Padmé Amidala

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Padmé Amidala
Star Wars character
Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala [a]
First appearanceThe Phantom Menace
Created byGeorge Lucas
Portrayed byNatalie Portman
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full namePadmé Naberrie
SpeciesHuman
GenderFemale
Occupation
  • Queen of Naboo
  • Senator of Naboo
Affiliation
SpouseAnakin Skywalker
Children
RelativesBen Solo (grandson)
Others in Legends [b]
HomeworldNaboo

Padmé Amidala (née Naberrie) is a character in the

Galactic Senate. She secretly marries Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi Knight, and later dies while giving birth to the twins Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Anakin's fear of losing Padmé drives him toward the dark side of the Force, which eventually results in his transformation into Darth Vader. Natalie Portman portrays Padmé in all three films of the prequel trilogy. Catherine Taber, Grey DeLisle
and Montana Norberg provide the character's voice in animated productions and video games.

Creation

Padmé is introduced in The Phantom Menace (1999), the first film of the prequel trilogy. She is mentioned briefly, however, in the 1983 film

original trilogy. In the film, Leia tells Luke that she has faint memories of her mother. Lucas has explained that although he created a backstory for the mother while writing the original trilogy, it did not make it into the films. He wanted her to be mentioned in Return of the Jedi, however, because he was planning on introducing her as a main character in later films.[1] When Lucas began writing The Phantom Menace, he envisioned similarities between Padmé and Leia, who he described as "the daughter who follows so closely in her [mother's] footsteps."[2]

Prequel trilogy

Casting

During development for The Phantom Menace, concept artists were given character outlines by Lucasfilm. The fourteen-year-old Padmé was described as similar to Princess Ozma from the Land of Oz series of novels.[3][4] Lucas, who both wrote and directed the film, wanted to cast a performer who displayed strength comparable to that of Leia, who is a central character in the original trilogy.[5][6][7] The filmmakers auditioned over two hundred actresses for the role before selecting Natalie Portman, who was sixteen at the time.[8][9] One of the concept artists, Iain McCaig, said Portman exhibited vulnerability and strength akin to Ozma.[4]

Portman was enthusiastic about the role, and thought it would be empowering for young female viewers to witness the intelligence and leadership abilities of the teenage monarch.[10] She worked closely with Lucas on her character's accent and mannerisms, and watched the films of Lauren Bacall, Audrey Hepburn, and Katharine Hepburn to draw inspiration from their voice and stature.[11] She was relatively unfamiliar with the Star Wars franchise when she was cast, and watched the original trilogy before filming began.[12]

Costumes

Lucas has explained that galactic society in the prequel trilogy is more sophisticated than in the original trilogy. To illustrate this difference, the costumes in the prequels are more elaborate than those in the earlier films. Trisha Biggar, the costume designer for the prequel films, said there were only three costumes initially planned for Padmé. However, Lucas felt that a noble of her stature would be constantly changing her wardrobe depending on the occasion. He decided that every time the queen appeared in The Phantom Menace, she would be wearing a different costume. The resulting wardrobe was influenced by fashions from Japan, Mongolia, Tibet and other countries.

Attack of the Clones (2002), Lucas wanted Padmé's garb to reflect the romantic storyline. He requested that her costumes be "skimpy" and "sultry".[15][16] Padmé's garments were displayed at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles in 2005, and at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 2018.[17][13]

Reception

Portman's performance in the prequel films was criticized in a number of reviews.

Revenge of the Sith, Ed Halter of The Village Voice said that "computer-generated characters like wheezing cyborg baddie General Grievous and blippeting fireplug R2-D2 ... emot[ed] more convincingly" than either Portman or Christensen.[21] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle offered a less critical appraisal, describing Portman's performance in Revenge of the Sith as "decorative and sympathetic".[22]

Other portrayals

Catherine Taber provides Padmé's voice in the animated film The Clone Wars and the animated television series of the same name. Taber also voices her in the web series Forces of Destiny and in various video games.[23][24] Grey DeLisle voices Padmé in video games and in the micro-series Clone Wars, while Montana Norberg provides her voice in the miniseries Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales.[25][26]

Appearances in the official canon

Prequel trilogy

Main article: Star Wars prequel trilogy

The Phantom Menace

Padmé makes her first appearance in The Phantom Menace (1999) as the recently elected fourteen-year-old queen of Naboo. She is dedicated to ending her planet's occupation by the

podrace
that both aids her mission to Coruscant and secures his freedom. She and Anakin bond during their journey from Tatooine to Coruscant.

Padmé consults with Senator

Gungan
tribe. The Gungans create a diversion to lure the Federation's droid armies away from the palace, which has been seized by Gunray. A small force led by Padmé enters the palace and captures Gunray, which ends the occupation of Naboo.

Attack of the Clones

Padmé returns in Attack of the Clones (2002), which is set ten years after The Phantom Menace. She now represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate and leads a faction opposed to the Military Creation Act that would create an army of clones for the Republic, which has been threatened by a growing Separatist movement. As she arrives on Coruscant to cast her vote, assassins hired by the Separatists attempt to kill her. Obi-Wan and his apprentice Anakin are assigned to protect Padmé. Palpatine sends Padmé into hiding on Naboo, where she and Anakin struggle to maintain a platonic relationship despite their obvious mutual attraction.

When Anakin has a vision of his mother in danger, Padmé accompanies him to Tatooine in a failed attempt to rescue Shmi from a band of

Geonosis to aid him, only to be captured and condemned to death by the Separatist leader and Sith Lord Count Dooku. Facing execution, Padmé and Anakin profess their love for each other. They are saved from death by an army of Jedi and clone troopers, led by Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. The ensuing battle marks the beginning of the Clone Wars
. Afterwards, Padmé and Anakin are married in a secret ceremony on Naboo.

Revenge of the Sith

Padmé makes her third film appearance in Revenge of the Sith (2005), which takes place three years after the previous film. As the Clone Wars continue, Padmé informs Anakin that she is pregnant. She detects changes in him after he begins having visions of her dying in childbirth. Palpatine plays on Anakin's fears by saying that the dark side of the Force holds the power to save Padmé, which ultimately leads Anakin to become Palpatine's Sith apprentice, Darth Vader. Meanwhile, Padmé watches with increasing suspicion as Palpatine uses the Clone Wars as an excuse to take near-total control of the Senate. As Palpatine transforms the Republic into the Galactic Empire and declares himself Emperor, Padmé remarks: "So this is how liberty dies—with thunderous applause." Obi-Wan informs Padmé that Anakin has been seduced to the dark side by Palpatine—who is actually the mastermind of the war—and has killed everyone in the Jedi Temple, including children.

Unable to believe this, Padmé travels to the volcanic planet

Beru
.

The Clone Wars (film)

Padmé makes her fourth film appearance in The Clone Wars (2008). While Anakin and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano search for Jabba the Hutt's son Rotta, Padmé meets Ziro the Hutt to convince him to side with the Jedi. After Ziro forcibly removes Padmé, she escapes and eavesdrops on his communication with Count Dooku and the Separatists about an elaborate scheme to kill Rotta, frame the Jedi for his murder and force Jabba to attempt revenge, leaving Ziro as the ruler of the Hutts. After Padmé is discovered, Dooku suggests that Ziro collect the bounty placed on her head. The droid C-3PO leads a squad of Coruscant Guard troopers to rescue her. Padmé then contacts Jabba just as the Hutt is about to execute Anakin and Ahsoka, and forces Ziro to confess his betrayal. Padmé negotiates an alliance between the Republic and the Hutts which would allow Republic warships to use Hutt hyperspace lanes.

The Clone Wars (series)

In The Clone Wars television series, Padmé is mostly working in the Senate towards a peaceful resolution to the Clone Wars, although a few episodes show her fighting the Separatists alongside Anakin, Ahsoka and Jar Jar Binks. She is the main protagonist in three consecutive episodes in which she meets with her old colleague

Rush Clovis
, which causes Anakin to become jealous.

Novels

Padmé is the protagonist of three novels by

Captain Panaka, Bail Organa and Sheev Palpatine. A prequel to Queen's Shadow, titled Queen's Peril (2020) takes place before and during The Phantom Menace.[29][30] Queen's Hope (2022) chronicles events after Padmé's secret marriage to Anakin. Padmé also appears in flashbacks in the novel Thrawn: Alliances.[31]

Appearances in Star Wars Legends

See also: Star Wars in other media

In 2014, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since 1977 were rebranded by Lucasfilm as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise. The Legends works comprise a separate narrative universe.[32][33][34][35]

Novels and comics

Padmé's background prior to her appearance in the prequel films is revealed in Star Wars novels and comics. In the 2000 comic "A Summer's Dream" from

Star Wars Tales 5, Padmé is the Princess of Theed, Naboo's capital city. A young man named Ian Lago falls in love with her, but she places her civic duty over her personal happiness and rejects him.[36] In the novel Cloak of Deception (2001), Naboo's King Veruna is forced to abdicate the throne following accusations of corruption. Padmé is elected queen, and contacts Palpatine to inform him that Veruna has been mysteriously killed. She and Palpatine discuss the events that lead to the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo.[37]

Star Wars literature also focuses on Padmé's career as the monarch of Naboo. The young-adult novel Star Wars Episode I Journal: Amidala (1999) depicts Padmé narrowly escaping the Trade Federation.

Sabé immediately before the events of The Phantom Menace.[39] The short comic "The Artist of Naboo" follows a young artist who features Padmé in his paintings and later risks his life to save her.[40] Padmé's role in the Delegation of 2000—the senatorial resistance movement to Palpatine's growing absolutism—is discussed in Labyrinth of Evil (2005). The Delegation is concerned with Palpatine's calls for public surveillance and restrictions on freedom of movement and action. Padmé is confident that Palpatine will relinquish his power when the crisis is over.[41]

Padmé appears in stories set after the events of the original trilogy as holograms and flashbacks.

The Swarm War, Luke and Leia see Padmé's death and their own births.[43]

Clone Wars (2003)

The animated television series Clone Wars is part of the Legends universe. Padmé appears in eight chapters of the series, which aired on

Barriss Offee. In another chapter of the series, she is thrilled by Anakin's graduation to Jedi Knight, and stores his Padawan braid with the necklace he gave her when they first met.[44]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  2. Anakin Solo and Jacen Solo
    .

References

Citations

  1. ISBN 0-345-40981-7
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  2. ^ "Natalie Portman: Forbidden Love: Wise Beyond Her Years". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  3. ^ "Natalie Portman: Forbidden Love: Wise Beyond Her Years". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  4. ^ a b Wainerdi, Brandon (May 2022). "The Soul Sketchbook of Iain McCaig". Star Wars Insider. No. 210. p. 25.
  5. ^ "Return of the galaxy's new beauty: New look, love interest for Portman's role in 'Star Wars'". CNN. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Breznican, Anthony (April 13, 2017). "'Star Wars' Highlights Female Heroes with New 'Forces of Destiny' Stories — First Look". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  7. ^ Coggan, Devan (May 27, 2022). "The 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' premiere reintroduces some huge familiar faces". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  8. ISBN 0-595-34732-0
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  9. ^ Bouzereau & Duncan 1999, p. 46.
  10. StarWars.com. Archived from the original
    on October 23, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  11. ^ Culpepper, Andy (May 18, 1999). "Natalie Portman: 'Star Wars' queen". CNN. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  12. ^ "Natalie Portman Profile". CNN. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Hall, Corey (May 18, 2018). "A first look at the DIA's 'Star Wars and the Power of Costume'". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  14. ^ Costume Featurette (1999). Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Special Features DVD. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
  15. ^ George Lucas (2002). Love Featurette, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Special Features (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  16. ^ Trisha Biggar (2002). Love Featurette, Attack of the Clones (DVD). Los Angeles, California: 20th Century Fox.
  17. ^ "Star Wars: Dressing a Galaxy Opens Monday". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  18. ^ Berardinelli, James (September 15, 2015). "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace". Reel Views. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  19. ^ Ellingson, Annlee. "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace". Box Office Magazine. Archived from the original on June 13, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  20. ^ Clark, Mike (May 15, 2002). "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  21. ^ Halter, Ed (May 11, 2005). "May the Force Be Over; The end of the beginning: Lucas's adolescent space opera concludes in a CGI Sith Storm". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on June 28, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  22. ^ LaSalle, Mick (May 18, 2005). "'Revenge of the Sith' review: Does Lucas know how good a movie he almost made?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  23. ^ Breznican, Anthony (April 13, 2017). "Star Wars highlights female heroes in Forces of Destiny — first look". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  24. ^ "Catherine Taber (visual voices guide)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  25. ^ "Grey DeLisle (visual voices guide)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  26. ^ "Montana Norberg (visual voices guide)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  27. ^ "Star Wars: Queen's Series: Padmé Paperback Box set". Disney Books | Disney Publishing Worldwide. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  28. ^ Liptak, Andrew (July 20, 2018). "The next Star Wars novels will flesh out the prequel era". The Verge. New York City: Vox Media. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  29. ^ Brooks, Dan (November 27, 2019). "Padmé Strikes Back in E.K. Johnston's Queen's Peril – Exclusive". StarWars.com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  30. ^ "Teen Padmé transforms into the Monarch of Naboo in E.K. Johnston's new Star Wars novel, Queen's Peril". May 28, 2020.
  31. ^ Tuttle, Brittani (July 12, 2018). "Padmé is on a mission to Batuu in upcoming Star Wars book, 'Thrawn: Alliances'". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  32. ^ McMilian, Graeme (April 25, 2014). "Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for Star Wars Expanded Universe". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  33. StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Archived
    from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  34. ^ "Disney and Random House announce relaunch of Star Wars Adult Fiction line". StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  35. ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (May 4, 2023). "The Star Wars Canon: The Definitive Guide". IGN. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  36. ISBN 1-59307-286-4
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  37. ISBN 9780712679572
    .
  38. ISBN 0-590-52101-2
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  39. ISBN 0-8118-2462-4
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  40. ISBN 1-59307-311-9
  41. ISBN 0-345-47573-9
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  42. ISBN 0-345-46304-8
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  43. ISBN 978-0-09-949107-1
    .
  44. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
    . Event occurs at 15:00.

Works cited

Further reading
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