Naboo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naboo |
|
|---|---|
Theed, the capital city, is partially inspired by and filmed in Plaza de España in Seville.
|
|
| Star Wars location | |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Type | Planet |
| Race(s) |
|
| First appearance | The Phantom Menace (1999) |
| Last appearance | Revenge of the Sith (2005) |
| Moon(s) | 3 |
Naboo is a beautiful planet in the exciting Star Wars universe. It is home to two main groups of people. The Gungans live in amazing cities underwater. The humans live in cities on the surface. The humans of Naboo choose their leaders, like a king or queen. They have a very peaceful way of life. They really value education, arts, protecting the environment, and science. The main capital city of Naboo is called Theed.
Contents
The Naboo Star System
The Naboo star system is found in a part of the galaxy called the Chommell sector. This area is in the Mid-Rim region. Naboo is the third planet orbiting its star, also named Naboo.
The Naboo system has five planets:
- Moth (like Venus)
- Erep (also like Venus)
- Naboo (like Earth)
- Widow (like Mars)
- Storm (like Jupiter)
Naboo itself has three moons. These moons are known as Ohma D'un, Rori, and Tasia.
Exploring Naboo's Landscape
Naboo is a very special planet. Its inside is full of plasma and does not have a hot, melted core like most planets. This is quite rare in the Star Wars galaxy.
The surface of Naboo is covered with thick swamps, wide grassy plains, and green hills. The biggest mountains are called the Gallo Mountains. They cut across the main landmass. These mountains separate the large northern grasslands from the Lianorm Swamp in the south.
South of the Lianorm Swamp is the Paonga Sea. Deep under this sea is Otoh Gunga. This is the main city where the Gungans live. It is also where Jar Jar Binks first met Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn.
Below the planet's surface is a huge network of tunnels and caves. These underwater paths are home to giant aquatic animals and creatures. The Gungans use these "underwaterways" like highways. They travel between their sacred places on the surface and their hidden underwater cities.
Naboo's Past: A Brief History
It's not fully known if the Gungans were the first people on Naboo. They might have developed in the underground seas or the swamps.
Long ago, tens of thousands of years in the past, another group of human-like people lived on Naboo's surface. They left behind old buildings and ruins all over the planet. The biggest ruin is in the northern part of the Lianorm Swamp. The Gungans call this their Sacred Place. They see these ruins as holy and believe the builders were the "Elders" of the planet. Both Gungan and human scientists on Naboo think the Elders' civilization ended because they did not live in harmony with nature.
How Humans Settled Naboo
For a long time, the Gungans were the main group on Naboo. They mostly stayed in the swamps and waterways. They thought the mountains and grasslands were like deserts.
Around 3951 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), human refugees came to Naboo. They were escaping a violent revolution on their home planet, Grizmallt. Queen Elsinore den Tasia of Grizmallt sent three ships to find new worlds. An explorer named Kwilaan led this fleet. The Naboo moon Tasia is named after Queen Elsinore.
Kwilaan's ships crashed on Naboo around 3900 BBY. The humans settled permanently in the mountains and on the grassy plains. Some people think the word "Naboo" was originally a Gungan word for "plainsfolk."
At first, the humans and Gungans had different ways of life. This caused some tension, but big fights were rare. Over time, there were more conflicts between the different human settlements than between humans and Gungans.
The human culture on Naboo was mostly about farming and moving around. But cities did start to grow. Deeja Peak in the Gallo Mountains was one of the first human settlements. It kept some political power. Keren and Theed started as farming towns. They grew so much food that some people had free time. Keren became a center for trade, while Theed became more important for noble families. Kaadara was a town by the sea for the few Nabooan fishermen. Moenia was the only human town built in the Gungan swamps.
The Naboo people developed a society with noble families and common people. However, unlike many similar societies, there were no records of a servant class. The Naboo cities traded with each other and with the Gungans. Usually, the cities recognized a "High King" who was mostly a ceremonial leader. This position sometimes rotated among the city princes. Other times, it stayed within a royal family. This system allowed for a kind of democracy where leaders were chosen by their peers.
King Narmele the Explorer helped settle Naboo's swampy moon, Rori, around 2000 BBY. A city there is still named after him. Naboo has two other moons: Ohma D'un, a water-moon, and Tasia, a barren ice-moon. Tasia is named after the queen who helped the first colonists.
Naboo culture also has a strong focus on family in every household, from common people to the royal family.
Naboo in the Old Republic and Rise of the Empire
Around 1,000 BBY, a big conflict happened between all the human Naboo cities. There is no sign that Gungans were involved. King Jafan of Theed ended this conflict. By 830 BBY, he united all Nabooans under his rule. King Jafan started a "Great Time of Peace." Theed became the main capital city, becoming more important than Deeja Peak.
Even though Naboo was still small, its people were careful about outside influences. Under King Jafan's family, Theed became famous for its beautiful buildings and amazing craftsmanship. Examples include the Naboo royal starship and the royal palace in Theed. (The palace in the films was partly filmed at Caserta Palace in Italy). The palace courtyard has statues of Naboo philosophers. King Jafan's family ruled until their line ended around 150 BBY. Since then, the ruler of Naboo has been elected.
By the time King Veruna ruled (47 BBY), Naboo was very important in the galactic plasma energy trade. Plasma is an energy source that powers many things, from lights on clothes to huge Gungan cities and spaceships. High-quality plasma was found under the streets of Theed. This led King Veruna and Senator Palpatine to build a large plasma mining and refining center in the capital. The Banking Guild helped pay for this.
The Naboo people usually did not like trading with other planets. But they agreed to let the powerful Trade Federation buy their plasma at a set price. However, the Federation took advantage of Naboo's lack of experience in space trade. They sold the plasma for much higher prices, cheating Naboo.
The Naboo protested and wanted to end the contract. King Veruna, who never wanted the trade deal in the first place, felt a conflict was coming. He made the Space Fighter Corps stronger and created the N-1 starfighter squadron. Theed Hangar was built next to the refining station for these new forces. This move was not popular on Naboo or with Senator Palpatine. They thought these actions would cause trouble. Because the people and the senator were unhappy, King Veruna had to step down. Princess Padme Naberrie became Queen. Later, King Veruna was killed while in exile. Padme took the name Amidala as her Name of State. The young Queen Padme promised to end the conflict without fighting.
Once Queen Amidala was in power, she started talks with the Trade Federation. But the Federation was angry that Naboo was resisting them. At the same time, the Galactic Republic Senate put a tax on trade between planets. The Federation leaders saw both these actions as threats to their business and power. The Federation responded by blocking Naboo with their military. They wanted to force Naboo to obey them and hoped to scare the Senate into removing the tax. A Sith Lord named Darth Sidious secretly advised and controlled the Federation leaders.
The Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were sent to help, but they failed. Naboo quickly fell. Even though they had a strong military, the Royal Advisory Council waited until all talks failed before acting. The Naboo government and citizens were captured and put in detention camps. Jinn and Kenobi soon rescued Queen Amidala. She left Naboo to ask for help from the Galactic Senate herself. Captain Panaka and others stayed behind to organize a resistance movement.
On Coruscant, Queen Amidala spoke to the Senate. The Federation had powerful friends. All the Queen could do was ask for a "Vote of No Confidence" in the Senate leader, Supreme Chancellor Valorum. She hoped this would lead to a new Chancellor who would be more helpful. The Queen returned to Naboo to lead the resistance herself.
Back home, Queen Amidala asked the Gungans for help. She pleaded for them to join forces against their common enemy. The Gungans agreed to an alliance. They led an army against the Federation's robot forces. Captain Panaka was able to get the Space Fighter Corps into their ships. They launched a final attack against the Federation's main spaceship. The Fighter Corps destroyed the Trade Federation capital ship. This shut down all the B1 Battle Droids. The Trade Federation leaders, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako, were captured. Qui-Gon Jinn was killed during the battle. But in the end, the Naboo and Gungan Alliance defeated the Federation.
Because of her brave efforts, the Naboo people wanted to change their laws. They wanted Padmé Amidala, and maybe her children, to rule for life. But Padmé Amidala said no to this honor.
After serving the maximum two 4-year terms, Padmé Amidala was replaced by Queen Jamillia (24–20 BBY). Jamillia asked Padmé Amidala to continue serving Naboo as its Senator. Padmé Amidala "couldn't refuse the Queen" and returned to politics after a short break. Jar Jar Binks was also chosen as the alternate Senator. He became the first Gungan to represent Naboo. Most of the old prejudices between the two species disappeared when Amidala and Boss Nass united them during the Battle of Naboo.
Galactic Republic Senate politics was a new challenge for Padmé Amidala. Meanwhile, Palpatine, who was also from Naboo, remained Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. His strong opinions were generally supported by a Naboo that was still recovering from the occupation. Many on Naboo and in the Senate wanted a stronger leader. But Padmé Amidala voted again and again against the Military Creation Act. This act would allow the Senate to create a standing military for the Supreme Chancellor to use. However, Padmé Amidala was outsmarted. After Senator Jar Jar Binks suggested giving "emergency powers" to the Chancellor, a military was created to fight the Separatist movement. During the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems (which included the Trade Federation) tried to invade Naboo, but they failed.
Naboo Under the Empire
After the Empire rose to power, Queen Apailana spoke out against the new government. When talks between Naboo and the Empire failed, Apailana started looking into military options. She also hid Jedi, which was against the Empire's rules (Order 66). She was then killed by the elite 501st Legion, also known as Vader's Fist. This helped the Empire take control of the planet.
In the years that followed, the Naboo generally supported Chancellor and later Emperor Palpatine. They accepted the creation of the Empire, becoming a state controlled by the Empire. Many Naboo people served in the Imperial Services. Captain Panaka became an aide to the Emperor. Naboo became an Imperial planet.
The popular Queen Kylantha ruled throughout the Imperial years. Kylantha appointed Padmé Amidala's niece, Pooja Naberrie, to the Imperial Senate. There, Pooja was a contemporary of her cousin, Princess Leia of Alderaan. But they did not know they were related until 36 years after the Battle of Yavin. Kylantha did not support the old Republic, but she also did not fully support the Empire. Kylantha refused to change Naboo's democratic laws. It is believed Kylantha secretly supported the Rebellion, even though the Empire appointed her after Apailana's death.
The comic series Star Wars: Shattered Empire shows that soon after the Battle of Endor, the Empire used a superweapon to harm Naboo's weather. Leia was visiting her mother's home world when this attack happened.
Naboo's Royal Traditions
Names for Public Life
When a Nabooan enters political life, they often choose a "Name of State." This name is used for public events. It shows the honor and importance of the position they hold. Padmé Naberrie chose the name "Amidala" when she became Princess of Theed (34-32 BBY) and later, Queen of the Naboo (32-24 BBY). Padmé kept the name Amidala when she became Naboo's Senator for the Galactic Republic (23-19 BBY).
The Scar of Remembrance
The Scar of Remembrance is a special mark used in the makeup of Naboo's rulers. It reminds everyone of the time before the "Great Time of Peace." This peace was brought about by King Jafan, who united Naboo. Naboo's monarchs also wear colored twin cheek-spots in their makeup. These spots represent "Balance" and "Symmetry."
Known Rulers of Naboo
- King Narmele (around 2,000 BBY)
- Queen Yarm (around 500 years before Queen Amidala)
- King Jafan (around 532 BBY)
- King Tapalo (65 BBY – 46 BBY)
- King Veruna (47 BBY – 30 BBY)
- Queen Amidala (32 BBY – 24 BBY)
- Queen Jamillia (24 BBY – 22 BBY)
- Queen Neeyutnee (22 BBY – 20 BBY) - During the Clone Wars
- Queen Apailana (20 BBY – 18 BBY)
- Queen Kylantha (18 BBY – throughout the Imperial era)
- Queen Sosha Soruna (4 ABY -)
Known Senators of Naboo
- Senator Vidar Kim (? BBY – 52 BBY)
- Senator Sheev Palpatine (52 BBY – 32 BBY)
- Senator Padmé Amidala (22 BBY – 19 BBY)
- Senator Jar Jar Binks (19 BBY – 6 BBY)
- Senator Pooja Naberrie (6 BBY– 0 BBY)
- Senator Thadlé Berenko (? ABY - 34 ABY)
See also
In Spanish: Naboo para niños
