PT Observations about TPM

This is mainly cobbled together from other posts I've seen here and a little bit of my own ideas.

Would you say that Padme goes through an arc in the movie of her becoming less passive in her approach to helping her people?

And that Obi-Wan goes through an arc of wisdom and more level-headedness throughout the prequel trilogy?

And that Qui-Gon's death is at least a small part of Anakin's character arc througout the movies?

I just wanted to know, because I brought this up on another site and I was told that I was wrong. What do you think? Do ya'll agree? Have a very great day everyone!

God bless everyone!

 

What do you mean that Padme become less passive? She has never been passive, in my opinion, she just wanted to follow the rules. But for the first time she decided not to follow but to lead. And she did that not because she liked it, but it was the only way. In this aspect Padme never changes (in other yes, but in this no), in AOTC she tried to negotiate in Geonosis (or at least she would try if they wouldn't cathed) but after that she participated in the battle.
Agree with the rest, but I think the death of Qui Gon changed many things or at least, if he survived the things for Anakin could go in another direction.

 

Yes. Padme's arc of growth in the film is to rely less on others and more on her own judgment. She starts out with a lot of faith that the Republic will solve her problem. She appeals to Valorum. She appeals to the Senate. To no avail. She lets the charade continue of her handmaiden disguised as herself. In this way, Padme is relegated to a follower for her own protection. However, she realizes she is getting nowhere with this. She sacrifices this all to appeal with her own voice to Boss Nass. Eventually she takes matters into her own hands against the Trade Federation. That's her growth.

We can see in AOTC how unhappy Padme is with being relegated once more for her own protection. She has grown quite a bit into her own role, and she has accepted the dangers along with it.

It seems that Obi-Wan was a rule follower from day one, but we see this very slowly erode. He never stops being a by-the-book Jedi, but as time goes on he gives himself (and Anakin) a teensy bit of leeway. It's always in the background though. Obi-Wan is a bit brash at first in TPM. He is also brash in the beginning of AOTC, but by the end he has become a little more sneaky and cautious. In ROTS he's in full sneak mode. And by ANH he is actually a hidden hermit, virtually invisible. He then actually becomes semi-transparent as a Force Ghost in the next movies. We can say then that, knowingly or not, intended or not, Obi-Wan's arc throughout all the movies is to become less openly brash and more quiet and downplayed -- eventually virtually invisible. It would seem that along with that Obi-Wan becomes much more patient as the films progress.

I believe Qui-Gon's death played an instrumental role in everything that followed in Anakin's life. I think the chance of him going to the dark side is reduced if Qui-Gon lives, for really a plethora of reasons.

 

Actually I will go one step further. I will say the Qui Gon is the main catalyst behind all three of your questions.
1) I think that it is through Padme's interaction with Qui Gon that she learns to use her instincts more than relying on the political rules that leave her constrained.
2) If Obi Wan could have had the continued guidance of Qui Gon even after he made Knight Hood he would have been more in the mold of Qui Gon and Qui Gon would have trained Anakin. Obi Wan wouldn't have had being a mentor thrust upon him, and he would have had more time to grow as a Jedi with having to worry about being a teacher until he was ready.
3) The council might have been more reluctant to become military leaders had the voice of Qui Gon been heard. Actually Qui Gon might have even discovered who Palpatine really was long before the rest of the Jedi because he was more in tune with the living Force than all his contemporaries.

Qui Gon's mentoring style would probably been more beneficial to Anakin than Obi Wan's as well. He was a seasoned Jedi Knight with lots of experience and wisdom. Anakin would also had more respect for Qui Gon since it was Qui Gon who freed him from slavery and if Anakin told him about his dreams about his mother Qui Gon would have probably took Anakin and saved her long before Anakin actually does in AOTC.

Just my two cents...I love Qui Gon!

 

1) No. She wants to do everything she can from preventing her peaceful planet from engaging in war. She then has no choice but to flee her planet if she wants to save her people. Her desire to help Naboo stays just as strong throughout the film but she can't do anything without the Republic's intervention(at least that's what she believes). Once they return to Naboo, they execute a desperate plan that was not considered before, due to the lack of friendship between the Gungans and the Naboo. And then of course, you have the Gungans create the diversion- the Naboo aviators make their attack on the droid's control ship, Padme and her protectors fighting their way through many waves of droids to get to the Viceroy, and the Duel Of Fates.

2) Definitely, Obi-Wan matures throughout The Phantom Menace. He makes it obvious how displeased he is with Qui-Gon allowing Jar Jar to come with them, and then he is just as opposed to Anakin coming along. But once they return to Naboo, he expresses his apology.

3) There is no way we will ever know for sure that if Qui-Gon had survived , Anakin would've never fallen to the dark side. It's hypothetical, but I personally believe had Qui-Gon been able to train Anakin, he would've never joined forces with Sidious and the Sith would've been destroyed sooner. Qui-Gon was not as strict and he supported Anakin from the start. If Qui-Gon could've trained Anakin, in my opinion, the downfall of the Republic would've never occurred. Plus, it makes Anakin's story even more tragic. The scene where Qui-Gon dies has even more weight to it if you believe he would've prevented Anakin's turn to evil.

 

Interesting! It seems George Lucas had the things very clear since the beginning to me. He changed a pair of things at the end, but the general idea is, essentially, the same. It's clear Palpatine was luring Anakin towards The Dark Side and Obi Wan had to hide the kids. The only moment I keep maintaining doubts is the one when Obi-Wan says to Luke that Anakin wanted Luke got his lightsaber. I suppose it's an attempt of Obi-Wan to speak well of Anakin and convince Luke, I don't know...

 

tpm the only sw film with children as main characters. the pt is the only trilogy with kids in it.

 

Sorry, I made a mistake, I wrote that previous message and it was for another thread. If any moderator want to delete it, it will be perfect ^_^. Thank you.

About this thread... I can clearly see Padme is a less decisive character to the global story over the advance of the prequels. While in the first and the second movies she was in the middle of the action and was an engine to certain parts of the plot, in Episode 3 she was less important. I suppose it's perfectly normal, Episode 3 is more about Anakin, Palpatine, Obi-Wan and the fall of the Jedis.

Obi-Wan is a contrary case. His role is very little in TPM, but he grows up along the prequels and he has more importance in the plot and the story. And yes, he is getting more a more wise along the movies. Anakin is always important, I think, though he is less prominent (maybe) in TPM.

In the OT there are characters have less importance in some movies too, like Han Solo in ROTJ. He is a little less prominent in this movie. I think these "dance of important" in the characters is normal. They have movies where have more to do and others where are more about other characters.