[ROTS] Padme's "Will to Live"

Before I begin my criticism, I'd like to say I'm glad the movie had Padme die on screen. A character like her, who was such a major force in the first two films (despite her wallflower status in this one) needs a death on screen, not one that is explained to us later. And I can gloat to all those naysayers who thought it would contradict Leia's memories.

However, I thought the cause of death was a bit cheesy. Anyone else agree? She has been Force-choked by Darth Vader--a fate that has proven fatal to others who have been subjected to it. (Captain Antilles, Admiral Ozzel, Captain Neea.) And yet we're told that physically, Padme is fine, and that she is dying, not from physical injuries sustained, but because she has lost her will to live. Lucas established a much better cause of death just minutes before, why didn't he use it?

 

One can argue that Lucas wanted to use a motif (dying of a broken heart) that has popped up in countless myths over time, but I agree, it just seemed cheesy.

One other thing that I didn't quite get was that in the 'making of' book, there's a moment right before she dies where Padme and Leia look at each other and Padme smiles and the book notes that that is the image that Leia remembers in ROTJ. Did I just miss that or was that cut?

 

One can argue that Lucas wanted to use a motif (dying of a broken heart) that has popped up in countless myths over time, but I agree, it just seemed cheesy.

Well I can see some mythical or tragic rationalization for many of the weak parts of the films, but that doesn't make them any less cinematic weaknesses. You can't expect an audience to look past the cinematic flaws of a story that is, by its very nature cinematic, and see only its mythical background.

And no, I don't recall Padme and Leia ever locking eyes either.

 

Well, if he ever filmed that, I REALLY hope that it is included in the DVD version of the movie, because that needs to be in it!! I don't really have a problem with the will to live thing but it would probably be better if it was because of the injury or child birth

 

Lucas chose the best possible reason of death for Padmé, IMO.
It was a mystery.

Like the Force. It's there, there are those Midichlorians that you can control, but it is still a mystical power with no limits that cannot be explained in words.

So yes, here we are in a galaxy full of technology that can achive almost anything, yet the feelings of a human cannot be stopped with anything to keep someone from dying.

 

Yes, I really loved the fairy tale nature of her death. The who saga is a fairy tale, this just adds another dimension. The whole concept of the Force and space battles and everything about Star Wars is fantastical and mysterious. Having the main female lead die of a broken heart is a perfect end to her character. If she died of a blaster shot from Nute or Anakin outright killed her I would not have been pleased.

It was the best way for her to go.

 

You could add that in if there was also physically something wrong with her--such as that Force choke. After an attack like that, there is no way she would be in good physicaly condition. Loss of the will to live, or a broken heart, in and of themselves, do not cause death.

 

Someone put up an idea how Anakin and Padme are like symbionts, they help each other for mutual gain. When Anakin dies/becomes Mr. Vader, Padme "loses her will to live." Interesting that Vader does not... why didn't Vader take his life? If he really could not live without her as he claimed earlier in the movie then he should have died.

Mr. P

 

Someone put up an idea how Anakin and Padme are like symbionts

I think I know that someone... . Check out my thread here for related discussion.

 

If he really could not live without her as he claimed earlier in the movie then he should have died.

Obviously he was wrong. I don't think Anakin ever loved Padme nearly as much as he thought he did. It's called infatuation or lust.

Some of the reason for that discrepancy might be he discovered he was more interested in power than Padme once he tasted the dark side. He does seem to get over her death and go back to using the dark side again pretty quickly.

 

This is a fairy tale. For that reason, I am perfectly fine with how she died in the film.

 

I disliked Padmé's death more from a characterization standpoint - the "clichéness" of the explaination didn't really bother me that much actually. It's just that you have such a strong-willed woman in Episodes I, II, and III (although her scenes dealing with the Rebellion were largely cut, so you can't really see her in action as much. ) and then you throw in the maternal aspect (she spends half the movie positively beaming that she's pregnant and planning for the future!) and suddenly she loses the will to live despite having her political arena crumble around her and knowing that the future for her children is dark and dangerous [especially with Anakin already off the deep end]? It just doesn't seem very "Padmé" to lose the will to live period - even with her love for Anakin in jeopardy.

Regardless... her last words are "there is good in him". If she really believes this, then why does she suddenly abandon all hope?

 

yeah, i have to agree with Bjork. I dont think it was really in her character to simply die of a broken heart. She went through so much in Episode 1 and II for the cause of democracy. When it becomes an Empire, wouldnt she want to help bring it down?

and she just gave birth to two kids. any sane woman would want to raise them if they had a choice. Padme had the choice of living and overseeing the Rebellion and the growth of her kids. instead she gives up and dies. to me, this is one of the few parts of the movie where i got disappointed.

 

I think she basically went into shock.

I'm sorry, I thought this was America.

Um....as I've posted in other threads,

(a) she's wanted a husband/family for a long time. Now her husband is Darth Vader and, as far as she knows, he is killed by one of her friends and his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

(b) she's had Palpatine as a mentor for a long time, and it's now been revealed that, not only is he a power-happy politician, he's actually the Sith Lord they've been looking for, responsible for the deaths of billions, turning Anakin to the Dark Side, and creating an Empire.

(c) her husband turned bad and Force choked her.

I'd probably be fairly suicidal at this point as well.

I agree that it is odd she mentions "there is still good in him". I guess she knows he's alive somehow.

I like the "broken heart" death, but the "good in him" line doesn't jive.

 

Why lose her will to live? Aren't her two kids worth living for?

 

Apparently not without Anakin. Remember AOTC, when she confesses her love for him right before the arena scene on Geonosis. It's kind of a "I can't live without you" scenario.

 

I have during the past week come to terms with her death. As Garth has pointed out, her life was pretty much shattered at that point. Sure, she had her kids, but I honestly believe she just plain lost it. It all became too much for her in such a short time span.

Admittedly, the Padmé from TMP or the early parts of AOTC would probably have steeled through. But what is important about her character, and is more expained in the books, is that she for so many years denied her feelings insake for the greater good (her planet, the Senate, the Galaxy), but towards the end of AOTC she finally admits loving Anakin. Her toughness is still with her, but now she has so much more. Her emotions have in a way taken the edge of her character. (Not unlike her daughter... but that is another discussion...)

And as bswb wrote: One other thing that I didn't quite get was that in the 'making of' book, there's a moment right before she dies where Padme and Leia look at each other and Padme smiles and the book notes that that is the image that Leia remembers in ROTJ. Did I just miss that or was that cut?

That was apparently cut! Damn it! That better be on the DVD! I mean it is like a five second shot, please George, put it back in! Don't ruin Leia's memory! I'm sorry, but this is one thing I get very defensive about as Leia's memory scene is one of my favourite scenes in the whole saga, and always have been. Please, put the shot back in!

 

This is a fairy tale. For that reason, I am perfectly fine with how she died in the film.

This is an ancient myth combined with westerns, samurai films and Flash Gordon serials, not a children's fairy tale. And the fairy tale argument has never been used to justify any other such deaths. This is cinema first, genre second.

 

Now to bring up and old debate you could always argue that both Padme and Anakin died....Anakin just was reborn as Vader.

 

Padme had the choice of living and overseeing the Rebellion and the growth of her kids. instead she gives up and dies

Yeah, I felt like that too. It's not in her character. A mother has the instinct to live for her children and to protect them. Not to abandon them when the galaxy becomes evil and dangerous.

 

I feel that she died saving Anakin. Anakin was at a point where he had nothing to live for and has condemned himself forever. I like to believe that she sacrificed her life to infuse Anakin with some of her "love/life". So when she says "there is still good in him", it is because she gives it to him knowing it will cost her life. She is not giving up on the rebellion, her kids, or Anakin. Actually, she is fighting for his redemption until the end. My thinking gives her death nobility instead of how could she give up on everyone. Just my romantic $0.02 worth.

 

Cool theory. I will consider that the next time I watch.

 

interesting take on it Blyte...I like that.

 

Perhaps in some way her dying spirit and final words are infused into baby Luke. And it is her spirit that drives Luke to save Anakin. Which would be ironic, because he claims to have no memory of her.

Actually, perhaps that is why Lucas had no special connection in the film between Leia and Padme, as we all believed there would be from ROTJ. Perhaps Luke does remember Padme. Leia has memory of 'images' but Luke has a memory of her dying words, though he does not realize it.

 

^^^ I like that!

Another thing, Padmé's world has been destroyed, and Anakin is largely responsible for that. When she is on her deathbed, it's not too far fetched for her to connect Anakin's (dark )deeds to the kids, she is pretty out it. It all happens so fast, perhaps she in the blink of an eye can only see Anakin in her children. And that's gotta hurt.