Padmé Amidala: The Complex Queen of Naboo
Padmé Amidala, the queen of Naboo, is known for her strong moral conscience, yet her quick forgiveness of Anakin Skywalker’s brutal murder of the Tuskens in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, is puzzling. As a vocal advocate for justice and equality, it is surprising that she would forgive Anakin’s actions so easily.
However, a closer look at her background provides a possible explanation. As the queen of Naboo, Padmé was raised in a world where racial conflict between the Naboo and the Gungans was rife. The division was so deeply ingrained that even after Padmé established an alliance between the two groups in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, her world continued to struggle with this prejudice.
This division may have influenced Padmé’s view of the Tuskens, leading her to see them as inferior to her own people, just as the Naboo saw the Gungans. This is a disturbing prospect, as it is unclear whether Padmé would have acted to address this issue earlier in her reign.
Another character who may have been affected by this division is Palpatine, who used prejudice as a weapon to establish his Galactic Empire. As a native of Naboo, Palpatine would have grown up surrounded by this same division and may have learned to exploit it further.
Anakin’s fall to the dark side was accelerated by his actions on Tatooine, but it is unclear why Padmé forgave him so readily. Perhaps this is a sign of her own flaws, or a reflection of the world she came from.
Ultimately, Padmé Amidala is a complex character, whose perspective on the Tuskens and her own morality is open to interpretation. Her actions may be a reflection of her own biases and upbringing, and a reminder that even those with strong moral principles can fall prey to prejudice and intolerance.