Re: Lyra -- definitely! I think that does feed into her self-righteousness, definitely, along with just being a person who rages against injustice and has a very black and white approach to things. I get the feeling that she adores her father, but struggles to understand him, and has this epic cognitive dissonance between 'they're criminals! they deserve to be punished!' and 'daddy' who did the exact same thing.
I definitely get the feeling that Luke was held back -- probably more than Anakin. Well, obviously more than Anakin, since Anakin was actually taught how to use his abilities, if not as much as he'd have liked, while Luke's have to come out in comparatively mundane things. And that's where a lot of his towering frustration comes from, he just can't articulate it. So I expect he'd have ~feelings~ about that.
I do agree about Anakin -- and yeah, that would have been the best thing. But oh noes, it might further entrench his attachment to his mother, so of course they wouldn't do that.
Re: Naboo -- yeah, I'm not sure how much being monarch would actually entail. I mean, it's a big thing regardless, but I don't think it's the responsibility that being a medieval ruler would be, say. Is it a constitutional monarchy? Was the position supposed to be more ceremonial than not? Or is it just like being the head of any other state?
Honestly, I'm not sure the fact that some kids can do something okayish means that it's good for them (or the state) to do it, even if they're passionately interested. Fifteen-year-old Anakin would have had no business being a Jedi Master, say, no matter how much he might have wanted to be one (and I don't imagine being a general was good for twenty-one-ish Anakin, either, however gifted he might have been).
I agree that someone like Padmé (and I don't imagine her predecessors/successors were really at her level -- she should be exceptional) needs more than class president, but ... I don't think it's abusive to have minimum age requirements. In my country, for instance, the head of state is required to be thirty-five or older, given the requirements of the position. But it's perfectly possible (and necessary) to get real world experience before then, if your inclinations run in that direction. But not as mayor or something like that, either.
Personally, I think -- even if kids are reasonably gifted and passionate about politics, pushing them into positions of immense responsibility, quite probable danger to their lives, and 24/7 work is still an abusive system. Hence wondering what child labour laws on Naboo even look like, and how Coruscanti politicians would even deal with that. (The handmaidens/decoys add to the creepiness for me, I have to say.)
I do agree about the cheapening of the awesome! I...honestly don't see why it couldn't have just been a hereditary monarchy. We know they exist in the GFFA (Leia!). Sometimes a ruler dies and the crown does fall to a young heir -- and in RL, most of the time the government is like "oh shit" but every once in awhile you get a great one. And Padmé could have been that, rather than part of a systematic thing.
Re: baby Padmé -- hmm, I didn't really see her like Leia. But then, I'm not sure how good Leia really is with people so much as systems. Padmé, I imagine, would struggle a lot more with direct leadership than with negotiating and diplomacy, where I suspect it was the other way around with Leia. Padmé definitely has a kindness and gentleness and just basic serenity that's not like either of her parents.
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I definitely get the feeling that Luke was held back -- probably more than Anakin. Well, obviously more than Anakin, since Anakin was actually taught how to use his abilities, if not as much as he'd have liked, while Luke's have to come out in comparatively mundane things. And that's where a lot of his towering frustration comes from, he just can't articulate it. So I expect he'd have ~feelings~ about that.
I do agree about Anakin -- and yeah, that would have been the best thing. But oh noes, it might further entrench his attachment to his mother, so of course they wouldn't do that.
Re: Naboo -- yeah, I'm not sure how much being monarch would actually entail. I mean, it's a big thing regardless, but I don't think it's the responsibility that being a medieval ruler would be, say. Is it a constitutional monarchy? Was the position supposed to be more ceremonial than not? Or is it just like being the head of any other state?
Honestly, I'm not sure the fact that some kids can do something okayish means that it's good for them (or the state) to do it, even if they're passionately interested. Fifteen-year-old Anakin would have had no business being a Jedi Master, say, no matter how much he might have wanted to be one (and I don't imagine being a general was good for twenty-one-ish Anakin, either, however gifted he might have been).
I agree that someone like Padmé (and I don't imagine her predecessors/successors were really at her level -- she should be exceptional) needs more than class president, but ... I don't think it's abusive to have minimum age requirements. In my country, for instance, the head of state is required to be thirty-five or older, given the requirements of the position. But it's perfectly possible (and necessary) to get real world experience before then, if your inclinations run in that direction. But not as mayor or something like that, either.
Personally, I think -- even if kids are reasonably gifted and passionate about politics, pushing them into positions of immense responsibility, quite probable danger to their lives, and 24/7 work is still an abusive system. Hence wondering what child labour laws on Naboo even look like, and how Coruscanti politicians would even deal with that. (The handmaidens/decoys add to the creepiness for me, I have to say.)
I do agree about the cheapening of the awesome! I...honestly don't see why it couldn't have just been a hereditary monarchy. We know they exist in the GFFA (Leia!). Sometimes a ruler dies and the crown does fall to a young heir -- and in RL, most of the time the government is like "oh shit" but every once in awhile you get a great one. And Padmé could have been that, rather than part of a systematic thing.
Re: baby Padmé -- hmm, I didn't really see her like Leia. But then, I'm not sure how good Leia really is with people so much as systems. Padmé, I imagine, would struggle a lot more with direct leadership than with negotiating and diplomacy, where I suspect it was the other way around with Leia. Padmé definitely has a kindness and gentleness and just basic serenity that's not like either of her parents.