SPECULATION Padmé Didn’t Die of a Broken Heart

I quoted the text, the link that you've posted. It was funny to me how that guy called ROTS a classic.

 

In "How Star Wars Conquered the Universe," Chris Taylor said that Portman's role was reduced in RotS because she was such a pain on set during the first two films. She was reduced to the point of being "barefoot and pregnant." So, did this choice by Lucas influence the completion of Padme's story? Would she have still died in such a lame way if Portman had been more of a team player? Should Lucas have swallowed his pride and written Padme a more respectable part anyway? I don't know. I just thought this would be good information for the thread to chew on.

 

I do remember the rumors that they were going to re-cast Padme with Keira Knightley (because she was having a moment with Pirates of the Caribbean, Love Actually). That would have been crazy. And no doubt been the catalyst for all kinds of speculation/theorizing about Padme, Sabe, and Mon Mothma!

 

The first time I watched ROTS I thought Padme died from the force-choke. That would have been another way to show how far Anakin is willing to go. But dying from a broken heart?Not good.

 

Interesting theory! If I ever watch RotS again, I'll definitely keep this in mind.

 

So you know how Padmé Amidala just dies for no reason?

"She has lost the will to live."


Well, firstly, it's well established that this reason makes zero sense, both from a medical standpoint, and for these reasons:

a) She believes there is good in Anakin. So why would she lose the will to live? Surely if she was that emotionally dependent on him, she would only lose the will to live if she believed there was no good in him.
b) She has just given birth to two children.

The entire plot to turn Anakin to the Dark Side revolved around Padmé, and Palpatine promised that he would help to save her. I believe that he had no such intention, and that he believed that the only way to ensure Vader's loyalty was to eliminate the competition, and that the key to Vader's fall and loyalty was not him accepting a Sith Lord's teachings, but believing he has failed.

I believe he somehow drained the life force out of her. The evidence:

1. He knew that she was dead, despite her dying in a secret location. Unless this scene takes place after the funeral and not before it (unlikely), how would he know?
2. That look on his face.



Palpy killed Padmé. Thoughts? Has this already been discussed ad nauseam? Apologies if so!

 

Yeah, this is a good topic. It's not only a kind of strange plot hole, but it's something people loooove to make fun of. There's quite the thread on it already, so let's combine them. Thanks for bringing it up again!

 

I read the retrozap theory but I'm not buying it. In the second part the author speculates that Palpatine kept Vader alive during all these years and that Vader had to die the moment Palpatine died, too. Then why did Vader ever intend to overthrow the Emperor with Luke's help in ESB? To drain Luke's life energy?

Today I stumbled about this little quote from TPM:

ANAKIN. I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back here and freed all the slaves...

The first part of his dream became true, the other one did not.

Based on his personal experience he must have acknowledged that he couldn't rely entirely on his visions of Padme's death.

But the big premise in RotS is that Anakin has dream visions of Padme dying and will literally do anything to prevent this from happening, that's what supposedly drives him eventually to the Dark Side of the Force.
While we, as the audience, learn that the dream turns out to be true, the really BIG question remains how he could possibly be certain that it will happen.

Now, the part where I believe it gets interesting is this:

Considering that part of his first dream was wishful thinking / dreaming, he should have considered that maybe getting rid of Padme on an unconscious level, might have been an explanation for him seeing her death...

Let's face it, Padme has been a constant source of irritation for Anakin and his Jedi ways. Quite possible he confuses "lust" with "love" and actually only uses her. On an unconscious level he is already premeditating how to get rid of her. Once he has become Darth Vader he has no longer any use for her and hardly shows concern.

Somehow he plays nice guy during the PT and we all fall for it. Maybe he is just a Scum, an Peedunky (never noticed the swearword auto-rewrite function before) who doesn't really care about anything or anybody else than himself (except, of course, for his mother but even here it seems obvious he never sent her a postcard in all these years). Of course, that doesn't make him Darth Vader, yet, but he is of bad character and, frankly, with such character traits I'm starting to warm up to his side change as featured in the film (but please dispense with the nice Jedi turned Sith Lord banthacrap).

In a nutshell: Anakin killed Padme.

Only after his Mustafar injuries he suddenly feels the need to run home to Mom. Well, Mom is dead so he inquires about his Ersatz-Mother, Padme.

 

Or, there is still something very strange and unknown we don't know yet about Princess Leia....

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 28, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 28, 2015 ---

Very good insight, this is what I believe about the story.

 

Great theory.
*applauds*

 

She probably had a severe form of "Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy."

 

Of course Sidious killed Padme, it lured him more to the darkness.

 

It's a classic in the right format .

 

Fan Fiction Theory:

During Episode II, teenage Anakin Jedi mind tricks Padmé into feeling an attraction towards him. (This is the reason why Jedi are not permitted personal relationships because of the risk of misuse of force powers).

During Episode III, Anakin's mind control of Padmé continues, she is now his wife and also pregnant. A weakened Anakin, defeated by Obi-Wan on Mustafar, loses some of his powers and Padmé's mind is no longer under the influence of Anakin's powers. Padmé realises what has been happening to her and that Anakin has been mistreating and using her for years. Her love for him has been a lie and she is so mentally crushed and humiliated, it ultimately ends her life. This misuse of powers also makes Anakin a much 'darker' character too.

Before you react with "But Padmé is a strong character!", is she really? Afterall, it was Sheev Palpatine's plan which allowed Padmé to become the Queen of Naboo after setting up the downfall of the previous Naboo monarch. Palpatine even once said to the Trade Federation (as Darth Sidious) "Queen Amidala is young and naive.". . . .

Only a theory, but better than the official version.

 

Why is it so hard for fans to accept the idea that Padme had basically died of a broken heart? This goes with the "courtly love" aspect of her relationship with Anakin. And people have been known to be physically affected by their emotional state.


Before you react with "But Padmé is a strong character!", is she really? Afterall, it was Sheev Palpatine's plan which allowed Padmé to become the Queen of Naboo after setting up the downfall of the previous Naboo monarch. Palpatine even once said to the Trade Federation (as Darth Sidious) "Queen Amidala is young and naive.". . . .

Padme was a strong character, but she also had her flaws. This was also the case of all the other major characters in the Saga, aside from Rey, who seemed to be some kind of Mary Sue.


The writing of that scene in ROTJ is atrocious.

I agree. First, Leia's memories of her mother were so vague that I found myself wondering why Lucas had even bothered. And two, I cannot see Padme handing Luke over to the Lars on Tatooine, and keeping Leia for herself on Alderaan. That is just so wrong in many ways.