Throughout its run, The Clone Wars mostly followed Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. Padmé Amidala, a central figure in the Skywalker Saga, was also featured in many episodes of The Clone Wars, as she was both a prominent Senator and Anakin's wife.
Many episodes Padmé was in revolved around her politics and her relationship with Anakin. Her presence on the animated show allowed for further exploration into her character, motivations, and beliefs. Here are the ten best Padmé-centric Clone Wars episodes, ranked.
Blue Shadow Virus (Season 1, Episode 17)
When Jar Jar accidentally ruins an interrogation on the whereabouts of a laboratory thought to be producing a deadly virus, he and Padmé (never one to wait around) set out to find its source on Naboo.
They locate the lab underground but are quickly captured by the evil scientist responsible for the creation of the virus. Anakin arrives and rescues them, and they are able to stop the scientist before it's too late.
Senate Murders (Season 2, Episode 15)
Throughout The Clone Wars, Padmé works tirelessly to bring the war to a peaceful end. She gives a rousing speech in front of the entire Senate, advocating against sending more troops to fight in the war. While celebrating the success of her speech with Senators who share her ideals, one Senator falls dead due to poison in his drink.
Padmé proposes that the upcoming vote on the future of the war be postponed while she conducts her own investigation into the death of her colleague. With the help of Bail Organa, she takes many risks in order to get to the truth. When the investigator discovers that the poison is only harmful to a certain species, Padmé recalls Senator Lolo, of the same species as the murdered Senator, not drinking with the rest of them. Lolo confesses to the murder.
The Rise Of Clovis (Season 6, Episode 6)
Upon their return to Coruscant, Padmé is asked to team up with Clovis to uncover where the money is going that is being stolen from the banks. Anakin insists that Padmé refuse the mission, but she remains firm that she must put her duty first. Padmé tries to stay focused on the task at hand, but Clovis continues to try to flirt with her.
Anakin walks in right as Clovis is trying to kiss her, and loses his temper, nearly killing Clovis. Padmé is hurt in Anakin's lack of trust in her, and upset at the violence he displayed. She asks him for space to contemplate their relationship.
Corruption (Season 3, Episode 5)
Padmé visits Mandalore with the hope of helping Satine and her people get access to the resources they need. Soon after her arrival, it becomes clear that the planet's isolation has allowed corruption to take root. Padmé and Satine discover poison in children's drinks coming from the black market and launch an investigation to uncover who is responsible.
Padmé and Satine share a rule-breaking mentality, and value people over politics, making them a good pair. This is one of the few episodes in which the two interact, and it's a pairing the show could have relied on more.
Destroy Malevolence (Season 1, Episode 4)
While on what they thought was a diplomatic mission, Padmé and C-3PO fly right into a trap set by Count Dooku and General Grievous. With Padmé in his custody, Grievous knows that Anakin will call off the attack that the Republic is currently carrying out. She rigs her ship to explode and sneaks away with 3PO.
Anakin and Obi-Wan sneak aboard the Malevolence to rescue Padmé and 3PO, but Padmé refuses to leave until the hyperdrive on Grievous' ship is destroyed, seeing how this could help the Republic. She takes over the gunner position during their escape, showing her willingness to get her hands dirty.
Hostage Crisis (Season 1, Episode 22)
Anakin tries to convince Padmé to go away with him for a couple of weeks, but she refuses, saying that her work is too important. To show her how much she means to him, Anakin gives Padmé his lightsaber, a representation of a Jedi's life. When bounty hunters take Padmé and a number of other Senators hostage, she worries that one of them will uncover the weapon and take it from her.
Padmé confides in Bail Organa, telling him that she has the lightsaber, and contemplates either trying to get it back to Anakin or using it herself. When they've subdued Anakin and got what they came for, the bounty hunters leave, putting bombs in place in the Senate building so the Senators remain trapped. Padmé returns Anakin's lightsaber to him, and he is able to save her and the rest of the Senators before the bombs detonate.
Senate Spy (Season 2, Episode 4)
Anakin returns home from the war, and he and Padmé share a happy reunion. The Council asks Anakin to convince Padmé to spy on Senator Clovis, a suspected traitor. Anakin wishes to keep Padmé away from anything that could put her in danger, but she insists on taking the mission. She tells the council she accepts, and Anakin takes it upon himself to see to it that Padmé is protected.
After seeing Clovis' feelings for her, a Senator poisons Padmé in a bid to force Clovis into cooperation. While sick from the poison, she manages to uncover a hologram with evidence of Clovis' misdeeds. Anakin manages to save Padmé and secure the information she stole, ending the mission successfully.
An Old Friend (Season 6, Episode 5)
In an attempt to secure aid for those impacted by the war, Padmé visits the Banking Clan. To get the funding she seeks, she must work with Clovis again. Despite her reservations, she is willing to hear him out when he tells her that he believes the Banking Clan is moving money illegally.
Padmé and Clovis form a plan to steal information that can definitively prove whether or not the Banking Clan is partaking in illegal activity. She obtains the information but is arrested in the process. Anakin gets Padmé released, but is angry to find out that she's been working with Clovis. The three narrowly escape and head back to Coruscant.
Heroes On Both Sides (Season 3, Episode 10)
The Senate is divided over whether sending more clone troops into battle is worth deregulating the banks. Padmé insists that a greater reliance on diplomacy can bring about an end to the war, angering those who profit off of it. Anakin takes Ahsoka to watch the debate in order to teach her about the politics behind the war, and Padmé takes her under her wing. Padmé wishes to speak to an old friend of hers who became a Separatist and asks Ahsoka to use her clearance as a Jedi to sneak her onto a Separatist planet.
Padmé is able to convince her friend to introduce a motion to open up channels of communication to begin a path toward peace. After returning to Coruscant, Padmé tries to convince Palpatine to put a vote to the Senate over the opening of peaceful negotiations. Unfortunately, he and Dooku use this information to plan an attack that convinces the Republic Senators that more war is needed.
Pursuit of Peace (Season 3, Episode 11)
When news reaches Padmé that her friend was murdered for proposing an end to the war, Padmé, Bail Organa, and Onaconda Farr fear for their own lives. Despite the danger, Padmé refuses to stand down from her mission to convince the Senate not to deregulate the banks in order to send out more clone troops. When she begins to doubt the power of democracy, her handmaiden reminds her how powerful politicians who care can be for people who don't have power themselves.
A hit is directed at Senator Organa right before his big speech meant to sway the Senate. He survives the attack but is too badly injured to make his speech. Padmé steps in and gives the speech in his place. In her speech, she reminds the Senate of their responsibility to the citizens before anything else. Her incredible, moving speech is met with thunderous applause, and she wins the vote.