Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Ten years after the invasion of Naboo, the Galactic Republic is facing a Separatist movement and the former queen and now Senator Padmé Amidala travels to Coruscant to vote on a project to create an army to help the Jedi to protect the Republic. Upon arrival, she escapes from an attempt to kill her, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker are assigned to protect her. They chase the shape-shifter Zam Wessell but she is killed by a poisoned dart before revealing who hired her. The Jedi Council assigns Obi-Wan Kenobi to discover who has tried to kill Amidala and Anakin to protect her in Naboo. Obi-Wan discovers that the dart is from the planet Kamino, and he heads to the remote planet. He finds an army of clones that has been under production for years for the Republic and that the bounty hunter Jango Fett was the matrix for the clones. Meanwhile Anakin and Amidala fall in love with each other, and he has nightmarish visions of his mother. They travel to his home planet, Tatooine, to see his mother, and he discovers that she has been abducted by Tusken Raiders. Anakin finds his mother dying, and he kills all the Tusken tribe, including the women and children. Obi-Wan follows Jango Fett to the planet Geonosis where he discovers who is behind the Separatist movement. He transmits his discoveries to Anakin since he cannot reach the Jedi Council. Who is the leader of the Separatist movement? Will Anakin receive Obi-Wan's message? And will the secret love between Anakin and Amidala succeed?
Despite a substantial budget of $120.0M, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones became a solid performer, earning $649.4M worldwide—a 441% return.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 21 wins & 71 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) reveals precise story structure, characteristic of George Lucas's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 22 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 2.7, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Anakin Skywalker
Padmé Amidala
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Palpatine
Yoda
Count Dooku
Mace Windu
Jango Fett
Shmi Skywalker
Jar Jar Binks
Character Screen Time
Screen time mapped to story structure
Main Cast & Characters
Anakin Skywalker
Played by Hayden Christensen
82% screen time (104 min)
A gifted but emotionally volatile Padawan whose fear of loss and impatience with Jedi restraint foreshadow his fall to the dark side.
Padmé Amidala
Played by Natalie Portman
72% screen time (92 min)
Former queen, now senator, torn between duty to the Republic and forbidden love for a Jedi Padawan.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Played by Ewan McGregor
59% screen time (75 min)
A Jedi Master struggling to mentor an increasingly difficult apprentice while investigating a galactic conspiracy.
Palpatine
Played by Ian McDiarmid
6% screen time (7 min)
The puppet master orchestrating both sides of the conflict, manipulating the Republic toward authoritarianism while grooming Anakin.
Yoda
Played by Frank Oz
8% screen time (10 min)
Grand Master of the Jedi Order whose warning proves prophetic, yet who fails to see the threat within the Republic.
Count Dooku
Played by Christopher Lee
13% screen time (17 min)
A fallen Jedi turned Sith apprentice, leading the Separatist movement while secretly serving Palpatine's grand design.
Mace Windu
Played by Samuel L. Jackson
9% screen time (12 min)
Senior Jedi Council member whose skepticism of Anakin and rigidity contribute to the Order's blind spots.
Jango Fett
Played by Temuera Morrison
21% screen time (26 min)
The galaxy's most feared bounty hunter and genetic template for the clone army, raising one unaltered clone as his son.
Shmi Skywalker
Played by Pernilla August
6% screen time (7 min)
Anakin's mother whose death in his arms triggers the Tusken massacre and plants the seeds of Vader.
Jar Jar Binks
Played by Ahmed Best
5% screen time (6 min)
The well-meaning Gungan representative who unwittingly proposes the emergency powers that enable Palpatine's rise.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Senator Padmé Amidala arrives on Coruscant for a critical vote on creating an Army of the Republic. Her ship explodes in an assassination attempt, killing her decoy and several guards, establishing the galaxy in political turmoil.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Anakin and Obi-Wan chase the assassin Zam Wesell through Coruscant. Just as they capture her, she is killed by a toxic dart from her employer before she can reveal who hired her, creating a mystery that demands investigation.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
At 64 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 45% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Anakin finds his mother Shmi dying in the Tusken Raider camp. She dies in his arms, and he slaughters the entire tribe—men, women, and children—in rage. This is a false defeat: Anakin has failed to save her and crosses into darkness, foreshadowing his future fall., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 95 minutes (67% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, In the Geonosis arena, the heroes are surrounded and about to be executed. Mace Windu's Jedi task force is vastly outnumbered by battle droids, and Jedi are being killed. All seems lost until the whiff of death is interrupted—the Clone Army arrives, but the galaxy plunges into war., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 103 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 72% of the runtime. Anakin and Obi-Wan duel Dooku but are defeated; Anakin loses his arm. Yoda arrives and battles Dooku, who escapes. Dooku delivers the plans to Darth Sidious—the Sith plot succeeds. The Clone Army deploys across the galaxy as the war begins in earnest. Anakin and Padmé secretly marry on Naboo., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones against these established plot points, we can identify how George Lucas utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones within the action genre.
George Lucas's Structural Approach
Among the 5 George Lucas films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 4.3, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete George Lucas filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more George Lucas analyses, see Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Senator Padmé Amidala arrives on Coruscant for a critical vote on creating an Army of the Republic. Her ship explodes in an assassination attempt, killing her decoy and several guards, establishing the galaxy in political turmoil.
Theme
Obi-Wan warns Anakin: "If you spent as much time practicing your saber techniques as you did your wit, you'd rival Master Yoda." The theme of patience, discipline versus impulsiveness, and the danger of arrogance is established.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Separatist crisis threatening the Republic. Anakin and Obi-Wan are assigned to protect Padmé. We see Anakin's grown attachment to Padmé, his frustration with Obi-Wan's mentorship, and the Jedi Council's political constraints. Second assassination attempt via poisonous kouhuns.
Disruption
Anakin and Obi-Wan chase the assassin Zam Wesell through Coruscant. Just as they capture her, she is killed by a toxic dart from her employer before she can reveal who hired her, creating a mystery that demands investigation.
Resistance
The Jedi Council debates their approach. Obi-Wan is tasked with finding the assassin's origin while Anakin must escort Padmé to Naboo for safety. Anakin resists, wanting action over protection duty. Mentorship tension grows as Anakin struggles with orders and his feelings for Padmé.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Dual storylines deliver the premise: Obi-Wan investigates the clone army and tracks Jango Fett to Geonosis, uncovering the Separatist droid army plot. Anakin and Padmé explore their forbidden romance on Naboo, though haunted by his nightmares of his mother. The promise of mystery and forbidden love.
Midpoint
Anakin finds his mother Shmi dying in the Tusken Raider camp. She dies in his arms, and he slaughters the entire tribe—men, women, and children—in rage. This is a false defeat: Anakin has failed to save her and crosses into darkness, foreshadowing his future fall.
Opposition
Obi-Wan is captured on Geonosis and learns of Count Dooku's betrayal. Anakin and Padmé rush to rescue him but are also captured. The Separatist plot accelerates toward war. The heroes face execution in the arena as the opposing forces close in and the situation deteriorates.
Collapse
In the Geonosis arena, the heroes are surrounded and about to be executed. Mace Windu's Jedi task force is vastly outnumbered by battle droids, and Jedi are being killed. All seems lost until the whiff of death is interrupted—the Clone Army arrives, but the galaxy plunges into war.
Crisis
The Battle of Geonosis rages. Though the immediate execution is prevented, the larger crisis emerges: the Clone Wars have begun, the Republic is militarized, and democracy is failing. The Jedi become generals in a war, compromising their peacekeeping role.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Anakin and Obi-Wan duel Dooku but are defeated; Anakin loses his arm. Yoda arrives and battles Dooku, who escapes. Dooku delivers the plans to Darth Sidious—the Sith plot succeeds. The Clone Army deploys across the galaxy as the war begins in earnest. Anakin and Padmé secretly marry on Naboo.
Transformation
Anakin, now with a mechanical arm, and Padmé marry in secret with only the droids as witnesses. Contrasted against the Status Quo, Anakin has transformed from an obedient Padawan into someone who breaks sacred Jedi vows, chooses attachment over duty, and has tasted the dark side. The transformation is ominous.