THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM

“Revenge of the Sith”, the final Star Wars prequel, takes its time to recount the status quo of the original “Star Wars” that is going to be reached by the end of its runtime: the fall of Anakin Skywalker. The film itself has a scene encompassing crisis and opportunity for him to change sides. After Chancellor Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is the enemy of the Jedi, director George Lucas and editors Ben Burtt and Roger Barton present us a scene that intercuts shots of Padme, Anakin’s wife, with shots of Anakin, in a different location. These are organized in a way that is able to convey the idea of them being aware of each other at that very moment. 

Suggestions to this start at the beginning of the scene, with two shots pushing in on Padme: first, a long shot; second, a medium close-up. Split into them are two actions: her, sitting on the sofa, facing down; and her, lifting her head as if a thought came to mind. We then cut to the Jedi temple, where Anakin sits (facing the opposite direction of her). The scene is quiet, without words except for Palpatine’s voice, briefly evoked as an echo, reminding Anakin that without him, he won’t be able to save Padme from prophesized death. Ambient sounds are dim, while John Williams’ music dominates – a mixture of bass, synth, and female chants underscoring Anakin’s pain. 

His shots before going back to Padme end with him taking a deep breath, and when we cut to her, she stands and walks to the window. Once she reaches the window and looks straight ahead, we cut to a shot of the city, pushing in towards the temple, and then to Anakin, who also approaches the window. The connection is reinforced when we cut from a close-up of Anakin gazing out, to another push in of the city – this time towards their apartment –, and then to a close-up of Padme, still looking. The final association comes when the close-ups are cut right next to each other. Anakin crying and Padme then lowering her head consolidate a metaphysical place, with both together and not in a separate space, Padme attempting to console her aching husband in his impotence and the inevitability of her fate, but ultimately being unable to do so – the distance that really separates them being life and death.


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