This Disturbing Star Wars Theory Will Totally Change How You View Padme’s Death

While it may seem like something the Emperor would do to further his own agenda, it stands to reason he didn’t factor into Padmé Amidala’s demise. One Redditor, u/cactusmaac, broke down why this longstanding fan theory doesn’t hold much weight in a thread on the topic. “The Emperor did not have the knowledge, ability or motivation to suck Padmé’s life force into Anakin,” they wrote, explaining that the former Chancellor Palpatine couldn’t have done it because he lacked the Force ability to do so, killing Padmé would’ve put him on Vader’s bad side if he ever learned the truth, and the best “Star Wars” prequel, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” supplies no substantial evidence of his involvement.

Additionally, they also touched on the reality of Padmé’s death. Since “Revenge of the Sith” hit theaters in 2005, her dying of “sadness” has baffled “Star Wars” fans and led to countless jokes and memes ragging on director George Lucas’ vague narrative choice. In truth, theoretically, it’s not impossible for someone’s health to severely decline due to extreme sadness. As u/cactusmaac pointed out, this condition is called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — colloquially known as broken-heart syndrome — and occurs when an intense emotional or physical experience leads the heart’s main chamber to change its shape and struggle to pump blood effectively. It’s often temporary, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Padmé developed a similar fatal condition.

The Emperor is undeniably a vile, twisted individual who spreads pain and misery across the galaxy. At the same time, attributing the death of Padmé Amidala to him might not be the most factually sound claim to make.