Often overlooked and placed near the bottom of Star Wars fans favourite adventures, Attack of the Clones is littered with beautifully observed and crafted animations moments. Lucasfilm hones in on one such moment, a scene early in the film as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine suggests that Obi-Wan Kenobi be brought in to help protect the under-threat Senator Padme Amidala. The look of scepticism on Yoda’s face is a treat.
According to Rob Coleman, this shot of Yoda became “one of George’s early favorites.” He explained that “the reason is because it’s acting. He’s not speaking, he’s acting, and you can tell he doesn’t quite trust what Palpatine is saying in this scene. I remember giving it to Lesley Headrick, one of my animators, and she wasn’t too keen on it because it wasn’t an acting-talking shot in her mind. I said, ‘You know, this is going to be one of the most important shots for Yoda early on in the movie, establishing that this is a legitimate, realistic character…’”
As Yoda had already attested, his view of the future remains vague and undefined, but in this moment, he seems to doubt the sincerity of Chancellor Palpatine. As members of the audience, we can more fully understand the hidden villain’s patient machinations as he maneuvers to attain more power and influence over young Anakin Skywalker. Though Yoda appears to sense uncertainty around the Chancellor, his vision remains tragically imprecise. As the story will reveal, the Jedi’s ultimate realization will come too late.
A cornerstone in animation is the pantomime scene, or a moment when a character’s believability relies entirely on their physical expression rather than spoken words. As Coleman noted, this shot of Yoda’s stare was important in convincing movie audiences that this digital Yoda was no different from the traditional puppet they’d grown accustomed to in past decades.
