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Star Words: Episode III, Part 35
The next moment is worth considering from the perspective of all three characters. From Anakin's view, poisoned by the Dark Side, Padmé is rejecting the tremendous sacrifices he has made to protect her. She's backing away from him, yet she blames the growing gulf between them on Anakin. Surely he is the same devoted husband as ever; surely someone else is to blame for this. He has already been nursing a growing suspicion and envy of Obi-Wan. When he sees him appear, it seems an undeniable proof of his fears. His wife has betrayed him; they have conspired together to destroy him.
Padmé, meanwhile, is heartbroken. She sees the face of her beloved, yet what she hears are the words of a cold and calculating stranger. She is wise enough to step away, though continuing to plead with him, continuing to assert her unending love for him. That is when her unexpected stowaway appears, at the worst possible moment, to make her look like a liar.
Obi-Wan has probably been listening to most of the conversation, hoping against hope that Padmé can persuade Anakin to forsake the Dark Side. The last thing he wants is to attack his old friend. But his concerns worsen as their conversation takes a particularly bad turn. He hears the warning signs of anger and accusation, the voice of Darth Vader rather than Anakin. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me! Was Yoda right after all? He fears that if he doesn't intervene, Padmé's life will be endangered. So he emerges, prepared to step between her and an enraged Sith Lord.
What if he hadn't shown up at that moment? Would Anakin have lashed out against his wife anyway? Was there any hope of a reconciliation? Is Obi-Wan at least partly to blame for the attack on Padmé? None can say for sure. But the motif of differing points of view recurs over and over throughout this confrontation, including the first words Anakin flings at Obi-Wan. Wracked with anguish as he watches his wife collapse, he seems unable to bear the notion that the blame for her attack rests upon him. Obi-Wan isn't having any of that.
"You turned her against me!"
"You have done that yourself."
Once again we see Anakin's determination to perceive his loyalties as unchanging. As far as he can see, he is still serving Palpatine and the realm under his dominion. He is still Padmé's protector. It's not his fault that the Jedi refused to support the Chancellor/Emperor. It's not his fault that his wife rejected that protection and betrayed him to Obi-Wan. It's all someone else's fault. Anyone but his.
Obi-Wan is appalled by his old friend's distorted view of the truth. He still steeling himself against a fight; still struggling with the notion of a battle to the death. But witnessing the attack on Padmé has surely strengthened his resolve. Kindhearted Anakin would not do this. It can only be the work of Vader, a cruel and heartless Lord of the Sith.
And yet Obi-Wan still delays, tries to reason with Anakin. I love the staging of this moment as they circle each other warily, sizing the other up, verbally sparring in anticipation of the physical duel that is coming. Whew. We'll get through this scene yet. Maybe just one more quote...or two?
Next, the clash of ideals continues....
Padmé, meanwhile, is heartbroken. She sees the face of her beloved, yet what she hears are the words of a cold and calculating stranger. She is wise enough to step away, though continuing to plead with him, continuing to assert her unending love for him. That is when her unexpected stowaway appears, at the worst possible moment, to make her look like a liar.
Obi-Wan has probably been listening to most of the conversation, hoping against hope that Padmé can persuade Anakin to forsake the Dark Side. The last thing he wants is to attack his old friend. But his concerns worsen as their conversation takes a particularly bad turn. He hears the warning signs of anger and accusation, the voice of Darth Vader rather than Anakin. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me! Was Yoda right after all? He fears that if he doesn't intervene, Padmé's life will be endangered. So he emerges, prepared to step between her and an enraged Sith Lord.
What if he hadn't shown up at that moment? Would Anakin have lashed out against his wife anyway? Was there any hope of a reconciliation? Is Obi-Wan at least partly to blame for the attack on Padmé? None can say for sure. But the motif of differing points of view recurs over and over throughout this confrontation, including the first words Anakin flings at Obi-Wan. Wracked with anguish as he watches his wife collapse, he seems unable to bear the notion that the blame for her attack rests upon him. Obi-Wan isn't having any of that.
"You turned her against me!"
"You have done that yourself."
Once again we see Anakin's determination to perceive his loyalties as unchanging. As far as he can see, he is still serving Palpatine and the realm under his dominion. He is still Padmé's protector. It's not his fault that the Jedi refused to support the Chancellor/Emperor. It's not his fault that his wife rejected that protection and betrayed him to Obi-Wan. It's all someone else's fault. Anyone but his.
Obi-Wan is appalled by his old friend's distorted view of the truth. He still steeling himself against a fight; still struggling with the notion of a battle to the death. But witnessing the attack on Padmé has surely strengthened his resolve. Kindhearted Anakin would not do this. It can only be the work of Vader, a cruel and heartless Lord of the Sith.
And yet Obi-Wan still delays, tries to reason with Anakin. I love the staging of this moment as they circle each other warily, sizing the other up, verbally sparring in anticipation of the physical duel that is coming. Whew. We'll get through this scene yet. Maybe just one more quote...or two?
Next, the clash of ideals continues....
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This is a bit tangential, but lately I did see a comment from someone compiling a big, expensive book of 1970s-80s Lucasfilm archive materials that "George Lucas undersells his writing," in the specific context that he wrote drafts for both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi that weren't simply "altogether rewritten by Lawrence Kasdan."