Why Padmé Amidala & Palpatine’s Homeworld is so important

Naboo may be most strongly associated with Padmé Amidala, but it was also Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious’ home planet, and its importance in Star Wars should not be underestimated. Naboo was introduced in the prequel trilogy, but it made several appearances throughout Star Wars Movies and TV shows since then, sometimes in quite surprising ways. The planet also just became more important than that Star Wars Timeline has expanded.

The culture of Naboo is particularly unique and intriguing Star WarsNot only because the Naboo kingdom involves a complex system combining monarchy and democracy that often leads to teenage queens. The planet is also known for its art, beauty and gentle way of life, all of which make it stand out among Star Wars Many planets. In addition to the beauty and charming culture of the planet, though, Naboo is a crucial part of these Star Wars franchise and has had a massive influence on the galaxy for generations.

The greatest Sith lord hired from Naboo

It’s a little hard to imagine Palpatine coming from such a beautiful planet, though Naboo is Palpatine’s homeworld. Naboo is a world known for its beauty and a love of the arts, which suits Padmé’s personality and values ​​quite clearly, but it can’t be less than the power-hungry, calculating nature of Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious. It’s arguably one of the strangest aspects of Star Wars That one of Star Wars Most powerful Sith comes from one of the franchise’s most beautiful, peaceful planets.

Of course, villains can come from anywhere, especially since the dark side of the Force is at work. In Palpatine’s case, The origins, undoubtedly, even worked in his favor. His scheme required him to play the role of the good-natured, humble senator of Naboo and then the Supreme Chancellor, which he did quite successfully. Coming from a planet like Naboo would have helped Palpatine form this image of himself. It also allowed him to become a mentor to Padmé, and that was absolutely essential to everything that happened in the prequels.

Naboo saw a turning point in the history of the galaxy

As the prequel trilogy makes clear, the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was in many ways the catalyst for all the massive changes that occurred by the end of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Naboo is famously Padmé Amidala’s planet of origin, and The Phantom Menace Introduce her as the teenage queen of Naboo. It was because of this role that Padmé encountered the Jedi and, finally, met Anakin Skywalker.

It was only because Naboo was under attack from the Trade Federation that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi became so involved with Padmé, setting in motion her very fraught trajectory with Anakin. The attack on Naboo also allowed Palpatine to gain more power, as Padmé helped drive out Supreme Chancellor Valorum with her vote of no confidence. This event paved the way for Palpatine to make a power grab, and it put the Jedi even deeper in his pocket..

Naboo was also the site of the first battle between a Jedi and a Sith in quite some time, as this is where the iconic lightsaber duel between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan took place and ultimately claimed Qui-Gon’s life . Until Darth Maul’s emergence, the Jedi believed the Sith to be extinct (even with The acolyte rejecting that in question something, it seems to be the case). Naboo would have been significant enough if it just served as Palpatine and Padmé’s planet of origin, but it was clearly so much more.

Even Naboo is not sure of the Emperor’s destruction

Despite Naboo being Palpatine’s home planet, it still isn’t safe from the Empire. During the Dark Times, the politics of Naboo changed quite a bit. Naboo still had an elected monarch, but they were little more than a figurehead. As was the structure throughout the Galactic Empire, it was the MOF who had real control. This was quite a change from the prequel trilogy era, as it was clear that Padmé had true executive power and was able to independently make major decisions, including about war and alliances.

While Naboo did not suffer the same brutalities many planets did during the Imperial Era, suggesting there was some preferential treatment for Palpatine’s homeworld by the Empire, the planet also suffered in unique ways. The real threat to Naboo strangely came after Palpatine’s deathWith his nefarious Operation: Cinder Plan. Naboo was one of many planets targeted by the plan, which was set to destroy surviving Imperials in the event of Palpatine’s death so that no one else could step in to take power.

The intention was to make Naboo’s environment useless, effectively wiping out the planet without even needing to completely destroy it like the Death Star did Alderaan. This was fortunately unsuccessful, and Naboo survived both the Dark Times and Operation: Cinder relatively unscathed. In a beautiful full-circle moment, Leia Organa was among the people to save Naboo, connecting her to her mother’s planet.

Every time Naboo has been seen in Star Wars (so far)

While Naboo was most prominent in the Star Wars Prequel trilogy, the planet appeared in several Star Wars Movies and shows in both live action and animation. Naboo first appeared in The Phantom Menace As the site of the Trade Federation’s insidious blockade and, eventually, the Battle of Naboo. It was during this battle that Qui-Gon Jinn also lost his life.

Naboo was equally important in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Because it was here that Anakin Skywalker and Padmé went to protect Padmé after the attempt on her life. This ultimately spelled significant conflict not only for Anakin and Padme, but for the larger galaxy as well, as their private time together led to their fateful marriage. Anakin already had (very vocal) feelings for Padmé, but she grew to love him during their time together.

in Revenge of the SithNaboo unfortunately became the setting for Padmé’s funeral, which took place at the end of the movie and was attended by countless citizens of Naboo, including Padmé’s family. The funeral is also the reason why Naboo appears in the animated show Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. The show revealed that Anakin Skywalker’s former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano attended the funeral, and although she stayed hidden in the shadows for her own protection after Order 66, she had contact with Bail Organa.

Naboo also appeared in animation in Star Wars: The Clone Wars And Star Wars: Forces of DestinyAlthough it played a lesser role in the storylines and was mainly linked to Padmé. One of the more surprising appearances of Naboo came in the 2004 DVD release of Return of the Jediwhich added a scene to the end of the movie in which the citizens of Naboo celebrated the death of Palpatine. The scene, known as the Rally of Naboo, made sense given the added context of the prequels, but it was unexpected nonetheless.

It is clear that Naboo is a major player in the larger Star Wars Galaxy for reasons far beyond just Palpatine and Padmé. It also seems like it’s only a matter of time before Naboo makes its Star Wars Return. In canon, Naboo remained important during the New Republic era, and it would make particular sense for Leia Organa to have some sort of on-screen plot involving the planet during that period. In all likelihood, Naboo’s prominence in Star Wars Will continue in future projects.