted, and she's forgotten about me completely."

Jar Jar: "Shesa happy. Happier den mesa see-en her in long time."

Obi-Wan: "Anakin, you re focusing on the negative again. Be mindful of your thoughts. She was glad to see us. Now let's check the security here."

Anakin: "Yes, my master."

When Anakin meets Padme again in Episode II he is somewhat crestfallen. The impression we get from this scene, and even the quotes from "The Phantom Menace" novelization I mentioned earlier, is that Anakin never really got over his infatuation for Padme since Episode I, but she does not look upon him the way he'd hoped she would. In other words, the presumed love-affair is, at this point, one sided. Padme has been a huge part of Anakin's life and has always been the focus of his thoughts, but he does not seem to have made anywhere near as powerful an impact on her...or has he? Padme does recognize the now much older Anakin, but to see how much he has changed and how different he is from the last time she saw him may be unnerving. She may be confused by what she is feeling. The last time she saw him was as a disheveled nine-year old boy, but now he is grown-up and has become a strong and quite handsome young man, and she may not be sure how to react to that change.

Anakin: "You think I'm still the little boy you first met, but the truth is, I've changed. I'm grown up." So is it love at first sight? Ah...I don't think so. At least not for Padme. It is pretty certain that Padme is not in love with Anakin at the beginning of the film the way he is with her, but she still feels something for him that takes even her by surprise. Anakin is very disappointed to learn that Padme is not in love with him initially, but only looks upon him as a friend. It will take the long journey from Coruscant to the Naboo Lake Retreat until Padme begins to fall in love with him as well. They spend a lot of time together during this flight and there are many scenes on the ship that get the lovestory underway. Anakin, as her bodyguard, feels responsible for Padme. Now it is his turn to care for her as she did for him ten years ago. Anakin shows off in front of Padme a couple of times in Episode II. In one scene at the lake retreat, he fights with some type of animal to demonstrate his strength to Padme. She is pretty impressed by him because she remembers him as a nine year old boy, but now he is a much older, stronger, and quite handsome young man. She must be fascinated by this change, and maybe she is surprised and even a little scared about her feelings towards him. She introduces him to her family on Naboo and they spend a lot time together at the romantic scenery of the lake. This is the time where they both actually bond and start to fall in love. Anakin's infatuation turns into a deep affection, and Padme's initial feelings of friendship become something much deeper and more meaningful. For a very short time in their lives they forget about the dangers and duties that they are both burdened with. Padme is at home and has left Coruscant behind along with all of its problems. Anakin is separated from Obi-Wan, who busy on Kamino investigating the assassination attempts on Padme, and is free from his Master's observing eyes and teachings. They can be themselves for once and forget about all the problems in their lives. This might be only time in the whole saga where they really feel free and peaceful. A very idyllic situation...but unfortunately it does not last long.

Both Anakin and Padme are well aware that their love isn't unproblematic. They are still exploring their feelings for each other and have many questions and doubts about their developing and changing relationship: "Is this really happening to me? Am I really in love?" But their feelings for each other can't be kept a secret for long. Their physical attraction is stronger than they would admit but they are now connected emotionally as well. There is a scene in which Anakin and Padmé get kind of close, probably kissing, but are caught doing that by Ruwee and Sola. Padmé regains control of her emotions and tries to contain herself:

Padme: "I am not going to give into this. I'm not going to throw my life away. I have more important things to do than fall in love."

There is a brief silence.

Anakin: "It wouldn't have to be that way...we could keep it a secret."

Padme: "Then we'd be living a lie - one we couldn't keep up even of we wanted to. My sister saw it. So did my mother. I couldn't do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that?"

Another moment of silence.

Anakin: "...No, you're right. It would destroy us."

Later that night during his sleep, Anakin has a vision of his mother in some sort of danger.

Anakin: "No... No... No... Mom!.. Don't, no, don't!"

The next morning Padmé enters Anakin's room and finds him on the balcony, overlooking the gardens. She realizes he is meditating and turns to leave.

Anakin: "Don't go."

Padme: "I don't want to disturb you."

Anakin: "You're presence is soothing."

There is a brief pause. Anakin later tells Padmé about his dream. Anakin's concern for his mother's safety has grown so severe that he makes the decision to return to Tatooine to look for her, even though he was ordered by the Jedi Council not to leave Naboo. He decides to defy his orders and leave for Tatooine immediately. He does not want to leave Padmé alone, so they go back to Padmé's parents to talk about the matter at hand. Her parents are very worried.

Jobal: "I don't want anything to happen to her."

Anakin: "Neither do I."

Finally they agree, and Padmé goes with Anakin.

Upon arrival to Tatooine, Anakin, Padme, and R2D2 make their way to Mos Espa. In Mos Espa, they go to Watto's shop. When they arrive, Watto is there. He is outside his front door chasing a pit droid around. He is running on the ground and flapping his wings hard, but it unable to fly. He picks up a stick and slaps the droid in the nose, causing it to fold up and stop running around. Anakin, Padme, and R2 approach him. Anakin tells Watto who he is and that he's come for his mother. Watto tells Anakin that she is now married to Cliegg Lars and they live out on a moisture farm outside a city called Mos Eisley. Anakin gets a speeder and he, Padme, and R2 hurry towards the city Watto described. When they arrive at the Lars moisture farm, Anakin meets Cliegg, Owen, and Beru. His mother is not there and Anakin gets very concerned. Cliegg tells him that early that morning, she went out to gather a certain crop which grows only on moisture vaporators. She did not return at the time she usually does so Cliegg formed a search party and went out to find her. In the process, he failed and was badly injured by tusken raiders. Most of the search party was killed. Anakin jumps on Owen Lars's swoop bike and speeds out into the desert. Padme runs after him yelling: "Anakin! Stop!" After getting directions from a Jawa along the way, Anakin heads into a hilly, rocky region of the desert. While Anakin is away, Padme completes C-3PO by applying his plating in the Lars' Garage on Tatooine. A little romantic irony there, huh? I love it.

When Anakin finds his mom, she is being carried by Tuskens. She is obviously badly wounded already. As Anakin approaches, a Tusken suddenly turns around and slugs Shmi in the stomach with his gaffi stick. Anakin sees this and screams as he approaches. The Tuskens get spooked, they drop Shmi and take off. Anakin runs to his mother and holds her in his lap. They exchange a few words and she dies in his arms. Anakin is devastated. He blames himself for her death. He sits next to her in silence for a long time and he gives her some kind of small funeral; he digs a hole in the sand and puts Shmi in it. He then covers the tomb in rocks. Anakin sits on a top of a rocky hill all night near the place where his mother was slain. He is in a meditative state, trying to calm his flurried emotions. As the twin suns of Tatooine rise over the horizon, Anakin catches a glimpse of a few Tusken mothers playing with their children in the shadows below him. He watches them for a bit, then stands up. Staring at them with a blank expression on his face, he reaches for his saber, ignites it, and walks towards them...then the scene cuts out.

When Anakin returns to the Lars farm, he tells Cliegg Lars that he found his mother and she was dead. Cliegg (who's still very injured) and Anakin have a conversation that goes as such:

Anakin: "If I hadn't gone away, none of this would have happened. We'd be happy."

Cliegg Lars: "But you'd still be slaves."

Anakin: "But at least she'd still be alive and we'd be happy."

As the conversation proceeds, they're kind of raising their voices at each other. Anakin is obviously extremely jealous of his mother's love for the Lars family. The argument stops when Padme puts a soft hand on Anakin's shoulder. She takes him into the next room and shows him C-3PO, who now has covers. And so follows this dialogue:

Padme: "Isn't he great?"

Anakin: "He's perfect."

Ah, a little allusion to Episode I. Gotta love it. Anakin then receives a distress call from Obi-Wan telling him that he is needed on Geonosis immediately. Amidala wants to go to Geonosis, but Anakin wants to stay here where they'll be safe and out of harm's way. He is still shaken by his mother's death and is very emotionally unstable. He fears that going to Geonosis will put Padme in unspeakable danger and he doesn't want to risk taking that chance. He just lost his mother, and losing Padme would destroy him completely. However, Padme convinces Anakin that they have to go to Geonosis, it is their duty. Owen presents C-3PO to Anakin because he realizes they share a common past, and he feels bad about what has happened to Shmi. 3PO is all that there is left of Anakin's relationship with his mother.

Okay, now let's backtrack a little and analyze what just happened here. The most pivotal event in Episode II is Shmi's death scene. Anakin loses the only person that he was really ever close to. From a deep emotional perspective, Anakin needs to find someone to replace his mother. Padme becomes that person. Without Shmi, all of Anakin's love now falls on Padme. Anakin needs Padme so that he can become whole again. The death of Shmi forever alters Anakin's life and will eventually have a serious impact on both the Jedi Order and the Republic. The significance of this scene cannot be underestimated. The Jedi Order should have brought Shmi to Coruscant shortly after Episode I so that Anakin could have taken care of her. Anakin blames the Jedi for his mother's death. A few years later Anakin will exact severe revenge against the Jedi for his mother's death and he ends up personally killing several hundred Jedi Knights. The galaxy is changed forever. The loss of one life eventually leads to the extermination of many because Vader and Palpatine will eventually have the blood of billions on their hands. During this point in the movie, it is pretty obvious that Anakin and Padme's relationship has become a significant part of both of their lives. When Anakin and Padme finally admit their strong feelings for each other, the way each of them deals with it gives us perhaps the deepest insight in the whole movie about how different their ideals are. Take Padme's response to their growing relationship, for example:

"I am not going to give into this. I'm not going to throw my life away. I have more important things to do than fall in love." What's significant is the way she seems to be resisting it. Obviously, she wants to be a totally selfless public servant, devoting all her time and energy to fighting for the good of the Republic, something she seems to have been doing quite well...until Anakin walks back into her life. Falling in love is not part of her plan and is something she didn't really expect. But who ever expects something like that? It's not like we plan these things. They just happen, most often at times where we are totally unprepared for it. And that is exactly how Padme feels. She had her life totally planned out for her, what she wanted to do, where she was going, what she wanted to achieve, but her feelings for Anakin change everything. She is no longer sure of who she is or what she wants. Though there is not a restriction on Senators getting married, Padme seems to feel that being involved with Anakin will cause her work in the Senate to suffer. To her, the cause of the Republic is more important than her own personal happiness, and the good of the galaxy takes precedence over her own feelings and desires. But her feelings for Anakin complicate her life in ways that she wasn't prepared to deal with. But Anakin's reaction is significantly different. We are told that the Jedi Code prohibits marriage (and I'll explain why later). Anakin, therefore, must choose between continuing as a Jedi Knight, something he's dreamed of since he was a little boy, and being with Padme, the woman he's loved with all his heart for the past ten years. Not a very different conflict from Padme's own: a decision between the public good and personal feelings. Anakin, however, is not as altruistic as she is. And this is because he has been so alone for the past ten years. At only 9 years old, he was taken away from his mother and was forbidden to have any contact with her during that time. Jedi live in seclusion because their training requires solitude and concentration. They cannot be distracted by the outside world. But being a slave, and going through all the pain and suffering he went through as a child, his mother was the only one he ever felt close to and the only one who gave him the love he so desperately needed. Being torn apart from her has left a hole in Anakin's heart. He was left all alone with no one to give him the affection that his mother gave him. He wanted to feel that again so desperately and because of that he was left with an incredible sense of longing for love in his life. That's why he needs Padme so badly. And with his mother gone now, all of his hopes for happiness rest upon her. Padme is quoted as saying:

"Jedi aren't allowed to marry. You swore an oath, remember? You'd be expelled from the order." Padme knows what the stakes of their romance are, and tries, unsuccessfully it would appear, to persuade Anakin not to throw everything away for her sake despite how much she loves him herself. Anakin's desire to continue their relationship is strong, stronger than his desire to be Jedi. He needs her to feel whole again and bring a sense of purpose back to his life. He needs something and someone to live for, and Padme is that person. But she is not willing to let her love for Anakin steer her off her chosen course of action, at least not for a while. It is a telling commentary of her devotion to her work and her abiding interest in the Republic's good. But one more event will finally bring them together in a way that they've both wanted and needed but were too scared to commit to. And now we reach the climax of the film, the always-amazing final battle sequences. After receiving the distress call from Obi-Wan and going through a very emotionally-tense journey aboard their ship, Padme and Anakin arrive on Geonosis and get into an argument about what to do next. Anakin is still concerned for Padme's safety and is worried that something may happen during the battle where they would get separated and he won't be able to protect her. They finally decide to start looking for Obi-Wan. They are captured there by Count Dooku and some droids and taken to separate jail cells. It has been decided that they are to be fed to a monster called the Reek in a Gladiator-type arena. Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme are tied up to poles and the spectacle is just to begin when Mace Windu and a couple of thousand Jedi show up. The Jedi free Anakin and Obi-Wan, who manage to escape from the arena. Padmé is eventually rescued by Mace and takes over to lead a clone army in battle while Anakin and Obi-Wan fight Count Dooku in a hangar. In the meantime, Yoda arrives with couple of thousand Clone Troopers he brought from Kamino to help the Jedi fighting against a huge army of droids.

Upon finding Dooku before he departs in his solar sailor, the Jedi ignite their lightsabers in preparation to battle the Sith Lord. Anakin charges into battle not heeding Obi-Wan's warnings. Just as the young apprentice is about to strike the first blow, Dooku calmly lifts his arm and the Jedi is lifted up and flung across the room into the opposite wall. Obi-Wan sees this and fights furiously against the droids so he can get to Anakin - he doesn't want to leave his companion alone with a Sith Lord after he lost Qui-Gon that way in Episode I. Anakin and Dooku are now alone, and Obi-Wan fears he will lose Anakin just like he lost Qui-Gon. Anakin is in a state of mental chaos. His mother has just been slain in front of his very eyes, he can't protect his love (Padme) from the battle outside, he has been separated from his master, and he's now engaged in a battle against one of the most powerful Force-wielders in the galaxy. Dooku sees Anakin's mental instability and can sense his fear. Using this to his advantage, he bullies Anakin for his own amusement. Dooku's intent at this moment is not to turn Anakin to the dark side, rather to amuse himself by messing with Anakin's head. Anakin basically gets his butt whooped by Dooku. Anakin somehow stops fighting with Dooku (I think he gets knocked off a ledge and they are separated) and Dooku makes his way to Obi-Wan. Dooku and Obi-Wan do battle. Dooku is obviously a better fighter than Obi-Wan, using calculated moves and expending little energy in the fight. It's not the constant fighting like in Episode I - they talk quite a bit while fighting (like the saber fights in the old trilogy). Dooku speaks to Obi-Wan almost hypnotically, telling him of the instability of the Republic and how it will crumble. Addressing him as "Master Kenobi," Dooku begs Obi-Wan to just kill him, then easily deflects his saber when the frustrated Jedi Knight attacks. At some point during this battle, Dooku says to Obi-Wan: "I have spent the last ten years learning to use the power of the dark side. It gives me infinitely more power!" Finally, Anakin returns to the battle and it's now a 2-on-1 situation. The battle continues and while Obi-Wan appreciates the assistance, Dooku still overpowers both Jedi at the same time. He begins to taunt both of them now, and seems to be enjoying himself. Dooku pries into their deepest fears and regrets.... [At some point in this battle, Anakin and Obi-Wan are fighting Dooku and Obi-Wan falls down and out of the action. Anakin uses the force to call Obi-Wan's saber to his hand and he then starts wielding two sabers at Dooku. When Obi-Wan gets back into the fight, Anakin tosses his saber back to him and the duel continues.] [Next comes either version 1 or version 2, then Enter Yoda...not sure which one will actually be in the film, but I prefer Version 1 and you'll see why...] Version 1: ....He begins to tell Anakin he's fighting a lost cause - he failed to protect his mother... just as he failed to protect Padme. Dooku tells Anakin she has been killed in the battle. Anakin snaps. Out of pure rage, he swings furiously at Dooku who is a bit taken with the overwhelming power this young Jedi is displaying. Dark side emotions run through Anakin and Dooku is forced to defend himself with a little more caution. Obi-Wan finally rejoins the battle. As the battle continues, Obi-Wan tries to control Anakin. He tells him to concentrate on the battle and not to think of Padme's death. Upon hearing what he believes in confirmation from his master, Anakin becomes so enraged he takes a swing at Obi-Wan. Version 2: ....None of what's explained in Version 1 happens. Skip straight to Enter Yoda. Enter Yoda: Count Dooku continues to beat the bantha poodoo out of both Jedi at the same time. He force-throws things at them and they are both getting injured (similarly to Luke vs. Vader in ESB) Dooku then chops a large mechanical loading device (like a claw) and it begins to fall on Anakin and Obi-Wan. At this point Jedi Master Yoda enters. He has some sort of a witty discussion with Tyranus. It is rumored that the two of them even have a duel. At one point then Yoda force pushes Tyranus of a platform. Tyranus sees that nothing else can be done so he gets on his interstellar sail ship and lifts off. The collapsed crane is pinning Obi-Wan and an unconscious Anakin to the ground. Yoda steps in and closes his eyes, concentrating. It takes almost all of his power, but finally the crane lifts clear and smashes down out of the way. However, he is left completely exhausted.

Right after that, Padme arrives with a bunch of republic clone troopers at her side. She runs to Anakin, who can hardly stand and embraces him. After all they have been through together, Padme can't help but fall for him. The captain of the clone group, meanwhile, approaches General Yoda and tells him that the resistance has found an end and that he awaits new orders. At the end of the battle many Jedi are dead. Even though it seems they emerged victorious in a battle against droids, beasts and aliens, their causalities are catastrophic. Anakin is given the order to take Senator Amidala back to Naboo. The Jedi and the clones return to Coruscant. Okay, lots of variations to explain here...first off, does Anakin really take a swipe at Obi-Wan? Version 1 is based, again, on information from the set. This is NOT in the script. It was described that we see the moment Anakin snaps and starts going berserk on everyone around him. His rage ends when Dooku Force-throws a heavy object at him and it knocks him out. These scenes were shot very early on in production, which says to me one of two things: they wanted to shoot it secretly before too many people arrived or they used it as a way of testing the new technology they're using and to warm-up Hayden for the rest of the production. I do find it strange that they'd make Hayden do such an important sequence right away. However, secret shooting is nothing new to Lucas...the "I am your father" scene in "The Empire Strikes Back" was shot many different ways and it was not in the script during production. Version 2 is simply what's in the script. Personally, I think we will see Version 1 in the final product although it's a tough call. After the battle, both Anakin and Padme return to Naboo to the lake retreat where they get married in secret, only witnessed by C-3PO, R2-D2, and a holy man. The wedding between Anakin and Padme at the end of the film is problematic for Anakin. The Jedi do not want him to marry for reasons you'll find out in due time. However, Anakin has fallen in love with Padme and neither can imagine life without the other. Anakin marries Padme in secret, which will cause tremendous problems for the Jedi later on. The wedding is very simple yet beautiful. It is a poignant moment for Anakin and Padme. It appears that they will share a wonderful life together. However, their bliss will be brief because the dark times are coming for them and the entire galaxy. Anakin is so close to having the perfect life, but his arrogance and recklessness will eventually cost him everything. Anakin's journey into darkness is something that we will find extremely intriguing in Episode III. The audience will, of course, be very happy to see Anakin finally marry the woman he loves, but of big importance is that she neither witnessed his rage in the desert nor his dark side emotions during his battle with Count Dooku. She never experiences his aggression, although she is, ironically, with other factors, the reason for it.

So, at the end of Episode II, Anakin and Padme have gotten married in secret because the Jedi are against marriage. Why is that, you say? Remember what Yoda said to Luke in ESB: "To be a Jedi requires the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." Obviously, if Anakin gets married, the council thinks that his priorities will change, which, of course, did. He loves Padme so much that he risked everything, even his lifelong dream, to be with her. At the end of Episode II, Mace Windu and Yoda know the prophecy of the Chosen One is true of Anakin and they wouldn't want to let him go out of fear of what might become of him. The council fears that his feelings for Padme will make Anakin's commitment to the Jedi suffer and steer his emotions and ideals so far off course to the point where they won't be able to control him anymore. He is the Chosen One, after all, and he harbors tremendous powers. The council fears that his anger will make him use those powers for the wrong purposes, for evil. We see in Episode II that Anakin draws on his emotions to give him strength and feed his rage, and he begins to tap into the power of the dark side. But just as Ben Kenobi said to Luke in ROTJ: "Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor." Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens. Their marriage is clearly something they can't keep a secret forever, and when the council finds out about it they will not be pleased at all. This is just another example of Anakin's rebelliousness and how he chooses only to live by the rules that suit him. But who can resist the power of the heart? Unfortunately, not even that is enough to save him from the terrible fate that looms over his future.

Okay, one last thing and then I'm outta here. Many people have been curious about the relationship between Padme and Obi-Wan during Episode II, including our illustrious webmaster, so let me talk about that a little. So let me just say right off the bat that THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. I know there were reports that some spy saw a rough trailer of the movie and in it he saw both Anakin and Obi-Wan kiss Padme, but those reports are totally false. I mean, just look at the report:

I'm a big fan of your web site, and of Star Wars. I work at Toys R Us in [state withheld]. I was on register one day last week and I was ringing up a guy who was about in his 40's. He was buying some Star Wars toys and I asked him if he was a Star Wars Fan. He said, "Yeah, I just got back from a Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5 Convention." I asked him if there were any celebrities there, he said not really, but there was some guy there from Lucas (maybe from ILM). He said the guy had a tape he was showing on the last day of the convention. The guy said he could not show the tape legally until that Sunday. He said it was a 2 min trailer with no sound just orchestra music playing. What he saw blew me away. One scene was of Hayden Christensen kissing the Queen (Natalie Portman). Then, a scene with Obi-Wan kissing the Queen. I asked if there were any parts with Palpatine, and he said there was a scene with Palpatine pulling up his hood, showing that he is DARTH SIDIOUS. Other things he saw was five Boba Fetts, and he saw four Slave One's. I asked about the next Sith Lord he said it was Ray Park with out the tattoos, and he was going after Obi-Wan like there was no tomorrow. I asked what color Obi-Wans Lightsaber is, he said green. At the end of the trailer it said Star Wars Episode ll: Fall Of The Republic. One other thing he said was the man at the convention, showing this tape would not take his eyes off of the tape he kept it with him at all time. I hope what I have told you can be some help to you and other Star Wars fans. Thanks [name withheld]

Okay, so just from reading this I know for a fact that it is a bunch of B.S., mainly because over time, most of this stuff was proven otherwise anyway. The new Sith Lord is NOT Ray Park, but Christopher Lee's character, Count Dooku (this will be revealed at the end of the film) and Ray has confimred on several occasions that he has nothing to do with Episode II. This guy also says that Obi-Wan's lightsaber is green, when we KNOW for a fact from the official site that it is blue. We have seen pictures. We have proof. So again, another false statement. Then he says that the title of the film is "Fall of the Republic," but Rick McCallum has told us repeatedly that they do not yet have a title for the film, and probably won't until the first trailer hits in November. And five Boba Fetts and four Slave One's? I don't think so. The clones are made to resemble Jango Fett, who looks quite a bit from Boba Fett in the OT, and Slave One belongs strictly to the Fett clan. So Obi-Wan kissing Padme? I think not. Besides, in Episode II, Obi-Wan is 35 and Padme is 24. Quite a big age difference so it would seem pretty awkward if they had some sort of fling. Obi-Wan and Padme are just good friends and if he does kiss her it's going to be a father-to-daughter type kiss, nothing more. And what's more, she hardly spends any time at all with Obi-Wan. They are together for a very short time at the beginning and end of the film and that is about it. She spends most of her time with Anakin and that is who she falls in love with. There isn't going to be any emotional dilema about who Padme is going to choose or who she loves more: Anakin or Obi-Wan, but people seem to stick with this idea because they think that Padme and Obi-Wan have some sort of affair and that is how Anakin develops such blind hatred for Obi-Wan. This is just not the case. His hatred stems from something much deeper and more complex than that. The turnover for Anakin is not going be just a simple thing. People don't snap like that and go over to the dark side. Maybe they have temporary rage, but they don't become Darth Vader because of that. With Anakin, there's a LOT more to it. That's the real beauty of it. So don't expect a huge sopa-opera scenario of these two men falling in love with and fighting over the same woman. It's just not going to happen. Obi-Wan and Padme are just good friends, nothing more.

Okay, so that's about it. I could go into costumes and everything but I think I covered the most interesting aspects of Padme's character. Besides, you can see that stuff from pictures anyway. You don't need me to sit here and describe them to you in detail. How boring would that be? Well then, that is it for The Wizard for now. I'll be writing another analysis on Anakin's character in the next few weeks so that will be coming soon as well. Until then...May the Force be with you.

CREDITS: Thanks to TF.N, Aldera.net, Starwars.com, Episode-x.com, and The Next Amidala for providing the information used in this report. Quotes are taken from "The Phantom Menace" novelization by Terry Brooks.

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