Naboo

"An extraordinary world, Naboo. I'll never understand how it spawned someone as stubborn as our Supreme Chancellor."

- Bail Organa

Naboo was a planet that was the sectorial capital of the Chommell Sector near the Outer Rim territories. It was a largely unspoilt world with large plains and forests and oceans. It was mostly known as the homeworld of notable historical figures who played major roles in the downfall of the Old Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, namely Padmé Amidala, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Jar Jar Binks.

Geographic features
Naboo was an enigma to astrophysicists. Its porous, plasma-rich interior and lack of a molten core has been a phenomenon not found on any other known planet in the galaxy.

The surface of Naboo was covered by dense swamps, rolling grass plains, seas and verdant hills. The largest mountain chain, the Gallo Mountains, bisected the largest continent and divided the great grass plains of the north from the Lianorm Swamp in the south. South of the Lianorm Swamp is the Paonga Sea, where at the bottom lay the Gungan city of Otoh Gunga. The Lake Country was an area known for its natural beauty, and was home to many vacation estates.

Underneath the planet's surface was a tremendous maze of passages and caves, home to immense aquatic animals and creatures that were never seen on the surface, such as the Colo Claw Fish, Opee Sea Killer, Sando Aqua Monster, and others. Gungans dominated these 'underwaterways', using them as a highway of sorts between their surface Holy Places and their underwater cities.

Fauna

 * Aiwha
 * Aquanna
 * Beck-tori
 * Blarth
 * Borgle bat
 * Bursa
 * Cerrabore
 * Clodhopper
 * Colo claw fish
 * Duck
 * Dunsenn
 * Faa
 * Falumpaset
 * Fambaa
 * Fanback
 * Fatfish
 * Galoomp
 * Goff
 * Gooba fish
 * Gooberfish
 * Gorg
 * Gualaar
 * Gualama
 * Guarlara
 * Gumfish
 * Hohokum
 * Igitz
 * Jaboon
 * Jimvu
 * Kaadu
 * Kreetle
 * Kresch
 * Laa
 * Lerraa
 * Mee
 * Mott
 * Muudabok
 * Narglatch
 * Nuna
 * Nyork
 * Ollopom
 * Opee sea killer
 * Otta
 * Peko-peko
 * Pom-hopper
 * Ray
 * Sando aqua monster
 * Saw-toothed grank
 * Scalefish
 * See
 * Shaak
 * Shaupaut
 * Shiro
 * Shiro trap
 * Slaatik hagworm
 * Swift
 * Tooke
 * Tee
 * Tusk cat
 * Twirrl
 * Veermok
 * Voorpak
 * Woolly veermok
 * Yobshrimp
 * Zalaaca
 * Zeer

Pre-Human period
The Gungans are believed to be indigenous to Naboo, but this is uncertain. They have been there a long time, as they engaged in battles of survival with the veermoks during an ice age in some time around 500,000 BBY.



An alien civilization of reptilian humanoids remembered as the "Elders" colonized Naboo. Around 7,032 BBY, they engaged in warfare with the Gungans, forcing the Gungans to retreat underwater, giving rise to modern Gungan civilization. Monuments and ruins, scattered throughout the planet, were built by the Elders. The largest of these ruins, located on the northern edge of the Lianorm Swamp, was identified as the Gungan Holy Place. The Gungans view these ruins as sacred, and their builders as "guds". Both Gungan and Human Naboo scientists agree that the end of the "Elder" civilization, 5,032 BBY, may have been the result of the "Elders" negligence towards their environment.

The Ankura and Otolla branches of Gungans united, forming a symbiotic relationship. They dominated Naboo for millennia afterwards, though largely keeping to the swamps and waterways; the mountains and grasslands considered 'desert-like' for them.

Human colonization
Around 3,951 BBY, prior to the end of the Sith Civil War, Elsinore den Tasia ascended to the throne of the Core World of Grizmallt. She sponsored the Republic explorer Kwilaan, who discovered Naboo with a fleet of three ships&mdash;Beneficent Tasia, Constant and Mother Vima. The planet quickly became notorious amongst big game hunters who favored the indigenous veermoks, although it would be five decades before permanent Human settlement.

Eventually, in approximately 3,900 BBY, Human refugees fleeing a violent revolution on Grizmallt, led by none other than Kwilaan, settled in the mountains and great grass plains. Some believe that Naboo was originally a Gungan word for "plainsfolk." Cultural differences led to tension between the two peoples&mdash;but direct conflict was rare. Over time, there was more conflict between the various Human settlements than between the Human nation of Naboo and Gungans.

War of the Gungan Tribes


The Gungans long lived in rival cities. In 3,032 BBY, a warlord known as Rogoe destroyed Otoh Sancture using Bursas. Boss Gallo escaped this destruction, being on a hunt at the time to provide food for a feast. Gallo united the thieves under rogue Captain Marsune and the various Gungan cities' defense forces to form the Gungan Grand Army. Gallo and Marsune led the Army to conquer Rogoe's capital, Spearhead, which he renamed Otoh Gunga&mdash;a city for all the Gungans. The Bosses of Otoh Gunga, including Gallo's descendant Rugor Nass, maintained a hierarchical leadership over the Bosses of the other cities thenceforth.

Early Gungan/Human cooperation
Despite the prejudices that existed between the Human Naboo and the Gungans, cooperation was not unknown. Although both civilizations turned a blind eye to it, they came to depend on each other in trade conducted on the fringes, out of sight of "respectable" society. In a progressive move, when the Human city Kaadara was founded in 2,900 BBY, Regent Kallos Sook hired a Gungan security force to protect the city from beasts. While this tradition eventually died out, it was revived in Kaadara after the Battle of Naboo in 32 BBY.

Colonization of Rori
King Narmele the Explorer colonized Naboo's swampy moon of Rori, c.2,000 BBY. A city there still bears his name. Some scientists contend that earlier colonists settled Rori before the Narmele colony, but if this is true, no trace of them has been found. Much later, during the Galactic Civil War, Rori was the site of a large battle between the forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Galactic Empire. The battle that engulfed the city of Restuss would be the first and last known sighting of Emperor's Hand Aralina Silk.

The Jafan dynasty of Theed
In 1,000 BBY, a crisis led to a large scale conflict engulfing all the Human Naboo city states, though there was no evidence of Gungan participation. Theed's King Jafan ended the conflict, uniting all Naboo under his leadership by 830 BBY (Theed itself had only been established in 832 BBY). Jafan ushered in the "Great Time of Peace" and Theed became the Royal Capital, eclipsing Deeja Peak.

The Gungan-Naboo War
The Jafan Dynasty reigned until the last of their line expired c.150 BBY). Around that time, the Naboo and Gungans fought an open war. The Naboo elected a Queen to lead them in the war. Upon her death, she instituted an elected, rather than hereditary, monarchy. Since then the position of monarch has been an elected post, with a fluid constitution that allows for royalty to be vested in an elected official. The conflict apparently ended in 121 BBY.

The first invasion of Naboo
In 100 BBY, the Gungan Grand Army fought off unknown invaders of Naboo. As a result, the Gungan tribes were united even closer than they were after the War of Gungan Tribes thousands of years before.

It is unknown if the Naboo participated in the war.

Palpatine's rise to power
Palpatine was born on Naboo in 82 BBY. While the circumstances remain unclear, he became a Dark Lord of the Sith secretly known as Darth Sidious, originally the apprentice of Darth Plagueis. In 52 BBY, he arranged for the assassination of Vidar Kim, and was elected as his replacement as Chommell Sector's Senator. Palpatine's manipulations eventually led to him overthrowing the Republic itself, drastically altering Naboo culture along the way. After the formation of the New Order, many Naboo secretly opposed Palpatine's oppressive and humanocentric policies.

Amidala's rise to power
By King Veruna's reign (47 BBY) Naboo had become a major player in the interstellar plasma energy trade market. Long known as a source of plasma (the energy source that powers everything from simple lights to great Gungan underwater cities and capital starships), high grade plasma veins were discovered below the streets of Theed. This led to King Veruna and (then) Senator Palpatine to build a great plasma mining and refining facility in the heart of the capital, as well as the Kwilaan Starport in Theed, c. 38 BBY. The Banking Clan financed the construction. As the Naboo traditionally held an aversion to off world trade they agreed to have the powerful Trade Federation buy the plasma at a fixed price. The Federation however took advantage of the Naboo's lack of interstellar commercial experience and sold the plasma for greatly marked up prices—selling the Naboo short.

The Naboo protested and wished to be free of the contract. King Veruna, never wanting the trade agreement with the Federation in the first place, sensed the upcoming military conflict. Veruna expanded the role of the Space Fighter Corps (a division of the RSF) and founded the N-1 starfighter squadron. The Theed Hangar was built next to the refining station to house the new military forces. This move was unpopular on Naboo, as these precautions were perceived as provocative overture. With the people and Senator Palpatine unhappy with his military expansion, Veruna was forced to abdicate in favor of Padmé Naberrie (who took the formal name Amidala). Later, Veruna was assassinated while in exile. Padmé Naberrie became Queen with the promise to end the conflict without violence.

The Blockade of Naboo
Once in power, Queen Amidala opened negotiations with the Trade Federation. However the Federation was scandalized by Naboo's resistance to its authority, which coincided with a Galactic Republic Senate tax on interstellar trade. Both actions were perceived by Federation leadership as a threat to their commercial interests and power. The Federation answered with a military blockade of Naboo, with the aim of forcing Naboo into subservience and to hopefully intimidate the Senate into repealing the taxation measure. The Federation leadership was secretly advised, and manipulated, by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

Jedi Involvement
Queen Amidala sent for Galactic Republic mediation to end the conflict and the Republic sent Jedi Knights as ambassadors. Their mediation was unsuccessful as the Federation at that moment launched their invasion of Naboo. Naboo fell quickly. Though they had a powerful Space Fighter Corps (King Veruna's true legacy), the Royal Advisory Council held off action until all negotiations failed. The Naboo government and citizens were captured and were to be imprisoned in detention camps outside the cities. Eventually rescued by the Jedi Knights, Queen Amidala left Naboo to personally plea for aid in the Galactic Senate. Governor Sio Bibble and others were to organize a resistance movement in the mean time.



Reaching for Help
Once on Coruscant, Queen Amidala addressed the Senate. The Federation had powerful and rich allies, and all the Queen could do was demand a Vote of No Confidence in the Senate leadership against Chancellor Finis Valorum. By doing this, she hoped to force a change for a more favorable Chancellorship. The Queen returned to her homeworld to lead the resistance herself. Once home Padmé Amidala sought the aid of the reclusive Gungans, pleading for joint action against a common enemy. The Gungans agreed to an alliance and led an army against the Federation's mechanical forces. Captain Panaka and the RNSF were able to organize the Space Fighter Corps to their fighters, and launch a last effort against the Federation capital ships. Ultimately the Naboo-Gungan Alliance was able to defeat the Federation. For her heroic effort the Naboo wished to alter the constitution allowing for Padmé Amidala, and possibly her heirs, to reign for life. Padmé Amidala declined the honor.

Aftermath of the Invasion
The invasion drastically changed the Naboo, leading to a more pronounced militarization of their culture. While their architecture in the rebuilding of Theed was as serene as ever, the Royal Naboo Security Force was greatly expanded and given a heavier arsenal of weaponry and armored vehicles, such as the Naboo N-1T Advanced Starfighter and the Heavy Champion.

New Relations with the Gungans
Amidala, along with Obi-Wan, R2-D2, and Jar Jar Binks, did participate in the Gungan colonization of Ohma-D'un, a result of badly overcrowded Gungan cities.

When her second four-year term as Queen ended, Padmé Amidala abdicated in favor of Queen Jamillia, who asked her to continue serving Naboo as Senator. Padmé "couldn't refuse the Queen", and returned to politics after a brief respite. Jar Jar Binks was also appointed as a specific representative for his species, becoming the first Gungan to be represented off Naboo.

The Clone Wars
Galactic Republic Senate politics was a new forum for Padmé Amidala. Though many on Naboo and in the Galactic Senate wanted a centralized executive, Padmé Amidala voted again and again against the Military Creation Act (which would allow the Senate to raise a standing military to serve at the discretion of the Chancellor of the Senate). Padmé Amidala, however, was outmaneuvered, and the Senate voted to create a standing military. In the meantime, Palpatine, himself a native of Naboo, successfully became the Chancellor of the Republic, and his hard-line stances were generally supported by Naboo, still rebuilding after occupation.

Endless invasions
During the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems (including the Trade Federation) launched an unsuccessful campaign of invasion and conquest against Naboo. Durge and Asajj Ventress teamed to unleash a biological weapon on the planet, but only succeeded in wiping out the Gungan colony on Ohma-D'un before they were stopped. Much later in the war, a small droid army attempted to assassinate Senator Amidala in a Naboo marketplace. The Senator was saved by an artist who was apparently having premonitions of the death of Padmé and the twins she carried in her womb.

At the end of the Clone Wars, Senator Amidala died shortly after the birth of her twins. It is suggested that her death was due to a broken heart, after learning her husband, Anakin Skywalker, turned to the Dark Side and became the dreaded Sith Lord, Darth Vader. The senator's formal funeral was held in the capital of Theed, presided over by Ryoo Thule, Naberrie's maternal grandmother.

Imperial period
In years to come, Naboo would generally support the positions of Chancellor and later Emperor Palpatine, including the establishment of the Galactic Empire, although doing so in a way that attempted to remind the population of the peace it had enjoyed during the days of the Republic. Many Naboo would serve in the Imperial Services, and Captain Panaka would become an aide to the Emperor, and later ascend to the rank of Moff of the Chommell Sector.

Assassination of Queen Apailana


During the early years of the Imperial era, Queen Apailana remained loyal to the Empire on the surface but secretly harbored doubts about the new regime. Throughout her reign, government buildings and organizations on Naboo continued to refer to the Republic, not the newly formed Empire. She secretly hid a group of Jedi who had survived Order 66, which would be her undoing, for she was caught in 18 BBY. During the isolated conflict that would later be known as the Fall of Naboo, Apailana and the Jedi survivors she harbored were killed by Darth Vader and the 501st Legion. She was replaced by Queen Kylantha, who was put on the throne as a puppet ruler.

Kylantha's Rule
Kylantha was not a supporter of the Old Republic, but neither was she an Imperial proponent. Kylantha refused to alter the democratic structure of the Naboo constitution, though she would reign for a much longer span of years than prior rulers (it is unknown if she became Queen for life). She is thought to have secretly and privately distrusted the Empire, but did not want a return of the Old Republic. Publicly, she maintained the status quo during the Empire's reign. She also appointed Padmé Amidala's niece, Pooja Naberrie, to the Imperial Senate. There Pooja would be a contemporary of her cousin (though neither knew of their family ties), Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.

After the Battle of Endor, when news of Palpatine's death had spread across the galaxy, Naboo saw an uprising which apparently ended with the ousting of the local Imperial garrison by a combined force of Gungans and Naboo's Security Forces. Whether they were successful in liberating the entire world in this instance is unclear.

The New Republic
After the downfall of the Empire, Naboo ambassadors were sent to negotiate terms with the New Republic, and were among the signers of the Common Charter. During the time of the New Republic, the Chommell Sector was represented in the New Republic Senate by Arani Korden and later by a Gungan Senator.

Yuuzhan Vong War and Dark Antebellum Period
Naboo was not hurt during the Yuuzhan Vong War and was thus spared the galactic destruction. However, it received millions of refugees and helped rebuild the galaxy under the transient Galactic Alliance and the New Republic.

Naboo stayed neutral during the Swarm War and interactions with the New Empire.

Imperial War and the Dark War
Naboo contributed many soldiers to the New Republic Army during the Imperial War. It was during this time that Natalia Buckingham was elected Queen. A small uprising by Imperial sympathizers was quickly and quietly put down.

However, with the arrival of Heiseto Leonhart and the formation of the Combined Armies, Naboo was once again threatened. In the Second Battle of Naboo, in 44 ABY, the forces of the Combined Armies took control of the planet, causing much damage to the planet. Not long afterwards, the New Republic launched a counterattack in the same year and regained the planet. However, the planet and its people were greatly hurt by these two battles.

Civil Wars and the Black General's Era
Naboo was one of the first planets to declare allegiance to the Alliance Republic and one of the first to suffer for the cause. During the Fourth Battle of Naboo in 46 ABY, the Alliance defeated Loyalist forces on and around the planet while Imperial forces watched. This victory caused the Imperial Remnant to recognize the existence of the Alliance.

The battle itself cost many lives and the capital Theed was greatly devastated in the process, as was much of the surface. However, the planet remained loyal to the Alliance and continued to provide soldiers to the army to fight against enemy factions in the galaxy.

Culture


The Humans of Naboo are know for being peaceful, enlightened, and artistic, among other things.

The Naboo remained largely pastoral and nomadic, although several urban centers did emerge. Deeja Peak, in the Gallo Mountains, developed as one of the first Human settlements on the planet, keeping a degree of political power there. Keren and Theed both developed as farming communities whose over-production of foodstuffs provided for a large leisure class. Keren eventually became the commercial hub while Theed became more aristocratic. Kaadara developed as a coastal town for the few Naboo fisherman. Moenia was the first, and only, Human colony built in the traditional Gungan homelands of the Lianorm swamps.

The Naboo developed into a classic feudal society with a hereditary noble class and common folk, though unlike most feudal societies, there is no record of a subservient serf class. Naboo city-states traded with each other and with the Gungans. Generally the city-states acknowledged a ceremonial "High King"—a position that at times rotated between the city-state princes, though at other times was vested in a royal house. This ceremonial position was largely powerless and a form of peerage democracy evolved.

Adulthood and the right to vote is based on intellectual maturity rather than biological age, hence a reason for so many teenagers being involved in public service. The Naboo display a remarkable--perhaps unique--tendency to elect extremely young women to high public office (Queen and Senator Padmé Amidala, Queen Jamillia, Queen Apailana, Senator Pooja Naberrie).

Names of state
Often when a Naboo enters into political life he or she adopts a 'Name of State." This name of state is used for public occasions and represents the honor and dignity of the office one chooses. Padmé Naberrie adopted the name of Amidala. Palpatine is sometimes thought to be a Name of State, though this is speculation.

See Palpatine.

Exports
Naboo's main export was the plasma that flowed from below the surface of the planet. The plasma trade on Naboo began during the reign of King Veruna, and cornered by the Trade Federation, eventually leading to the Blockade of Naboo. Blossom wine was also one of Naboo's exports, along with fine art and architectural influence.

Monarchs

 * King Narmle (c. 2,000 BBY)
 * King Jafan (c. 832 BBY)
 * Queen Yarm (c. 500 BBY)
 * King Veruna (45 BBY–32 BBY)
 * Queen Amidala (32 BBY–24 BBY)
 * Queen Jamillia (24 BBY–20 BBY)
 * Queen Apailana (20 BBY–18 BBY)
 * Queen Kylantha (18 BBY–14 ABY)
 * Unknown Queen(s)/King(s) (14 ABY-43 ABY)
 * Queen Buckingham (43 ABY-?)

Senators



 * Senator Vidar Kim (—52 BBY)
 * Senator Palpatine (52 BBY–32 BBY)
 * Senator Padmé Amidala (24 BBY–19 BBY)
 * Senator Jar Jar Binks (19 BBY-6 BBY)
 * Senator Pooja Naberrie (6 BBY–0 BBY)
 * Senator Arani Korden (sometime during the New Republic)
 * Unknown Gungan Senator (sometime during the New Republic)

Other governors



 * Princess Amidala (33 BBY—32 BBY)
 * Princess Ellie (32 BBY—? BBY)
 * Princess Apailana (? BBY—20 BBY)
 * Governor Sio Bibble (32 BBY—?)
 * Moff Panaka (sometime during the Galactic Civil War), also governor of the Chommell Sector
 * Associate Planetary Representative Jar Jar Binks (24 BBY—19 BBY)

Behind the scenes

 * In the 2004 DVD Special Edition version of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, when the Emperor's defeat and first death at the Battle of Endor is announced to the galaxy, an additional celebration scene on Naboo is shown.
 * Secrets of Naboo gives the Human population as 1.2 billion, a much larger figure than the pan-species population given in later reference books.
 * It is possible that Naboo was named after Nabu, a god, of wisdom, worshiped by the ancient Babylonians.
 * The buildings of Naboo are based after a cathedral turned mosque turned museum, the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey.
 * The New Essential Guide to Alien Species states that the first Grand Army was formed in 100 BBY to fight off unknown invaders and unite the Gungan tribes. However, this conflicts with the fact that it was in existence thousands of years before during the War of Gungan Tribes and the Gungan-Naboo War.
 * Also another contradiction attributed to the Essential Guides is the existence of the Gungan-Naboo War. One source states that a war occurred between 150 BBY and 121 BBY. The New Essential Guide to Alien Species states that there was never a war between the Gungans and Naboo.
 * The real world locations for Naboo were Plaza de España in Spain, and Lake Como and Caserta Palace in Italy, among others.