Throughout the Star Wars saga, the Force manifests in various mysterious ways. It guides, it connects, and sometimes, it influences. One of the most controversial and debated relationships in the series is that of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. Their love story seemed rushed and, to many fans, somewhat inauthentic. Was it truly love or was there an unseen Force at play?
Unintended Influence and Late Training
Anakin Skywalker was discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn at a much older age than most Jedi initiates. As a result, Anakin began his training with a raw, uncontrolled connection to the Force. Unlike his peers, who were trained from infancy to hone and control their abilities, Anakin had unknowingly relied on the Force in various aspects of his life, sometimes not for the better.
It is entirely plausible that his strong and uncontrolled emotions towards Padmé inadvertently created a Force bond. This bond may have made her feel a deeper connection to him than she otherwise would have. While it's clear that Padmé cared for Anakin, the true depth and nature of her love could have been unconsciously swayed by Anakin's latent and unintentional Force manipulations.
Awkward Intimacy
Many fans have commented on the seemingly awkward romantic scenes between Anakin and Padmé. What if this awkwardness wasn't just a filmmaking choice, but rather a portrayal of a relationship influenced by a force (no pun intended) neither party fully understood? Their interactions might have felt 'off' because, at some level, they were. Anakin's untrained power could have been unintentionally nudging Padmé's feelings, making them more intense than they would have been organically.
The Crushing Realization
In "Revenge of the Sith," as Anakin's visions of Padmé's death become more vivid, his desperation to save her grows. What if this desperation was not only fueled by his love for her, but by the dawning realization that he had unintentionally used the Force on the woman he loved?
When Palpatine seduces Anakin with the promise of the power to prevent death, it isn't just the allure of saving Padmé's life that tempts him. It's the hope for redemption — a chance to make right the wrong he had unknowingly committed by influencing her feelings. When faced with this internal conflict, Anakin's transformation into Darth Vader becomes not just about power or fear of loss, but also about self-loathing.
In this light, Darth Vader's journey is even more tragic. The dark path he chose was not only driven by external factors and manipulations, but by the internal agony of realizing he might have unknowingly robbed the love of his life of her agency. By becoming Vader, he embraces the monster he believes he has become, further isolating himself from any chance of redemption or genuine love.
While this is just a theory, it adds a layer of depth and tragedy to Anakin's character and makes his descent into darkness even more profound.
