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A Thousand Stars: Episode II, Part 8
Ever notice that fairy tales tend to have extremes? Rich and poor, ancient crones and youthful maids, powerful kings and lowly servants. Star Wars, being in many ways a fairy tale in space, often plays with such contrasts, particularly to subvert expectations. And one visual manifestation of that is in height differences. Padmé is short, but don't let that fool you. Look at the giant Gungan, bowing in deference to her.
She has an aura of power and authority that transcends her physical presence. It's interesting how that's put to use in the first one-on-on conversation she has with Anakin after their ten years apart. She serves as a wise listener and adviser, sympathetic but bearing far more experience than this callow youth. Look at their positions when she wistfully tells him not to grow up too fast.
Anakin, however, longs for a different relationship with her; to be seen as an adult rather than a child. So he uses his considerable height to try to change their dynamic.
Padmé is indeed taken aback...but is she really overcome? Rather than a flustered deflection, she tells him quite frankly that his look makes her uncomfortable. I wouldn't say that either one of them comes out of this encounter having "won." It's not about gaining the upper hand; it's about finding their footing in this new version of their childhood friendship. And the shifting of the height difference speaks volumes.
Next time, a fun little reference...
She has an aura of power and authority that transcends her physical presence. It's interesting how that's put to use in the first one-on-on conversation she has with Anakin after their ten years apart. She serves as a wise listener and adviser, sympathetic but bearing far more experience than this callow youth. Look at their positions when she wistfully tells him not to grow up too fast.
Anakin, however, longs for a different relationship with her; to be seen as an adult rather than a child. So he uses his considerable height to try to change their dynamic.
Padmé is indeed taken aback...but is she really overcome? Rather than a flustered deflection, she tells him quite frankly that his look makes her uncomfortable. I wouldn't say that either one of them comes out of this encounter having "won." It's not about gaining the upper hand; it's about finding their footing in this new version of their childhood friendship. And the shifting of the height difference speaks volumes.
Next time, a fun little reference...