Plot hole in the saga?

This should clear it up....

 

Oh, and did you get yours straightened out already? ?

Everybody say "hi" to Lucascop, who was banned for such comments.

Some people just never learn.

 

Scott-
The closest that has come to an established reason for somebody to go back to free her is the idea that Padme should do, out of gratitude for saving her people. However, he didn?t save her people- he saved the Gungans. And Shmi had nothing to do with it. Yes, she let her son take part in a pod race- but Watto let his slave take part in a pod race too, risking the life of his valuable commodity; is Padme also indebted to Watto, and therefore should have gone back to sort out his money problems out of gratitude too?

Good God. You're actually equating what Shmi did with what Watto did? I find that quite astounding.
Shmi welcomed Padme and co. into her home, gave them food and shelter and then agreed to let her only child risk his life in a pod race so that they could get off the planet. This is a sport where her son could easily be killed. Can you imagine the agony for Shmi of doing that? I mean it's immense in terms of generosity, decency and kindness.
And yet you think Padme would regard it as no more than Watto's action : A slave owner allowing his property take part in a sport for his own gambling amusement.
I find that quite shocking that you can so casually dismiss what Shmi went through, but to equate it with Watto's greedy actions is unbelievable.

Do you really believe that Padme sees it that way?

The complaint here seems to be that there is nothing established in the film as to why nobody frees Shmi between films. Nobody seems to be able to provide an established reason why anybody would go back to free her.

Er...how about basic human decency. It was because Shmi agreed to let her son risk his life that Padme got off Tatooine. Padme is supposed to be a decent human being, better than most in fact, hero type, and yet you think she'd forget all about Shmi.?

UKS-
SHMI WAS IN NO DANGER OF ANY SORT. EVER.

Well apart from the explosive device that she's fitted with should she try and leave!
She's a slave, she can be sold to any scumbag at any time and they can do what they want with her. Her life is not her own. It's degrading, it's sick and it's immoral. That's why decent civilizations put an end to it. There's no way to explain this without sounding patronising, but your continued attempts to re-define in more acceptable terms such an abhorrent practice are......baffling.


g

 

" Well apart from the explosive device that she's fitted with should she try and leave! "

I'd forgotten about that. Can't imagine why someone who lives in such a pleasant state of servitude would require an explosive device be planted into her body. It's not like she'd ever want to leave...right, UKS?

 

Slaves exist in the Star Wars universe. The exist outside the Republic's jurisdiction. Naboo has no standing army or even security force large enough to try and free a slave on Tatooine.There is no evidence that Padme has any personal wealth of her own. Naboo would be in massive debt after the battle and Padme would not be able to siphon money away to sponsor a rescue mission to Tatooine. She knew Anakin had to leave his mom to become a Jedi. What business is it of hers to try and rescue her?

Yes, she forgot about her. It happens all the time on this planet. Do you think slavery has been wiped out in this world just because the United States and a few other countries decided to pass laws against it. Do you think it's easy to break up a system of slavery on a renegade planet with no law and order?

Why would your moral obligation stop at Shmi? If Padme truly believed in just causes, shouldn't she have tried to move some legislation to expand the Republic's powers?


The truth is Shmi's personal freedom is dwarfed by Naboo's planetary occupation and the increasing corruption in the Senate, not to mention the reappearance of the Sith.

It's not a plot hole. It's a truth in life. You can't save everyone. Some people are lucky like Shmi and have some moments of happiness before they fall victim to evil in the world, and some fall prey to their own folly (Watto comes to mind).

The point Lucas is trying to make is that you can't save everyone. It's something Anakin has coping with and letting go of and a huge factor in his downfall. All the power in the galaxy isn't going to bring his mother back and it wouldn't necessarily change her circumstances for the better.

What would she do on Naboo? Wouldn't the agony of letting her son go still haunt her? Would she find someone there who understands where she came from? Would she even find any kind of purpose there?

In the end all of that doesn't matter, because we all know what did happen once she was left on Tatooine. She met a decent guy, who bought her freedom, and loved her enough to marry her. She gained a kind, loving stepson, and was able to rebuild her life after all the suffering she had been through. Yes, she still missed Anakin, but she never regretted sending him away, and she never regretted staying on Tatooine.


Since this is the Saga board I would recommend everyone re-watching AOTC again to see that no plot-hole exists.


It's all in the wild imaginations of people who refuse to open their eyes to some of the darker truths of the prequel trilogy.

 

The Abstract-
Naboo has no standing army or even security force large enough to try and free a slave on Tatooine.

An army isn't required. QGJ 'bought' Anakin for the price of a pod racer. All Padme has to do is send someone to Tatooine with some goods worth a similar amount and buy Shmi. Padme has won a war against the TF, quite a feat, are you saying she wouldn't be able to free one slave in the 10 years that have passed?

What would she do on Naboo? Wouldn't the agony of letting her son go still haunt her?

Who said she'd have to live on Naboo?

Since this is the Saga board I would recommend everyone re-watching AOTC again to see that no plot-hole exists.

Well thanks for the advice.
However,
This problem makes a mess out of Padme's characterization - she is presented as someone heroic, assertive, does not wait for bureacracy, appreciative of others' help, etc. So how come she , apparently, did nothing to help Shmi , who did so much for her, in all of the 10 years following TPM.

It doesn't add up.

It's all in the wild imaginations of people who refuse to open their eyes to some of the darker truths of the prequel trilogy.

Or perhaps the "darker truth" is that Lucas screwed up .

g

 

"There is no evidence that Padme has any personal wealth of her own."

Whatever.

"Naboo would be in massive debt after the battle and Padme would not be able to siphon money away to sponsor a rescue mission to Tatooine."

? Exactly how much damage did you see on Naboo? Seems to me the battle was finished almost as quickly as it started. Everything prior to that was just occupation. It's easy to argue that the "Battle of Naboo" was as antiseptically portrayed as "slavery on Tatooine".

"Do you think slavery has been wiped out in this world just because the United States and a few other countries decided to pass laws against it. Do you think it's easy to break up a system of slavery on a renegade planet with no law and order?"

Who's point are you trying to address here? No one ever mentioned eliminating slavery altogether.

" The truth is Shmi's personal freedom is dwarfed by Naboo's planetary occupation and the increasing corruption in the Senate, not to mention the reappearance of the Sith. "

...and the subsequent celebration? Seems to me TPM had a happy ending. Did you cry?

" It's not a plot hole. It's a truth in life. You can't save everyone."

Yet the movie isn't "life", it's whatever Lucas wants it to be. Lucas wanted the audience to forget about Shmi. Besides, I don't see any other characters simply giving up because the "can't save everyone". Padme certainly didn't show this attitude when Obi-wan was on Geonosis, did she?

" The point Lucas is trying to make is that you can't save everyone. It's something Anakin has coping with and letting go of and a huge factor in his downfall. All the power in the galaxy isn't going to bring his mother back and it wouldn't necessarily change her circumstances for the better. "

Anakin, as well as Padme, was always "capable" of saving her. Lucas simply never bothered to explain why Shmi was left on Tatooine as a slave for 10 years.

" What would she do on Naboo?"

Same thing she did on Tatooine? You act like she has no life after Anakin leaves. Your name isn't really "George Lucas", is it?

" Wouldn't the agony of letting her son go still haunt her?"

Doesn't it do that regardless? She is still alive at the end of TPM, up until the middle of AOTC, right? Did you think getting married filled that "hole" left by Anakin leaving?

This has no bearing at all. I don't even know why you brought it up.

"Would she find someone there who understands where she came from? Would she even find any kind of purpose there?"

Where the hell are you going with this??? ?

" Since this is the Saga board I would recommend everyone re-watching AOTC again to see that no plot-hole exists.

It's all in the wild imaginations of people who refuse to open their eyes to some of the darker truths of the prequel trilogy."

Yes, the "darker truth" that Padme tries to save everyone expect for Shmi, with no explanation given in the film whatsoever (though apparently in the "wild imaginations" of others.)

 

Padme certainly didn't show this attitude when Obi-wan was on Geonosis, did she

Schmi was left behind living on tatooine, as a slave. ALL that she wanted was for Anakin to fullfill his dreams, that was HER dream after all

Obi-Wan just informed them he was on the same planet as Nute Gunray who tried to assasinate Padme, they then see him get attacked & he dissapears from the screen

hardly even comparable

& don't forget, the reason Obi-wan is even on Geonosis is because he was assigned to protect Padme.

i agree with both sides though, Shmi could have been saved offcourse but you gotta weigh it out

i don't think the Jedi would appreciate it and that is EXACTLY what is wrong with the PT-Jedi Order, forbidding attachments

cause eventually, Luke does what Anakin couldn't do, he frees his father

 

" Schmi was left behind living on tatooine, as a slave. ALL that she wanted was for Anakin to fullfill his dreams, that was HER dream after all "

DUDE! Watch the movie. You can see how upset she is when Qui-gon said he couldn't free her! Do you see her saying "Oh, but Qui-gon. You shouldn't have bothered. I like it here.", do you? ?

Besides, she didn't seem to mind being taken out of slavery and marrying Clieeg, so clearly she wanted better things. Go ahead and convince yourself that she didn't want to go with her son, but that is simply not the case. Besides, if slavery is so wonderful that she'd want to stay in it, then why the desire for a "better life" away for her son???

I can't believe people continually miss this.

" Obi-Wan just informed them he was on the same planet as Nute Gunray who tried to assasinate Padme, they then see him get attacked & he dissapears from the screen

hardly even comparable "

So people in "immediate danger" should be freed immediately, but people who will live out the rest of their lives in slavery should be ignored?

Good thing Padme didn't have that mindset about Anakin. She didn't seem to mind having him on her ship. Perhaps that's because she doesn't have the problem with freeing slaves that posters here apparently have.

" & don't forget, the reason Obi-wan is even on Geonosis is because he was assigned to protect Padme. "

[image=http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/images/smilies/laugh.gif] From a certain point of view..

" i don't think the Jedi would appreciate it and that is EXACTLY what is wrong with the PT-Jedi Order, forbidding attachments. cause eventually, Luke does what Anakin couldn't do, he frees his father"

Why does freeing her have to include attachments? Anakin didn't even have to know about it! He didn't know about Clieeg. Shmi could have been freed and allowed to continue living on Tatooine. Remember that Shmi was "free" when Anakin found her - she was no longer a slave at that time!

It would apear that there are simply too many variables for people to keep in mind, because all the arguments tend to avoid or ignore other scenarios and possibilities.

Then again, maybe some people just don't have a problem with slavery...

 

Obi-Wan just informed them he was on the same planet as Nute Gunray who tried to assasinate Padme, they then see him get attacked & he dissapears from the screen

hardly even comparable

But the point is - she did something about the situation, she didn't sit around doing nothing, even tho the Jedi had made it clear she should stay out of it, and Palpatine had told her to stay on Naboo.


i agree with both sides though, Shmi could have been saved offcourse but you gotta weigh it out

i don't think the Jedi would appreciate it and that is EXACTLY what is wrong with the PT-Jedi Order, forbidding attachments

The Jedi forbid attachments but that doesn't mean Shmi has to remain in slavery (she's freed later on anyway). I haven't seen anyone saying that Shmi should be freed and go and live with Anakin. Obviously Shmi understands the rules.
But I can't see why someone like Padme did nothing to free her from slavery.

g

 

Jabba-Wocky
>>>I have said that it was not, in fact, impossible for Jinn or someone else from the Republic to purchase Shmi. Which is true, as I will again attempt to go about proving.

My apologies- I have clearly either misunderstood your arguments or confused them with someone elses.

I agree that it would have been perfectly possible for someone to purchase Shmi- that's not really what I'm trying to argue about either.

My point is that nobody has been established to have any particular need or desire to free her.

>>>>It is true that we cannot assume that Qui-Gon had actual currency pieces rather than some form of credit. It is equally true that we cannot assume he did not have actual currency pieces. The line you point to evidence in fact, is not conclusive. The meaning is of such ambivalency that, as MeBeJedi suggested, it could've been a reference to his desire to deal in commodities rather than an indication that Qui-Gon doesn't have the appropriate form of legal tedner. Do you have any evidence to disprove this alternate explanation? If so please share, but if not, then the line you quoted cannot be conclusive evidence of your argument.

Well, I disagree that it's ambiguous; if you look at the line:

"Republic credits?!? Republic credits are no good out here. I need something more real..."

Not just no good to him, but no good out there on Tatooine. But they do have money on Tatooine- Jar Jar gets asked for some when he tries to eat a rubber chicken.

He goes on to say; " Mind tricks don'ta work on me-only money. No money, no parts! No deal!" Which doesn't indicate a preference for commodity trading- it simply indicates that he doesn't consider Republic Credits to be worth any money out there.

>>>>Do you have any counter-argument to this point of Anakin saving the Naboo, bearing in mind the importance of the Gugan army (in less you have any counter-arugments to their importance as well)? If so, please share them at this point. If not, well then, I think you can see why Anakin did, in fact, save Naboo.

Well, I disagree with your "if A then B" part; "If the Gungans achieved victory, then Naboo would be saved (as we established in the above paragraph)"

It's true that the Naboo army stood no chance against the Trade Federation army, while the Gungans stood very little chance, but was a larger army and would take more droids to fight them.

But you still seem to be missing the point of the fight between the Gungans and the Droids;

CAPT. PANAKA
The Federation Army's also much larger than we thought, and much stronger. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think we can win.
PADME
The battle is a diversion...

The Gungan army wasn't supposed to beat the droid army- it was used to draw them out of Theed, so that the Queen's squad could infiltrate the palace and capture the Viceroy. With the Viceroy captured, the droid army would be leaderless and powerless (in exactly the same way that the Trade Federation's original plan revolved entirely around capturing the Queen- because without the Queens signature on the treaty, the Trade Federation could not legitimise their occupation. Hence Amidala's line when the Viceroy is captured about "discussing a new treaty"...)

What you're overlooking is the importance of the Viceroy. It was more important that the Viceroy was captured than the Droid ship was disabled;

QUI-GON
A well-conceived plan. However, there's great risk. The weapons on your fighters may not penetrate the shields on the control ship.
OBI-WAN
And there's an even bigger danger. If the Viceroy escapes, Your Highness, he will return with another droid army.
PADME
That is why we must not fail to get to the Viceroy. Everything depends on it.

So, the way the plan worked was;

1) If the Gungan army amassed outside the city, the Droid army would leave the city to fight them.
2) If the droid army left the city, then the Queens squad coul

 

Speeg Edit: And for that precious gem, you get a little 24 hour vacation.

 

Scott-
I simply don't see what point there would be in Padme saving Shmi between the two films. No reason is established why she would, and yet the complaint is that she didn't.

Okay, not sure how you missed it, I have posted several times on this matter on this thread, however I'll say it again:

You seem to be ignoring what Shmi did for Padme, so I'll remind you:
- Shmi is a slave, she has one child, to her that must be everything, any parent would say so I?m sure. These strangers arrive and she welcomes them, then it transpires that the only way they can be helped is for her son to enter a pod-race, a sport which is incredibly dangerous, there?s a good chance he?ll be killed. And yet she agrees to it because as Anakin says ?the biggest problem is no-one helps anyone.? She agrees to put herself through the agony of risking her child?s life.
In terms of human decency, generosity and courage that is monumental.
Wouldn?t you agree?
Could you forget someone who did such a thing for you?
More importantly ? how do you think Padme would feel? I mean the character you see in the films ? don't you think she'd want to help this woman who risked so much to help her?

How can you ignore what Shmi risked to help Padme and Co.? Padme must be aware of this, I would've thought any human with a beating heart would be aware of what Shmi had risked. And Padme is supposed to be one of the good guys, heroine, knows right from wrong etc. Isn't she? Or is she someone that uses people and forgets about them?

I simply don't see what point there would be in Padme saving Shmi between the two films. No reason is established why she would, and yet the complaint is that she didn't.

Human decency. Gratitude. Shmi helped Padme, she risked all she had.

That line of reasoning involves having Padme completely overlook the rest of the slaves in existence outside the Republic, and not stopping to think that going into a dangerous planet and buying this one slave from one planet outside the Republic is going to solve or achieve nothing.

This is the old 'Can't help everyone , so don't bother helping anyone' routine.
It's just a defeatist attitude. And freeing Shmi would achieve something : Shmi's freedom.

Who does she try to save in the films, apart from her own people, that has set this precedent for her character that seems to be getting contradicted?

Well she was awfully keen to try and save Obiwan on Geonosis.
I just don't understand how you can keep saying she'd have no reason to help Shmi.
How do you ignore what Shmi did? How could Padme?

g

 

Two things.

1. I cannot believe that MeBeJedi can get away with such unpleasant and rude use of smilies as I have ever seen on this messageboard. Laughing at other peoples comments and making snide digs with winking smilies is, in my book flaming and baiting and you should stop being so childish and petty.

2. "It's not a plot hole. It's a truth in life. You can't save everyone. Some people are lucky like Shmi and have some moments of happiness before they fall victim to evil in the world, and some fall prey to their own folly (Watto comes to mind).": This is a great point that I was too illiterate to make myself. Qui-Gon and in the end, Padme, are pragmatic about the situation. You can only do so much. You seem to think that Shmi is being held in atrocious conditions. Well she isn't, and the "bomb in the neck" is not evidence that she is. I am not saying they are happy cheery slaves who love their master... but that her position is not one like it is in AOTC (where she is in danger and pain) and so she fades from the characters memory.

Some people cannot seem to handle the fact that the characters would leave her behind, instead offering "what if, what if, what if..." Well, they did. Perhaps Qui-Gon if he had lived would have bent the rules of the galaxy again and done his best Indiana Jones style rescue. But he died and all that was left was a 14 year old queen and an 8 year old.

UKS

 

"Laughing at other peoples comments and making snide digs with winking smilies is..." hardly uncommon.

"You seem to think that Shmi is being held in atrocious conditions."

Padme doesn't make any comments about "Wow, what a nice hovel you have, being a slave and all." Although you clearly do not have a problem with Shmi's situation, I simply don't see where you can justify the characters convincing themselves that Shmi's situation is ok. The fact that Padme makes a comment against slavery, and that Qui-gon tries to free Padme simply shows that 1) the very fact that she was a slave, regardless of the "nature" of her slavery, was sufficient enough motivation to attempt to free her, and 2) your opinion of Shmi's condition is not shared by them.

"Well she isn't, and the "bomb in the neck" is not evidence that she is."

OMG!

You see, it's comments like these that absolutely floor me. How is a "bomb in the neck" not atrocious?!? ?

People jump through so many hoops to validate everyone completely forgetting about Shmi, often with conflicting reasoning. Some people say Shmi was too busy trying to save everyone else, and then there's Lucasc..., oops. Storm2904, who says quite the opposite: that Padme is supposed to be protrayed as ineffectual and uncaring. No one seems to even consider the simpler possibility that Lucas simply took Shmi out of the focus of the story when she was no longer necessary.

I guess it's just me...

"But he died and all that was left was a 14 year old queen and an 8 year old."

Both of whom went on to accomplish quite a bit, as I recall.

 

It's not a plot hole. It's a truth in life. You can't save everyone. Some people are lucky like Shmi and have some moments of happiness before they fall victim to evil in the world, and some fall prey to their own folly (Watto comes to mind).

I agree with UKS, this is a brilliant point. Its a darker truth that as seen by MeBeJedi's posts and others, that some cannot accept.

And think its a loss of the bigger picture. We as fans of the saga spend hours and hours scrutinising every little detail, from one scene to a whole character, picking apart things which are in the end rather unimportant and irrelevent.

I'm of the firm belief that there are no plot holes in Star Wars, because the films allow our imagination to fill in the gaps....it seems some are limited by that concept. And they don't want to believe the backstory that is presented to explain unresolved issues.

Shmi in the end found her own freedom, away from Padme and Anakin, and I'm comfortable with that.
Remember that Padme had alot of responsibility after the Battle of Naboo. Not only was she to take on another term as Queen but then become Senator.....you can't just waver that to save one person...life doesn't work that way either in the real world or in the Star Wars Galaxy.
Anakin was training to be a Jedi, the Council would not allow him to see his mother or even free her, plus Obi-Wan's strict enforcement of the Jedi rules made it impossible for Anakin.

Anyway thats just how I see it.

 

gezvader28

>>>Okay, not sure how you missed it, I have posted several times on this matter on this thread, however I'll say it again:

Yes, I have read the theory that the thing at the top of Padmé's "to do" list would be to go and rescue Shmi, out of gratitude for letting her son take part in a dangerous podrace.

The problem with that theory is that in no way at all has it been established in the film that Padme feels in any way indebted to Shmi.

You make it sound as though Anakin had been forced into a game of russian roulette by Padme, when what actually happened in the film was he volunteered himself (and his pod) to do something he loved, and getting his mothers permission was very obviously for the benefit of Qui Gon and Padme- (somehow I doubt he had to beg for her permission every time he raced...)

Also, if you remember the film, Padme wasn't at all keen on the idea to have Anakin race in the first place.

And this is the same Padmé who made absolutely zero effort to thank Anakin (the one who actually risked his own life) by attempting to free him or Shmi when she was actually there, on the planet?

Your story of Shmi putting her son's life on the line is a very emotional one, and would probably make for an interesting scene in a rewrite, but it simply doesn't relate to what is presented in the films.

>>>Well she was awfully keen to try and save Obiwan on Geonosis.

As I said, who does she try to save in the films, apart from her own people, that has set this precedent for her character that seems to be getting contradicted?


Again, I simply don't see what point there would be in Padme saving Shmi between the two films. No reason is established why she would, and yet the complaint is that she didn't.

[EDIT:
>>>I'm of the firm belief that there are no plot holes in Star Wars, because the films allow our imagination to fill in the gaps....it seems some are limited by that concept.

Ditto.

 

Some people say Shmi was too busy trying to save everyone else, and then there's Lucasc..., oops. Storm2904, who says quite the opposite: that Padme is supposed to be protrayed as ineffectual and uncaring.

Ineffective. Yes.

Uncaring. No.

Eppy III will resolve the PT tragedy in its entirety. If not, then put me in women's clothes, spank me around, and call me Suzy.

 

"I'm of the firm belief that there are no plot holes in Star Wars, because the films allow our imagination to fill in the gaps....it seems some are limited by that concept."

I would indeed agree that you limit yourself by this concept. To stick your head in the ground and pretend there are no problems in these films, much less any films, is ridiculous. You are more than welcome to "gloss over" these issues, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Besides, I've never once stated that this single event spoiled TPM for me. There are far greater problems with it than this.

"Ineffectual. Yes."

And the distinction you continually forget to make is that, regardless of what Lucas intended her character to portray (or what you want to believe Lucas intended her to portray), Padme, herself, is not aware of this "portrayal". From her POV, she is doing everything she can despite what the "dying Republic" that she "embodies" throws at her. Where the Republic fails to act (or the Jedi take too long), she jumps headlong into. Her actions, in and of themselves, are not "ineffectual", in her POV. It is the results of her efforts that are made "ineffectual" by Palpatine's plans.

 

I would indeed agree that you limit yourself by this concept. To stick your head in the ground and pretend there are no problems in these films, much less any films, is ridiculous. You are more than welcome to "gloss over" these issues, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Besides, I've never once stated that this single event spoiled TPM for me. There are far greater problems with it than this.

Don't twist my words and do not disrespect my opinion. I am not disrespecting yours.

And from POV I'm not interested in scrutinising these films to fine said problems.
If you can't accept what is told, or you can't use your imagination then fine.
But I will and thats not burying my head in the sand or glossing over anything. Don't be so ignorant!
I would rather enjoy these movies, than complain about something that is a complete "what if".

 

" Don't twist my words and do not disrespect my opinion. I am not disrespecting yours. "

So, saying I am "limited by the concept" is "respecting my opinion"? Puhleeeeeze.

" But I will and thats not burying my head in the sand or glossing over anything. Don't be so ignorant!
I would rather enjoy these movies, than complain about something that is a complete "what if"."

Yet you are here, rather than enjoying the movies? ?

 

So, saying I am "limited by the concept" is "respecting my opinion"? Puhleeeeeze.

It was merely an observation, not a criticism. My apologies if you took it that way.


Yet you are here, rather than enjoying the movies?

Why can I not enjoy the movies and come here? I mean this is a FANsite right? I do often stay out of these "what if" discussions.
Besides I was just putting up my opinion, you don't agree...thats cool, I don't mind.

 

Good. Now that you've done so, the rest of us can get back to the discussion at hand.

 

i remember this coming up in the Clones message board (it doesnt belong here of course, but the purpose of this board is so vague anyway).

what would happen to Shmi if she were somehow liberated by Padme and, presumably, brought to Naboo?

how, exactly, could Padme get Wattos last slave from him, esp. after hed lost his best slave only recently to the same outlanders? wouldnt shimi worry in case anakin came back to look for her? "then we will see each other again". what would Shmi do on Naboo? who does she know? would she want to adapt to to totally alien culture so late in life?

how would it have affected Clones if Lucas had written it into the script? presumably padme would already have known where Shmi was, after she had gone to watto and paid for him to tell her where shimi was ("shes happily married, now get lost"). all this would have done to clones would have changed one small scene- the one where anakin goes to watto would be replaced with padme telling anakin the tired backstory just mentioned. i, personally, think that the watto scene sounds much better (esp. since this scene still makes me laugh). so how is padme attempting to free shimi even important, if it makes such little difference to the saga wether she does or doesnt??

 

" how, exactly, could Padme get Wattos last slave from him, esp. after hed lost his best slave only recently to the same outlanders? wouldnt shimi worry in case anakin came back to look for her? "then we will see each other again". what would Shmi do on Naboo? who does she know? would she want to adapt to to totally alien culture so late in life? "

All of which presumes that she will never be freed (she was) and that she can't stay on Tatooine (like she did when she was married.)

" how would it have affected Clones if Lucas had written it into the script?"

As opposed to her being freed much sooner than 10 years later, being left to live on Tatooine, and getting married anyways, thus leading to the situation as seen in AOTC?

not much at all, really.

It's not like she and Anakin had a lot of "together time" to discuss these things when he finally found her, so no...the script would not have been affected.

"the one where anakin goes to watto would be replaced with padme telling anakin the tired backstory just mentioned. i, personally, think that the watto scene sounds much better (esp. since this scene still makes me laugh)."

Actually, I enjoyed this scene as well. Watto was far better portrayed than Jar Jar was.

"so how is padme attempting to free shimi even important, if it makes such little difference to the saga wether she does or doesnt??"

Actually, and again, the point was never that Padme "had" to free Shmi - simply that no one seemed to give a crap for her by the second half of TPM. Some people apparently think that this was the whole point, but I see Padme's character as being compassionate and idealistic.

I guess others do not.