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What civilized Planet would appoint a 14 year old Queen?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by ObiJuanQuito, Aug 8, 2005.

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  1. ObiJuanQuito

    ObiJuanQuito Jedi Youngling star 5

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    May 20, 2005
    What civilized Planet would appoint a 14 year old Queen to rule and make decisions that could either help or hurt its citizens...

    This has always bugged since the release of TPM...
    Why didnt Lucas make Padme a Princess or something....

     
  2. Darth-Seldon

    Darth-Seldon Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 17, 2003
    You're applying Earth rules to GFFA.
    On Naboo it is common to elect a child. In some ways it makes complete sense. A 14 year old won't be as corrupted and more idealistic. She won't make any foolish mistakes because of her army of advisors.

    For Naboo, it is normal.

    -Seldon
     
  3. Palpy560

    Palpy560 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 11, 2005
    And it is culture and tradition on Naboo.
     
  4. Arwen Sith

    Arwen Sith Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    May 30, 2005
    She had been groomed for the role from an early age, although she wasn't exactly born to rule. She belonged to the class where rulers were elected from though.
     
  5. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    What civilized Planet would appoint a 14 year old Queen...

    Naboo.

    Seldon said it well - less corruption, more idealism, they have safeguard from major mistakes.

    But I think Yoda said it even better: "Truly wonderful the mind of a child is"... in other words, children often have ideas that adults would never think of, or would dismiss out of hand when they shouldnt.
     
  6. DarthPoppy

    DarthPoppy Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    I think it was just another case of Lucas changing the story as he went along. In TPM she was supposed to be a real queen, who ascended the throne due to heredity. By AotC he changed his mind so came up with the silly "elected to two terms of queen" thing. It made very little sense and, to me, hurt the PT. She should have been a queen, and if he wanted her to cease being a queen she should have abdicated the throne (as a protest to Palpatine's emergency powers, maybe?)--the whole notion of calling an elected official queen is silly, why not call her president, chancellor or prime minester, and elected a child is just plain silly--it makes more sense that Lucas changed hid mind (not the first time).
     
  7. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    While it is quite possible that the out of universe story is as DarthPoppy described, I don't think the in-universe explanation (posted earlier) is bad, either. And yes, she could have been called President, or Prime Minister, or even Person-Who-Is-Very-Important-To-The-Story-And-Thus-Will-Have-A-Major-Role-So-Lets-Make-Her-A-Ruler for all the difference it would make: virtually none, as thats just semantics. We might have a "What civilized Planet would appoint a 14 year old President?" thread instead. Besides, why not call her Queen? Who says queens have to be by birth in SW? Just because they are on earth doesnt mean anything in the SW universe.
     
  8. tomkat364

    tomkat364 Jedi Youngling star 1

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    May 23, 2005
    Just goes to show the "civilization" inherent in the old republic. Normally, the naboo royalty had no major decisions to make. The office was just one more on the way up the ladder. Much like a city council member is often a stepping stone to greater, more important things, the senate is the real power house, and the king/queen is almost an internship for the real deal. All in all, naboo is peaceful to its core. No queen before padme had to lead an army or dethrone a chancellor. They mainly learned from sio bibble the ins and outs of politics.
    A padawan politician of sorts
     
  9. mandragora

    mandragora Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 28, 2005
    From TPM, Amidala in the Senate: "I wasn't elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!"

    Edit: And before, Palpatine, also in the Senate: "To state our allegations, I present Queen Amidala, the recently elected ruler of Naboo , to speak on our behalf."

    From that obviously she was meant to be an elected queen also in TPM.
     
  10. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    What civilized Planet would appoint a 14 year old Queen?

    Answer: How about Earth? Into history much?
     
  11. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    How about Earth? Into history much?

    What country, and when? Remember, we're not talking about inheriting the throne, or marrying into a royal family, but a Queen being appointed (elected) at the age of 14.
     
  12. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    How about Egypt? King Tut?

    Or many of the Kings in the Old Testament.

     
  13. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    Egypt was a family line (inbred, for that matter), most of the Old Testament Kings likewise. The closest exception to that would be David, but theres a difference between being chosen by God (or, at the very least, the person everyone believed to be his prophet) and being appointed/elected by the people.
     
  14. Arwen Sith

    Arwen Sith Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    May 30, 2005
    King Tut inherited his throne, as did Louis XIV of France, who actually assumed sovereign and plenipotentiary powers at the age of 14, when the age of majority for ordinary men was 25 and for women never, if I read my Musketeers correctly.

    I'm trying to think who the youngest elected leader of a country on Earth has been, but I can't think of a name.
     
  15. SLAVE2

    SLAVE2 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2000
    This isn't directed to anyone inparticular but why watch a fantasy film if you want everything within it to match the rules of our own world? Star Wars is a fairy tale, a mythology, so what if there are unusual elements to it (although this particular topic isn't that unbelieveable if you ask me).
     
  16. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 8, 2005
    There is no difference if you don't believe in God.

    And allowing a young person to rule at a young age because of inheritance is no different than electing them. People don't HAVE to let the kid rule at 8 years old.
     
  17. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    Even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't matter because they did. They believed God had chosen him, thus its different.

    And there is a HUGE difference between letting a young kid inherit the throne and actually electing the same young kid. You say "People dont HAVE to he the kid rule at 8" but if they don't, most of the time not letting him rule would result in a civil war. Not much of a choice, but theres ample evidence of this (with both choices at different points) throughout history.
     
  18. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    But, you are forgetting that not all the young ones inheritted the throne. David, was a prime example.

    Just because they believe God chose him, doesn't mean diddly squat. Perhaps the people of Naboo thought that it was the will of the Force that Padme be elected.

    And 14 years old isn't EXTREMELY young. There is some maturity there. Especially when you take into consideration that you are in a galaxy where a 10 year old is a bounty hunter and an 9 year old wins a pod race.
     
  19. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    And 14 years old isn't EXTREMELY young. There is some maturity there.

    I agree with that.

    lets compare Padme's and David's situations, shall we?

    Padme: elected by the people.
    David: chosen by, if not God, then the man believed to be God's prophet. It was, in essence, a "He will be your king" annointing, and he people's influence? Zero.

    If the people of Naboo believed it was the will of the Force that Padme be elected, it doesnt matter, because they still actively elected her.
     
  20. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    And now you are being nitpicky. What happens to kings that the people don't accept? Maybe you should ask Saul from the Old Testament.
     
  21. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    What happens to kings that the people don't accept? Maybe you should ask Saul from the Old Testament.

    Except, again, it wasn't that the people didn't accept him, but that God (or, if you wish, God's prophet whom they believed to convey God's will) rejected him. Again, one person, not the people.

    And maybe I am being nitpicky, but it makes a whole world (no pun intended) of difference.
     
  22. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    Obviously you never read the Old Testament thoroughly. What about the people's little chant: "Saul has killed his thousands. David has killed his tens of thousands."

    Sounds to me like, even though David was appointed by Samuel (as leaders were of that day), the people had spoken. Also, realize that there were Judges before this time, but that the people decided they wanted a king. Samuel himself was a Judge from birth. You don't get any younger than that.

    The point here is that it's not a completely absurd concept. And if I were given the choice between electing Haley Joel Osment or John Kerry, I probably would've voted for Osment (sp?).
     
  23. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    "Saul has killed his thousands" doesn't sound like rejection to me. Granted, yes, they elevated David higher, but only AFTER he had already been annointed and it was a foregone conclusion that he would become the next king.

    If David was chosen by the people, the annointing would have come after the battle with Goliath, after the people started singing about him.

    Hmmm, a Judge from birth... didn't I mention earlier that inheritance isn't what this is about? Granted, simply from birth isnt exactly the same as inheritance... but for all practical purposes, it might as well be. He wasn't chosen at birth for any qualities he'd shown.

    I've never said its a complete absurd concept. In fact, if you look up earlier in the thread, you will find that I made a point to support the election of a child. My point now is that the same has not happened on Earth. Which it hasn't. Yes, young people have been in positions of power - but none elected by the people.
     
  24. thewise1

    thewise1 Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Aug 8, 2005
    I was exagerating. He was a Judge from a very young age. And Judges had nothing to do with family lineage. Judges were appointed to their positions.

    I have shown you several examples of young leaders who have been chosen by the people. You just refuse to accept that perhaps you may not have thought it through before you posted this thread.

    In any case I'm out of this thread. To me it's a moot point. You can't apply our rules to that of another galaxy. The humans of another galaxy are not the same as humans of our galaxy. They may be similar, but they are different. 14 on Naboo may have been like 30 here. Also, 14 on Naboo may also be like 2 on Courascant. Who knows? But Padme did say that she wasn't the youngest queen ever elected, so apparantly it was a normal procedure. Someone in some other galaxy may look at us electing a 40-something president and think that's just absurd.
     
  25. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jan 12, 2000
    *sighs*

    I have shown you several examples of young leaders who have been chosen by the people.

    You have shown examples of young leaders who were approved (in some cases) by the people - not elected by the people. I believe I've explained the difference.

    To me it's a moot point. You can't apply our rules to that of another galaxy. The humans of another galaxy are not the same as humans of our galaxy. They may be similar, but they are different. 14 on Naboo may have been like 30 here. Also, 14 on Naboo may also be like 2 on Courascant. Who knows? But Padme did say that she wasn't the youngest queen ever elected, so apparantly it was a normal procedure. Someone in some other galaxy may look at us electing a 40-something president and think that's just absurd.

    In other words, I agree with this point, and I don't see any problem whatsoever with Naboo having a 14 year old queen.
     
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