Summary
- Padmé Amidala was five years older than Anakin Skywalker during their relationship in the
Star Wars
prequel trilogy. - Though they had a significant age gap, especially given the young age they met at, their relationship could not be avoided, nor could its tragic end.
- Many aspects of their relationship, including the age gap, were controversial, but they still managed to be one of the most compelling love stories in all of
Star Wars
.
The relationship between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker is essential to Star Wars, but they had a bit of an age difference during the prequel trilogy. While audiences were already familiar with Anakin before the prequels came out, George Lucas’ second Star Wars trilogy introduced everyone to his childhood crush and future wife, Padmé Amidala, played by Natalie Portman in all three Star Wars prequel films. One of the things audiences noticed was that Padmé’s age and Anakin’s age were largely different, but a romance bloomed nonetheless.
The Queen of Naboo first met Anakin during a trip to Tatooine, and it didn’t take long for Anakin to become enchanted by her. This crush didn’t stop there, as Anakin was still infatuated with Padmé when they crossed paths again a decade later. Padmé and Anakin’s tragic love story is at the heart of the prequels, even if the execution of the arc and the chemistry between Portman and Hayden Christensen didn’t always work, and many aspects of Padmé’s character made no sense. But, one aspect of the relationship that is often discussed is how old Padmé is compared to Anakin.
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How Old Is Padmé Compared To Anakin In The Prequels?
Padmé Amidala
The elected Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala won galactic acclaim for her heroism when she led her people against the Trade Federation. She became an influential member of the Republic Senate, but her life changed forever when she fell in love with Anakin Skywalker. Padmé Amidala found herself torn between her love for Anakin and her belief in the principles of the Republic, especially when Anakin became Darth Vader. She was brutally attacked by Anakin on Mustafar, and died in childbirth.
- Died
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
- Description
- Anakin Skywalker (Husband), Luke Skywalker (Son), Leia Organa (Daughter)
Padmé was born in 46 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and Anakin’s miraculous Force-created birth came in 41 BBY, so Padmé was five years older than him. They did not meet until Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which took place in 32 BBY. This makes Padmé 14 years old during the events of the movie, while Anakin Skywalker was just nine years old. At this stage, Anakin’s crush on the girl he thought was an angel was rather harmless and not reciprocated by Padmé.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
- Died
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi
- Description
- Shmi Skywalker (Mother), Padme Amidala (Wife), Luke Skywalker (Son), Leia Organa (Daughter), Ben Solo (Grandson), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Master), Ahsoka Tano (Apprentice)
Anakin and Padmé were reunited a decade later in 22 BBY during Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. This time jump made Padmé a very mature 24 years old, while Anakin was still a Jedi Padawan and teenager at the age of 19. They were married by the end of the movie, forcing them to spend the next three years loving each other secretly, until Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. When the prequels picked up with their story in 19 BBY, Padmé was 27 years old, while Anakin was 22 years of age.
Padmé & Anakin Significant Events |
Date |
---|---|
Padmé’s birth |
46 BBY |
Anakin’s birth |
41 BBY |
Padmé and Anakin meet |
32 BBY |
Padmé and Anakin’s wedding |
22 BBY |
Padmé’s death |
19 BBY |
How Old Were Padmé and Anakin When They Got Married?
At the end of Attack of the Clones, Anakin and Padmé escaped from Geonosis courtesy of a Jedi strike team and the Grand Army of the Republic. While the Jedi High Council believed that Anakin was only escorting the Queen back to her home, the two were actually getting married at Varykino, a lake retreat on Naboo. Given that the events of Attack of the Clones happened in 22 BBY, Padmé’s age was 24, and Anakin’s age was 19 at the time of their marriage. While Skywalker was on his way to the Dark Side, Palpatine’s promise to save Amidala from death was ultimately what swayed him.
How Old Was Padmé When She Died In Revenge Of The Sith?
The age difference between Anakin and Padmé was ultimately immaterial, given that Padmé’s death at the end of the Star Wars prequels brought an end to her story at just 27 years old. She spent her final moments giving birth to Luke and Leia before losing the will to live. Anakin thought learning about the Dark Side could help save Padmé, but his turn ultimately proved to be what caused her to give up on life.
Padmé’s death at the end of Revenge of the Sith caused quite a bit of controversy following the film. According to the movie, she died of a broken heart after finding that Anakin had made his full transformation into a Sith. So, despite being medically healthy, she dies because she “loses the will to live.” Padmé’s death may have been necessary for the Star Wars prequels, but how she died seems like an unfortunate misstep in the plot.
There’s a fair amount of controversy surrounding the age difference between Padmé and Anakin, especially considering how young they were when they first met. Amidala and Skywalker didn’t let a five-year age gap slow them down, though, and Anakin was sadly allowed to make up the age difference after Amidala’s unfortunate passing. Despite the controversy about their ages, Padmé and Anakin’s relationship was one of the most deeply tragic love stories in all of Star Wars.