A former Queen taken before her time – Padmé Amidala was the light to Anakin Skywalker’s darkness. She lifted him from a horrible time in his life. But even her love for him wasn’t enough to save his tormented soul. From their first meeting when she was only fourteen to their three-year secret marriage, the ex-monarch became lost before their future could begin.
This post examines who Padmé was and how her role in Anakin’s downfall would forever haunt him. For our post on whether we’ll get a reference to Luke and Leia’s late mother in Obi-Wan Kenobi, go here. Also, we will be delving into the senator’s story, so there will be spoilers. This article only covers canon material.
Naboo Upbringing
Born on Naboo, Padmé Amidala was born as Padmé Naberrie, the youngest daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie. She had one older sister, Sola. Later became the aunt of at least one niece, Ryoo Naberrie. Upon becoming Queen of Naboo, she took the regnal name of “Amidala”, which would later become a middle name. Some years later, Padmé would tell her future husband, Anakin Skywalker, that she wasn’t the youngest monarch to be elected. The more she thought about it, she questioned whether she was ready.
At twelve, Padmé had a romance with a boy named Palo, but the relationship failed when he became an artist. Also, during her childhood, Amidala became close to her father’s Rodian friend, Onaconda Farr, who she affectionately dubbed “Uncle Ono.”
As A Queen And The Early Days As A Senator
Padmé was a beloved Queen of Naboo during her tenure. As mentioned by Anakin in Attack of the Clones, the people wanted to change the law so she could serve again. She respectfully declined the offer as two years was enough for her.
Queen Padmé Amidala
Unlike her predecessor, Sanandrassa, who preferred an isolationist structure, Padmé wanted to create allies with other planets. Moreover, this is why she was a popular leader. For example, she opened Naboo to the galaxy rather than keep it locked so it couldn’t be harmed.
When the Separatists created a Blockade above Naboo, Padmé escaped with Jedi Master Qui-Gon and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the disgraced Gungan, Jar Jar Binks. After their ship is damaged in the battle, they’re forced to land on the desert planet of Tatooine, where they meet Anakin Skywalker, an enslaved child living with his mother, Shmi and working for the junk dealer Watto.
Anakin is kind to the group and welcomes them into his home during a sandstorm with his mother. Padmé keeps her identity as the Queen of Naboo a secret and disguises herself as a handmaiden while her decoy, Sabé, takes her place.
Young Skywalker enters a Podrace to win Jinn, Amidala, and Binks the parts for their ship and his freedom. However, it comes at a price. Qui-Gon could not free Shmi, meaning Anakin had to leave his mother behind.
Senator Padmé Amidala
After her term as Queen ended, her successor Queen Réillata asked her to remain in politics and replace a retiring senator. She agreed to the proposal and started serving her planet in the Galactic Senate. She was close to many Separatist-aligned senators, as she would tell her friend Ahsoka Tano years later. Amidala even struck up a one-sided romance with fellow senator Rush Clovis, who deeply loved her, but the feeling wasn’t mutual.
Padmé sends Sabé to Tatooine to free Skywalker’s mother, but the handmaiden cannot find Shmi.
Padmé And Her 10-Year Reunion With Anakin And Obi-Wan
After becoming the target of an assassination attempt, Padmé is placed in the safety of the Jedi. She became a threat to the Separatists because she had allied with the Loyalist Committee, which opposed the Military Creation Act. This is the same group of senators who would create the Delegation of 2000 three years later.
Anakin and Obi-Wan are assigned to find out the truth about the assassination. Kenobi was to go searching for the answers. Skywalker, meanwhile, was sent to Naboo as the senator’s bodyguard.
As time passed, Padmé found her feelings for Anakin were deep. But she thought the kiss they shared was a mistake. The situation takes a turn when Skywalker’s nightmares of his mother become too much for him to handle. Senator Amidala followed him back to Tatooine, where they were directed to the Lars’ homestead by Watto.
Padmé and Anakin meet Shmi’s husband, Cliegg Lars, his son Owen and Owen’s girlfriend, Beru. Here, the pair learn that Tusken Raiders kidnapped Shmi the month before. Not wanting to give up on his mother, Anakin looks for her. However, the Lars family agree to keep the senator safe in his absence. Sometime later, Skywal er returns with Shmi’s body, where she is buried at the homestead.
After the funeral, R2-D2 alerts the duo and C-3PO that Obi-Wan has been trying to get ahold of them. He has been captured o Geonosis. The group speak with the Jedi Council and is told to stay put. However, Padmé insists they rescue their friend. Anakin protests, but the senator tells him he will have to comply.
Geonosis, The ‘Final’ Kiss And The Secret Wedding
Anakin and Padmé arrive on Tatooine, where they and the droids get captured in the battle droid factory by Jango Fett. The droids remain in the factory, but Anakin and Padmé are sentenced to death. However, as they are about to be pulled out into the arena, Padmé admits to Anakin that she loves him. After sharing what they believe will be their final kiss, they’re pulled out into the arena, where they join Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan is annoyed that his orders were ignored and that they’re in a bind because Anakin chose to disobey him. However, while the master-apprentice duo are fighting, Padmé frees herself.
After engaging in the battle of Geonosis and being tossed from a gunship, Padmé survives the fight and is reunited with Anakin after he loses his arm in a row with Count Dooku.
Upon returning to Naboo with Anakin, Padmé secretly marries him against everything their careers stand for.
The Clone Wars
Despite not seeing her husband much, Padmé was kept busy. However, she and Anakin would run into each other on multiple occasions. Or join he’d join her on various missions. Through, Skywalker, Padmé would become close with his Padawan, Ahsoka, who she treated like an equal and a member of their tiny family.
Anakin took note of the bond and often assigned Ahsoka to guard his wife when he could not do so himself. Tano pieced the relationship together during a mission where she was the third wheel to the couple. Given her respect for her two loved-up friends, she chose not to tell Anakin what she knew. However, Padmé was made aware of this and was glad that someone in Anakin’s circle knew she would remain tight-lipped.
At some point, Anakin’s clone captain and friend, Rex, was also aware of the relationship. Again, though, it is unclear whether Padmé knew this. Obi-Wan knew more than he let on as he respected Anakin and Padmé far too much to say anything.
The war also presented the senator with challenges of her own. She would stare down death more than once and even come face-to-face with her old flame, Rush Clovis. Anakin despised the guy when he discovered his wife’s history with him. The situation became so horrible that Padmé had to distance herself from Anakin when he tried to kill Clovis.
After Clovis sacrifices himself to save Padmé when a balcony collapses, Padmé realises that Anakin only tried to protect her as any good husband would.
Pregnancy, Nightmares, And Death
During the war’s final year, Padmé learns she is pregnant with her and Anakin’s first child. She drops the news on him when he returns the Chancellor to Coruscant after rescuing him from Grevious and Dooku—however, their joy at becoming parents becomes a living nightmare.
Anakin starts experiencing nightmares of her death, but the fate of their child is unknown. As time goes on, Padmé feels her husband pulling away from her. Despite trying to reassure him that she would be fine, Amidala couldn’t prepare herself for what came next.
Palpatine held onto his power to the point the Loyalist Committee were becoming concerned. At the same time, the Chancellor had reveal d himself to Anakin as a Sith, which eventually would result in his turn to the dark side. Padmé was visited by Obi-Wan, who informed her of her husband’s fall.
Not wanting to believe it, she heads to Mustafar to confront Anakin herself, only to discover that Obi-Wan was right. Despite trying to turn her now delusional husband back to the light, Padmé finds herself a victim of his anger when Kenobi reveals himself, having snuck aboard the senator’s ship without her knowledge.
Anakin Force chokes his wife unconscious in his anger and only drops her when Obi-Wan orders him to do so. It’s this act that triggers Padmé to lose the will to live.
When Obi-Wan returns from his fight with Anakin, he is present as Padmé gives birth to twins Luke and Leia Skywalker. As she dies, Amidala tells her friend that he believes good still resides in the man she loves.
Padmé’s body is returned to Naboo, where it is altered to appear that her children died with her.
