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Why was Padme the Queen at age 14!?!?

Discussion in 'Archive: The Phantom Menace' started by President-JarJar, May 11, 2003.

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  1. President-JarJar

    President-JarJar Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Mar 22, 2003
    Why was Padme the "Queen" (Queen Amidala) at such a young age of 14? WHy would Naboo Intrust the entire planet's command to a a young teen?... and in AOTC, She said even SHE WAS NOT the youngest Queen before!!... What tha Crap!?!?!?



     
  2. Esperanza_Nueva

    Esperanza_Nueva Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2003
    i think its just a matter of culture, besides.. she couldnt be TOO much older than Anakin;)
     
  3. Jedi_Master201

    Jedi_Master201 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 5, 2001
    She had been raised in politics. A lot of the children on Naboo are.


    So their elected officials are often young.
     
  4. Loco_for_Lucas

    Loco_for_Lucas Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Never know, maybe Palpatine rigged the election so when he would send the Trade Federation to blockade, the youngest and most naive leader would be in power.
     
  5. ST-TPM-ASF-TNE

    ST-TPM-ASF-TNE Moderator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 27, 2001
    I wouldn't call Padme naive. Sure, she gets fooled by Palpatine, but so does everyone else.
     
  6. Loco_for_Lucas

    Loco_for_Lucas Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Well, yeah. lol By "naive," I meant by his standards:

    DARTH SIDIOUS
    Queen Amidala is young and naive.
    You will find controlling her will
    not be difficult. You have done well,
    Viceroy.


    Leading up to TPM, he probably thought she was some dopey kid that would cave under pressure. You can kinda gather from the dialogue that he knows how easy it is to manipulate her, so if anything, he's probably the one that convinced her and her family to run for office, knowing he could pull her strings like a cute little puppet. (yes, I love Natalie. :p )
     
  7. AdamBertocci

    AdamBertocci Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 3, 2002
    There've been younger Kings / Queens / Dalai Lamas in real life, too.
    Think of King Tut.


    Rick McCallum loves you!
     
  8. spring_warm

    spring_warm Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2003
    and the last caesar of rome was 13
     
  9. Darth_Deagol

    Darth_Deagol Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Yeah, and Millard Fillmore was only . . . wait . . . never mind.

    "And a child shall lead them." I don't know what that's a quote from but it sure has some resonance. Doesn't it?
     
  10. Jedi_Master201

    Jedi_Master201 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 5, 2001
    The difference is those people inherited teir positions.


    Amidala was given hers. But like I said, she has been in politics all her life. She was raised to understand everything about them, and has been forced to mature to a stage where she was ready to bear the burden of leading her planet at that age.
     
  11. Gay-LenKenobi

    Gay-LenKenobi Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 20, 2000
    Lucas originally wrote Leia to be a 14 year old ruler. I think he wanted to highlight how peaceful and forward thinking their planets were that they could feel confident with and trust a very young, female ruler.
     
  12. Darth-Schwartz

    Darth-Schwartz Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 16, 2002
    wasn't king tut 17?
     
  13. Durwood

    Durwood Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 18, 2002
    I thought Tut was like around 11 or 12?

    At any rate, we don't know enough about Naboo culture to understand why their queens are often young.
     
  14. Esperanza_Nueva

    Esperanza_Nueva Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2003
    "and the last caesar of rome was 13"

    maybe that's why he was the last ;) lol
     
  15. appleseed

    appleseed Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2002
    Supposedly she wasn't the youngest leader of Naboo either. I guess they like their rulers just like she likes her guys-young.
     
  16. CieSharp

    CieSharp Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 18, 2002
    ""And a child shall lead them." I don't know what that's a quote from but it sure has some resonance. Doesn't it?"

    King Josiah Text: 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 Main verse: 2 Kings 22:2

    Does anyone remember something called "The Childrens' Crusades"? After many years of Medieval Europe attempting to subjugate the Holy Land, there emerged a school of thought which lasted relatively briefly.

    The premise was that only children were pure enough to go to the Holy Land and wrest control from the Muslims. Of course, this endeavor was a complete failure, and the children who weren't killed outright were sold to slavers.

    There are instances where a young ruler is accepted in an act of desperation, because there is nobody else from their royal line to continue. But supposedly the Naboo elect their rulers, so perhaps they are under the impression that only children have sufficient purity to rule a country without falling prey to corruption. Just a thought.
     
  17. ShaneP

    ShaneP Ex-Mod Officio star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2001
    This is a weak argument against TPM.

    Amidala has been politically active since a child.

    History is full of precedents for young rulers chosen by a people. Some of those are mentioned above and others include a teenage Alexander the Great, many European monarchs, and the Last Emperor of China was Pui Yi, who ascended the throne when he was a child.

    Childhood and adolescence being a time of learning and play is a contemporary construct.
    Centuries ago, people were considered adults much earlier.

    Our modern prosperity allows society to delay adulthood.

    That's why you have 20 and 30 year olds who play Playstation and post on forums dedicated to Star Wars.

    Alexander the Great was conquering nations in his 20's and early 30's.

    We....we play Star Wars.

     
  18. tun_dot_com

    tun_dot_com Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2002
    OMG LOL!!!! HAHAHAH SHANE P COULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN MORE TRUER WORDS!!!! [face_laugh]
     
  19. Bib Fortuna Twi'lek

    Bib Fortuna Twi'lek Jedi Youngling star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 9, 1999
    The citizens of Naboo are all pedophiles, which is why they like their kings and queens to be so young.
     
  20. JenX

    JenX Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jul 26, 2002
    ^^^ Those EU writers have gone too far this time :mad:
     
  21. DarthMaul13

    DarthMaul13 Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 1998
    As was pointed out, all those young leaders inherited their positions, they didn't get elected to them. There is no comparision to the Naboo Culture. People back then only lived 30 years; so 14 would be considered adult. The Naboo are a futuristic society. Who would in their right might would elect a kid to run their entire planet? Just imagine your country run by a 14-year old.
     
  22. Jedi_Master201

    Jedi_Master201 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 5, 2001
    If that 14-year-old had been trained all their life to lead a country, and had not wasted their days playing dolls or video games, I wouldn't mind having that particular person as a leader.


    Essentially, she was already an adult, unlike most 14-year-olds in our society.
     
  23. JKBurtola

    JKBurtola Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2003
    Naboo society allows youngsters to get into service and duty. Padme grew up learning about politics and service to her homeworld.

    Besides according to certain book sources she wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected so it seems quite natural for her to be Queen, on Naboo anyway.

    Plus in history as has been mentioned there have been many a young monarch/ruler.
    In the UK for example Henry VIII's son Edward became King in his teens.
     
  24. ShaneP

    ShaneP Ex-Mod Officio star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2001
    Maul 13:

    "The Naboo are a futuristic society."

    Ummm....a long time ago....

    Lucas has always used themes and trappings from HISTORY throughout the saga.

    A 14 year old ruler is no different.
     
  25. Heavenly_Angel

    Heavenly_Angel Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2003
    she was young, but very gifted and talented. she was a genius in politics and a great leader actually. maybe Naboo's culture had something to do w/ it, too. she was wise and inspirational, too.
     
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