Hidden Heroines
In all three trilogies of the Skywalker Saga, the royal heroine’s true identity is hidden at first, and this protects her from the machinations of the saga’s arch-nemesis, Palpatine.
In The Phantom Menace, the young Queen Amidala of Naboo has a lookalike handmaid with whom she frequently switches places. It is not until later in the film that Anakin Skywalker learns that Padmé, the handmaid he befriended on Tatooine, was in fact the Queen. As she explains to the Gungan leader Boss Nass, “I’m sorry for my deception, but it was necessary to protect myself.” Ultimately, Padmé Amidala uses her secret identity not only for defense but for offense. During the final battle, her “decoy” helps her outwit the leaders of the Trade Federation – which, unbeknownst to her, targeted her planet at the behest of Palpatine, her trusted senator and advisor.
In A New Hope, Leia Organa is presented as a Princess of Alderaan. It is not until Return of the Jedi that she learns that she is actually the daughter of Padmé and Anakin. As the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi explains to her brother, Luke Skywalker, “to protect you both from the Emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born.”
In The Force Awakens, Rey has grown up on the planet Jakku without knowing her family history. It is not until The Rise of Skywalker that she learns that her parents hid her on Jakku to protect her from her grandfather, Emperor Palpatine. Although Luke and Leia knew this, Luke’s ghost explains to Rey that they kept the truth from her because her past need not decide her future: “Some things are stronger than blood.” Ultimately, Rey’s growing up and being trained in the ways of the Force without any knowledge of her connection to Palpatine enables her to confront and defeat him without becoming like him.
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Characters: Leia Organa / Luke Skywalker / Obi-Wan Kenobi / Padmé Amidala / Rey
Films: Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode VI: Return of the Jedi / Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
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Concepts: hiding / identity / royalty / safety and security / truth and falsehood
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