The Naboo Lake Country

When her life is threatened, Senator Amidala feels it’s wrong to turn around and hide but reluctantly agrees to at the urging of the Queen of Naboo, amongst others.  Anakin Skywalker, her Jedi bodyguard accompanies her to the Lake Country Retreat, a place of the Senator’s choosing. It is there that a dangerous and forbidden love will take root and blossom. Let’s take a look at some of the things that happened in the Lake Country that didn’t make it into the film.

PADDY ACCU

After leaving the Naberrie home, Anakin and Padmé take a water speeder to the lake retreat. The floating speeder is driven by a man named Paddy Accu who is described as the Naboo lake retreat caretaker in the screenplay. In the 2nd draft of the script, his name is actually Paddu Accu but that appears to have been altered for The Art of Attack of the Clones version of the script. The two related excerpts differ slightly.

It appears that this scene was filmed. In some of the documentary footage from Starwars.com and other places, there are shots of the crew filming what I assume to be part of this scene. The crew are on some moving vehicles/platforms on the water and they appear to be moving pretty quickly as if tracking another water vehicle.

In the finished film, we don’t see where Padmé’s starship is docked while on Naboo. According to the script, it’s docked on a floating island-platform on the lake near the retreat. There is some artwork from The Art of Attack of the Clones that shows what this docking platform may look like.

Here’s the excerpt from The Art of Attack of the Clones:

EXT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, WATER SPEEDER, LANDING PLATFORM – LATE AFTERNOON
A water speeder driven by PADDY ACCU, the retreat caretaker, docks at the island landing platform. ANAKIN and PADMÉ disembark the water speeder at the base of a lodge rising on the beautiful island in the middle of the lake.

Here’s the corresponding excerpt from the 2nd Draft:

EXT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, WATER SPEEDER, LANDING PLATFORM – LATE AFTERNOON
A water speeder driven by PADDU ACCU, the retreat caretaker, skims across the lake away from the island landing platform where a chrome Naboo starship rests. ANAKIN and PADMÉ are sitting in the speeder as it skims away to where a lodge rises on a beautiful island in the middle of the lake.

As it turns out, there was another short scene involving Paddy Accu. This time he gives Anakin and Padmé a ride back to the chrome starship they arrived in.

Here’s the excerpt from the 2nd draft of Episode II:

75 EXT. NABOO LAKE, FLOATING LANDING PLATFORM – DAY
ANAKIN and PADMÉ step onto the landing platform from the water speeder. They enter the Naboo Starship. ARTOO BEEPS, and follows them on board. The ramp retracts.

PADDY ACCU drives the water speeder away from the platform as Anakin’s Starship takes off.

In the included images you can see a number of things. There’s the floating landing platform described in the script passage, for one. You can also see Paddy Accu in the gondola speeder holding an umbrella for shade between takes in a behind-the-scenes still. There’s also a similar shot with Anakin handing Paddy Accu some luggage. (Thanks to Scott Weller for the “luggage” shot.)

I’m including a shot from the Episode II Comic Adaptation that shows the Naboo ship taking off. Way in the background you can see the floating platform in the water. Many times, the illustrators of comic adaptations are given stills to work from. Perhaps this little shot was finished. Perhaps the artist saw the concept art and went from there. Perhaps the artist just made it up. It’s hard to say.

My friend Greg Rossiter got a chance to see some of the raw footage from this scene and here’s what he had to say:

“Funny how it looks quite a bit different from how I remember it. I don’t remember there being so many trees and the pillared fencing isn’t where I remember it. The boat’s not even facing the same direction. But that probably was changed – I remember that part well for some reason. At first, I thought that maybe the shot I saw had been digitally altered from the real location, but then I don’t think anything from the Sydney reel had been enhanced in any way. The shot I saw roughly resembles the composition of the picture with Padmé and Anakin stepping from the boat and I believe Paddy Accu was already on shore with the luggage. It was a bit further back and from a higher angle that allowed for the sky to be visible and was brighter with light coming through the clouds.”

 

 

THE GLASS STORY

In the finished film, when Anakin is about to kiss Padmé for the first time, it’s a quiet moment filled with glances and uneasiness. In the original versions of the script, there is some dialogue that goes along with these shots. The kiss scene is intercut with a small story Padmé is telling about a man who made glass on Naboo.

The excerpt included here from the Art of Attack of the Clones book is almost identical to that of the 2nd draft. The only difference consists of a few lines at the end where Padmé tries to blame their romantic moment on, “the situation…the stress…” to which Anakin adds, “…the view.”

Here’s the excerpt from The Art of Attack of the Clones:

PADMÉ
There was a very old man who
lived on the island. He used to
make glass out of sand – and
vases and necklaces out of the
glass. They were magical.

ANAKIN (looks in her eyes)
Everything here is magical.

PADMÉ
You could look into the glass
and see the water. The way
it ripples and moves. It looked
so real… but it wasn’t.

ANAKIN
Sometimes, when you believe
something to be real,
it becomes real.

They look into each other’s eyes. He touches her chin.

PADMÉ
I used to think if you looked too
deeply into the glass, you
would lose yourself.

ANAKIN
I think it’s true…

Anakin kisses Padmé. She doesn’t resist. She comes to her senses and pulls away.

PADMÉ
I shouldn’t have done that.

ANAKIN
I’m sorry. When I’m around
you, my mind is no longer
my own.

 

 

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

In the finished film, there’s a flirty scene where Anakin floats some fruit over to Padmé who takes it from the air with her utensil and eats it. In some of the original versions of the screenplay, however, Anakin teased her a little with the Force before she could grab the fruit.

There are also mentions, by name, of the people serving the food. The image is from Starwars.com. This angle was never used in the film.

Here’s the excerpt from The Art of Attack of the Clones:

78 INT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, DINING ROOM – LATE AFTERNOON
Nandi places dessert in front of Padmé. Teckla does the same for Anakin. The dessert is some kind of fruit.

ANAKIN
And when I got to them, we went
into… aggressive negotiations.
(to Teckla) Thank you.

PADMÈ
Aggressive negotiations,
what’s that?

ANAKIN
Uh, well, negotiations with
a lightsaber.

PADMÈ (laughing)
Oh.

Padmé picks up her fork, and goes to spear a piece, but it moves! She frowns and tries again – the fruit moves. She looks up at Anakin. His eyes are on his plate.

PADMÉ
You did that?

Anakin looks up – wide-eyed innocence.

ANAKIN
What?

Padmé scowls at him. Padmé jabs at the fruit – Anakin subtly moves his hand and it lifts up from the plate and hovers in front of her!

PADMÉ
That! Now stop it!

Padmé laughs. Anakin laughs. She reaches out for the fruit – it loops.

PADMÉ (continuing)
Anakin!!

Anakin moves his fingers. The fruit flies into his hand.

ANAKIN
If Master Obi-Wan were here,
he’d be very grumpy.

Anakin is pleased. He cuts the fruit into several pieces and sends one back to Padmé. She bites it out of the air and laughs.

 

 

 THE PICNIC

During Anakin and Padmé’s picnic scene, Anakin is very playful, as we can see in the film.

In the original versions of the script, however, he attempts such feats as comedic juggling fruit and letting a Shaak chase him all around the fields before jumping on its back.

Here’s an excerpt from The Art of Attack of the Clones:

PADMÉ
You’re making fun of me!

ANAKIN (sarcastic)
Oh no, I’d be much too frightened
to tease a Senator!

PADMÉ
You’re so bad!

Padmé picks up a piece of fruit and throws it at him. He catches it. Padmé throws two more pieces of fruit, and Anakin catches them.

ANAKIN
You’re always so serious.

PADMÈ
I’m so serious?!

Anakin then starts to juggle the fruit. Padmé laughs and throws more fruit at him. He manages to juggle them too until there are too many, and he loses control and ducks, letting the food fall on his head. They both laugh.

Anakin stands in front of a Shaak, yelling at it and waving his arms. Padmé starts laughing as Anakin runs in circles, chased by the Shaak.

73 EXT NABOO, MOUNTAIN MEADOW – LATE AFTERNOON
The Shaak crosses in front of Padmé. Anakin is riding it, facing the Shaak’s tail. Anakin attempts to stand on the galloping Shaak´s back, but the Shaak bucks and Anakin loses his balance and falls off. Padmé laughs even harder. Anakin lies still. Concerned, Padmé jumps up and runs to where Anakin is face down in the grass.

PADMÈ
Annie, Annie! Are
you all right?

She turns him over. He is pulling a stupid face at her and laughing. She yelps in mock fury and takes a swing at him. He catches her arm. She struggles. They roll over in the grass, embracing, and looking into each other’s eyes. Suddenly, they become aware of the contact between them. They let go of each other quickly and sit up, looking away.

Anakin stands up and holds out his hand to her She takes it. He pulls her up. And now they are easy together, not self-conscious any more. Padmé scrambles up onto the Shaak behind Anakin. She puts her army around his waist and leans against his back. Anakin digs his heels in. The Shaak starts forward, and they ride away.

The included images are a mixed bag. Some are alternate angles, some are publicity stills and others are from actual shots that were deleted/trimmed. In one of the behind the scenes documentaries on Starwars.com and on the Episode II DVD, you can see Anakin doing things like juggling the fruit and running around in the Shaak fields. It’s also interesting to note that on the hidden gag reel on the Episode II DVD, you can see part of the filming of Anakin and Padmé riding the Shaak. Natalie Portman falls off the rig and cracks up.

 

 

 

FIRESIDE PROFESSIONS

Sometimes removing a scene from a film can have an effect on other scenes as well. Then the filmmaker might find that the affected scenes need to be re-edited in order to remove references to the deleted material.

During the “fireside” scene with Anakin and Padmé, it appears that there were many trimmings. Some may have been for pacing or due to mentions of Padmé’s family who were completely removed from the theatrical version of the film.

Here’s how the scene was supposed to flow (at one point) according to the Art of Attack of the Clones version of the screenplay:

79 INT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, LODGE, FIREPLACE ALCOVE – TWILIGHT
A fire blazes in the open hearth. Padmé and Anakin are sitting in front of it, gazing into the flames. She looks up as Anakin leans to kiss her.

PADMÉ
Anakin, no…

ANAKIN
From the moment I met you,
all those years ago, a day hasn’t
gone by when I haven’t thought of you.
And now that I’m with you again,
I’m in agony. The closer I get to
you, the worse it gets. The thought
of not being with you makes my
stomach turn over – my mouth
go dry. I feel dizzy. I can’t breathe.
I’m haunted by the kiss you should
never have given me. My heart is
beating, hoping that kiss will not
become a scar. You are in my very
soul, tormenting me. What
can I do? I will do anything
you ask…

Silence. The logs flame in the hearth. Padmé meets his eye, then looks away.

ANAKIN (continuing)
If you are suffering as much
as I am, tell me.

PADMÉ
…I can’t. We can’t.
It’s just not possible.

ANAKIN
Anything’s possible.
Padmé, please listen…

PADMÉ
You listen. We live in a real world.
Come back to it. You’re studying to
become a Jedi Knight. I’m a Senator.
If you follow your thoughts through to
conclusion, they will take us to a
place we cannot go… regardless
of the way we feel about
each other.

ANAKIN
Then you do feel something!

PADMÉ
Jedi aren’t allowed to marry.
You’d be expelled from the
order. I will not let you give
up your future, for me.

ANAKIN
You’re are asking me to be rational.
That is something I know I cannot
do. I wish I could wish my
feelings away… but I can’t.

PADMÉ
I am not going to give into this.
I have more important things to
do than fall in love.

There is silence as they stare at the fire.

ANAKIN
It wouldn’t have to be that way…
we could keep it a secret.

PADMÉ
Then we’d be living a lie – one we
couldn’t keep up even if we wanted
to. My sister saw it. So did my mother.
I couldn’t do that. Could you, Anakin?
Could you live like that?

Silence for a moment.

ANAKIN
…No, you’re right.
It would destroy us.

 

JEDI NIGHTMARES

This scene has to do with Anakin’s nightmares, a concept that exists in the film but was somewhat reduced from the previously written versions. If you remember, Anakin was to have a nightmare on the transport on the way to Naboo, but that was removed from the finished film.

The scene is relatively short and wasn’t drastically changed from the original written versions. There were a few lines removed in the editing room, it seems. The images included here are just alternate angles, but interesting nonetheless.

Here’s the excerpt from The Art of Attack of the Clones:

85 EXT. NABOO LAKE RETREAT, LODGE, BALCONY OVERLOOKING GARDENS – MORNING
Anakin is on the balcony overlooking the gardens. After a moment, Padme comes onto the balcony behind him. She sees he is meditating and turns to go.

ANAKIN (eyes closed)
Don’t go.

PADME
I don’t want to disturb you.

ANAKIN
Your presence is soothing.

Brief pause.

PADME
You had a nightmare
again last night.

ANAKIN
Jedi don’t have nightmares.

PADME
I heard you.

Anakin opens his eyes and looks at her.

ANAKIN
I saw my mother. I saw her as
clearly as I see you now. She
is suffering, Padme. They’re
killing her! She is in pain… I know
I’m disobeying my mandate to
protect you, Senator. I know I
will be punished and possibly
thrown out of the Jedi Order,
but I have to go. I have to
help her! I’m sorry, Padme.
I don’t have a choice.

PADME
I’ll go with you. That way you
can continue to protect me,
and you won’t be disobeying
your mandate.

ANAKIN
What about Master
Obi-Wan?

Padme smiles and takes his hand.

PADME
I guess we won’t tell him,
will we?