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The prequels covered a lot, but one big aspect was Anakin’s love for Padmé. They were cute young adults in love in Episode II: Attack of the Clones and then more serious adults that were married in Revenge of the Sith. There are some scenes that point to people knowing about their “secret,” like Padmé’s blatant hug at the end of Episode II or every single one of Yoda’s pointed looks. But it’s in The Clone Wars that Anakin and Padmé show how obvious they were. They thought they were good at keeping the secret, but they really weren’t. 

Because of all those lingering glances and missions together, who actually knew about their relationship? Quite a few close friends and the new episode of Season 7 solidified two key characters. Spoilers for Season 7 of The Clone Wars ahead. 

Anakin and Padmé during their secret holochat meeting in Episode 2, ‘The Clone Wars.’
Anakin and Padmé during their secret holochat meeting in Episode 2, ‘The Clone Wars’ | Lucasfilm/Disney+

Captain Rex

In Season 7, Episode 2, which just premiered on Feb. 28, Rex is very preoccupied with finding another Clone, Echo, who was presumed dead in Season 3. But at the beginning of the episode, before Rex and Anakin can go off on the mission with the Bad Batch, Anakin insists that he helps him with something. It’s obvious that whatever it is, it was pre-planned, even though Rex is antsy to go on the mission. 

It becomes apparent that Rex knew what Anakin was doing, though, because he gets very nervous when Obi-Wan Kenobi shows up. Why it was a suspicion that Rex knew about Anakin’s relationship before just because of how much they work together, it was confirmed in this episode. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi

There are so many times that Obi-Wan’s knowledge of Anakin’s romance is hinted at. For one, they share a very close bond and are constantly together, so Obi-Wan must have sensed it often. And there is the scene in Season 6 where he has a conversation with Anakin and outright says that he knows the gist of what’s going on. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsM-fpkK2aQ

Of course, he also figures out Anakin’s the father of Padmé’s child in Revenge of the Sith, too. But this scene from Season 7 — where he yells to Anakin that he hopes he gave Padmé his regards — solidifies how much he knows.

Ahsoka Tano

Ahsoka is another person who worked so closely with Anakin that it’s unfathomable that she didn’t suspect something. Not to mention she was also pretty close with Padmé. But it’s confirmed at the end of Season 5. Ahsoka was banned from the Jedi Order for a crime she didn’t commit, and when her name was cleared she chose to still leave the Order because of all that had happened. 

As Ahsoka’s leaving, Anakin tries to convince her to come back, but she’s set in her decision. In his last effort to level with her, Anakin tells Ahsoka that he knows about wanting to leave the Order. “I understand more than you realize wanting to walk away from the Order.” All she says is, “I know,” and walks away. Anakin is visibly surprised, but that’s enough to let audiences know that Ahsoka understood he was with Padmé. It’s a similar situation to what happens in the Forces of Destiny short “Unexpected Company.”

C-3PO and R2-D2

This one is obvious because C-3PO and R2-D2 lived with Padmé and Anakin. Even though they were thought of as friends, especially R2-D2 and Anakin, they still served purposes. C-3PO was always around the house, there to aid Padmé if needed and R2 always went on missions with Anakin as his astromech droid. 

Anakin and Padmé let their guards down in Padmé’s Coruscant apartment in front of the droids, and also got married with them as witnesses, too. 

Palpatine

Chancellor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious, of course, knew that Anakin had a secret marriage to Padmé. It was a major part of his plan and he was also very familiar with the Senator since his “home planet” was Naboo and he used to hold her position at one point. 

Palpatine’s knowledge of their relationship aided him in turning Anakin to the Dark Side. 

Yoda

Yoda highly suspected Anakin’s involvement with Padmé. He is very attuned to the Force and could sense when Anakin was fearful, angry, or lonely. So he could probably feel how his energy shifted when in Padmé’s presence. 

In Legends, Yoda was more outwardly mad and told Obi-Wan to break off their relationship, but in canon, we don’t get as direct of a response from the master. The Clone Wars does a really good job of showing Yoda’s suspicious glances or knowing looks, but nothing is 100 percent confirmed. 

There are other people that probably knew, too. Padmé’s handmaidens, especially Sabé, were extremely close with the Senator and their loyalties were sworn to her. If all of her handmaidens didn’t know about her secret marriage, Sabé most likely did. At the end of Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnston, Bail Organa calls Sabé after Padmé’s death. While the audience doesn’t know what he tells her, it’s probably about Leia. Hinting further that Sabé knew more about Padmé’s personal life.

If you watch even a few episodes of The Clone Wars with Anakin and Padmé’s interactions in them, you’ll also wonder if people actually knew, too. Because they are not very subtle about their feelings towards each other at all.

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