20 years after her devastating death inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,Padmé Amidala’slegacy is finally getting some well-deserved respect.How Padmé diedis perhaps one of the most validcomplaints about theStar Warsprequel trilogy. Despite spending her life in service of others, constantly proving her bravery and strength,Revenge of the Sithgave little explanation for Padmé’s death other than losing her will to live. Worse still,theRevenge of the Sithdeleted scenesthen deprived Padmé of the best part of her legacy.
Multiple scenes about Padmé’s influence on the Rebellion were cut fromRevenge of the Sith, including the fact that she effectively helped start the Rebellion via her participation in the Delegation of 2000—a group of Senators opposing Palpatine and his ever-increasing power. A brand-new canonStar Warsbook,Star Wars: The Mask of Fear, written by Alexander Freed, has now made reference to the Delegation, however. The text reads:
“What you’re doing,” Lud said, “is only proving him right. The Delegation of Two Thousand was . . . well, it was mad and foolish and an utter failure, but at least it was idealistic. It was built on principle, and people saw that even if they didn’t understand what the principlewas. NowIknow you’re acting in what you believe is the best interest of democracy. I know you, Mon. But—”
With this one reference,Star Warshas officially canonized the Delegation of 2000, cementing this essential part of Padmé’s legacy.
Padmé’s Revenge Of The Sith Plot Is Finally Becoming Canon
…But This Legacy Is Becoming More Complicated As Well
With the removal of these scenes fromRevenge of the Sith,Star Warsmade the decision to strike the Delegation of 2000 (and therefore Padmé’s contribution to it) from canon. Now,The Mask of Fearhas thankfully changed that.This update to the Delegation of 2000’sStar Warsstatus came with changes to the movement’s legacy as well, though.
Clearly, the efforts of the Delegation of 2000 were seen in a much more complicated light after the fact, considering the Delegation is being described as mad, foolish, and a failure inThe Mask of Fear. That’s somewhat unsurprising, given the senators were obviously unsuccessful in stopping Palpatine, but it’s a bit shocking to know it’s considered foolish. Even in light of this description and the reality of the Delegation’s outcome, though,this is an aspect of Padmé’s legacy inStar Warsthat deserves acknowledgment.
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Our Take On Padmé’s Rebellion Legacy
This Essential Padmé Story Must Be Told
Neither Padmé’s death nor her lasting legacy inStar Warshave ever sat entirely right with me.Padmé proved time and again in theStar Warsprequel trilogy and inStar Wars: The Clone Warsto be one of the wisest and fiercestStar Warscharacters, standing up to defend her planet when she was just 14 and never failing to put herself on the line to help others. The fact that Padmé is one ofStar Wars’best charactersgets easily lost in the disappointing nature of her death, though.
The Delegation of 2000 returning toStar Warscanon will change that considerably. By bringing light to the efforts of this group of senators, however it may have turned out in the end,Star Warsis reinforcing that Padmé was perceptive, bold, and driven by her sense of justice until the very end. While I’ll remain displeased with the handling ofPadmé Amidala’sdeath inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, I am delighted to see the Delegation of 2000 back inStar Warscanon.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Cast
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
