History Characters / StarWarsPadmeAmidala

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* WalkingSpoiler: It's difficult to talk about her without bringing up that she and Queen Amidala are [[TwoAliasesOneCharacter the same person,]] which is a plot twist in ''The Phantom Menace'' (albeit one that's now widely known and even [[LateArrivalSpoiler gets mentioned in the opening credits of the next movie]]). To an even greater extent, what happens to her in ''Revenge of the Sith'' spoils pretty much the entire movie (although some of it ''is'' a ForegoneConclusion), given that Anakin's fear of losing her and her subsequent death is one of the main catalysts for him becoming Darth Vader.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The Naboo favor pacifism and diplomacy (as does Padmé herself), but she is shown to be a [[ActionGirl very capable fighter]] during the Battle of Naboo. She continues this trend as Naboo's Senator, notably surviving a battle which claimed the lives of several Jedi, who are some of the best warriors in the galaxy.

* ImprobableAimingSkills: Padmé apparently never misses her target. Definitely raises some questions regarding George Lucas' attitude towards women (not bad, though). This is mostly due to AuthorityEqualsAsskicking.

* IdiotBall: She grabs this hard by not saving Shmi from enslavement. All the more jarring when one considers how much the latter and her son did for everyone in ''The Phantom Menace''.

** Despite all the resources she had, Padme apparently never thought to save Shmi from her enslavement. As we all know, this had disasterous consequences for Anakin.

* SlaveLiberation: ''Queen's Shadow'' reveals that before being asked to become Naboo's senator, Padmé wanted to dedicate her time to ending slavery on Tatooine. She attempts to broach the subject within the Senate and even has Sabé travel to Tatooine to find [[spoiler: Shmi Skywalker]] in the hopes of freeing of her, though she's [[ForegoneConclusion unsuccessful]]. In ''Attack of the Clones'', she readily travels to Tatooine with Anakin to find and rescue his mother, who as far as they know is still enslaved.

* ICanChangeMyBeloved: In ''Revenge of the Sith''. After learning of Anakin's FaceHeelTurn, she tries to make him see how wrong his actions are, [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre insisting he's a good person and he doesn't need to do this]]. Unusually for this trope, she also says that although she loves him, [[LoveCannotOvercome she won't stay with him]] if he continues down this path. This backfires ''badly'' as Anakin ends up losing his temper and Force-choking her, ultimately causing her death. Even then, [[LoveMartyr Padmé]] ''still'' believes there's good in him – [[TheIdealistWasRight she's actually right]], but it takes their son to [[LoveRedeems bring it out of him]].

--> '''Padmé:''' My goodness, you've grown!
--> '''Anakin:''' [[BuxomBeautyStandard So have you]].

* ThisCannotBe: Heroic variation in ''Revenge of the Sith''. Her initial reaction to learning about Anakin's turn to the Dark Side is to go into denial.
-->'''Obi-Wan:''' Padmé... Anakin has turned to the Dark Side.
-->'''Padmé:''' You're wrong. How could you even say that?!

-->'''Padmé''': I don't believe what I'm hearing. Obi-Wan was right. [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide You've changed]]!

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/padme_amidala.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!"'']]

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* AccidentalMurder: In "[[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS6E7CrisisAtTheHeart Crisis at the Heart]]", Padmé pulls a blaster on Count Dooku when he tries to have her arrested. However, he uses the Force to make her point the blaster at Separatist senator [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Bec Lawise]] and pull the trigger against her will, killing him. Padmé is utterly [[BigNo horrified]], especially as Lawise was a TokenGoodTeammate who had protested Dooku arresting her without just cause.

* LikeParentLikeSpouse: As mentioned under Anakin's OedipusComplex section on his respective page, Padmé has a physical resemblance to his mother Shmi and also has some similar personality traits. They're noted to be [[NiceGirl very compassionate]] and unconditionally loving and supportive to Anakin. Interestingly (and tragically), it is Anakin's inability to [[ILetGwenStacyDie save his mother's life]] that later compels him to go to extreme lengths to save his wife when he believes she's in danger. He outright tells Padmé "I won’t lose you the way I lost my mother". Ironically, ''Anakin'' is the one who ultimately causes Padmé's death [[SelfFulfillingProphecy via his actions]].

* HurtingHero: Although usually very optimistic, by ''Revenge of the Sith'' the ongoing galactic war, the erosion of democracy and problems in her personal life have clearly taken their toll on Padmé. She slowly slips further into despair as everything she loved and worked for is taken away, spending a fair bit of time brooding and angsting before finally crossing the DespairEventHorizon in the film's climax. But even when she's dying, she still shows care for her children and clings to the hope that Anakin has good in him.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Padmé frequently goes barefoot when not in a situation that would require footwear (official political business, combat, etc.). This is shown in ''Attack of the Clones'' when she forgoes footwear at her Naboo lake house and in Revenge of the Sith when she is barefoot inside her Coruscant apartment. A Legends comic also shows that she enjoyed walking barefoot through the palace garden in Theed.

->'''Appearances:''' ''[[Literature/StarWarsMasterAndApprentice Master and Apprentice]]'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensPeril Queen's Peril]]'' | ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensShadow Queen's Shadow]]'' | ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensHope Queen's Hope]]'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsBrotherhood Brotherhood]]'' | ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' | ''[[WebAnimation/StarWarsForcesOfDestiny Forces of Destiny]]'' | ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsAgeOfRepublic Age of Republic]]'' | ''Literature/DarkDisciple'' | ''Literature/ThrawnAlliances'' | ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' | ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTalesOfTheJedi Tales of the Jedi]]'' [[note]]corpse only[[/note]] | ''[[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Dark Lord of the Sith]]''[[note]]flashback and vision only[[/note]] | | ''Series/ObiWanKenobi''[[note]]flashback[[/note]] ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader Darth Vader]]''[[note]]appears in flashbacks and visions[[/note]] | ''VideoGame/VaderImmortal'' [[note]] appears as a voice and hologram [[/note]] | ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader2020 Darth Vader (2020)]]'' [[note]] flashback and mural [[/note]]

* VocalDissonance: Played with. In ''The Phantom Menace'', fourteen year old Queen Amidala intentionally speaks with a low voice and upper-class accent to make herself seem more mature and commanding than her appearance would suggest (her decoy Sabé copies this voice, which helps to disguise their differences). However, outside of her role as queen, Padmé uses her normal, more high-pitched voice (which helps her blend in with her handmaidens). After she steps down from the throne and becomes a senator, she uses her normal voice all the time (save for one moment in ''Queen's Shadow'', where she uses "the queen's voice" to tell Clovis off when he gets too handsy with her).

** Although hinted at in the Prequel Trilogy and ''The Clone Wars'', ''Queen's Shadow'' makes it explicit that Padmé sometimes struggles with her sense of identity beyond her [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask public persona]] as Queen/Senator Amidala, even wondering what it would be like to be [[IJustWantToBeNormal 'normal']]. However, her sense of duty and desire to help others tends to override this.

* SugarAndIcePersonality: Only in ''The Phantom Menace''. As Queen Amidala, she makes a show of being [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask aloof and commanding]], only occasionally [[NotSoStoic showing emotion]], while being her more usual [[NiceGirl friendly]] and [[ThePollyanna cheerful]] self when disguised as a handmaiden (unless Qui-Gon's irritating her). Notably, during Naboo's victory parade at the end of the film, Padmé lets her true self show through by smiling widely at Anakin.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Padmé's gowns make her look larger than life, and her painted white face is firm but never emotional. Where the queen cannot go, Padmé Naberrie does, leaving her handmaid Sabé to take her place as a decoy, letting Padmé be both TheHighQueen and an ActionGirl.

* ModelCouple: She's the beautiful, dignified Queen/Senator of Naboo to Anakin's tall, handsome Jedi Knight for much of their relationship. Anakin loses an arm, but it doesn't affect him too much since he keeps it covered with a glove. She dies shortly before Anakin becomes Darth Vader, as a horrifically burned ''quadruple''-amputee who needs a cybernetic life-support suit.

* BareYourMidriff: During the climax of ''Attack of the Clones'', her toned midriff is revealed due to convenient ClothingDamage. She also occasionally wears clothing where this is simply part of the outfit in ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''The Clone Wars''.

** Her second most IconicOutfit is probably her very form-fitting white combat outfit (especially the version that's got ClothingDamage, including a [[BareYourMidriff bared midriff]]), which was first introduced in ''Attack of the Clones'' and featured in ''The Clone Wars''.

** In ''Attack of the Clones'', she wears at least two quite revealing outfits and later [[BareYourMidriff shows off her flat stomach]] during the First Battle of Geonosis.

* ImperiledInPregnancy: In ''Revenge of the Sith''. While heavily pregnant, she goes to a [[LethalLavaLand volcanic]] and [[DeathWorld unstable planet]], inhabited by Separatists whilst the galaxy is at war, to confront her husband about turning to the Dark Side. Believing she's betrayed him, Anakin ends up Force-choking her into unconsciousness.

* PregnantBadass: Largely averted in ''Revenge of the Sith''. While Padmé is usually a badass LadyOfWar, in ''Revenge of the Sith'' she has no action scenes and comes off as a lot more physically vulnerable and emotionally frail, though this is partly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that she's heavily pregnant with twins and could easily injure herself or the children at that point in pregnancy. She ''does'' set off to Mustafar, a very dangerous planet in the Outer Rim, by herself to confront Anakin, insisting to Captain Typho that she go alone despite his concerns, although this doesn't end well for her; she's unable to defend herself when Anakin [[KickTheMoralityPet turns on her]] and eventually suffers a combination of DeathByChildbirth and DeathByDespair.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: In ''Attack of the Clones'', it is mentioned that the Naboo loved Padmé as their Queen so much that they tried to ''amend the constitution'' to keep her in office longer. However, she graciously declined, as this was undemocratic, and then accepted the new queen's request to represent Naboo in the Galactic Republic Senate...which probably just made them love her more, as [[MeaningfulFuneral her funeral]] is attended by thousands of people. This is probably due to the lengths Padmé went to save them from the Trade Federation, as well as bringing unity between the Naboo and the Gungans. Decades after her death, she is fondly remembered; her mortician calls her a "great queen" and attempts to endure torture to [[UndyingLoyalty protect her secrets]], and Lor San Tekka refers to her as "one of the great heroes of galactic history".

* TheHighQueen: The Queens of Naboo are generally portrayed as just, kind, and competent rulers. The fact that, unlike most royals, they are elected instead of inheriting the throne may have something to do with it. We only really see evidence of Padmé's rule, but there is nothing to suggest anything onward about the rule of Jamilia, Neeyutnee, and Apailana. Padmé proves to be a pretty competent ruler who takes many personal risks to ensure her people's safety and well-being. She was apparently [[HundredPercentAdorationRating so adored]], the people tried to change the rules to keep her in office longer, though she graciously declined, and her funeral is attended by thousands.

* JoanOfArchetype: Most notably in ''The Phantom Menace'', where she's the courageous, idealistic fourteen year old Queen of Naboo who rallies the Naboo and the Gungans to fight together to free their planet from the Trade Federation. She personally leads one of the strike teams into the royal palace and is[[HundredPercentAdorationRating hailed as a hero by the people]]. She continues to be a champion of democracy and liberty throughout the Prequel Trilogy and ''The Clone Wars'', though she usually tries to do so through diplomatic means; in ''Attack of the Clones'' in particular, the villains try to have her assassinated to set off a war, as she leads the political opposition to the Military Creation Act within the Senate (which isn't the last time she's targeted for assassination, either). She also gets [[UnwittingPawn unwittingly manipulated]] by [[EvilChancellor Chancellor]] [[BigBad Palpatine]], who exploits her desire to help her people into helping him attain power, and she also dies tragically after attempting to turn [[FallenHero Anakin Skywalker]] back to the light.

* TheOjou: Padmé is very polite and composed and [[HundredPercentAdorationRating highly respected and loved]], even when she finishes her term as queen and becomes a Senator.

--> '''Anakin:''' [[BuxomIsBetter So have you]].

* SuperiorSuccessor: She's apparently seen as one to Naboo's previous monarch, King Veruna (not that this is [[CorruptPolitician too difficult]] by all accounts). Veruna became "embroiled" with the Trade Federation and foreign bankers. He abdicated after a reign of thirteen years when the people [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating finally got sick of him]]. In contrast, Padmé stands up to the Trade Federation, willingly steps down once her term has ended, greatly improves relations with the Gungans and is generally [[OneHundredPercentAdorationRating very well thought of]].

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* QueenIncognito: She frequently disguises herself as one of her own handmaidens, As a result, she is treated like a common handmaiden. It works thanks to DecoyLeader Sabé, and the audience is occasionally left clueless. She gets to explore Tatooine by saying the Queen wanted a loyal handmaiden to tell her about it, the planet being deemed too dangerous for her to explore.

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->'''Appearances:''' ''[[Literature/StarWarsMasterAndApprentice Master and Apprentice]]'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensPeril Queen's Peril]]'' | ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensShadow Queen's Shadow]]'' | ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsQueensHope Queen's Hope]]'' | ''[[Literature/StarWarsBrotherhood Brotherhood]]'' | ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' | ''[[WebAnimation/StarWarsForcesOfDestiny Forces of Destiny]]'' | ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsAgeOfRepublic Age of Republic]]'' | ''Literature/DarkDisciple'' | ''Literature/ThrawnAlliances'' | ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' | ''[[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Dark Lord of the Sith]]''[[note]]flashback and vision only[[/note]] | | ''Series/ObiWanKenobi''[[note]]flashback[[/note]] ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader Darth Vader]]''[[note]]appears in flashbacks and visions[[/note]] | ''VideoGame/VaderImmortal'' [[note]] appears as a voice and hologram [[/note]] | ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader2020 Darth Vader (2020)]]'' [[note]] flashback and mural [[/note]]