It looks like the final meeting on Mustafar between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith almost played out much differently to what we saw in the final chapter of the Prequel Trilogy, with Lucasfilm concept artist Ian McCaig revealing that George Lucas’ original plan was to have Padme attempting to end the threat of the newly-anointed Dark Lord of the Sith.
“Right behind his back, [Padme] is starting the Rebellion to overthrow him, because Padme can see the he is becoming a monster,” said McCaig (via Comic Book). “At the end, on Mustafar, when she goes to see [Anakin], she has a knife in her hands. She gets off the ship with the knife, she runs up and throws her arms around him, and he lets her. She’s got the knife to the back of [Anakin’s] neck and she’s going to kill him. [Again], he lets her. But she can’t do it. She loves him too much to stop him, even when he becomes the monster.”
It’s unclear why George changed his mind, opting instead to have Padme plead with Anakin by telling him “You’re breaking my heart”, but this would certainly have added some extra emotional weight to what is already one of the more powerful scenes in the Prequel Trilogy.
What do you make of this alternate ending? Let us know in the comments below…
Originally published May 20, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
