The Padme Amidala Effect

Since its debut in 1977, the Star Wars universe has reshaped the world of fantasy, creating a new template for the modern film and setting a standard for world-building and characters alike. Girls strive to emulate their female heroes from these movies, but a close examination reveals them to be poor feminist icons and stereotypically weak characters. Women receive a fraction of the screen time of their male counterparts, hold little agency over the plot of the movie, and a lack of female perspective results in stunted character development and egregious male saviorism. Even in fantasy realms, girls are taught that the patriarchy reigns supreme. Using the women of the Skywalker Saga, this project will illustrate why they are insufficient role models and develop a guideline for equality in fantasy films