FALL OF THE REPUBLIC

Padmé Amidala’s reign as the elected Queen of Naboo took place during a time of great change for the planet. With the taxation of trade routes in dispute, the Trade Federation set up a blockade of battleships around the star system, stopping all shipping to the planet. Senator Palpatine, Naboo’s galactic representative, debated the issue in the Congress of the Republic, but to little avail. When Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were sent to negotiate a truce with the Trade Federation, the organization’s leader, Nute Gunray -- acting on the guidance of Darth Sidious -- attempted to kill them instead. The two escaped to Naboo, where they connected with Padmé and fled the planet upon the Trade Federation’s surprise invasion. Their starship damaged in battle, Padmé and crew made an emergency landing on Tatooine, where they met young slave boy Anakin Skywalker. Anakin won a thrilling yet deadly Podrace, which earned enough money to pay for their ship’s replacement parts, and the group left for Coruscant. There, Padmé, encouraged by Palpatine, moved for a vote of no-confidence in the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Valorum; in the resulting election, Palpatine himself was named a nominee for the office. The Queen was happy for her friend but had other plans, opting to return to Naboo and free her people from the Trade Federation’s occupation. Back on Naboo, the young Queen made an unprecedented request of the native Gungans to form an alliance. With the support of their forces, she staged a three-pronged attack: an air, ground, and stealth assault. It proved successful, as the Naboo fighters destroyed the Droid Control Ship, the Gungans kept the droid army at bay, while Padmé located Nute Gunray and brought him to justice.

As a Separatist movement began to grow, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine sought emergency powers that would allow for the creation of a Grand Army of the Republic. Padmé, now a Senator of Naboo, came back to Coruscant to vote on the issue -- only to be the target of an assassination attempt. Her starship was bombed, but the Senator was actually not aboard. Another attempt on her life followed, which led to a return to Naboo with Anakin Skywalker, now a grown Padawan. Feelings between the two began to grow in their time together, and they shared a kiss; Anakin, however, was forbidden to have a romantic relationship, lest he be removed from the Jedi Order. Meanwhile, Anakin began to suffer visions that his mother was dying, and left with Padmé to save her. The young Jedi tracked his mother to a Tusken Raider camp on Tatooine where she died in his arms; enraged, he slaughtered all the Sand People he encountered. Padmé comforted him upon his return, understanding the pain he was going through. Shortly thereafter, the two left to help Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had uncovered a Separatist plot on Geonosis. Their attempted rescue, however, did not work out as planned: they were quickly captured, sentenced to die in the massive Geonosian arena. Their executions were designed to be a spectacle with three terrible beasts unleashed upon them. Padmé managed to deliver a powerful kick to the nexu stalking her; soon, Yoda arrived with the Republic’s new clone army, and a massive battle erupted. The Senator fought bravely, joking with her love that they were involved in “aggressive negotiations.” They survived the day, and Padmé and Anakin retreated to Naboo where they were secretly married.

Padmé continued to work towards peace -- using both diplomacy and a blaster (when necessary). Among her many adventures during the Clone Wars, the Senator attempted to broker a peace with the Separatists. Visiting Senator Mina Bonteri, a member of the Confederacy, the two agreed to cease-fire negotiations. Unfortunately for Padmé, darker forces were at play and prevented this peace from coming to fruition. In addition, the Senator had a reunion with old flame Rush Clovis -- a meeting that brought out the anger in Anakin, and showed that their relationship was not perfect.

Three years after they were secretly wed, Senator Padmé Amidala was pregnant with Anakin Skywalker’s child. The two were filled with both joy and worry, as Anakin would be removed from the Jedi Order should anyone find out. Strangely, Anakin began suffering sporadic nightmares and premonitions that Padmé would die in childbirth. She assured her husband that everything was fine, but he was determined not to let his dreams become real as they had with his mother. He turned to the dark side, slaughtering Jedi, for the power to save her. Meanwhile, her old friend Palpatine named himself Emperor with the support of the Senate, which deeply disturbed Padmé . “So this is how liberty dies,” she said. “With thunderous applause.” When Padmé later confronted Anakin, repulsed by his acts and his self-professed plans to overthrow the new Emperor, he Force choked her in a fit of rage. Padmé was knocked unconscious and later taken by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who defeated his former friend in a lightsaber duel, to a medical facility. She was actually dying -- having lost the will to live -- and gave birth to twins, naming them Luke and Leia. With her final words, Padmé implored that there was still good in Anakin.