History Main / RomanticPlotTumor

** While better received nowadays, Anakin Skywalker's relationship with Padmé Amidala during the Prequel Trilogy was seen in the 2000s and early 2010s as one of the more infamous examples of this trope[[note]]to the point that this trope was originally named "George Lucas Love Story"[[/note]]. In ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'', the romance was criticized for being unconvincing with the leads being accused of having little to no chemistry, with blame being throwing at either the actors themselves or Creator/GeorgeLucas giving them a "wooden" script to work with. Criticism was also levied at the romantic subplot taking attention away from Obi-Wan's investigation of both the assassination attempt against Padmé and the Clone Army on Kamino, while Padmé's calm reaction to Anakin advocating for crypt-fascist politics in front of her and his revelation that he slaughtered an entire village created the perception that she overlooked any and all moral failings within Anakin and fell in love with him BecauseDestinySaysSo. This backlash persisted into ''[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Revenge of the Sith]]'' even through it was seen as the better received of all the Prequels even back before they were rehabilitated, with many claiming Padmé's DeathByDespair over Anakin's turn was "unrealistic". In recent years however, with those that enjoyed the Prequels becoming old enough to speak out, the positive reevulation of both the Prequels and Anakin's character arc in part due to WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars, the expansion of his relationship with Padmé in the same series, more awareness that Padmé losing the will to live was just as much due to the death of democracy as it is by Anakin's turn to TheDarkSide, growing awareness of the Jedi Order's flaws, and the belowmentioned relationship being even more controversial even as it has a stronger fan following, has led to a more positive reevaluation of Anakin and Padmé's relationship, even through the backlash hasn't entirely died out.

** While better received nowadays, Anakin Skywalker's relationship with Padmé Amidala during the Prequel Trilogy was seen in the 2000s and early 2010s as one of the more infamous examples of this trope[[note]]to the point that this trope was originally named "George Lucas Love Story"[[/note]]. In ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'', the romance was criticized for being unconvincing with the leads being accused of having little to no chemistry, with blame being throwing at either the actors themselves or Creator/GeorgeLucas giving them a "wooden" script to work with. Criticism was also levied at the romantic subplot taking attention away from Obi-Wan's investigation of both the assassination attempt against Padmé and the Clone Army on Kamino, while Padmé's calm reaction to Anakin advocating for crypt-fascist politics in front of her and his revelation that he slaughtered an entire village created the perception that she overlooked any and all moral failings within Anakin and fell in love with him BecauseDestinySaysSo. This plotline persisted into ''[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Revenge of the Sith]]'' even through it was seen as the better received of all the Prequels even back before they were rehabilitated, with many claiming Padmé's DeathByDespair over Anakin's turn was "unrealistic". In recent years however, with the positive reevulation of both the Prequels and Anakin's character arc in part due to WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars, the expansion of his relationship with Padmé in the same series, more awareness that Padmé losing the will to live was just as much due to the death of democracy as it is by Anakin's turn to TheDarkSide, growing awareness of the Jedi Order's flaws, and the belowmentioned relationship being even more controversial even as it has a stronger fan following, has led to a more positive reevaluation of Anakin and Padmé's relationship, even through the backlash hasn't entirely died out.

** While better received nowadays, Anakin Skywalker's relationship with Padmé Amidala during the Prequel Trilogy was seen in the 2000s and early 2010s as one of the more infamous examples of this trope[[note]]to the point that this trope was originally named "George Lucas Love Story"[[/note]]. In ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'', the romance was criticized for being unconvincing with the leads being accused of having little to no chemistry, with blame being throwing at either the actors themselves or Creator/GeorgeLucas giving them a "wooden" script to work with. Criticism was also levied at the romantic subplot taking attention away from Obi-Wan's investigation of both the assassination attempt against Padmé and the Clone Army on Kamino, while Padmé's calm reaction to Anakin advocating for crypt-fascist politics in front of her and his revelation that he slaughtered an entire village created the perception that she overlooked any and all moral failings within Anakin and fell in love with him BecauseDestinySaysSo. This plotline persisted into ''[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Revenge of the Sith]]'' even through it was seen as the better received of all the Prequels even back before they were rehabilitated, with many claiming Padmé's DeathByDespair over Anakin's turn was "unrealistic". In recent years however, with the positive reevulation of both the Prequels and Anakin's character arc in part due to WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars, the expansion of his relationship with Padmé in the same series, more awareness that Padmé losing the will to live was just as much due to the death of democracy as it is by Anakin's turn to TheDarkSide, growing awareness of the Jedi's flaws, and the belowmentioned relationship being even more controversial even as it has a stronger fan following
** Ironically, the post-George Lucas ''Star Wars'' Sequel Trilogy contains a similarly divisive and story-overriding relationship beginning in ''Film/TheLastJedi'': initial enemies Rey and Kylo Ren develop a bond after he's tortured and [[MindRape violated]] her before murdering one friend (his own father) and maiming another (Finn)... [[StrangledByTheRedString without much time,]] and [[UnfortunateImplications without much change in behavior on his part or much explanation as to why she feels attracted to him.]] The relationship was simultaneously as hated as this trope implies but ''also'' a popular pairing... by about [[BrokenBase half the fanbase.]] It managed to help make Kylo Ren (often seen as a CreatorsPet) a BaseBreakingCharacter and kicked off a change in focus on the story that spun off to contribute to ExecutiveMeddling and behind-the-scenes drama to cut short his run as DragonAscendant so he could pull a HeelFaceTurn against a [[AssPull "somehow returned" Emperor Palpatine]] and get kissed by Rey before dying... meaning the romance and its favored member did, in fact, take over the story.

* ''Film/{{Stargate}}'': The tacked-on romance subplot between Jackson and Sha'uri adds precisely nothing to the film.

** The most famous example (to the point that this trope was originally named "George Lucas Love Story") would probably be Anakin Skywalker's relationship with Padmé in ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]''. Whether this was the fault of Creator/GeorgeLucas' writing or the actors is up for debate; either way, you're left with an almost unwatchable love story that not only takes up a majority of the movie but also takes attention away from the perfectly serviceable assassination plot (although getting in the love story was inevitably necessary at some point). Aside from the badly done scenes themselves, the storyline went like this: Obi-Wan finds a planet of cloners--Anakin and Padme fall in love next to a river--Obi-Wan learns of a massive clone army--Anakin and Padmé fall in love in a field--Obi-Wan confronts Jango Fett--Anakin and Padmé fall in love while eating dinner. There was no flow to the romance; as a result, it felt as if they fell in love BecauseDestinySaysSo. This improves somewhat for ''[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Revenge of the Sith]]'': while the love story is still uncompelling, it results in the conception of two major characters from the original trilogy and is pivotal to Anakin's turn to the Dark Side. Then again, putting the weight of the two most pivotal plot points of the trilogy on said unconvincing romance may not have been wise [[StrangledByTheRedString for other reasons...]]