The 10 Saddest Quotes From The Prequel Movies
As with all of Star Wars content, the Star Wars prequel trilogy runs the gamut from happy moments to sad moments, exciting moments of high drama and action to quieter, more intimate moments, and funny moments to more serious moments. It is the diversity of "moments" that Star Wars excels at, unlike any other franchise. This article will highlight some saddest moments of the prequel trilogy, using the quotes associated with them.
1. Shmi Skywalker: "Son, my place is here. My future is here. It is time to let you go." (The Phantom Menace)
After winning the Boonta Eve Podrace and securing the parts that Qui-Gon needs to fix Queen Amidala's starship, Anakin is also freed from slavery and is set on the path of leaving Tatooine and starting his Jedi journey. In doing so, however, he has to leave behind the most important person in the galaxy behind, his mother. His mother, Shmi, is sad to see Anakin go, of course, but she understands that Anakin has an opportunity for a greater destiny than remaining on Tatooine as a slave, and she fully encourages him to pursue it.
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2. Queen Padme Amidala: "It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions. I pray you will bring sanity and compassion back to the Senate." (The Phantom Menace)
After her pleas for the Republic to intervene in the Trade Federation’s invasion of her planet falls on deaf ears in the Senate, Queen Amidala calls for a vote of no-confidence in the current Supreme Chancellor Valorum. Naboo's representative, Senator Palpatine, has been nominated to fill that sudden void. While Queen Amidala is hopeful that Palpatine will make things better in the Senate/Republic if he becomes the next chancellor, she is resigned to the knowledge that it will be up to her to save her people and defeat the Trade Federation occupation of her homeworld.
3. Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Noooooooooooo!" (The Phantom Menace)
Accompanying Queen Amidala back to Naboo, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon engage in a protracted duel with the mysterious Sith Lord, Darth Maul, whom they first encountered on Tatooine. Unfortunately, Qui-Gon is dealt a fatal blow by Maul right in front of Obi-Wan's eyes, and he is helpless at the moment to step in and aid Qui-Gon. Tragically, he can only react in shock and grief at his Master's sudden death.
4. Anakin Skywalker: "I wasn't strong enough to save you, Mom. I wasn't strong enough, but I promise I won't fail again." (Attack of the Clones)
The death of Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi, and Anakin's subsequent reaction to slaughter a village full of Tusken Raiders, some of whom were women and children, were, undoubtedly, the saddest moments of Attack of the Clones. Additionally, Anakin's lingering feelings of failure and guilt for her death also plant the seeds for his later downfall in Revenge of the Sith when he is faced with the prospect of the loss of Padme during childbirth. His fear of losing Padme, combined with his obsession with saving her, unfortunately, leads to him being seduced by the dark side of the Force and becoming the evil he has been trained to fight against as a Jedi Knight.
5. Anakin Skywalker: "What have I done?" (Revenge of the Sith)
Having intervened in the pitched duel between Jedi Master Mace Windu and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and helping Palpatine finish off Mace, Anakin is momentarily in a state of shock and guilt about what he has just done and how his actions has crossed the line to the dark side of the Force. Regrettably, both for him and Padme and, indeed, the entire galaxy, instead of being remorseful about his actions, Anakin ultimately succumbs to his desire to continue following the dark path that Palpatine has laid out in front of him if it means that he will be able to save Padme from her prophesied death.
6. Padme Amidala-Skywalker: "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause." (Revenge of the Sith)
Padme laments the death of democracy in the Republic to her friend and colleague, Bail Organa, as she watches the Republic becomes the Galactic Empire with Palpatine as its Emperor with the support and acclamation of most of her fellow senators right in front of their very eyes.
7. Obi-Wan Kenobi: "I'm so sorry." (Revenge of the Sith)
In an attempt to locate Anakin, Obi-Wan visits with Padme, and reveals the painful truth of everything that happened with the Jedi, the Republic, and Anakin. He also suddenly realizes that Padme is pregnant with Anakin's children and becomes sorrowful about his task of confronting, and likely killing Anakin/Vader.
8. Padme Amidala-Skywalker: "I don't know you anymore! Anakin....you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I can't follow!" (Revenge of the Sith)
While this line may seem a tad on the "cheesy" side and has become a meme in and of itself, it is also a painful moment of realization for Padme that all the horrible things that Obi-Wan told her about Anakin were true and that, despite everything, she can't dissuade him against continuing down his current dark path.
9. Obi-Wan Kenobi: "You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!" (Revenge of the Sith)
Having defeated (but not killed) Anakin, Obi-Wan momentarily rages in his grief and sorrow over the tragic downfall of his former Padawan and friend.
10. Yoda: "Into exile, I must go. Failed, I have." (Revenge of the Sith)
After narrowly escaping with his life following his duel with Emperor Palpatine in the well of the Galactic Senate, Yoda sadly recognizes that he is not strong enough to defeat Palpatine, and that if the Jedi Order were to have any hope of survival, it will have to live on in hiding until a new hope arises to challenge the newly ascendant Sith.
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