How old was Padmé in Episode 3

The relationship between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker is essential to Star Wars, but how old are they compared to one another during the prequels? Here's the age difference between Padmé and Anakin explained. While audiences were already familiar with Anakin before the prequels came out, George Lucas' second Star Wars trilogy introduced everyone to his childhood crush and future wife Padmé, played by Natalie Portman in all three films. One of the things audiences noticed between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones is that Padmé's age and Anakin's age were largely different, but a romance bloomed nonetheless.

The Queen of Naboo first met Anakin during a trip to Tatooine, and it didn't take long for Anakin to become enchanted by her. This crush didn't stop there, as Anakin was still infatuated with Padmé when they crossed paths again a decade later. Padmé and Anakin's tragic love story is at the heart of the prequels, even if the execution of the arc and the chemistry between Portman and Hayden Christensen didn't always work. But, one aspect of the relationship that is often discussed is how 0ld Padmé is compared to Anakin.

Before diving into the specifics of the age difference between Padmé and Anakin in each of the prequels and the comparisons between them, here's a quick rundown of their age and the timeline. Padmé was born in 46 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and Anakin's miraculous Force-created birth came in 41 BBY, so Padmé is five years older than him. They do not meet until Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which takes place in 32 BBY. This makes Padmé 14 years old during the events of the movie, while Anakin Skywalker is just 9 years old. At this stage, Anakin's crush on the girl he thinks is an angel is rather harmless and not reciprocated by Padmé.

How Old Is Padmé Compared To Anakin In The Prequels

Anakin and Padmé are reunited a decade later in 22 BBY during Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. This time jump makes Padmé a very mature 24 years old, while Anakin is still a Jedi Padawan and teenager at the age of 19. This formidable time in their lives is when the romance between the two sparks, so the age difference between Padmé and Anakin doesn't hold them back. They are married in secret by the end of the movie, forcing them to spend the next three years, until Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, keeping their relationship a secret. When the prequels pick up with their story in 19 BBY, Padmé is 27 years old and a respected political leader, while Anakin's Dark Side turn is about to happen at 22 years of age.

How Old Were Padmé and Anakin When They Got Married

At the end of Attack of the Clones, Anakin and Padmé escape from Geonosis courtesy of a Jedi strike team and the Grand Army of the Republic. While the Jedi High Council believed that Anakin was only escorting the Queen back to her home, the two were actually getting married at Varykino, a lake retreat on Naboo. Given that the events of Attack of the Clones happen in 22 BBY, Padmé's age is 24, and Anakin's age is 19 at the time of their marriage. The two's relationship and marriage play an interesting role in the prequels. While Skywalker was on his way to the Dark Side, Palpatine's promise to save Amidala from death was ultimately what swayed him.

How Old Was Padmé When She Died In Revenge Of The Sith?

The age difference between Anakin and Padmé was ultimately immaterial, given that Padmé's death at the end of the Star Wars prequels brings an end to her story at just 27 years old. She spent her final moments giving birth to Luke and Leia before losing the will to live. Anakin thought learning about the Dark Side could help save Padmé, but his turn ultimately proved to be what caused her to give up on life. Padmé's death at the end of Revenge of the Sith caused quite a bit of controversy following the film. According to the movie, she died of a broken heart after finding that Anakin had made his full transformation into a Sith. So, despite being medically healthy, she dies because she "loses the will to live." A lot of people felt that the means of her death cheapened her story and could've even been a sexist move on the part of George Lucas.

Other characters driven by hate were allowed to live out their days long past the age of 27, suggesting that hate is a stronger motivator for staying alive in Lucas' world than love. After all, Emporer Palpatine was a whopping 88 years old at the time of his demise, Darth Vader was 45, and Darth Maul was 52. Padmé's death may have been necessary for the Star Wars prequels, but how she died seems like an unfortunate misstep in the plot. There's a fair amount of controversy surrounding the age difference between Padmé and Anakin. However, Amidala and Skywalker didn't let a 5-year-age gap slow them down, and Anakin was sadly allowed to make up the age difference after Amidala's unfortunate passing.

Next: Star Wars Theory: Padmé Amidala Is Force Sensitive