Did Padme love Anakin?

As for Padme being harsh/bossy towards Anakin..If you think about it, Padme isn't a character that likes to be pushed around. She's very independent, and I think to her..someone protecting her makes her fell less powerful and more helpless. She even demonstrates this to Palpy, and Windu.

 

Ahhh... It's good to be unbanned.

So I'm still waiting for proof from the people that I was arguing with that were saying Padme had feelings for Anakin before the scene in which they kissed.

 

We can't prove what you choose not to see.

We posted our proof, you didn't like it.

Many of us were able to tell just in the way she looked at him, in the way she carried herself. Just because her entire personality didn't change and she didn't go "goo-goo-gah-gah" mushy on him (YUCK) doesn't mean she didn't have feelings for him.

 

And it is a fact that Padme treats Anakin very badly until the arena scene, where she suddenly decides she must have the poor boy, as if he had no choice if it was her who decided they should be together, but not the other way around.

? When does she treat Anakin badly? I can't recall one scene where that happens, unless you count the scene where she says "I do not like this idea of hiding" and that time she wasn't really mad at Anakin; she was mad at her current situation.

And Anakin's mind was already made up about Padme; she just "refused to give into it"

What you're descibing actually reminds me of what happened in ANH and ESB with Hn and Leia, where Leia treats Han badly until he gets frozen in arbonite. Then she suddenly says she loves him!

 

What you're descibing actually reminds me of what happened in ANH and ESB with Hn and Leia, where Leia treats Han badly until he gets frozen in arbonite. Then she suddenly says she loves him!

Good point. And we never saw Padme call Anakin a "flyboy" or a "scruffy-looking nerf-herder", or sarcastically suggest that he shouldn't have too hard a time impressing himself. Padme also never called Anakin's pride and joy a "bucket of bolts", nor did she ask if it would help if she got out and pushed.

 

We posted our proof, you didn't like it.

Haha, your proof was how Padme says "Ani, wow you've grown". So despite the 3 things that prove she doesn't have feelings for him you like to rely on your own perception despite what Lucas was blatantly trying to show the audience.

Yeah...makes sense.

 

So despite the 3 things that prove she doesn't have feelings for him you like to rely on your own perception despite what Lucas was blatantly trying to show the audience.

And in spite of what Lucas outright says, along with the actors, in interviews, you prefer to rely on your own perception.

Lucas said Padme and Anakin were in love, therefore, they were.

 

When did I ever say they weren't???

The discussion came up because I said the love story was completely unrealistic because one minute she doesn't like him and the next she's kissing him.

As a movie goer I can only take in what's shown to me on the screen, I don't care about the novels or EU, if it's not in the movie it doesn't exist!

How many times have you heard the love story was completely unbelievable? Probably more than your fair share, I'm trying to tell you the reason! There is no evolution in their relationship.

 

How many times have you heard the love story was completely unbelievable?

Not enough to convince. And what others say is not in the movie and you said if it's not in the movie it doesn't exist.

Probably more than your fair share, I'm trying to tell you the reason!

Again, as you said, if it's not in the movie it doesn't exist. And I don't understand why it's so important to you that others see as a flaw, real or imagined, what you see as a flaw, real or imagined.

There is no evolution in their relationship.

Oh really?

I don't see a problem. We have one more movie left and everything is fitting into place.

 

I guess there's 3 ways of looking at this romance thing:

1. They're in love. To some of the audience this is the case.

2. The love story is unconvincing, it just doesn't work.

3. It's not a very good relationship - he's obsessed and she can't resist mothering him etc.

I guess I think the third option is most true, going by the movie that is. And I think it would be fascinating if Lucas expanded on this. But it seems a rather too interesting and complex dramatic concept for the PT.
My guess about Lucas's intentions is that he intends that they're in love. But he's failed to show it.

g

 

I'm the king of the world.

Didn't Han and Leia falling in love seem the same?

 

mixza - Remember Queen Jamillia scene when Padmé tells her that "Anakin isn't a Jedi yet"?

Cyprusg - The discussion came up because I said the love story was completely unrealistic because one minute she doesn't like him and the next she's kissing him.

Actually, I got the feeling that Padmé liked Anakin since the beginning, but didn't like liking him, and therefore tried to hide it by ignoring and insulting Anakin. I agree with you that the whole scenario could have been written better, but IMHO it still is self-evident that she's in love with him. (I actually had a little trouble believing that Padmé would fall in love with someone she met when he was nine and probably developed sisterly feelings towards.)

Depa Billaba

 

I agree with your analysis Gezvader.

 

Maybe the age difference (allbeit not much) bothered her at first. you never know

 

LOL anakin_girl! Nor does she refer to any of his friends as a "walking carpet"!

I don't see a problem. We have one more movie left and everything is fitting into place.

I agree, SkottASkywalker.

Depa Billiba: Yes I remember that scene. Technically, that wasn't an insult; it was the truth, Anakin wasn't a Jedi yet, he was a padawan. Even though we both know how defensive Anakin got about it! The remark was flippant, not insulting.

 

mixza - He was a Jedi Padawan. He wasn't a Jedi Knight, but he was a Jedi nevertheless.

Depa Billaba

 

I don't think she should have said that to him myself. However, I don't think it was an indication of her feelings for him or lack thereof. I think she was just in a stressful situation as well as being in a situation where she was "all business" (she was meeting with the Queen and her advisors, remember, discussing the Separatist threat) and she was just being insensitive. She wanted to be in control of the situation, she wanted to decide where they would go for safety, so she jumped in as quickly as she could to redirect Sio Bibble's attention from Anakin to herself--and she gave no consideration at all to how he would feel about it. The only thing on her mind was getting herself listened to.

For all we know she apologized later.

 

For all we know she apologized later.

For all we know, she shouted at him a bit more later. Since we can't really "know" what happened offscreen, I don't think there's any point talking about it.

That said, I never said that she insulted him just for the sake of it or because she hated him. I rather thought it was because (like you said) she felt the need to be in control and because she wanted to convince herself that she didn't love Anakin (and what better way to show it than by insulting him in front of everyone)?

However, she has no right whatsoever to insult Anakin in that situation regardless of her inner emotional state. Anakin did NOT deserve it and Padmé was wrong to do it.

Depa Billaba

 

I agree with you that Anakin didn't deserve it, and I wanted to smack her when she did it, but I don't think it was any indication of her feelings for him. Just a lack of sensitivity on her part.

 

I don't know how George Lucas could make it any more clearer for you guys.

Padme: Oh Annie, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine.

Anakin: She hardly recognized me, Jar Jar. I've thought about her every day since we parted... and she's forgotten me completely.

Anakin: She covered the cameras. I don't think she liked me watching her.

PADMÉ: Anakin's not a Jedi yet, Counselor. He's still a Padawan learner. I was thinking...

ANAKIN: (nettled) Hey, hold on a minute!

PADMÉ: Excuse me! I was thinking I would stay in the Lake Country. There are some places up there that are very isolated.

ANAKIN: Excuse me?! I am in charge of security here,
M'Lady.

PADMÉ: Annie, my life is at risk, and this is my home. I know it very well... that is why we're here. I think it would be wise for you to take advantage of my knowledge in this instance.

But yet there is not one piece of dialogue or one scene that would suggest she had any romantic feelings for Anakin before the kiss

And just so there was no way the audience would think she had feelings for him, Lucas took out these pieces of dialog which would have showed some feelings or attraction towards him.

PADMÉ: I've always called you that... it is your name,
isn't it?

ANAKIN: It's Anakin. When you say Annie it's like I'm still a little boy... and I'm not.

PADMÉ: I'm sorry, Anakin. It's impossible to deny you've... (looks him over) ...that you've grown up.

PADMÉ smiles at ANAKIN. He becomes a little shy.

He also removed the scene where Padme and Anakin went to Padme's mothers house. There they spoke a little bit about some potential feelings Padme had for Anakin. There is also more dialog that was taken out that could be thought as playful flirting.

So I don't know how much clearer Lucas can make it for you Anakin_girl.

 

So I don't know how much clearer Lucas can make it for you Anakin_girl.

Well, he could have said "Padme was not in love with Anakin" instead of saying the opposite.

 

Oh God... this argument just goes back and forth. Like I've said many times, I've never said Padme wasn't in love with Anakin. I've been merely saying the love story is poorly done and makes it unbelievable for the audience because there is no evolution in their relationship.

If Lucas had kept that scene where Padme visits her home I think the love story would have come across a lot better and you wouldn't hear so many complaints about it. (Although it's still ultra cheesy)

 

anakin_girl - I agree (about Padmé's lack of sensitivity).

Cyprusg - To be fair, it's very much possible for Padmé to act the way she did and still be in love with Anakin. I personally believe that she was in love with him but was trying to deny it (because it wouldn't work - he was a Jedi and she was a senator; their paths were different, their lives are different). It's like a thief who tries to act a little too innocent to prove that he isn't a thief.

The problem I got with their relationship (as I might already have mentioned) is that I don't find it very likely Padmé would develop romantic feelings toward Anakin after meeting him when he was nine and developing sisterly feelings toward him back in TPM.

Depa Billaba

 

To be fair, it's very much possible for Padmé to act the way she did and still be in love with Anakin.

I totally agree with that. But there was NOTHING in the movie to show that she was merely holding back. When I say NOTHING, I mean NOTHING. Not a conversation, not a look, not one thing she said, so it's impossible for the audience to realistically come to that conclusion.

I would have liked that to be the reason, it wouldn't have come across so unrealistic and awkward.

 

I would have liked that to be the reason, it wouldn't have come across so unrealistic and awkward.

I agree that it could have been showed much better. If she showed any more-than-friendly feelings before she and Anakin went to Naboo, it was right after she appoints Jar Jar to take her place, but she talked more sisterly than girlfriendly (which actually made me cringe).

But it is very plausible to rationalize that Padmé went from trying to hide her feelings to struggling with her feelings to accepting her feelings. She let Anakin kiss her and then suddenly broke away, she was concerned for Anakin (and seemed to have no problem jumping onto him and rolling around in grass), and when Anakin confessed to her, she spoke with much vehemence. Then, we all know what happens in Tatooine and then in Geonosis. Though it wasn't spelled out as clearly on the screen as I would have liked, there was enough shown to understand what she was feeling.

Depa Billaba