Of perhaps any other character in Star Wars, Padmé Amidala is known for having the strongest moral conscience, which makes her quick forgiveness of Anakin Skywalker‘s murder of the Tuskens in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones extremely puzzling. Padmé has always been vocal about what she believes in, particularly as someone who’s had a strong, influential voice ever since a young age. As the queen of Naboo, Padmé was not only able to bring awareness to important issues, but was also able to act upon them.
Despite this, she seems to have little reluctance about being with Anakin after he confesses that he’s murdered the Tuskens who captured and killed his mother in Attack of the Clones – even after he insists he’d gone after the women and the children in addition to the men. In fact, all Padmé really says in response to this confession is “To be angry is to be human“, which overall glazes over the full devastation of Anakin’s actions. This theory surmises that her ability to move past Anakin’s massacre so quickly may stem from her own childhood.
Padmé Grew Up On A World Divided By Race
The Naboo Vs. The Gungans
Unfortunately, Padmé is no stranger to a world where people view themselves as “superior” to other species in the Star Wars galaxy. On Naboo, there’s a history of racial conflict between the Naboo, people like Padmé, and Gungans, people like Jar Jar Binks. This is highlighted in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, particularly when Padmé approaches the Gungans to establish an alliance between their people in a fight against the Trade Federation. While Padmé was able to overcome this prejudice to create their alliance, her world had trouble doing so for a long time.
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In fact, this division was still present during her reign as queen, up until the point where the Trade Federation necessitated their friendship. It’s worth wondering, then, why Padmé wouldn’t have attempted to create peace earlier if she truly thought it to be wrong. There’s no doubt that the Naboo saw themselves as “superior” to Gungans, which is why the two groups had so many issues. Padmé could have attempted to resolve this earlier, but didn’t. There is, of course, another member of the Naboo who would have been even more affected by this division.
Palpatine Used Prejudice As A Weapon… Had He Learned This From Naboo?
Desensitizing Him Even Before His Dark Side Fall
Palpatine, who was also from Naboo, famously used prejudice as a weapon as he rose to power to establish his Galactic Empire. He often pitted the galaxy against specific groups who stood in the way of his end goal, with perhaps the most notable example being the Jedi. Palpatine’s Empire even refused to promote alien species into their ranks, with Grand Admiral Thrawn serving as the sole exception. Prejudice was woven into the very fabric of Palpatine’s regime, and it seems likely that this could have been more than the dark influence of the Sith within him.
As a normal part of his environment growing up, Palpatine would have had even fewer reservations about using this prejudice as a weapon later on.
The divisiveness on Naboo between the Naboo and the Gungans could have instilled Palpatine with a prejudice that shaped his worldview before the dark side even called to him. This would have made it much easier for him to then fall and use prejudices to his advantage; as a normal part of his environment growing up, Palpatine would have had even fewer reservations about using this prejudice as a weapon later on. Even if the divide between the Naboo and the Gungans wasn’t that extreme, it still could have served as a model for the future emperor.
Padmé May Have Inherited The Prejudice Of Her Homeworld
She Could Have Unknowingly Used It Against The Tuskens
While Padmé is still leagues away from Palpatine in terms of evil and an utter lack of empathy and morality, it could be that she was also influenced by the same kind of prejudice. She calls out injustice where she sees it, but there are still prejudices blinding her that she has a harder time acknowledging due to the way she was raised on Naboo. This prejudice, particularly the “superiority” of one race over another, could be a darker reason behind why Padmé failed to show hesitance in forgiving Anakin and standing by him after his Tusken massacre.
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Padmé may have seen the Tuskens the same way the Naboo had seen the Gungans: a race that was less “superior” than her own. Given how Tuskens are treated in Star Wars canon up until The Mandalorian, it sadly wouldn’t be surprising for this to be the case. Thankfully, the Tuskens have been given their due justice and humanity, but this is something Padmé may have looked past due to a dark lens she hadn’t even fully realized she’d been looking through. Padmé Amidala might have been one of the galaxy’s most just voices, but even she was not flawless.
Padmé Amidala
The elected Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala won galactic acclaim for her heroism when she led her people against the Trade Federation. She became an influential member of the Republic Senate, but her life changed forever when she fell in love with Anakin Skywalker. Padmé Amidala found herself torn between her love for Anakin and her belief in the principles of the Republic, especially when Anakin became Darth Vader. She was brutally attacked by Anakin on Mustafar, and died in childbirth.
- Died
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Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
- Alias
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Sabé
- Alliance
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Naboo, Republic
- Race
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Human
