What Killed Padme?
May. 12th, 2023 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chessybell_90I've seen many attempts to explain Padme's death, and since you've decided to read this I'm sure you have too. Be it conjectured force powers, Anakin breaking something important while choking her and thus causing her to suffocate, or the in-universe theory that she just plain lost the will to live.
It is my firm, reasoned belief that none of these theories are correct. My belief is that Padme died of postpartum hemorrhage, a mundane birth complication.
Before I explain why I believe this, I should first explain why I don't believe in the competing theories.
Firstly, the theory that Padme died because Darth Sidious drained her life in order to heal Anakin. The problem with this theory is that it makes too many assumptions:
1), That Anakin's injuries were beyond the aid of Galactic medicine. Given that General Grievous survived far more extensive injuries solely with (in-universe) mundane medicine, there is no particular reason to believe this is the case.
2), That there exists a force power or technique which allows the user to transfer vital energy between two people even when they aren't even in the same solar system. While life force transference between self and others (and presumably vice-versa) is a known force power, transference over interstellar distances has, to the best of my knowledge, never been done, thus there is no particular reason to believe it to be possible.
3), That Darth Sidious was able to use this power. While the no-longer canon Legends suggests that, if it is in fact possible, he probably could, he is not known to have performed any such feats and current canon no longer provides evidence that he was able to heal others. (I am aware he studied under one reputed to have great power and skill with healing, however current canon has removed any proof that he deserves this reputation beyond Sidious' claims. Given when and who he makes this claim to, there is no particular reason to believe Sidious was being wholly truthful since, well, Anakin wants to hear that such power exists and Sidious wants Anakin. Man's a known liar, after all.)
And 4), that Sidious would have even bothered doing so. This is the strongest assumption, since Sidious sunk a good deal of time and personal effort to grab Anakin in the first place, but he also seems to have a low tolerance for failures. I can see him wanting to keep Anakin, I can also see him deciding to leave it up to fate.
If there were no better theories I'd go with this one, but as there is a better one I feel free to discard it.
Secondly, the theory that Anakin broke something in Padme's neck and she suffocated because of this. The problem with this is that Padme is able to speak and breath normally during the birth, and for that matter all the way up to her death, after the injury could have been inflicted. This is not consistent with the symptoms of suffocation, to say the least. (I am aware strangulation can have delayed-onset symptoms, but she shows no signs of those either.)
Thirdly, the theory that Padme lost the will to live and died because of it. Leaving aside the questionable mechanism, she had at least two reasons to want to live - Luke and Leia - and no known history of depression. It is true that this is postulated to be what kills her, however the droid who actually says this also claims they will need to operate when the birth scene pretty clearly shows a vaginal birth. The most charitable assumption is that the droid in question isn't very clear on the different types of interventions and is using 'operation' as a synonym for 'induction', but the very fact that it can make this mistake suggests it isn't to be relied on. (Particularly since organ failure is a medical symptom. If she's dying, then there is, by definition, something medically wrong with her!)
And finally we have my own theory of postpartum hemorrhage. The first thing to understand is that it is, as these things go, quite common. It occurs in six percent of all births worldwide, and is the most common cause of childbirth-related death. Furthermore, having twins increases the risk of hemorrhaging.
In first world countries, the dangers of postpartum hemorrhage have mostly been mitigated with the discovery that oxytocin is an effective treatment. However, to give someone oxytocin one must have it, which given it is used for only two procedures - and possibly only for one species! - is not a given at a non-human medical care facility, and the other non-surgical methods of treating postpartum hemorrhage require specialized knowledge and a level of dexterity her birth attendant may not have. Given how rapidly she dies after the birth, they very likely did not have the time to perform a hysterectomy, which is the only treatment left. (This assumes it was caught in time to treat, which is not guaranteed.)
So, if she did suffer a postpartum hemorrhage, her death makes perfect sense. Furthermore, her symptoms during and after the birth are consistent with hemorrhage - she gives birth, fades away, and dies.
As such, I believe things work out as follows:
Padme is taken to the medical center. She is initially unresponsive for some unknown reason (possibly shock?), which the droid who talks to Kenobi mistakes for her having 'lost the will to live', but recovers in time to give birth vaginally.
During the birth itself, she is in good health. However, her uterus fails to contract far enough to seal the uterine arteries and stem the bleeding. Her birth attendant may or may not be aware this is happening, but either way it is not treated in time.
After the birth, she succumbs to blood loss and dies.
While this theory does not explain her initial unresponsiveness, none of the others explain why she recovers enough to have normal consciousness during and after the birth. It seems reasonable to assume her unresponsiveness and her death do not share a cause.
Doyalistically, saying a woman who died in childbirth had 'lost the will to live' was a common literary euphemism for death by postpartum hemorrhage, and as such the droid's use of this phrase invokes the language of postpartum hemorrhage, supporting my arguments.
Therefore, Padme's most likely cause of death is postpartum hemorrhage. That this is rarely, if ever, depicted or acknowledged in fanfic says nothing good of our current culture.
It is my firm, reasoned belief that none of these theories are correct. My belief is that Padme died of postpartum hemorrhage, a mundane birth complication.
Before I explain why I believe this, I should first explain why I don't believe in the competing theories.
Firstly, the theory that Padme died because Darth Sidious drained her life in order to heal Anakin. The problem with this theory is that it makes too many assumptions:
1), That Anakin's injuries were beyond the aid of Galactic medicine. Given that General Grievous survived far more extensive injuries solely with (in-universe) mundane medicine, there is no particular reason to believe this is the case.
2), That there exists a force power or technique which allows the user to transfer vital energy between two people even when they aren't even in the same solar system. While life force transference between self and others (and presumably vice-versa) is a known force power, transference over interstellar distances has, to the best of my knowledge, never been done, thus there is no particular reason to believe it to be possible.
3), That Darth Sidious was able to use this power. While the no-longer canon Legends suggests that, if it is in fact possible, he probably could, he is not known to have performed any such feats and current canon no longer provides evidence that he was able to heal others. (I am aware he studied under one reputed to have great power and skill with healing, however current canon has removed any proof that he deserves this reputation beyond Sidious' claims. Given when and who he makes this claim to, there is no particular reason to believe Sidious was being wholly truthful since, well, Anakin wants to hear that such power exists and Sidious wants Anakin. Man's a known liar, after all.)
And 4), that Sidious would have even bothered doing so. This is the strongest assumption, since Sidious sunk a good deal of time and personal effort to grab Anakin in the first place, but he also seems to have a low tolerance for failures. I can see him wanting to keep Anakin, I can also see him deciding to leave it up to fate.
If there were no better theories I'd go with this one, but as there is a better one I feel free to discard it.
Secondly, the theory that Anakin broke something in Padme's neck and she suffocated because of this. The problem with this is that Padme is able to speak and breath normally during the birth, and for that matter all the way up to her death, after the injury could have been inflicted. This is not consistent with the symptoms of suffocation, to say the least. (I am aware strangulation can have delayed-onset symptoms, but she shows no signs of those either.)
Thirdly, the theory that Padme lost the will to live and died because of it. Leaving aside the questionable mechanism, she had at least two reasons to want to live - Luke and Leia - and no known history of depression. It is true that this is postulated to be what kills her, however the droid who actually says this also claims they will need to operate when the birth scene pretty clearly shows a vaginal birth. The most charitable assumption is that the droid in question isn't very clear on the different types of interventions and is using 'operation' as a synonym for 'induction', but the very fact that it can make this mistake suggests it isn't to be relied on. (Particularly since organ failure is a medical symptom. If she's dying, then there is, by definition, something medically wrong with her!)
And finally we have my own theory of postpartum hemorrhage. The first thing to understand is that it is, as these things go, quite common. It occurs in six percent of all births worldwide, and is the most common cause of childbirth-related death. Furthermore, having twins increases the risk of hemorrhaging.
In first world countries, the dangers of postpartum hemorrhage have mostly been mitigated with the discovery that oxytocin is an effective treatment. However, to give someone oxytocin one must have it, which given it is used for only two procedures - and possibly only for one species! - is not a given at a non-human medical care facility, and the other non-surgical methods of treating postpartum hemorrhage require specialized knowledge and a level of dexterity her birth attendant may not have. Given how rapidly she dies after the birth, they very likely did not have the time to perform a hysterectomy, which is the only treatment left. (This assumes it was caught in time to treat, which is not guaranteed.)
So, if she did suffer a postpartum hemorrhage, her death makes perfect sense. Furthermore, her symptoms during and after the birth are consistent with hemorrhage - she gives birth, fades away, and dies.
As such, I believe things work out as follows:
Padme is taken to the medical center. She is initially unresponsive for some unknown reason (possibly shock?), which the droid who talks to Kenobi mistakes for her having 'lost the will to live', but recovers in time to give birth vaginally.
During the birth itself, she is in good health. However, her uterus fails to contract far enough to seal the uterine arteries and stem the bleeding. Her birth attendant may or may not be aware this is happening, but either way it is not treated in time.
After the birth, she succumbs to blood loss and dies.
While this theory does not explain her initial unresponsiveness, none of the others explain why she recovers enough to have normal consciousness during and after the birth. It seems reasonable to assume her unresponsiveness and her death do not share a cause.
Doyalistically, saying a woman who died in childbirth had 'lost the will to live' was a common literary euphemism for death by postpartum hemorrhage, and as such the droid's use of this phrase invokes the language of postpartum hemorrhage, supporting my arguments.
Therefore, Padme's most likely cause of death is postpartum hemorrhage. That this is rarely, if ever, depicted or acknowledged in fanfic says nothing good of our current culture.
no subject
Date: 2023-05-13 10:58 am (UTC)Yeah, I think this is your strongest point. Sidious only cares about Sidious.
Secondly, the theory that Anakin broke something in Padme's neck and she suffocated because of this. The problem with this is that Padme is able to speak and breath normally during the birth, and for that matter all the way up to her death, after the injury could have been inflicted. This is not consistent with the symptoms of suffocation, to say the least. (I am aware strangulation can have delayed-onset symptoms, but she shows no signs of those either.)
Yeah, that's true. But I don't think this is utterly irrelevant, either, as had she been in perfectly good shape, she would have more chances to survive.
Yeah, hemorrhage seems to be by far the most realistic option, and in fantasy, mundane dangers need to be acknowledged a bit more.
no subject
Date: 2023-05-13 04:46 pm (UTC)(I do feel the need to note that, left untreated, postpartum hemorrhage by itself is a life-threatening condition.)
To be completely honest, I don't think it's just a matter of ignoring a mundane danger. I'm inclined to suspect there's also elements of being unwilling to acknowledge that, sometimes, things just go wrong and a general reluctance to discuss female health issues like birth complications. (Or menstruation, but that's another rant by itself. Maybe I should just type up rants and post them to make it easier to pull them out? ☺)