Obi-Wan the Matchmaker?
Why does Obiwan let Anakin take Padme back to Naboo? He should know better!
INT. JEDI TEMPLE, COUNCIL CHAMBER - SUNSET
MACE WINDU
Where is your apprentice?
OBI-WAN
On his way back to Naboo. He is escorting Senator Amidala home.
They are standing, looking out through the tall windows at the great plaza below. YODA sits in his chair.
OBI-WAN (continuing)
I must admit, without the clones it would not have been a victory.
Alright, time out! I don't know about you, but I smell something fishy here.
Mace is the #2 Jedi in the galaxy, so we can probably assume he can sense that Anakin isn't on-planet. Obi-Wan, buddy, an apprentice's place is with his master, and we're supposed to be planning our next move here - so where is your headstrong and very important Chosen One apprentice? Oh, he's out escorting the girl he told me he's been madly in love with for ten years home, by himself, unchaperoned. Yeah. Uh-huh.
Obi-Wan was the one originally assigned to protect Padme. Since Obi-Wan didn't escort Padme to Naboo and Mace doesn't ask why Obi-Wan isn't doing so, it appears that her Jedi protection has been cancelled. So why is Anakin escorting her home? And why did Obi-Wan let him?
Obi-Wan knows perfectly well how Anakin feels about Padme. Anakin as good as told him he was obsessed with her. Obi-Wan was present when Padme immediately ran to Anakin when she saw him wounded, which is a big clue that she isn't indifferent to him either. Use the brain, Ben! Hmm... I left them alone together and they fell in love... I know; I'll send Anakin to escort her home by himself!
I don't think so.
And you notice how quickly he changes the subject? "He is escorting Senator Amidala home. I must admit, without the clones it would not have been a victory." Now there's a non-sequiter if I ever heard one. Oh, yes, my apprentice is probably breaking the Jedi Code as we speak... so let's talk about something else!
Was it so traumatic watching Anakin's arm get lopped that Obi-Wan's willing to completely reverse his earlier position and go against everything he believes in to help Anakin conceal a marriage? Maybe. But it's a stretch. It goes so much against everything we saw of Obi-Wan up to that point. This is Mr.-Do-not-defy-the-Council-Master-Not-Again we're talking about. Would he want to help Anakin by helping him do something Obi-Wan thought would only damage Anakin further in the end?
In Episode III, he doesn't seem at all surprised that Padme is pregnant and Anakin is the father. In fact, he doesn't actually ask her if that's the case - he just throws out that he supposes it is so and doesn't bother to wait for her to confirm it. He already knows.
Just how long has he known that Anakin and Padme were in a relationship close enough to result in children? A few minutes? Days? Weeks?
Or three years?
All I can say is, Obi-Wan has a lot of explaining to do.
INT. JEDI TEMPLE, COUNCIL CHAMBER - SUNSET
MACE WINDU
Where is your apprentice?
OBI-WAN
On his way back to Naboo. He is escorting Senator Amidala home.
They are standing, looking out through the tall windows at the great plaza below. YODA sits in his chair.
OBI-WAN (continuing)
I must admit, without the clones it would not have been a victory.
Alright, time out! I don't know about you, but I smell something fishy here.
Mace is the #2 Jedi in the galaxy, so we can probably assume he can sense that Anakin isn't on-planet. Obi-Wan, buddy, an apprentice's place is with his master, and we're supposed to be planning our next move here - so where is your headstrong and very important Chosen One apprentice? Oh, he's out escorting the girl he told me he's been madly in love with for ten years home, by himself, unchaperoned. Yeah. Uh-huh.
Obi-Wan was the one originally assigned to protect Padme. Since Obi-Wan didn't escort Padme to Naboo and Mace doesn't ask why Obi-Wan isn't doing so, it appears that her Jedi protection has been cancelled. So why is Anakin escorting her home? And why did Obi-Wan let him?
Obi-Wan knows perfectly well how Anakin feels about Padme. Anakin as good as told him he was obsessed with her. Obi-Wan was present when Padme immediately ran to Anakin when she saw him wounded, which is a big clue that she isn't indifferent to him either. Use the brain, Ben! Hmm... I left them alone together and they fell in love... I know; I'll send Anakin to escort her home by himself!
I don't think so.
And you notice how quickly he changes the subject? "He is escorting Senator Amidala home. I must admit, without the clones it would not have been a victory." Now there's a non-sequiter if I ever heard one. Oh, yes, my apprentice is probably breaking the Jedi Code as we speak... so let's talk about something else!
Was it so traumatic watching Anakin's arm get lopped that Obi-Wan's willing to completely reverse his earlier position and go against everything he believes in to help Anakin conceal a marriage? Maybe. But it's a stretch. It goes so much against everything we saw of Obi-Wan up to that point. This is Mr.-Do-not-defy-the-Council-Master-Not-Again we're talking about. Would he want to help Anakin by helping him do something Obi-Wan thought would only damage Anakin further in the end?
In Episode III, he doesn't seem at all surprised that Padme is pregnant and Anakin is the father. In fact, he doesn't actually ask her if that's the case - he just throws out that he supposes it is so and doesn't bother to wait for her to confirm it. He already knows.
Just how long has he known that Anakin and Padme were in a relationship close enough to result in children? A few minutes? Days? Weeks?
Or three years?
All I can say is, Obi-Wan has a lot of explaining to do.