this is how liberty dies @withthundrousapplause - Tumblr Blog

As the flames enveloped the corpse, smoke rose from the vents in the mask, almost like a black spirit, finally freed. Luke stared with a fierce sorrow at the conflagration. Silently, he said his last goodbye. He, alone, had believed in the small speck of humanity remaining in his father. That redemption rose, now, with these flames, into the night. - James Kahn

#return of the jedi

mariasgf

#cast

chastainjessica

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi(1983) | Star Wars: The Force Awakens(2015)

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They will keep your flame

chastainjessica

I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace(1999)

#padme amidala

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#attack of the clones

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A mcfreaking article by the NY times apparently dissed Padme Amidala???? Because “apologies to Padme fans” apparently she doesn’t belong in our strong women of Star Wars article???

What?????? Okay, listen up. Here’s several reasons why Padme is awesome.

She became the Queen of an entire planet at FOURTEEN, and did such a good job at it that the population was literally willing to rewrite the rules so she could have another term.

She loves and adores her family (and her nieces), and when she’s around them she gets to be the twenty year old she is (aka adding depth to her character that was sadly cut).

She’s /hopeful/. Padme is a very pragmatic woman, but she is always hopeful–that there will be a peaceful ending to any conflict, that they will win the war, that there is still light in Anakin.

She was one of the first people to have doubts about Palpatine/the Republic, and openly voiced them to Anakin

She was a pilot. A pretty good one, too.

She was a Fashionista ™ and it never diminished her value/importance as a leader/intellect. Seriously, society has this thing where it makes you think you can either be a girly girl, a smart girl, or a tom boy. Padme showed us you could be all three, while wearing the galaxy’s latest fashions.

She was literally a Jewish queen. Natalie Portman is a Jewish woman (as is Carrie Fisher, fyi)

She was a tactical genius. She planned the assault on Theed with the help of Panaka, and Qui Gon.

She openly voiced her displeasure with how Qui Gon did things….to his face.

Captain Tycho was more concerned with Padme doing something reckless instead of Anakin-Extra-Skywalker.

Because she /is/ reckless. She defied the Jedi Order to rescue Obi Wan, ran headfirst into Dooku’s lair to assist Obi Wan and Anakin, used Ahsoka’s Jedi status to break into Separatist space to visit a friend, and God knows what else I’m forgetting from the Clone Wars.

She gave one of the most iconic lines in the entire Star Wars saga: “So this is how liberty dies…with thunderous applause.”

She was a skilled warrior (like the rest of her handmaidens). She was also not afraid to engage in “aggressive negotiations” while diplomacy wouldn’t work.

She was /kind/, so kind to everyone.

She loved with her whole heart??? Friendships, romantic relationships, she put her whole heart into the relationship, and that is a scary thing to do.

In the original drafts of ROTS, she took a knife with her to Mustafar, and planned to kill Anakin if he truly had fallen to the dark side. She was literally willing to kill the love of her life, because he went to the Darkside. That takes guts.

Even so, it also takes guts to confront him /without/ a weapon, instead trying to use her words and her love to reason with him.

She planted the seeds for the Rebellion. In a deleted scene, she, Mon Mothma, and Bail Organa discussed an alliance in deviance to the Emperor… it’s never said rather or not this scene is still considered canon, but since Bail and Mon are the leaders of the Rebellion, I’m keen to say /yes/.

And that’s literally what I can think of on the top of my head!! Padme is awesome, but she gets hated on for not being the traditional hero. She’s not brash like Jyn, or as angry as Leia, or as lonely as Rey. She’s kind, and courageous, and intelligent, and fashionable. She rescues herself, defies orders, and uses her words as weapons. Like??? Padme is literally a queen.