I wouldn’t change Padmé’s story but I would add her deleted scenes back in. Padmé has a political arc that is mostly invisible to the mainstream audience, and the scenes with her family build both her character and her relationship to Anakin.
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
The opening Senate scene:
emphasizes the threat against her and directly ties it to both the Trade Federation/Separatists and her position in the Senate
emphasizes her refusal to be cowed or back down, and her preference not to hide from danger
positions her as a strong voice in the Senate
makes it clear she is opposed to an Army of the Republic, which makes Jar Jar’s later intervention on her behalf that much more misguided
The extended conversation on the way to the palace:
reveals Padmé’s desire for children (let’s all cry forever)
look at those smiles
look at them!
Visiting the Naberrie home:
introduces her family (!)
emphasizes their concern for her life and her happiness
parallels the dinner scene in The Phantom Menace
builds up Padmé’s attraction to Anakin
reveals details about Padmé’s political training and history of compassion
ANAKIN INTERACTS WITH AN INTACT HAPPY HEALTHY FAMILY
The interrogation:
shows Padmé attempting a diplomatic solution
emphasizes that the Separatists are working within the law, at least for show
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
The confrontation of Palpatine:
proves at least a faction of the Senate was not only working to remove Palpatine, they put their plan into action
again shows Padmé attempting a diplomatic solution
makes it clear Padmé is not on Palpatine’s side
pits Padmé against Anakin, making it visually clear that Palpatine has deliberately and specifically placed himself between them
and Padmé uses the interaction to try and make Anakin see that Palpatine is part of the problem
and Anakin is visibly conflicted
The scenes amongst the senators:
where do I even begin
include a crowd of interesting characters from different planets
who are as diverse in gender, race, species, culture, even body shape as the Empire is not
and they are the founders and leaders of the Rebellion
and their group meetings are shown to be just as messy as the Jedi Council meetings
they are equally secretive, paranoid, and all around Terrible At Communication(™)
and Padmé is just as frustrated as Anakin
because no one listens to her
and all that emphasizes how everything that matters to Padmé is crumbling under the stress of it all
and how isolated she is due to no one knowing the whole story
this arc is HUGELY important to Padmé’s story, to the Republic’s and the Rebellion’s story, and to the overarching story of Star Wars
So yes, that’s what I would change. I would make it so everyone knows ALL of Padmé’s story.
Coruscant, appearing in The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005), bears strong visual similarity to the futuristic Los Angeles of Blade Runner (1982). This echoing connects the two as places dominated by the profit concerns of large organizations, be it the Trade Federation or the Tyrell Corporation, and as a people who are collectively oblivious, apathetic even, to the plight of the artificially shortened clone trooper and replicant lives manufactured to serve their interests.
with Rey deciding that her attraction to Poe oustrips her
attraction to Finn. Also I don’t get why you act as if there’s no
precedent for this in SW. Before George decided to make Luke and Leia
twins, Leia clearly was more drawn romantically to Han than to Luke. It
was suggested in the prequels and tie in material that Captain Panaka
was deeply in love with Padme and that she was attracted and receptive,
but then Anakin came along and that was that. They’re fictional, too,
fyi. (end)
You’re conflating two very different questions here. The first is whether saying “this is bad story” is the same as saying “this character had no right to make that choice.” The second, which you’ve just introduced, is about whether real-life parallels can inform the reading of a fictional story. They are two very different things and the answer to the first is “no,” while the answer to the second is “yes.”
Rey and Poe have zero romantic buildup in the first 2 movies and a rushed one-movie romantic subplot will be pretty weak compared to Finnrey. That’s judging the merits of a story involving fictional characters and has nothing to do with shaming Rey for not marrying her high school bf or whatever. Like I said in response to your previous ask, if we think of Leia like a real person she has every “right” to fall in love with Admiral Ackbar or Wedge or Mon Mothma. Does that make it a good story? No.
“Before George decided to make Luke and Leia
twins, Leia clearly was more drawn romantically to Han than to Luke.“
Pretty sure you meant “more drawn romantically to Luke than to Han,” and I’d dispute that. Luke and Leia had great rapport, yes, but even though I liked Luke/Leia better prior to the sibling reveal I still had the annoying suspicion that Han and Leia would end up together because they had the whole Slap Slap Kiss thing going on, a trope I dislike but is real nonetheless.
“It
was suggested in the prequels and tie in material that Captain Panaka
was deeply in love with Padme and that she was attracted and receptive,“
Um. Padmé and Panaka were never shown romantically on screen–idk what movies you watched–and, judging by their actors’ ages, Panaka was nearly 30 years older. I mean I really hope you’re not suggesting this supposed romance started in The Phantom Menace when Padmé was 14. Are you seriously comparing this nonexistent-on-screen and potentially horrifying “attraction” to Finn and Rey’s love built up over two movies?
This anon doesn’t make any sense.
Han and Leia is a completely different situation than the nonexistent relationship between Poe and Rey.
For one, there was never supposed to be a sequel to A New Hope. It was originally just called “Star Wars”. Luke and Leia were the implied couple by the end of the movie. When Empire came around, there was a love triangle that came around because George hadn’t decided what he was going to do with them until return of the Jedi. But beyond that, Han and Leia had already 2 movies worth adventures and a three-year time skip together. They also had already started a relationship of sorts when the “I know” scene came to pass. Was the relationship developed the best? Maybe, maybe not. It was the 80s. Best we were going to get in a sci-fi movie back then.
Meanwhile Poe and Rey have no relationship with each other or history. Rey has only shown an actual interest in Finn for the last two movies. In fact their relationship is the one thing that transitions over the two sequel movies fluidly. Even in the Poe Dameron comics, Rey and Poe act more like platonic friends, even going as far as to call themselves torture buddies because of what they had endured from Kylo. Rey even tells Poe that Finn is special to her.
I’m just gonna say you comparing Finn to Panaka, just comes off completely racist on so many different levels. If there’s any comparison it would be comparing Padme to Finn and Anakin to Rey.
This anon reminds me of a Reylow who racks their brain on a way to make sure the black man and the white woman don’t get together. The races comparison doesn’t help their case at all.
Why is Finn compared to Mace Windu or Quarsh Panaka (though more likely–I fervently hope–anon meant his nephew Gregar Typho) who aren’t anywhere comparable to him in personality, story positioning, or importance? I wonder what the connection is…
with Rey deciding that her attraction to Poe oustrips her
attraction to Finn. Also I don’t get why you act as if there’s no
precedent for this in SW. Before George decided to make Luke and Leia
twins, Leia clearly was more drawn romantically to Han than to Luke. It
was suggested in the prequels and tie in material that Captain Panaka
was deeply in love with Padme and that she was attracted and receptive,
but then Anakin came along and that was that. They’re fictional, too,
fyi. (end)
You’re conflating two very different questions here. The first is whether saying “this is bad story” is the same as saying “this character had no right to make that choice.” The second, which you’ve just introduced, is about whether real-life parallels can inform the reading of a fictional story. They are two very different things and the answer to the first is “no,” while the answer to the second is “yes.”
Rey and Poe have zero romantic buildup in the first 2 movies and a rushed one-movie romantic subplot will be pretty weak compared to Finnrey. That’s judging the merits of a story involving fictional characters and has nothing to do with shaming Rey for not marrying her high school bf or whatever. Like I said in response to your previous ask, if we think of Leia like a real person she has every “right” to fall in love with Admiral Ackbar or Wedge or Mon Mothma. Does that make it a good story? No.
“Before George decided to make Luke and Leia
twins, Leia clearly was more drawn romantically to Han than to Luke.“
Pretty sure you meant “more drawn romantically to Luke than to Han,” and I’d dispute that. Luke and Leia had great rapport, yes, but even though I liked Luke/Leia better prior to the sibling reveal I still had the annoying suspicion that Han and Leia would end up together because they had the whole Slap Slap Kiss thing going on, a trope I dislike but is real nonetheless.
“It
was suggested in the prequels and tie in material that Captain Panaka
was deeply in love with Padme and that she was attracted and receptive,“
Um. Padmé and Panaka were never shown romantically on screen–idk what movies you watched–and, judging by their actors’ ages, Panaka was nearly 30 years older. I mean I really hope you’re not suggesting this supposed romance started in The Phantom Menace when Padmé was 14. Are you seriously comparing this nonexistent-on-screen and potentially horrifying “attraction” to Finn and Rey’s love built up over two movies?
@fettjango That is like SO much better. The same critiques still apply, of course–it’s pretty telling that Typho is so minor a character that anon had him confused with his uncle.
A: Finn knows the space version of sign language and uses it to communicate with both resistance members and refugees they come across to offer some level of comfort.
B: Finn can’t dance for shit. He tries to dance and he’ll be on the dance floor thinking he’s killing it but in reality everyone around them just averts their gaze because it’s a crime against humanity for a man with that ass to lack the rhythm of shaking it properly.
C: Finn’s force sensitivity means that he could feel it when Slip, Han, and Luke each passed away. With each death, he lost his lover, the closest thing he had to a father, and his hope for a better galaxy.
D: Finn becomes the new face of the resistance and becomes a living legend and commander, deeply respected and admired and without his loyalties ever questioned because he is given the chance to actually choose his own path rather than denied under the guidance of someone else’s dumbass assumptions.
Padme
A: She tried to sew the twins onesies but despite her fashion sense she has never sewed a damn thing in her life and they turn out like trash.
B: She has placed a whoopie cushion under Obi-Wan’s seat on several different occasions and has never been caught.
C: Padme’s tie to Anakin is so strong that sometimes, while flitting in between the force after death, she emerges and catches glimpses of who he had become and she mourns all over again.
D: She’s actually alive and living her best life sipping space martinis on a beach and Luke and Leia visit her all the time.
I saw some really weird and bonkers theories over the years. Some of my favorites in no specific order.
Force babies Luke and Leia (in complete opposition to canon).
New female character introduced.
One of the background female Jedi characters.
Bail’s wife.
Yes the romance in the PT is shittily written because George can’t write romance to save his life apparently but most of the popular theories still managed to be worse.
Lmao oh my God those are terrible theories lol
I always saw George Lucas as a man who had good concept and themes, but needed someone to write the actual script and a director who could improve on his work.
On paper the prequel movies were OK to great, and the clone wars show is a perfect example how interesting that time period was. Sometimes it just needs to be a better script writer and director well someone who has great creative concepts is a part of the creative team
They are, aren’t they?
But I actually forgot to add my all time favorite. The twins are clones of Anakin.
Yes the clone nonsense were even stronger in those days.
Wait didn’t people think that Boba was Luke’s mom or something? And that Sidious was Palpatine’s evil clone?
And speaking of clone nonsense, I wonder if anyone thought that Padme’s handmaidens (or at least Sabe because man that resemblance is uncanny) were clones in the days following tpm. Like, that seems like a logical conclusion…
I can’t recall coming across that specific theory about Boba, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was suggested. All sorts of nonsense was.
And I remember that everyone but Palpatine was thought to be Sidious, because again “it was too obvious”. (Ffs people, it’s Star Wars. Of course it is obvious.) And I really do mean everyone. From Padmé, over Jar Jar (yes Darth Jar Jar isn’t really a new one people, we’re recycling) to Mace Windu.
Now that you mention it, yes there was a “the handmaidens are really clones of Padmé” theory going around. Personally I blame the old EU, it had far too much clone nonsense going on. So I can understand why that became the go to explanation for everything.
Yeah. To be fair, that might have been a sarcastic theory or a crack theory? Like, “Oh, so if Vader is Luke’s dad, let me guess, the other menacing masked villain is going to turn out to be his mom, right?” Or maybe it was completely serious. Who knows. Either way, I find it amusing to think about.
Oh, wow. That’s a lot of different suspects! I guess that in this case, the simplest explanation was probably the best one.
That makes me stupidly happy, since I probably would have thought that too if I were old enough to see tpm in theaters… which sort of makes me grateful that I wasn’t XD
e difference is on Tatooine he killed an indigenous
people Padme doesn’t sympathize with. This matches up with how Naboo
treats Gungans. Notice how they are happy to have them fight in their
war, but in Attack of the Clones, none live in the city. I almost find
it hard to believe it went over some people’s heads that Padme alienated
those individuals from groups different from her own. I mean, they’re
literally aliens. That’s why, even super-empowered feminist warrior
women, white humans in Star Wars are still coded as “white”, when
there seems to be no concept of race along the lines of Earth’s. The
Empire, with its roots in the Republic, is still overwhelmingly white.
The Star Wars universe doesn’t have the history of our world to explain
racism, but it mirrors it through non-human xenophobia by using some of
the same tools in-universe: colonialism and othering.(Moth)
This ask was in reference to this other ask (link) about Padmé, and wow I didn’t even think of this! There was definitely a double standard going on here and this adds another fascinating–and horrifying–dimension to her character. Anakin kills Tuskan children and Padmé not only tells no one but marries his ass. Anakin kills predominantly human and “acceptable” alien children and THAT’S when she tells him she can’t follow? Lady you already knew he was a child murderer, what did you expect? @diversity-instarwars has been blogging about issues with her character and this fits right in with the pattern that her vision of democracy and freedom were only for certain people.
Thank you for tagging me! And I agree with anon a lot, the only difference is that i don’t really care for her as a character or person because she is the epitome and symbol of white liberal privilege.
Yes to everything you mention, especially about the sand raiders and gungans, all of which I have talked extensively about. Padme comforts Anakin when he mentions that he kills the Sand Raiders yet does nothing to chastise him. In that moment, she had the power to turn him in, to get justice for an indigenous group that was killed off and she does nothing.
Notice however, that in the clone wars series when Clovis is threatened–a Senator like Padme, Padme actually breaks up with Anakin. That is when she makes a move, because now she is registering he is dangerous. Now that he has killed a colleague and a fellow wealthy politician like herself, it matters.
The sand raiders are not like Padme, or Anakin. They aren’t senators or politicians like her. They are as anon said, indigenous to a land that has painted them out as the aggressors. Many people fail to realize that the reason the tuskens are so angry is because they were a colonized people, and the colonizers (mainly humans) took their water source and continue to do so.
Padme comes from a place where she is directly responsible for upholding an establishment that has taken land away from the indigenous species as well as their resources. Naboo Queens are known for going to war with the native gungans and obviously they prevailed. And the most vocal and loudest queen of Naboo we’ve seen is Padme–who is a white woman. The gungans are basically second class citizens. They were recently allowed rep in the senate by the time of the phantom menace but still, there were no gungan senators. Certainly there were no gungan queens. Padme gave the Gungans enough power for them to stay quiet but that wasn’t liberation. It was just staying silent in the face oppression to have a seemingly comfortable life, because the Republic would come to her aid if it was needed to handle the gungans.
So like, her lack of care for the Tusken Raiders isn’t surprising in the least. She comes from a place where she upholds colonization and imperialism, and to an extension apartheid. She comes from a line of rulers who were elected into office for wiping out native species. So of course she sees indigenous species who harm human colonizers as below her and not worth decent respect.
This is actually a level of the tusken raiders discourse that I never thought of. I almost always looked at it from the perspective of “these people aren’t like Padme–not in her caliber so she either ignores them or uses them for her political agenda” i.e teckla, the clones and shmi and the sand-raiders
Looking at the fact that she is coming from a place of power and a government that upholds the oppression of indigenous aliens–that doesn’t surprise me.
Again thanks for tagging me, and if anon has any questions about my recent or past padme metas on this stuff i wouldn’t mind sharing.
I love this perspective on the character and the politics of SW. Seen from this light, this is yet another way the Empire was just a more extreme continuation of the Republic. Padmé was the genteel and liberal face of human imperialism and Palpatine simply took the gloves off.
Plot twist: this is based off your reincarnation theory @lj-writes
After crashing on Naboo after escaping the First Order after another successful Stormtrooper liberation, Finn is nursed back to health by Padme’s still living family. They can’t help but think that something, just something, reminds them of the aunt they use to know. They shake the feeling though.
Finn tells them about the freedom he’s fighting for the Stormtroopers, his friends in the Resistance, and the Jedi he fell in love with that came from a desert planet. The family swears his story sounds familiar, yet also different…
Finally after a few weeks of healing, a New Republic ship shows up for Finn. A short haired brunette girl with a long Jedi Padawan braid jumps out of the ship before it lands and runs up to Finn, crushing him in a bone crushing embrace. Crying, laughing, and light jests are heard from the shorter force user, but Finn just smiles like a damn fool in love.
As the two leave Naboo, the family that cared for Finn watched them go with a warm smile on their faces. Memories of a Jedi that walked on the sky and their warrior Queen who fought for freedom flooded back to them.
Padme and Anakin had found each other once more.
They also recognized that snappy sense of fashion!
Star Wars can kiss my ass if it can make a big deal of droid liberation but ignores the kidnapped and enslaved Stormtroopers.
Which idk if it was canon before (it totally was,just not overtly) but it is now bc Finn was stolen from his family, indoctrinated (badly lol, quit first chance he got and joined the good guys), and handed a gun.
It shifted from era to era, as I understand it. The first Stormtroopers were the Republic’s Clonetroopers, who were grown to be soldiers and were effectively slaves themselves. The clones evidently were phased out sometime during the Empire and replaced by conscripts/volunteers, as seen in Agent Terex’s past as a Stormtrooper from the Poe Dameron comics. The First Order started the practice of kidnapping children and training them to be soldiers, a program pioneered by Brendol Hux and continued by his son, and Finn is the most visible face of that.
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