A Thousand Stars: Episode II, Part 2
Nov. 24th, 2022 03:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilHappy Thanksgiving! (To Americans, though I certainly hope everyone has a good day, holiday or not.)
In Episode I, we saw the queen use her doubles to great effect, for protection and subterfuge and misdirection. But this time, making clear that the things are getting darker, her lookalike makes the ultimate sacrifice by dying in her place. As Padmé grieves over her fallen friend and reluctantly lets her captain urge her away, the camera lingers on Cordé's face.
Truly a chilling image. The blood on her mouth is like a grisly version of the queen's ceremonial makeup. And since she was selected for her resemblance to Padmé, there's some unsettling symbolism here. Not only is she mourning her friend, she's also forced to look into a mirror of sorts and see her own potential death. From the first start of this film, we are forcibly reminded that things will be taking a dark turn from the apparently cheery ending of Episode I.
Next, the subtleties of facial expressions...
In Episode I, we saw the queen use her doubles to great effect, for protection and subterfuge and misdirection. But this time, making clear that the things are getting darker, her lookalike makes the ultimate sacrifice by dying in her place. As Padmé grieves over her fallen friend and reluctantly lets her captain urge her away, the camera lingers on Cordé's face.
Truly a chilling image. The blood on her mouth is like a grisly version of the queen's ceremonial makeup. And since she was selected for her resemblance to Padmé, there's some unsettling symbolism here. Not only is she mourning her friend, she's also forced to look into a mirror of sorts and see her own potential death. From the first start of this film, we are forcibly reminded that things will be taking a dark turn from the apparently cheery ending of Episode I.
Next, the subtleties of facial expressions...
