You Turned Her Against Me!!

Originally posted on June 22, 2006

You turned her against me. Anakin to Obi-Wan, ROTS

You have done that yourslef. Obi-Wan to Anakin, ROTS

There has been much discussion in the past few days regarding the last thirty or so minutes of ROTS...with the focus on the dialogue and the meaning behind the words. I have been thinking about these two lines, spoken between Anakin and Obi-Wan before their "final" battle in ROTS. These few moments of dialogue between Anakin and Padme' and then between Anakin and Obi-Wan carries so much weight that I could not let my mind rest until I expressed these thoughts.

We all have our own feelings about this part of the movie...just as we each had our own reaction to these scenes the first time we saw it in theaters. From the moment Obi-Wan talks with Padme' about what Anakin has done to the moment Anakin and Obi-Wan duel, my heart just aches with the words spoken between and among the characthers and the body language displayed, that I often find myself crying in response...knowing the "story" told by the OT and what will inevitably happen. Here, Anakin is being "torn" between two different personas: that of the Jedi Anakin Skywalker and that of the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Vader is trying to overtake Anakin, "replaying" the words of betrayl he feels. Padme' has already told him that she had spoken with Obi-Wan prior to her arrival on Mustafar.

Obi-Wan told me terrible things. Padme'
What things? Anakin
That you killed...younglings. Padme'
Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me. Anakin

The thought of Obi-Wan turning Padme' against him were spoken before the emergence of Obi-Wan from the ship...before either Anakin or Padme' knew he was aboard. The "rumors" about a relationship, a betrayl, between his wife and his Master were started by Palpatine. These doubts were placed as Palpatine spoke to Anakin about reports of a Jedi leaving the apartment of a Senator in the early morning hours...a female Senator, nonetheless. Anakin goes on to say (from what I can remember from the ROTS novelization) "She couldn't...they couldn't." When Anakin returns to the apartment to speak to Padme' about this, he "feels" Obi-Wan's presence...that's a little too close for comfort (referring to Anakin's response to how "close" Obi-Wan and Padme' were sitting on the couch).

As Padme' spoke of Obi-Wan's words to her about Anakin to him, he attempted to dispell any doubt she had about him. However, Padme' began to realize that Obi-Wan was, indeed, correct in his statement that she "called" Anakin on it--Obi-Wan was right...you've changed. When Obi-Wan emerged from Padme's ship, Anakin could no longer take it...Liar!! You're with him. You brought him here to kill me...and Vader emerged to Force-choke Padme', the one he fought so hard to save by turning to the Dark Side. Once Anakin realized what he had done to Padme', he lashed out at Obi-Wan...who also tried to "reason" with him, to bring him back to the Light. As we all know, he failed at this attempt, and Vader emerged to confront Obi-Wan, to destroy Obi-Wan...to prevent him from taking Padme' from him. Little did Anakin know, he was the one who turned Padme' agains him...the realization of what he had become and of what he was capable of doing were what "turned" her against him. Anakin lived with this as Vader for the next twenty or so years...until his son revealed himself and had Padme's faith to save him.

Thank you for reading this. May the Force Be With You All...Always