Finding the Joy in Attack of the Clones

Welcome! This is the third installment of a new series here on Anakin and His Angel where I will share my favorite moment in which one or more characters experiences joy from each of the Star Wars films. I started off with Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Phantom Menace and will be continuing with the Prequel Trilogy today.

When I was pondering on some of my favorite scenes from Attack of the Clones I came to realize that none of them really fell under the category of "Joy". Scenes like the battle on Geonosis and Anakin and Padme's first kiss definitely bring me joy because of how much I love them but this series is about recognizing joy within the characters. As I thought about it I remembered a scene between Anakin and Padme that's filled with laughter and continuous smiles and I knew it was the one.

The Meadow Picnic scene takes place on Padme's home planet Naboo, one of my favorite locations in all of Star Wars. By this time in the film Anakin and Padme have been in each other's presence quite a bit since Anakin has been assigned as Padme's bodyguard to protect her from several attempts made on her life. They traveled from Coruscant to Naboo to escape the chaotic nature of things for a while. Since their daily routines were put on hold they kept themselves busy on their trip with simple pleasures. One of them being a picnic on the greenest of fields with several gorgeous waterfalls nearby and the fluffiest clouds you could imagine. After casually talking about politics and partaking in a bit of teasing they set off to run around in a care-free manner and enjoy what the planet had to offer. Being the show off that Anakin is, he jumped on top of a shaak trying to keep his balance. But of course that didn't last long. He falls off and takes the opportunity to fake being hurt. Padme runs to his aid with fear in her eyes only to find that Anakin was laughing hysterically as she turned him right side up. She laughs and swings at him playfully for tricking her and the two continue to giggle and roll around in the grass.

In this scene we see Anakin and Padme just let themselves be. No Jedi business, no politics. Just Anakin and his angel enjoying each other's company. It's one of the purest moments that we see between them in the Prequel Trilogy and probably the most that we see them laugh and smile at one another. I absolutely love it! Their relationship introduced to them a remarkable joy neither one had experienced before. Whenever they were together they were happy and we see that portrayed multiple times throughout the films and The Clone Wars.

There is nothing like being with a loved one whether it be someone you're dating, a spouse, a family member or a friend with whom you can be completely yourself with. It's moments with them that create some of the best memories because we get to experience that joy of being together! I also think this scene is a good reminder that sometimes we need a break from school, work and the stresses of life to just refresh our minds and experience things that bring us joy. It could be a trip or simply a relaxing weekend without social media or refraining from answering emails and phone calls. Even a picnic with your favorite person would be a pleasant treat. That's right, a picnic. Remember those? It's really so important to enjoy ourselves and the people around us in this life we've been given.

In your opinion, what is the most joyous moment in Attack of the Clones? Leave a comment below or get in touch with me on Twitter or Instagram.

Thanks to: StarWarsScreencaps.com for the photos.