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"After her audience with Queen Jamillia, Padmé rushed to change once again before heading into Theed to visit her family. She did not want to arrive looking like a Senator. Once she had dressed, she covered herself in a long, hooded, silver cloak in which she could pass incognito through Theed. Underneath she wore a long skirt with a split front. Padmé’s midriff was bare, and her light-blue top was a tight-fitting affair with a polo neck. Finally, the Senator's hair was simply arranged with a broad, grey-green metallic hairband.[...]When Padmé arrived at her parents' house, she could finally be herself. She removed her silver travelling cloak and revealed a relaxed outfit in blue. Her whole appearance spoke of the weight that had been lifted from her shoulders."

“It’s time, Mon,” Bail said grimly.” It’s time to stop talking and start doing, We have to bring in the Senate.“

the girl and the queen

Even as Senator Amidala without the highly ceremonial makeup, hairpieces and clothing she wore as Queen, she kept the polished, serious demeanor she'd used as a monarch. Even her voice changes (slightly deeper in timbre and more measured in inflection) when she speaks as Amidala. Her smiles are cooler; it is rare for her to truly laugh. She'll politely chuckle instead.

In short, she acts a bit less human as Amidala. All of these affectations helped her handmaidens continue to impersonate her when needed during her Senate career, because they could all learn to put on the same mask. But they also meant that almost no one knew Padmé. Once she moved to Coruscant, she even kept her family at arms' length, initially out of a desire not to worry them over things they could not control. And, living so far from her, they are not a part of her everyday life.

This is a large factor in why Padmé falls for Anakin so hard and so fast in AOTC. He is the one person in her life who sees, talks to and interacts with her as Padmé. We see him listening to her ideas about how to deal with the assassin. He's the only one who shares her desire to find and catch the guy, rather than just act as additional bodyguards for her. Once they are on Naboo, we see her really and truly laughing with him. And we see her opening up about her fears, insecurities and unrealized dreams.

Padme Amidala.

✨🪐 Padme Amidala Naberrie

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