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This is one of those obvious things that everybody knows...but I never really thought about it.

In the beginning of AOTC, when Padme is talking to Palpatine and the Jedi, Palpatine persuades the Jedi to watch over Padme. He is "suggestive", and names Obi Wan by name. He is obviously doing this for a reason, he wants Obi Wan to be with Padme.

The obvious answer as to why, would be Palpatine knows that Anakin is Obi Wans padawan. After all Palpatine is close to Anakin, so something is behind his suggestion.

Now he suggests this for one of two reasons. Either he wants Anakin to be with Padme because he knows that it will end up creating a rift between the Jedi Council and Anakin. The only other reason I can come up with is that he is doing it as a "favor" for Anakin.

Personally I am leaning towards the former, only because if Palpatine is doing Anakin a "favor" to strengthen the trust between him and Anakin, then he didn't do a good job of letting him know. What I mean is, if I wanted to do someone a favor to get in their good graces, I would be sure to point out the fact that it was me who was behind the favor. A "Hey, look what I did for you" type of thing. Instead Palpatine says "Well, they have finally given you an assignment." If Palpatine wanted Anakin to know it was him who was behind this assignment, I would think he would have pointed it out. Why do someone a favor to get them to trust you, if they never know it was you in the first place?

That reason is simple, he has alterior motives. That being he wants to break the bond between Anakin and the Jedi. It is obvious that Anakin want's to be the "best" Jedi. So he looks up to the Council...even though he is frustrated by thier lack of trust in him. Palpatine knows he needs a reason for Anakin to have a hatred for the Council....and knowing the whole "Jedi can't love" thing, he wants to use that to his advantage.

Palpatine knows that if he puts Anakin and Padme in a situation together, Anakin will fall in love. Which will eventually create a rift between him and the Council. Allowing Palpatine to step in and take control of him.

Whew! That was rather long winded, only to point out the obvious.


Your thoughts and enjoi !

It could be. Or it could be that he wanted Obi-Wan on the investigation because he didn't think anyone else would be good enough to trace the lead back to Kamino and start the Clone Wars.

Anakin doesn't actually seem to hate the Council- he is a bit narked with Obi-Wan, is all. If anything he is happy with the Council because they actually GAVE him the assignment with Padme, something Obi-Wan would not have done.

A small problem with Palpatine using Padme in any long-term plan is that he ultimately tried to have her killed at the start of AOTC which would clearly prove that he wasn't planning anything with her at all. But that said, it is arguable that the assassination attempts weren't actually designed to kill her at all. Did anyone else notice how pointless it was giving Padme Anakin as a bodyguard? No-one else tried to kill her at all until she went of her own accord to Geonosis. I think it is entirely possible that the assassination attempts were rigged to fail- for a start, what did Zam Wessel do that Jango himself could not? Except DIE, of course, which is why Jango used her. How did Padme survive the assassination attrempt at the start of the film? She used a decoy. But if the bomb was planted by the bad guys who ultimately work for Palpatine... of course he KNOWS she uses decoys, both from being a Naboo citizen, her friend, and in his capacity of having had trouble that way before in TPM!

So... yeah, it is entirely possible that Palpatine was scheming to get Anakin back in close contact with Amidala ASAP. I am unsure if it was to create a rift, though- I think he just knew she would be Anakin's emotional vulnerability.

hm...

Most interesting.

much joyfulness.

Intriguing ideas, gentlemen.

long winded....but very intriguing indeed:-)

Would GL think such things through that deeply, I wonder....

But it does make sense.

George Lucas is obviously thinkng on a whole higher platform then we are able to grasp at times, I think.

Hmmmm.... I wonder.

hm...GL very smart

Yes he has proven his mental capabilities time and time again. And he must be one of the most patient people in the entertainment field. Just think of how long it has taken so far to unveil the Star Wars storyline.

i'd be at his funeral even if im not invited, imagine how many would be there! i'd kick and scream into his funeral

I don't think we should go quite that far!

yea why talk of funerals....such a sad thought

Hopefully GL will be around for years to come so he can complete his non-SW projects and feel totally fulfilled.

I think thats what we all want.

true.....more movies.....that are imaginative....and scifish

Perticually more SW.

He doesn't want to do more SW.

We can still enjoy his other projects.

Yeah they will definitely good. But theres no saga like SW!

Yes nothing like a good Star Wars film to launch a fandom now reaching throughout the globe. Thanks goodness Mr Lucas decided to do the current series of films. Otherwise most of the fans here probably would not even know of the originals.

SW probably GL at his best, hes growing old

True but I think he will be with us for some time to come.

I choose to remain optimistic about these things.

I do too.

Optimism makes the world go round....

I thought it was the centrifugal forces?

It somtimes make the world stop.?