In Attack of the Clones, there’s a subtle but fascinating moment early in the film — one that perfectly captures Palpatine’s ability to manipulate everyone around him.
After Padmé narrowly survives an assassination attempt, the Jedi Council debates assigning protection for her safety. And that’s when Palpatine steps in with an oddly phrased suggestion:
“I realize all too well that additional security might be disruptive for you, Senator.”
At first, it sounds polite — even considerate. But coming from Palpatine, nothing is ever that simple. So what exactly did he mean by “disruptive”? Was it genuine concern… or another step in his plan to bring Anakin and Padmé closer together, and ultimately push the young Jedi toward the dark side?
Palpatine’s Manipulation Hidden Behind Politeness
On the surface, it sounds polite, even sympathetic—a Chancellor trying to respect Padmé’s independence. But beneath that polished tone lies a subtle psychological trick. Palpatine wasn’t discouraging protection; he was carefully leading the Jedi toward his desired outcome. Using what feels like reverse psychology, he planted the idea that maybe, if security had to be imposed, it should come from someone Padmé already knew and trusted.
That’s when he makes the suggestion that changes everything: “Perhaps someone you are familiar with… an old friend like… Master Kenobi.” Mace Windu immediately agrees that Obi-Wan is a reasonable choice, not realizing that by accepting Palpatine’s idea, the Jedi were walking right into his trap.
It’s a brilliant move when you think about it. Palpatine knows Padmé would resist being confined or overprotected, but by suggesting someone she trusts, he makes her accept the arrangement willingly. And because Obi-Wan rarely travels alone, that decision inevitably brings Anakin back into her life. It’s the perfect setup—engineered entirely through suggestion, not command.
Once Anakin and Padmé reunite, everything unfolds exactly as Palpatine intends. Anakin’s feelings for her resurface almost instantly, and his emotions—love, desire, frustration—begin to conflict with his Jedi training. His early dialogue reveals that internal storm:
“She didn’t even recognize me, Jar Jar. I thought about her every day since we parted… and she’s forgotten me completely.”
That frustration, the longing, and the sense of rejection—all of it feeds into Palpatine’s larger design. The Chancellor is fully aware that attachment leads to vulnerability, and vulnerability leads to anger. By orchestrating this reunion, he gives Anakin a direct path toward those emotions that the Jedi fear most.
Even Padmé’s insistence that she doesn’t want more guards works in Palpatine’s favor. When she says, “Chancellor, please! I don’t want any more guards!” he immediately counters with that soft, persuasive tone—pretending to respect her wishes while manipulating the situation to his advantage. He’s not protecting her; he’s placing her exactly where she needs to be for his plan to work.
From this single exchange, Palpatine achieves multiple goals at once. He gains Padmé’s trust, nudges the Jedi Council into doing what he wants, and positions Anakin into an emotionally charged mission that will test his loyalty, his restraint, and ultimately his identity. It’s a masterclass in psychological manipulation—what looks like kindness on the surface is, in truth, the opening move in Anakin’s fall to the dark side.
How It All Led to Anakin’s Downfall
For Anakin Skywalker, the assignment to protect Senator Amidala was never just another mission — it was the first real crack in his armor as a Jedi. What began as a duty of service quickly turned into something far more personal. At first, he tried to treat it as a professional task, but his suppressed emotions from The Phantom Menace — admiration, attachment, and infatuation — all came flooding back.
During their time together on Naboo, those emotions grew unchecked. Every shared glance, every quiet moment away from Coruscant’s politics, chipped away at the Jedi conditioning meant to suppress such feelings. By the time Anakin confessed his love — “I’m haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me” — he had already fallen into the very trap Palpatine had set. What the Jedi warned against, Palpatine actively encouraged. He didn’t need to tell Anakin to defy the Code — he only needed to create the circumstances where Anakin would want to.
That’s the brilliance of Palpatine’s manipulation. By simply arranging this “protective” assignment, he planted the seed of emotional dependency. Over the next few years, that dependency would transform into fear — fear of losing Padmé, the same fear that Palpatine would later exploit in Revenge of the Sith. When Anakin sees visions of her dying, he doesn’t turn to the Jedi for help. He turns to the only person who has always encouraged his emotions instead of repressing them: Chancellor Palpatine.