Star Wars: The Rebel Alliance’s Birth Completes A 23-Year-Old Padme Plot At Last

Review

One brilliant moment from Andor season 2 not only birthed the Rebel Alliance but also brought one 23-year-old Padmé Amidala storyline full-circle. Andor season 2 is much closer in the Star Wars timeline to A New Hope than it is to Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, yet it feels like the perfect sequel to the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In part, this is because it has continued myriad arcs from those three movies, not only with characters like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, but also with the larger narrative and themes.

That is, Andor season 2 offers a deeper look into the terrifying, violent regime that Palpatine built in Revenge of the Sith and how those early days morphed into the brutal oppression seen across the galaxy. The Ghorman Massacre in Andor season 2, episode 8, is just one of several key examples. However, one scene in Andor season 2, episode 9, has a subtle connection not to Revenge of the Sith but to Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, and it’s all to do with Padmé’s legacy.

Mon Mothma's Andor Season 2 Speech Was The Birth Of The Rebel Alliance

This Was The Catalyzing Event For The Formation Of The Rebel Alliance

Mon Mothma’s passionate speech decrying Palpatine and the Empire before the Senate is one of the most powerful scenes not only in Andor season 2 but also across all Star Wars movies and TV shows. Finally, Palpatine was called out by name after years of maintaining a facade as a sincere leader (who some believed had nothing to do with the heinous acts being carried out by the Empire). This brave move proves that Andor season 2 perfects George Lucas’ vision for Star Wars, as this type of resistance to power has defined the franchise from the start.

This speech will also lead directly to the creation of the Rebel Alliance. Up until that point in Andor, there had been countless rebel cells across the galaxy, but now, ing this speech, they will actually come together and form the alliance that is shown throughout the original trilogy. In fact, Star Wars Rebels almost acts as a fourth Andor season 2 episode for this arc, as it contains the subsequent speech that Mon Mothma delivers immediately after this one, calling upon the rebel cells to come together.

Mon's Speech Mirrors A Deleted Padmé Speech From Attack Of The Clones

Like Mon, Padmé Gave An Impassioned Speech Before The Senate

This speech from Mon Mothma in Andor season 2 actually connects back to a speech Padmé gave before the Senate in Attack of the Clones, although if that doesn’t sound familiar, it’s not just you. This speech by Padmé, for whatever reason, was cut from the final version of the movie, but it can be found online as one of the deleted scenes from Attack of the Clones. In this speech, Padmé demands before Palpatine and the entire Senate, “Wake up, Senators! You must wake up!”

In this speech, Padmé demands before Palpatine and the entire Senate, “Wake up, Senators! You must wake up!”

In this case, Padmé was speaking about the building tensions and proposed increased security measures, as well as the ways in which the Republic seemed destined for war. Unsurprisingly, given all Padmé experienced in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, she was ardently against war and was wary about what war breaking out would mean for the Republic. When the Clone Wars eventually began, Padmé did end up fighting in her own way, as was shown in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but during this speech, she was trying her best to prevent this very outcome.

One Speech Warned Against War; The Other Initiated It

Both Still Had The Same Mission

There is one interesting distinction between Mon Mothma’s speech in Andor season 2 and Padmé’s in Attack of the Clones, although they are actually fighting the same battle. In Padmé’s case, she was attempting to prevent a war, whereas Mon was looking to start one. However, both women were attempting to defend peace and justice in the galaxy, with Padmé anticipating what an insidious turn a war would take and Mon realizing that war was the only way out of oppression.

In Padmé’s case, she was attempting to prevent a war, whereas Mon was looking to start one.

What this boils down to, really, is both Padmé and Mon Mothma resisting Palpatine’s control and pushing back against his oppression of the galaxy. Padmé wasn’t aware of the massive threat Palpatine posed at the time, but she anticipated grave danger for the Republic should they engage in war—and she was right. It is only 23 years after this speech by Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones that we see this moment come full-circle, with Mon Mothma also using her platform in the Senate to fight back against Emperor Palpatine in Andor season 2.

New episodes of Andor season 2 release weekly on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.

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  Andor

  TV-14 Action & Adventure Drama Thriller Sci-Fi

  8/10

  Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, ing Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.

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  Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones

  PG Action Adventure Sci-Fi Fantasy

  5/10

  Years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Skywalker Saga continues with Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones. When Senator Padme Amidala's life is threatened, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with her protection. While Obi-Wan uncovers a clone army made in secret, Anakin falls in love with Padme, marking the beginning of his inevitable fall to the dark side of the Force.