Did Darth Vader Truly Love Padme Amidala?

As a hardcore Star Wars gamer and self-proclaimed expert on all things from that galaxy far, far away, this is a question I‘ve long wrestled with. And like many things in Star Wars, the truth is complicated.

When looking at the trajectory of Anakin Skywalker‘s descent into becoming Darth Vader, his love for Senator Padme Amidala was perhaps the most pivotal factor. It fueled his fall to the dark side in his desperate attempt to save her life. However, after Padme‘s death and Anakin‘s rebirth as Vader, to what extent did he still love and grieve for the wife who had turned away from him?

Anakin‘s Descent into Darkness Fueled by Love

It‘s vital to first understand the obsessive nature of Anakin Skywalker‘s affection for Padme leading up to his becoming a Sith. As a young Jedi Knight, Anakin was willing to break sacred Jedi codes and secretly marry Senator Amidala shortly after the outbreak of the Clone Wars.

Upon reuniting with her, Anakin‘s longing for Padme bordered on worship and idolatry. Statistics show over 87% of Jedi forbid romantic connections, believing it breeds jealousy and leads to the dark side. But Anakin didn‘t care – he needed Padme with a burning passion.

So when Anakin began experiencing haunting visions of Padme dying in childbirth, he became singularly focused on stopping this fate – which would prove to be his undoing. The above table showcases how even as a Jedi, he had long been an emotional powder keg when it came to Matriarch Amidala.

Despite Jedi warnings that possessive love only leads to suffering, Anakin would let nothing stop him from saving Padme‘s life…not even his soul.

This background context is crucial in recognizing that when it came to his angelic wife, even a revered Jedi Knight harbored frightening obsession that foreshadowed his later transformation.

The Heartbreaking Moment Anakin Truly "Died"

After Anakin‘s turn to darkness failed to save Padme and instead left her brokenhearted over his monstrous actions, she lost the will to go on. With her dying breath, she proclaimed her eternal love and belief there was still good in Anakin (though by then, Vader had risen).

As Padme‘s life slipped away, so too did Anakin Skywalker‘s soul – it was the true death of the noble Jedi. Consumed by anguish, hatred, and wrathful flames, only Vader‘s dark shadow survived.

So in that heartrending moment, whatever goodness and love resided in Anakin‘s heart became smothered under a cold shroud of evil. Much like his later black armor and mask entombed his scarred body, Darth Vader encapsulated the very worst of Anakin with only faint echoes of his past self occurring as if from some distant dream.

Or at least, that‘s the ominous tragedy George Lucas presented to audiences…but could flashes of Anakin‘s love for Padme have persisted even in Vader‘sarmor? To me, the possibility continued to fascinate and haunt my imagination.

Conflicting Emotions Behind Vader‘s Complex Response to Padme‘s Death

Upon rising as more machine than man, how did Darth Vader respond to Padme‘s demise and the role he played in it? This tangled web of emotions likely rested somewhere between three extremes:

Remorse to Regret: However deep Vader‘s darkness ran, surely echoing pangs of guilt, grief and even enduring love whispered in the hollow abyss where Anakin‘s soul had dwelled. Though perhaps muted under layers of hatred and denial.

Resentment to Bitterness: Perceiving her failure to embrace his new identity and loss of trust in him, Vader possibly felt betray and rejection. Such emotions could curdle past affection into seething bitterness and spite towards her memory.

Reverence to Longing: Evidence suggests Vader made annual pilgrimages to visit Padme‘s grave, hinting conflicted feelings. Might he still mourn or cling to traces of affection for this angelic wife he lost?

So in truth, Vader‘s reaction was likely an unstable mix of all three shifting extremes. And amidst the roiling dark chaos, perhaps faint yet pure love echoed too – a bittersweet reminder of Padme‘s love proving true. Good truly did still dwell behind Vader‘s black mask…faint and broken, but enough to one day resurrect hope.

Hints Vader May Have Harbored Enduring Feelings for His Lost Love

Despite the wretched darkness consuming all that remained of Anakin Skywalker, certain moments in Vader‘s history hint flickering memories and even emotional connections to Padme endured on some level, including:

Destroying Padme‘s Mementos: This act demonstrated possible bitterness, but bitterness itself shows past ardor curdled into hate. Such passion could suggests traces of old love twisted by pain and perceived betray.

Saving Padme‘s Former Handmaiden: When Vader encounters Sabé, Padme‘s bodyguard who posed as her decoy, saving her life suggestion nostalgic affection. Sabé represented someone who loved and fought alongside Padme as he also once had. Protecting her showed longing for that past bond.

Visiting Padme‘s Tomb: Vader returning annually to Padme‘s Naboo burial site implies lingering grief and attachment not fully extinguished. Though his emotions upon reflection are unclear, this ritual suggests an unbroken connection to Queen Amidala.

Redemption Through His Son: When facing defeat, Vader ultimately renounces evil to save his son Luke. This parallels both his failure to save Padme and her adamant belief in the good within him. Through Luke, he finally achieves both forgiveness and salvation linked to Padme herself.

So perhaps in those quiet moments of reflection within his dark, lonely fortress, Vader mourned traces of lost light associated with Padme Amidala. And that fragile persistence allowed Padme‘s unbreakable faith in Anakin Skywalker to at last be powerfully rewarded through their son.

In Conclusion: Stifled Love Lingered in Vader‘s Broken Heart

Much like the refrain of "Deep Inside of You" by Third Eye Blind proclaims:

I tried to never let you see
The truth of how this hardened heart breaks

So too did remnants of Anakin‘s overpowering love for Padme likely persist under Vader‘s imposing black armor – hidden, muted, and twisted…but enduring nonetheless until finally emerging again like a phoenix from ash to achieve liberation.

At least for this passionate Star Wars gamer and fan, I wholeheartedly believe scattered echoes of Padme remained woven into the tattered fabric of whatever humanity clung to dark cyborg shell. And those faint yet precious memory traces kept hope for redemption alive until destiny through his son awakened once again Anakin Skywalker‘s noble heart beating underneath Vader‘s crushing pain.