annexednet

[politicallyinclined]

PLAYER

Name: Riddle
Over 18? Yes.
Contact: tiger_eyes or through PMs.
Current Character: N/A

CHARACTER DETAILS

Name: Padmé Naberrie Amidala-Skywalker
Canon: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Canon Point: Right after her death.
Age: 27

Heba or Tian? Tian suits Padmé more - she is definitely someone that considers a situation from every angle before acting. She is a nurturer and she has spent the majority of her life being either a diplomat or diplomatic in various political arenas (mostly in the Galactic Senate).
Acquired Ability: Magic

Personality Traits: Kind, Diplomatic & Brave. Sad, Stubborn & Emotionally Fragile.
History: Her Bio.
Canon Abilities/Skills: Her Personality + Traits
Suitability: This environment will let Padmé's diplomacy and battle skills shine through. I think being on the planets, at her canon point, will allow her to remember her good qualities. There isn't anything she can do to help Luke, Leia or Anakin, but she can help the people of the dual planets. By serving, she can begin to heal - not to mention, the activity will help her strengthen her body. Having twins and then dying has taken a big toll on her (as one would expect).
Inventory: The white robe she gave birth in, her hair accessories and the necklace Anakin gave her are all she has on her person. (If it would be possible for her Mustafar outfit + boots to show up too, that would be helpful.)

CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

What are your character's feelings on freedom? How would they define freedom? How important is it to them? Would they fight for it, or have they fought for it in the past? If they have, how did they go about it?

Freedom means everything to Padmé; she spent the majority of her life fighting for freedom/democracy. Even before she became Queen of Naboo, she befriended a Senator called Onaconda Farr (Uncle Ono) and traveled with her father on relief missions to help war-torn planets. On one of those missions, they failed to help the population and Padmé made a vow to herself that she would try 10,000 times to save one person from then on.

As a Queen and Senator, she worked hard to defend the rights of her people and to stop the Dark Side from infiltrating. Of course she failed, but her thoughts on freedom haven’t changed. No one’s freedom should be taken from them and she will fight for justice, for fairness as long as there is breath in her lungs.

Describe a formative moment in your character's life, something that changed them and defined who they are as a person.

As I mentioned above, in her childhood, she failed to rescue a failing planet’s population. From then on, she decided to, basically, never stop trying. I think it’s fair to say she blames herself, in part, for the outcome on said planet - though that is a lot of pressure unfairly placed on the shoulders of a child.

Another formative moment was, of course, when she met Anakin again. Their love wasn’t immediate, but when Padmé realized that she needed him and that her love for him was a given, she chose to see it through. Denying it would be tantamount to denying herself - or, at least, part of herself. The very best part since her heart has always guided her when caring for others.

Does your character have a favorite person? If so, how would they describe that person? What do they like about that person? What do they dislike? If they don't have a favorite person, what would they look for in a favorite person? What traits would draw them to another person? What traits could they tolerate that others might not be able to?

Anakin Skywalker is her favorite person. He is and will always be the love of her life - and death. She would describe him as brave, charming and incredibly rash. She would also point out his good heart and how loving and protective he is towards her and those around him. She feels safe with him and his pain is her pain. What happened on Mustafar is something she blames on the Sith. They twisted his mind and his spirit, but she truly believes her Ani is underneath it all.

What she dislikes about him is his lack of faith in himself - in his need to be consoled and guided. Palpatine had really used that against him and will continue to do so in the future. Padmé knows Anakin can stand on his own and be more powerful than he knows - and not just with his light-saber.

Of course she is probably more tolerant to ambitious personalities than she should be considering she has a fair bit of ambition herself. In the end, what she doesn’t like about Anakin is a mirror of what she dislikes about herself. Feeling weak and alone is sadly normal for those that blaze their own trail.

What has your character's arc been like so far? How have they developed from their first appearance to their canon point?

Padmé experiences a compelling transformation from her girlhood to her death. Before (and during) the events of the Phantom Menace, the young Queen proves herself to be strong-minded, diplomatic and willing to make hard decisions if they benefit her people. The safety and peace of Naboo matters the most to her and she shows little interest in more personal matters. It is revealed in her backstory that she even has romantic interests - before she meets Anakin and during her early Senatorship - yet she chooses to serve the people of Naboo rather than lose herself in a serious relationship with anyone.

However let it not be said that family doesn’t matter to her. She loves her family dearly and they are part of the reason she throws herself into politics so vigorously. When she began to soften towards a certain young Padawan in Attack of the Clones, what she felt for Anakin - the empathy and protective instinct - before grows stronger and, before she knows it, she begins to see him as a mixture of family and potential love interest. Naturally, she tries to avoid any romantic attachments - because she knows it will inevitably interfere with her career as a Senator (and the fact that it would put Anakin in more danger). Yet, by the end of the second movie, she knows it’s a lost cause.

Once Padmé admits to herself - before she and Anakin are led out into a gladiatorial ring to be executed in Attack of the Clones - that she loves him, she resigns herself to giving him every inch of her that isn’t already invested in politics. Of course it isn’t long before that line is crossed and the young Senator finds herself torn between the man she loves and the duty she has carried since childhood. Yet still, she fights. There is no quitting or admitting defeat for her and she ceaselessly, tirelessly searches for the light at the end of the tunnel.

She isn’t an optimist or a pessimist. Rather, she is a realist who does her best to take what she sees - the good and the bad - and tries to find ways to fix it or make it better. She also has a keen sense of people and their intentions. While she is obviously not connected with the Force like the Jedi, she does notice when someone has ill intentions (like Palpatine). Perhaps that is due to her training as a politician or the fact that Padmé usually follows her heart (unless diplomacy is needed - then she follows her head).

Yet all the training in the world can’t prepare her for the path Anakin decides to take. Once she realizes he has stepped over to the Dark Side in the third movie, Revenge of the Sith, her heart is broken. All of her plans for their future - including their child/children - are demolished. Logically she knows that approaching him is dangerous, but, with Anakin, her mind is never logical. She loves him too much and far too deeply.

It’s tragic that her decision to plead for him to return to sanity is one of the last decisions she ever makes. Even so, she believes in his goodness. The boy she met so long ago - and the man he became - are worth fighting for and she doesn’t believe they are dead.

Padmé’s feelings for Anakin are the main catalyst for her transformation, however there are other, smaller, catalysts too. All throughout her political career, she finds herself not only arguing with other politicians in great chambers, but also fighting on the front lines in various battles. By doing so, she demonstrates that she is a woman who can - and will - back up her word. She doesn’t fear death or injury to herself. In fact, it hurts her far more to consider the deaths or injuries of her people. For them she will fight in any arena necessary.

She also demonstrates that she has a powerful tactical mind. It’s obvious that she is bright, but she is also humble enough to learn from those who have been in politics or the military longer than her. From them, she strengthens her skills to better serve her people and/or those in her charge.

However, in the end, despite her passion, bravery, wisdom and love, Padmé reveals that she is a young, vulnerable woman who does, when Anakin is involved, have a naive heart. Perhaps she knows her heart is a fragile thing from the beginning - and that’s why she avoids long-lasting romances - yet all of her avoidance doesn’t save her from feeling the joy and pain of love. After giving birth to Luke and Leia, she loses the will to carry on because everything she has worked for and loved - politics included - has turned black and empty. Even the promise of new life isn’t enough to keep her living.

How would you like to continue your character's arc in the game? How would you like them to develop? What would you like to have them accomplish?

I want her to see that she has reasons to carry on and reasons to have hope for the future of her children. She has a lot of healing to do, but meeting others and learning about them (as well as helping them) will begin that process. Padmé is truly herself when she is serving others and if she can find some peace, that will be a victory.

SAMPLES

One & Two