Before Leia Organa fearlessly fought for freedom in the Rebel Alliance, her mother Padmé Amidala courageously championed democracy in the dying days of the Republic, one of the last crusaders against tyranny in the wake of the first Galactic Empire. Though George Lucas's Prequel Trilogy proved a divisive addition to the Skywalker saga, fans found a hero and role model in Padmé, brought to life with tenacity and fortitude by Natalie Portman.
In the decades since her first appearance, Padmé has been a controversial topic of discussion for Star Wars fans on Reddit, who don't hesitate to introduce unpopular opinions about the queen turned senator of Naboo. From thinking she's the most selfish person in the galaxy, to believing that her dialogue with Anakin actually made sense, the variety of opinions are as wide as a Nubian.
10 She's The Worst Character In Star Wars
When considering the entirety of the Star Wars franchise, there are other characters fans would normally hate more than Padmé. Even other characters from the Prequel Trilogy like Jar-Jar Binks usually generate more division, to say nothing of Rose Tico or other controversial characters from the Sequel Trilogy.
One Redditor has decided that Padmé is the worst character in all of Star Wars because she's "a grey, bland shell of a character" who's "more an object to serve a plot purpose than a character that does anything". Most fans would argue Padmé stopped an illegal trade blockade on her home planet by taking back control of her palace, was the one who thought to rescue Obi-Wan on Geonosis, and of course, gave birth to Leia and Luke Skywalker.
9 She's One Of The Most Selfish People In The Galaxy
A teenager who forewent a childhood to be the queen of Naboo, who gave everything of herself as a senator to take an anti-war stance in the galaxy, and who always put the needs of the many before her own, Padmé is viewed by many fans as an incredibly selfless person who only got better and better as the weight of the galaxy's conflict got heavier.
Redditor gorostar85 contends that Padmé is actually one of the most selfish people in the galaxy because after Anakin slaughters Tusken Raiders she doesn't tell anyone, and after he murders younglings she "doesn't tell Obi-Wan [his] location", even going so far as to beg a "double child murderer" to run away with her. She was, unfortunately, trying to be his light when he needed more professional help, an act that most fans wouldn't consider selfish but simply misguided.
8 Her Dialogue With Anakin Makes Sense
One of the most controversial aspects of the Prequel Trilogy was the cheesy dialogue penned by none other than The Maker himself, George Lucas. Fans felt it contributed to Anakin and Padme's relationship feeling awkward, forced, and contrived.
This Redditor feels that the dialogue shared between the two star-crossed lovers actually makes sense, especially in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones where most of their romance occurs. Since he was "taken from his mother before he hit puberty" and placed in an ascetic, sexless religious order, it stands to reason his flirtations would lack a certain sophistication, and she wouldn't know how to respond.
7 She Likes Anakin Because He Lets Her Open Up
Anakin Skywalker may grow into an impressive specimen in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, but his looks aren't often enough to overshadow his comportment, which is perceived by most fans to be unprofessional and intrusive around Padmé.
Redditor Grellous8 thinks that because she's "a politician all of the time, and she never really got a "youthful" childhood", that being around Anakin -himself younger than her- allows her to open up more. Due to the turbulent passion inherent to his personality and their difference in ages, she gets to "experience an intense teenage romance", though most fans would argue their dialogue was too awkward to be considered "opening up", and the senator seemed repulse half the time.
6 Her Relationship With Anakin Is Better Than Reylo
Padmé and Rey both became the guiding lights for men consumed by darkness, but the way their relationships unfolded was quite different. In the Prequel Trilogy, Padme and Anakin suffered from stilted dialogue and awkward romantic scenes, whereas Kylo Ren and Rey as "Reylo" have been seen to be more nuanced and realistic with their brevity.
One Redditor believes that Anakin and Padmé's relationship is far superior to Kylo Ren and Rey's because the former is wholesome and the latter "is downright abusive". While it's true that Kylo Ren and Rey's interactions begin as more aggressive, their emotional outbursts and interactions are perhaps indicative of directors who gave them direction to be perceived as more human.
5 She Did The Right Thing By Comforting Anakin After He Killed The Sand People
Most fans had to suspend a great deal of disbelief to believe that upon hearing Anakin just "slaughtered them like animals", Padmé's first reaction is to comfort him rather than be highly disturbed and run away. He admitted to massacring women and children yet her first concern is his emotional wellbeing.
BaconDragon69 believes that her response to Anakin was justifiable because they'd "tortured his mother to death", and that the rage he released from his grief would have elicited compassion in the diplomat. Most fans feel her attempt to save Anakin from himself was misguided, as he could never let go of the people he loved. In many ways, the only way Anakin wouldn't have turned to the dark side was if Qui-Gon Jinn had never died.
4 She's One Of The Bad Guys
The relationship between Padmé and Anakin began when they were not yet adults, and they bonded over being two young people whose destinies seemed set in stone from the time they were born, only to realize that the fate that seemed to separate them across the galaxy would bring them together in wartime. Their initial interactions were innocent, juxtaposed against a turbulent galaxy plunged into chaos.
One Redditor vehemently believes she was "one of the bad guys" because she fell in love with Anakin "when he was 7 and she was 14", which resulted in him having unresolved trauma. Not only was Anakin 9 when they met, but Padme didn't fall in love with him until over a decade later, and if anything falling in love with her was one of the worst things he could have let himself do.
3 She Brings About The Downfall Of The Jedi Order
Due to the hubris of even high ranking Jedi Masters like Mace Windu and Master Yoda, the Jedi Order was blind to the machinations of Darth Sidious and the rise of the Sith, content to blame everything on the emotional weakness of a boy from Tatooine who was so devoted to Padmé that he'd risk his allegiance to the Order itself.
This Redditor feels that "she tempts him into human emotions" and their romance is what ultimately leads to the destruction of the Jedi Order. Most fans would point to the blindness of Jedi Masters like Qui-Gon Jinn, whose insistence on training Anakin was the primary instigator and catalyst for the Order's extinction.
2 She Was Stupid In The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars is generally regarded as one of the most popular installments in the Star Wars franchise, bridging gaps in the Skywalker saga, and improving on almost every relationship in the movies, from Obi-Wan and Anakin's, to Anakin and Padmé's. Without the dialogue from the Prequel Trilogy, the romance between the Jedi Knight and the senator isn't nearly as maudlin, and Padmé contributes some of the best episodes.
Redditor KommandantL felt that every episode of hers was boring, and in support, Grommert felt she made everything easier for Palpatine to control Anakin. Watching her episodes of the series, it's clear that many characters made it easier for Palpatine to play puppeteer and pull Anakin's strings, including his master Obi-Wan Kenobi and the entire Jedi Order.
1 If She Returned From The Dead Vader Would Kill Her
In the recent Darth Vader comics, the Dark Lord of the Sith even tries to find ways to resurrect Padme, going so far as to build his castle on Mustafar because beneath the ground where he slaughtered the Separatist leaders there's a great deal of Force energy that might be suitable for opening a portal between worlds.
TimberWolfII believes that if she "somehow came back and got Vader's attention, he would just kill her" because he "absolutely and utterly hates his past." While Vader does hate his past, the canon comics prove that he's kept Padme's presence alive for quite some time, mourning her loss, and loving her still.
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July 25, 2021 at 12:00AM
