History TearJerker / RevengeOfTheSith

** The fact that ''Jar Jar'' doesn't even smile in this scene, or act in any way like the goofball he usually is. Not only that, but he was friends with Anakin and Obi-Wan since their arrival on Tatooine, and they both disappeared the same day Padmé died. Furthermore, the Jedi Order and the democracy that Padmé worked so hard to protect died because Palpatine tricked Jar Jar into thinking the Grand Army of the Republic was a good idea. ''[[Literature/AftermathEmpiresEnd Almost 30 years later,]]'' Jar Jar has been revealed to have worked as a street performer after being exiled ''[[HistoryRepeats once again]]'' tormented by guilt, and hated by everyone due to his unwitting role in the creation of the Empire.

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[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yoda_rots.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:342:''"Execute Order 66."'']]
----

'''Anakin:''' ''I HATE YOU!''\\

* In its own way, Dooku's death at the hands of Anakin. Despite being very much an AssholeVictim for what he has done, Dooku is killed not in combat but by being betrayed by Palpatine as he urges Anakin to kill the now unarmed and defenseless Count, who has a minor breakdown of his own when he puts two and two together and realises he was only a pawn to Sidious from the start. On the other hand, Anakin visibly struggles to not decapitate the now powerless Sith as he tries to remain true to the Jedi Code, and when he does, it's notable that he remains shaken from the experience even days after.
** Compounding this is how Obi-Wan actually ''fails'' to understand Anakin's own turmoil and congratulates him for killing Count Dooku despite the act being something that haunts him.

* As shown in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'', there are a lot of people in the Separatist Alliance who legitimately think that they are fighting against the corrupt Republic to establish a democratic government. We are shown that a lot of people in the Separatist parliament favor a peaceful and diplomatic end to the war. Yet [[TheChessmaster Palpatine]] turned the cause they supported from a peaceful protest movement about high taxes in the Outer Rim into a greedy movement controlled completely by [[MegaCorp corporations]] who wanted territory to ruthlessly exploit for resources unbothered by governmental laws preventing them from exploiting their workers just as badly. And Palpatine probably put them in charge of the Separatist Alliance because the corporation heads were so [[BadBoss despicable]] that it would be easy for Palpatine to convince the Senate to increase military spending so he could fund his Empire's military. To summarize, Palpatine warped the Confederacy into his personal {{propaganda machine}} to give him more power and exploited all the decent people in it. And when he didn't need them anymore, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he just discarded them]], had them killed or imprisoned; and created a government that had absolutely no freedom for its people.

** The fact that ''Jar Jar'' doesn't even smile in this scene, or act in any way like the goofball he usually is. Not only that, but he was one of the few people, along with Obi-Wan and Padmé, to have been Anakin's friends since their arrival on Tatooine. To discover that his close friend turned to the Dark Side is already a bitter pill to swallow. But then there's the added layer that all of this tragedy happened because he was tricked into thinking the Grand Army of the Republic was a good idea. Imagine seeing your closest friend turn evil... and knowing that it was ''[[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all your fault]]''. ''[[Literature/Aftermath:Empire'sEnd Almost 30 years later,]]'' Jar Jar has been revealed to have worked as a street performer after being exiled ''[[HistoryRepeats once again]]'' tormented by guilt, and hated by everyone due to his unwitting role in the creation of the Empire.

** The fact that ''Jar Jar'' doesn't even smile in this scene, or act in any way like the goofball he usually is. Not only that, but he was one of the few people, along with Obi-Wan and Padmé, to have been Anakin's friends since their arrival on Tatooine. To discover that his close friend turned to the Dark Side is already a bitter pill to swallow. But then there's the added layer that all of this tragedy happened because he was tricked into thinking the Grand Army of the Republic was a good idea. Imagine seeing your closest friend turn evil... and knowing that it was ''[[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all your fault]]''. ''[[Literature/Aftermath: Empire's End Almost 30 years later,]]'' Jar Jar has been revealed to have worked as a street performer after being exiled ''[[HistoryRepeats once again]]'' tormented by guilt, and hated by everyone due to his unwitting role in the creation of the Empire.

** The fact that ''Jar Jar'' doesn't even smile in this scene, or act in any way like the goofball he usually is. Not only that, but he was one of the few people, along with Obi-Wan and Padmé, to have been Anakin's friends since their arrival on Tatooine. To discover that his close friend turned to the Dark Side is already a bitter pill to swallow. But then there's the added layer that all of this tragedy happened because he was tricked into thinking the Grand Army of the Republic was a good idea. Imagine seeing your closest friend turn evil... and knowing that it was ''[[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all your fault]]''.

* Padmé talking enthusiastically with Anakin about how she wants to raise their baby on Naboo, saying how they'll be safe in the lake country (where she and Anakin fell in love and later got married) and excitedly saying how she "knows the perfect spot, right by the gardens" to set up their baby's room. [[HarsherInHindsight Even without knowing exactly what happens later in the film]], [[ForegoneConclusion the viewer knows that the couple's dream of happily raising their family is doomed because in the Original Trilogy, Padmé’s long dead and Anakin's a Sith Lord]]. It also highlights how much Padmé loved Luke and Leia and the life she wanted for them, only she never got to see them grow up, [[TraumaCongaLine and they themselves go through a great deal of loss and suffering]], largely because of the decisions their father makes in this film]].

* In its own way, Dooku's death at the hands of Anakin. Despite being very much an AssholeVictim for what he has done, Dooku is killed not in combat but by being betrayed by Palpatine as he urges Anakin to kill the now unarmed and defenseless Count, who has a minor breakdown of his own when he puts two and two together and realises he was only a pawn to Sidious from the start; Anakin on the other hand visibly struggles to not decapitate the now powerless Sith as he tries to remain true to the Jedi Code, and when he does, it's notable that he remains shaken from the experience even days after.
** Compounding this is how Obi-Wan actually ''fails'' to understand Anakin's own turmoil and congratulates him for killing Count Dooku, despite the act being something that haunts him.
* Padmé talking enthusiastically with Anakin about how she wants to raise their baby on Naboo, saying how they'll be safe in the lake country (where she and Anakin fell in love and later got married) and excitedly saying how she "knows the perfect spot, right by the gardens" to set up their baby's room. Even without [[HarsherInHindsight knowing exactly what happens later in the film]], [[ForegoneConclusion the viewer knows]] that the couple's dream of happily raising their family is doomed because in the Original Trilogy, Padmé’s long dead and Anakin's a Sith Lord. It also highlights how much Padmé loved Luke and Leia and the life she wanted for them, only she never got to see them grow up and they themselves go through [[TraumaCongaLine a great deal of loss and suffering]], largely because of the decisions their father makes in this film.

*** Special mention goes to Plo Koon. ''The Clone Wars'' reveals that he was AFatherToHisMen to the highest degree, refusing to believe they're expendable, and yet in the end he's shot down by the troops he cared so much for.
** Anakin's former Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, sensed his and Mace's confrontation with Palpatine and his fall to the dark side in ''The Clone Wars''. If that wasn't bad enough, like many Jedi she was surrounded by clones, who attacked her even though she technically wasn’t a Jedi anymore.

** Alternatively, Anakin may have been reminded of the fact he was denied the title he worked so hard for and this was one of the many contributing factors in his fall. The poor kid may have accidentally signed his and his classmates' own death warrants. (And to make it sadder, Mace was probably going to promote him to Master after dealing with Palpatine making it [[NiceJobBreakingItHero even worse.]])
* Padmé weeps in her apartment, seeing the Jedi Temple ''on fire'', and she realizes that everything she worked for in her life--her marriage, democracy, the Republic, her people, the Jedi and her children--is literally going up in flames.
* Padme sitting there watching Palpatine convert the Republic into the Empire is bad enough. Watching and hearing all the other Senators ''cheering'' the death of democracy and not understand what is happening is worse.

* Yoda tries to stop Obi-Wan from watching the Jedi Temple's security feed, to protect him from the knowledge that Anakin killed the Jedi there--then they watch it, and Obi-Wan is ''horrified''.

* The very next scene shows Anakin, after his relentless murder of the Separatist Council, weeping in utter and complete self-loathing. [[HeelRealization He knows what he's become]], [[MoralEventHorizon but has no hope for redemption]].

** Really, it's Creator/EwanMcGregor's delivery that makes it so powerful. The fact that Obi-Wan Kenobi, the series' epitome of [[TheStoic calm stoicism]], [[NotSoStoic is on the verge of bursting into tears]] in this scene just makes it absolutely heartrending, as he's never been this openly anguished since the death of Qui-Gon.

** Notice Obi-Wan's expression when he returns to Padmé's star skiff. He just sighs, and sits there in [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone horrified silence]].

''(In a mixture of rage and sorrow, Vader telekinetically begins to tear apart everything in the room as he rips himself from the operation table, while Palpatine smirks evilly behind him.)''\\

** And while it has grown into a legendary meme at this point, it's utterly heart-breaking for first-timers to hear Vader's BigNo moment in that scene.

** To make things even worse, the novelization explains that Padme suffered trachea damage that the nurse droids were not able to detect, damage that was caused by Vader choking her with the force in their last conversation in Mustafar. So, from a certain point of view, Vader ''did'' kill Padme, and he has no one to blame but himself for murdering the one person he was trying to save all along.
* When Obi-Wan delivers baby Luke to Owen and Beru, the former refuses to talk to or acknowledge Obi-Wan. He ''wanted'' to get to know Anakin, and feels robbed of a brother, blaming Obi-Wan and the Jedi for his "death".

* Heck, ''everything'' about that quote is heartbreaking. It perfectly sums up the [[TragicVillain tragedy of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader]] and his crossing of the DespairEventHorizon when he realizes that [[AllForNothing all the atrocities he committed and everything he has suffered has essentially been for nothing]] because [[KillTheOnesYouLove he killed Padmé]], whom he was trying to save all along, because of [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget his own lust for power and inability to control his anger]]. He knows full well that, this time around, [[ItsAllMyFault he cannot put the blame on anyone but himself]] and despite his resentment of [[EvilMentor Palpatine]], he finds himself just accepting his role as his apprentice and right-hand man because he has no one else left. And to cap the whole thing off is the final, devastatingly simple line in that quote: "[[FateWorseThanDeath This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker. Forever]]."

* [[KillTheCutie Padmé]]'s death scene. She's clearly in agony, but even through the pain, despair, and the fact she's ''dying'', she still manages to gasp out the names she chose for her babies, also making the effort to look at them. Obi-Wan's at her side the whole time, holding Luke for her so she can touch and see him and giving her comforting looks and words of encouragement, even though he knows she's probably not going to make it. Padmé's last words are her belief that there is still good in Anakin; Obi-Wan doesn't rebut this, even though he personally thinks Anakin ''died in agony on Mustafar'', [[LetThemDieHappy he lets Padmé believe he can be saved]]. It also confirms that, in spite of everything Anakin has done, she still loves him. As she dies, Obi-Wan is left looking at the body of the woman he admires and cares for in utter grief, before looking down at her now-orphaned son. Yoda and Bail, who were watching outside, also look quietly devastated at Padmé's loss. And to cap it all off is the fact that Padmé's FamousLastWords ''were right'': There IS still good in Anakin. It just [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi takes a while for their son to prove it]].

*** Good God, ''the inhibitor chips''. Taken in isolation of what would eventually be established, Order 66 is terrifying as it turns out that, apparently, every single one of the clones was scheming right alongside Sidious to exterminate the Jedi this whole time and you won't feel sorry for them when they get killed back by any surviving Jedi or later on by the Rebels after the clones implicitly become the first Imperial Stormtroopers. With the added context of the inhibitor chips, the clones are just as much victims of Order 66 as the Jedi: since ''The Clone Wars'' [[ClonesArePeopleToo establishes them as real characters with their own names and personalities despite their identical biology instead of just being a faceless]] RedShirtArmy, we now know that the clones know and trust their Jedi commanders, many of whom they forged a genuine friendship with over the course of the war. And then, right when it seems like the Clone Wars are about to end as well for them as it could have, with the Separatists and other threats vanquished and able to retire and live out their accelerated lifespans in peace, [[ManchurianAgent they're suddenly mind-controlled into murdering their friends and allies]]. Anakin's second-in-command Rex is shown briefly resisting Order 66 in the series finale of ''The Clone Wars''--he's crying as he realizes what's happening to him, but he can't stop it.

*** This is quite common: the moment the Clones receive the order, ''all the Jedi stop in shock'', looking around trying to make sense of where the danger is coming, because it ''cannot'' come from their troopers, up until they get shot. Ki-Adi-Mundi is the one unlucky enough to realize it ''is'' coming from his soldiers, and turns to look at them.

** Aayla Secura's death is rather brutal. Shot in the back on Felucia... and they continue firing even though it's clear she's not getting up. Even more tearjerking if you've played the original ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefrontII'', and the clone narrating mentions how after a great battle, she expressed pride in their abilities and was glad to serve along side them, but the clones knew what was coming eventually, and felt ashamed to even look her in the eye.

*** Good God, ''the inhibitor chips''. Taken in isolation of what would eventually be established, Order 66 is terrifying as it turns out that, apparently, every single one of the clones was scheming right alongside Sidious to exterminate the Jedi this whole time and you won't feel sorry for them when they get killed back by any surviving Jedi or later on by the Rebels after the clones implicitly become the first Imperial Stormtroopers. With the added context of the inhibitor chips, the clones are just as much victims of Order 66 as the Jedi: since ''The Clone Wars'' [[ClonesArePeopleToo establishes them as real characters with their own names and personalities despite their identical biology instead of just being a faceless]] RedShirtArmy, we now know that the clones know and trust their Jedi commanders, many of whom they forged genuine friendship with over the course of the war. And then, right when it seems like the Clone Wars are about to end as well for them as it could have, with the Separatists and other threats vanquished and able to retire and live out their accelerated lifespans in peace, [[ManchurianAgent they're suddenly mind-controlled into murdering their friends and allies]]. Anakin's second-in-command Rex is shown briefly resisting Order 66 in the series finale of ''The Clone Wars''--he's crying as he realizes what's happening to him but can't stop it.
** One Padawan (played by Creator/GeorgeLucas's son Jett) tries to escape during the commotion and fights off the clone troopers pursuing him, but gets shot anyway. Bail Organa witnesses the whole scene, and is ''helpless'' to prevent it.

** Alternatively Anakin may have been reminded of the fact he was denied the title he worked so hard for and was one of many contributing factors in his fall. The poor kid may have accidentally signed his and his classmates own death warrants. (And to make it sadder, Mace was probably going to promote him to Master after dealing with Palpatine making it [[NiceJobBreakingItHero even worse.]])

** Another way to look at it is we're seeing the end of another friendship. Two people who respected one another and fought in the same conflict, now come to a disagreement because one of them has a husband who has turned evil and the other is out to kill him. Change the setting and [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything now it's two platonic friends dissolving said friendship when one of them tells the other that her spouse is abusive/psycho/etc., but the other refuses to see it that way]].

* When Padmé meets with Anakin to try and talk sense back into him, she ends up ''Force-choked'' by the only person she loves more than anyone else in the galaxy, because he won't listen to her pleas.
** Every time Darth Vader Force-chokes someone, [[FridgeHorror he's reliving one of the worst, vilest moments of his life]].
** It's brief, but after he is done choking her, Anakin just stands there for a moment looking so sad and confused, like he can't quite process what just happened as in "[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone I can't just have Force-choked Padme?]]", but then [[NeverMyFault he turns and blames Obi-Wan]].

*** "I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you". Obi-Wan does seem to know than on some level he screwed up when it came to Anakin but he doesn't actually seem to know how. Which is still sad in it's own right as he'll never know and as seen in the Original Trilogy he still hadn't learned his lesson and was repeating the same mistakes when it came to Luke.
** Anakin's eyes in his final moments as Anakin Skywalker. They're the twisted yellow/red eyes of a Sith as his pure hatred and raw negative emotion bring him too deep into the Dark Side for his master and friend to save him. In that moment, Anakin Skywalker was truly dead and Darth Vader was truly born.
** Then Obi-Wan watches Anakin catch fire and scream in agony. Just watching his former friend burst to flames just pushes him even closer to the edge of tears, so much so that he briefly tries to look away.

* We get to see Darth Vader's first chronological appearance in his iconic armor, and the great price at which it came.

** And while it has grown into a legendary meme at this point, it's utterly heart-breaking for first timers to hear Vader's BigNo moment in that scene.

* Heck, ''everything'' about that quote is heartbreaking. It perfectly sums up the [[TragicVillain tragedy of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader]] and his crossing of the DespairEventHorizon when he realizes that [[AllForNothing all the atrocities he committed and everything he has suffered has essentially been for nothing]] because [[KillTheOnesYouLove he killed Padme]], whom he was trying to save all along, because of [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget his own lust for power and inability to control his anger]]. He knows full well that, this time around, [[ItsAllMyFault he cannot put the blame on anyone but himself]] and despite his resentment of [[EvilMentor Palpatine]], he finds himself just accepting his role as his apprentice and right-hand man because he has no one else left. And to cap the whole thing off is the final, devastatingly simple line in that quote: "[[FateWorseThanDeath This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker. Forever]]."

** Then Obi-Wan watches Anakin catch fire and scream in agony. Just watching his former friend burst to flames just pushes him even closer to the edge of tears.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/padme_cropped.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."]]

** ** A heartbreaking detail (so subtle that it can only be heard by slowing down the scene and boosting the audio): as the helmet is sealed over his face, Vader wheezes, ''"Padmé, help me..."''

'''Darth Sidious:''' It seems, in your anger... you killed her.\\
'''Darth Vader:''' [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone I...? I couldn't have...]] she was alive! I '''felt''' it!
** Another heartbreaking detail (so subtle that it can only be heard by slowing down the scene and boosting the audio): as the helmet is sealed over his face, Vader wheezes, ''"Padmé, help me..."''
** And while it has grown into a legendary meme at this point, it's utterly heart-breaking for first timers to hear Vader's BigNo moment in that scene...
-->'''Darth Vader:''' '''[[SkywardScream NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!]]'''

--->'''Darth Vader:''' Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she all right?\\

'''Darth Vader:''' [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone I...? I couldn't have...]] she was alive! I ''felt'' it!

* In its own way, Dooku's death at the hands of Anakin. Despite being a very AssholeVictim for what he has done, Dooku is killed not in combat but by being betrayed by Palpatine as he urges Anakin to kill the now unarmed and defenseless Count, who has a minor breakdown of his own when he puts two and two together and realises he was only a pawn to Sidious from the start; Anakin on the other hand visibly struggles to not decapitate the now powerless Sith as he tries to remain true to the Jedi Code, and when he does, it's notable that he remains shaken from the experience even days after.

** It gets worse with ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker''. ''The entire Skywalker bloodline is wiped out.'' By turning to the dark side, Anakin set in motion the events that, some sixty-odd years down the line, killed ''literally everyone'' in his family.

--->'''Narrator:''' It was a good thing we were wearing helmets.

* In its own way, Dooku's death at the hands of Anakin. Despite being a very AssholeVictim for what he has done, Dooku is killed not in combat but by being betrayed by Palpatine as he urges Anakin to kill the now unarmed and defenseless Count, who has a minor breakdown of his own when he puts two and two together and realises he was only a pawn to Sidious from the start; Anakin on the other hand visibly struggles to not decapitate the now powerless Sith as he tries to remain true to the Jedi Code, and when he does, it's notable that he remains shaken from the experience even days after.
** Compounding this is how Obi-Wan actually ''fails'' to understand Anakin's own turmoil and congratulates him for killing Count Dooku, despite the act being something that haunts him.

* Padmé's funeral is completely silent, with the Naboo and the Gungans gathered together to honor her memory. Everyone who cared about her--including her parents, the current Queen Apailana, Boss Nass, Jar Jar Binks, and her handmaidens--feel their own kind of grief.
** There's a close-up of Padmé's hands holding the necklace Anakin gave her--to "[[HarsherInHindsight bring good fortune]]."
** The fact that ''Jar Jar'' doesn't even smile in this scene, or act in any way like the goofball he usually is. Not only that, but he was one of the few people, along with Obi-Wan and Padmé, to have been Anakin's friends since their arrival on Tatooine. To discover that his close friend turned to the Dark Side is already a bitter pill to swallow. But then there's the added layer that all of this tragedy happened because he was tricked into thinking the Grand Army of the Republic was a good idea. Imagine seeing your closest friend turn evil... and knowing that it was ''[[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom all your fault]]''.

* Padmé talking enthusiastically with Anakin about how she wants to raise their baby on Naboo, saying how they'll be safe in the lake country (where she and Anakin fell in love and later got married) and excitedly saying how she "knows the perfect spot, right by the gardens" to set up their baby's room. Even without [[HarsherInHindsight knowing exactly what happens later in the film]], [[ForegoneConclusion the viewer knows]] that the couple's dream of happily raising their family is doomed because in the Original Trilogy, Padmé’s long dead and Anakin's a Sith Lord. It also highlights how much Padmé loved Luke and Leia and the life she wanted for them, only she never got to see them grow up and they themselves go through [[TraumaCongaLine a great deal of loss and suffering]], largely because of the decisions their father makes in this film.

* "Evil is everywhere." A simple yet chilling and depressing line.

* Obi-Wan's line while watching the footage is heartbreaking.

** It gets worse with Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker. ''The entire Skywalker bloodline is wiped out.'' By turning to the dark side, Anakin set in motion the events that, some sixty-odd years down the line, killed ''literally everyone'' in his family.