Anakin Skywalker’s romance with Padmé Amidala is a tragedy for the ages, and while the secrecy of their relationship was of vital importance to the Star Wars prequel trilogy’s overarching story, they weren’t nearly as subtle about their relationship as they believed themselves to be. Anakin fell in love with Padmé from the first moment they met in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. For Padmé, it took a little while longer to get on the same page, as her feelings for Anakin only began to develop when he was all grown up in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Famously, of course, the Jedi Order forbids the Jedi from forming attachments, especially romantic ones, as they believe that strong, dependent relationships can lead to the dark side. Though there are plenty of examples of Jedi not succumbing to dark feelings like jealousy, anger, possessiveness, fear, and obsession whilst falling in love, the Jedi were certainly right to worry in Anakin’s case, as his all-encompassing feelings for Padmé and his fear of her death would eventually lead to his downfall and the birth of Darth Vader.
During his time with the Order, Anakin was torn between his loyalty to the Jedi Code and his love for his wife. The secrecy of their relationship ate away at him (and Padmé, to an extent), so much so that they often forgot to hide their feelings for one another when in the presence of other important Star Wars characters. Though some of those who discovered or surmised Anakin and Padmé’s relationship were friends and allies, their marriage was also used against them toward the end of the Clone Wars with disastrous consequences. Honestly? They probably should have been more careful.
11 When Padmé Kissed Anakin In Front Of The Separatists
Count Dooku was right there!
As Anakin and Padmé’s romance began to blossom in Attack of the Clones, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padmé became trapped on Geonosis, forced to fight a horde of large beasts in a fully packed arena. Watching them, of course, was the nefarious Count Dooku, one of the leading Separatists and apprentice to the mysterious Sith Lord, Darth Sidious.
When, during the fight, Padmé jumps onto the back of the large animal that Anakin is riding, she kisses him on the cheek in a burst of affection, right where the whole stadium can see them. Luckily, the entirety of the Jedi Order hadn’t arrived yet, but given the Separatists were becoming the Republic’s and the Order’s sworn mortal enemies at that point, they probably should have been more careful. What if Dooku was the one who told Palpatine he suspected there was more going on between the Jedi and the Senator?
10 When Obi-Wan Watched The Newlyweds Together
Turns out, Obi-Wan knew all along
In all honesty, there are plenty of moments throughout the Star Wars saga during which it becomes clear that Obi-Wan suspected Anakin and Padmé of having a relationship all along. One of the earliest instances of this is when, in Mike Chen’s canon novel Star Wars: Brotherhood, Obi-Wan observes Anakin and Padmé interacting right after they return from their secret wedding and picks up on the feelings between the young pair. Though it wasn’t explicitly confirmed whether he knew if they were married, he certainly understood that there was more going on.
So why didn’t he ever say anything to the Jedi Council? Why, when he knew Anakin was more susceptible to his emotions than most, did he let everything slide? Probably because Obi-Wan had a secret of his own.
9 When Anakin Couldn’t Keep His Jealousy Under Control
Anakin decided fighting Padmé’s ex was the right way to handle things (spoiler alert: it wasn’t)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars played a key part in making Anakin and Padmé’s romance more believable. Throughout the animated series, they spent much more time together, and viewers got to see them in more domestic and professional settings, too. They became a real couple in this show, but of course, that also meant that there were plenty of times when Anakin and Padmé’s secret relationship nearly became public knowledge.
In The Clone Wars season 2 and season 6, Padmé is forced to work with one of her exes, Senator Rush Clovis, who is suspected of working for the Separatists and making illicit deals with the Banking Clan. Padmé is asked to go undercover to find out the truth, and Anakin accompanies her. When Clovis puts the moves on Padmé, and later, when Clovis tries to use Padmé to escape from the Republic’s clutches, Anakin lets his feelings get the best of him, using violence against Clovis for all to see. Clovis picked up on Anakin’s feelings and no doubt others did, too.
8 When Obi-Wan Kenobi Told Anakin About His Own Love Story
Obi-Wan wanted Anakin to experience love the way he never could
Once again, Anakin’s feelings for Padmé were clear as day to Obi-Wan, and yet this time, he used his own experiences to bond with his former Padawan. In The Clone Wars season 2, viewers are introduced to the Mandalorian Duchess Satine, and it soon becomes obvious that Obi-Wan and Satine share a past. As it turns out, they were once in love, so much so that Obi-Wan would have been willing to give up his status as a Jedi to be with her, and Satine never dared to ask him because she knew how much the Order meant to him.
In a scene that same season, Obi-Wan confides in Anakin about his time with Satine and warns Anakin about the dangers of trying to have it all – both love and the Jedi Order’s loyalty. Anakin once again tried to deny that anything was going on, but Obi-Wan knew better. And yet, even then, he kept his mouth shut, because he wanted his friend to have the love he himself never got to experience.
7 Every Time Yoda Gave Anakin A Knowing Look During The Clone Wars
Yoda 100% knew Anakin was breaking the rules
Yoda was a Grand Master for a reason. He might not have known exactly what was going on between Anakin and Padmé, but he could certainly sense the turmoil with Anakin throughout the Clone Wars and beyond, just as he’d sensed the fear in him when Anakin was first presented to the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace. The Clone Wars makes it a point to have Yoda look at Anakin suspiciously every once in a while, especially when Padmé is involved in the conversation, though Yoda never outright confirms his suspicions.
There is, however, one scene that implies that Yoda knew how attached Anakin was to Padmé. In The Clone Wars season 6, when Padmé is forced to investigate Rush Clovis again, Yoda assigns Anakin to protect her on the planet Scipio. Yoda says, “Great emotion you will find on Scipio, hmmm?” and he tells Anakin that he must control his selfish impulses when it comes to Senator Amidala. So why would he assign Anakin such a compromising position? Perhaps he was testing him.
6 When Ahsoka Tano Left The Jedi Order
She knew why Anakin struggled with his loyalty to the Jedi
Since those closest to Anakin and Padmé already suspected the truth, it’s no surprise that Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan during the Clone Wars, knew they were in a relationship, too. When Ahsoka chooses to leave the Jedi Order at the end of The Clone Wars season 5 after being falsely accused of murder and acts of terror, Anakin tries to convince her to stay by telling her that he, too, struggles with his loyalty to the Order sometimes. Ahsoka says “I know,” clearly indicating that she knew exactly why Anakin sometimes struggled with his feelings – Padmé.
After all, given how often Ahsoka and Anakin were assigned to protect Senator Amidala, it’s no surprise that they became friends as well. She got to see how Anakin and Padmé acted around each other – even when they were trying really, really hard to be subtle – and likely picked up on her Master’s moods and emotions. Ahsoka was no longer a Jedi, though, and all she wanted was for her friend, Anakin, to be happy. She was able to keep their secret better than they ever did.
5 When Padmé Told Anakin She Was Pregnant In Revenge Of The Sith
In front of the Senators? And the Jedi?!
At this point, it truly was a miracle that no one had outright accused them of having an affair together yet. A mere few seconds after a whole host of Jedi and Senators leave Anakin behind, he runs towards Padmé, who is hiding behind a column in the grand entrance of the Senate building. They hug, they kiss, Padmé tells Anakin she’s pregnant, and they hug, and they kiss some more. They got lucky that time. Anyone could have seen them there. They didn’t even hide behind a door!
Padmé even tries to tell Anakin that they need to be more careful, despite having already embraced him multiple times, which comes off as unintentionally hilarious. Their relationship is so compelling, but it’s moments like these that call their wisdom into question. What were they thinking?
4 Captain Rex Helped Anakin Call His Wife During The Clone Wars
Rex was nothing if not loyal to his Jedi General
In The Clone Wars season 7, it was revealed that Captain Rex, the leading clone trooper under Anakin’s command, also knew about Anakin and Padmé’s relationship. In the final season’s second episode, Rex stands guard outside the door when Anakin calls Padmé – by this point, she’s pretty far along in her pregnancy. Rex was always loyal to Anakin – a loyalty that Anakin had undoubtedly earned – but this moment showed just how important their friendship was.
Did the other clones ever suspect anything? After all, they worked together day in and day out, and the clones would have seen Anakin interact with the Senator from time to time. Rex certainly wouldn’t have told them anything, but it’s fun to think about. Anakin wasn’t exactly subtle with his feelings. His crush on his wife has been obvious since the very beginning.
3 When Obi-Wan Asked If Anakin Had Said “Hello” To Padmé
He wasn’t even surprised when Padmé told him she was pregnant
Once again, Obi-Wan opted to keep his mouth shut. His loyalty and love for Anakin was truly admirable. The Clone Wars didn’t just improve Anakin and Padmé’s relationship – it improved Anakin and Obi-Wan’s as well. In that same Clone Wars episode, Obi-Wan approaches Rex as he’s standing guard in front of the door. Anakin is just wrapping up his conversation with Padmé, and when he exits the room and sees Obi-Wan, he acts as though nothing strange has happened.
Obi-Wan, of course, sees right through him and cheekily says “I hope you at least told Padmé I said hello.” Both Anakin and Rex try to act as though Obi-Wan’s words don’t mean anything, but the looks on their faces say enough. Obi-Wan clearly knew. So why did Anakin still refuse to confide in him? He may have already known Padmé was pregnant!
2 When Palpatine Told Anakin He Could Save Padmé’s Life
Emotional blackmail really was one of Palpatine’s specialties
This is where Anakin and Padmé’s failure to keep their relationship a secret became truly painful. Whether Count Dooku was the one who told Palpatine of Anakin’s feelings for Padmé or Palpatine simply figured it out for himself, this is the exact moment Anakin’s secrecy comes back to haunt him. Throughout Revenge of the Sith, Anakin is plagued by dreams and visions of Padmé’s death. Palpatine knows and offers Anakin the chance to save Padmé if only he joins him and turns to the dark side.
Anakin never stood a chance. He was so obsessively in love with Padmé, so afraid of losing her after he lost his mother, he would have done anything to save her, including abandoning the Jedi and turning his back on everything he ever knew. The tragedy, of course, is that Anakin did have the power to save her all along – he simply should never have broken Padmé’s heart.
1 When Padmé Gave Birth To Luke And Leia
Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Organa held the ultimate proof in their arms
Anakin and Padmé’s love story was a tragedy, and it was impossible to deny the repercussions of their relationship once Obi-Wan was holding Anakin’s son and daughter in his hands. Padmé’s death – though still a contentious subject of debate – meant that Obi-Wan, Yoda, and even Senator Bail Organa unequivocally knew about Anakin and Padmé’s love for each other. It didn’t matter anymore, though, at least not in the way it mattered before. The Jedi Order and the Republic no longer existed – Palpatine had won, and Anakin had transformed into Darth Vader.
Though it’s easy to laugh at some of Anakin and Padmé’s illicit mishaps, it’s also easy to get swept away in the romance and sadness of their relationship. How pure was Anakin’s love for Padmé? How badly did Padmé wish to share her feelings with the world? The audience will never truly know, but there’s no denying that Anakin Skywalker’s relationship with Padmé Amidala in Star Wars made him who he was, for better or for worse.
