Mission to Rodia/Legends

"Can you ever forgive me, Padmé?''" "''It is the Republic that should be asking your forgiveness, my old friend. Far too often we forget that our most important allies are not always the most powerful."

- Onaconda Farr and Padmé Amidala

Senator Padmé Amidala took a diplomatic mission to Rodia in 21 BBY, during the Clone Wars. As the planet's supplies had been recently attacked by pirates, Amidala sought to ensure that Rodia remained allied with the Galactic Republic. Yet, Onaconda Farr, Rodia's representative in the Galactic Senate, had allied himself with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Upon her arrival in the Senatorial Palace on Rodia, Amidala was taken captive, to be given to Gunray as part of the arrangement. After Amidala's protocol droid, C-3PO, and Representative Jar Jar Binks were attacked by battle droids in the palace hangar, Binks accidentally crushed Amidala's yacht with a magnetic hoist. Binks and C-3PO resolved to rescue Amidala from the palace's detention tower; however, when Binks found a Jedi robe in the yacht and put it on, the Confederate forces mistook him for a Jedi.

After Gunray arrived to collect Amidala, the Viceroy revealed that he intended to execute her, and Farr began to mistrust the Viceroy. Amidala broke out of her cell, while Binks, unaware of her escape, attempted to rescue her. C-3PO went to contact any Republic clone troopers within range for support, and Amidala engaged the Confederate droids. Binks slipped underwater, but a homing torpedo aimed at the Gungan exploded, and he was presumed dead. After contacting a nearby Republic convoy, C-3PO was arrested. As Confederate droidekas prepared to execute Amidala and C-3PO, however, Binks reappeared, and a Kwazel Maw that had befriended and saved the Gungan attacked the droids. Gunray fled, but he was apprehended by Amidala and Farr and taken into custody. Farr and Rodia remained allied to the Republic, and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine dispatched relief supplies to the planet.

Prelude
"You speak of friendship I have not witnessed of late. Where was the Republic when our supply ships were destroyed by pirates? Where was the Republic as my people starved? We&hellip;have been stranded out here without any help at all. I know it is not your fault, but my people starve all the same.''" "I'm sure the Republic Senate will approve a relief effort. The vote was postponed, but you will get your food!" "''I&hellip;am sorry. It is&hellip;too late, my sweet. The Separatist leader Nute Gunray has promised to support us with a very generous relief effort."

- Onaconda Farr confronts Padmé Amidala on the Republic's support of Rodia

In 21 BBY, during the Clone Wars, pirates raided food shipments and supplies on the planet of Rodia. Senator Onaconda Farr, Rodia's representative in the Galactic Senate, returned to his homeworld with the Senate's Rodian delegation. A Senatorial vote for a relief effort to Rodia was postponed, and Farr contacted his longtime friend, Senator Padmé Amidala, but was unable to speak with her, as she was preoccupied with other business. The Rodians on the planet starved, and Farr began to lose hope.

To help his people, the Rodian Senator entered into an alliance with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Gunray held a grudge against Amidala from the Trade Federation's defeat on her homeworld of Naboo in 32 BBY, and in exchange for her capture as a prisoner of war, Farr was promised relief supplies. Farr himself was confident that he could use his status to prevent harm from befalling Amidala while she was in Confederate captivity. Battle droids were dispatched to Rodia to aid in Amidala's capture. Amidala learned of the pirate attack on Rodia, and to ensure that the planet remained loyal to the Republic, she traveled to Rodia, accompanied by her protocol droid, C-3PO, and Representative Jar Jar Binks. Nevertheless, Amidala refused to take a clone trooper escort, a risky action noted by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

Ambush
"Nute Gunray cannot be trusted. He will bring war to your system, just as he did to mine many years ago!''" "''I am&hellip;afraid I have already done what I must for my people."

- Padmé Amidala and Onaconda Farr, shortly before battle droids arrive to capture the former

After they had arrived in the hangar of the Rodian Senatorial Palace, C-3PO and Binks remained with Amidala's H-type Nubian yacht while the Senator herself went to speak with Farr. Silood, Farr's aide, took Amidala to the Rodian Senator. Farr confronted Amidala on the Republic's lack of support for Rodia, and then revealed his alliance with Gunray, regretfully stating that he had already done what was necessary for his people's survival. With that, a squad of Confederate droids appeared and surrounded Amidala. Farr opened a hololink, allowing communications between Amidala and Gunray to proceed. Amidala attempted to contact C-3PO and Binks via comlink, but the battle droids seized her device and crushed it before escorting Amidala away. The Senator was imprisoned and shackled inside a cell of the palace's detention tower until the Neimoidian Viceroy arrived for his "prize."

Back in the hangar, B1 battle droids arrived and confronted C-3PO and Binks. While trying to re-board Amidala's yacht, the Gungan Representative accidentally closed the ship's door. As Binks ran for cover from the droids' laser fire, his foot snagged on a cable, activating a large magnetic hoist. The Gungan was able to stop the magnet from crushing C-3PO, but he then accidentally activated the hoist's magnetization, and the protocol droid was attached to the hoist. Binks was able to maneuver the magnet so that it swung and smashed the droids, but a crab droid appeared and attacked the Gungan. As Binks evaded the droid, he was bucked onto the droid's body by one of its legs, and the crab droid tried to throw the Gungan off. The droid strayed too close to the edge of the hangar, however, and a helpless C-3PO watched as both droid and Gungan fell off the edge.

Binks was able to climb up the edge of the hangar, and deactivating the hoist's magnetization, the Gungan released C-3PO from his suspension. Nevertheless, Binks also crushed the yacht with the magnet, albeit accidentally. With communication systems disabled, Binks discovered the Jedi robe belonging to the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Amidala's secret husband, in a chamber of the yacht. Binks deduced that if battle droids had attacked them, Amidala had to be in trouble. Despite C-3PO's belief that they should wait for help to arrive, Binks decided to rescue the Senator, and the Gungan put on the robe to disguise himself.

The "Bombad Jedi"
"You made it! I'm rescued at last. Hurry before the battle droids figure out what's happening.''" "Quiet in there!" "Thank you. Let's get out of here, Master Jedi!"

- Padmé Amidala uses the cover of the "Jedi" to escape her cell

Gunray arrived on Rodia, and his shuttle, the Lapiz Cutter, was accompanied to the hangar by a Vulture droid escort. Farr and Silood led the Viceroy and a battle droid patrol to the detention tower; overhearing that Amidala was being held in the tower, Binks planned to rescue the Senator. However, while Binks conferred with C-3PO, the droids spotted the robe-clad Gungan and mistook Binks for a Jedi. The battle droids attacked the duo, and while C-3PO surrendered, Binks fled and tripped. Losing his robe, he fell through a grate into a body of water below. While the battle droids continued their search for the "Jedi," C-3PO was taken to the dismantling center, and the Rodians escorted Gunray to the detention center. Binks, however, discovered that he had landed on a Kwazel Maw, and was able to escape the creature and reclaim the Jedi robe. Back in the detention tower, Amidala tricked her battle droid guards into believing that a Jedi was rescuing her. Freeing herself with a lock pick, she lured a droid into her cell and ambushed the droid, stealing its E-5 blaster rifle.

Amidala eliminated the other two battle droids and escaped the detention tower, and after finding C-3PO, she learned that Binks had gone to rescue her and that the Gungan had been mistaken for a Jedi. Seeing this as a chance to capture Gunray, the Senator told C-3PO to find a communications room and notify any clone trooper ships within range for reinforcements, while Amidala herself went to find Binks. Unaware of the Senator's escape, the Gungan climbed vines on the side of the tower to get to the detention cells. As Farr and Silood led Gunray to the tower, the Viceroy revealed that the Rodians' request for supplies would be "taken into consideration" once Amidala had been executed, and the Rodian Senator realized his mistake in joining the Confederacy. Upon arrival at the detention center, Gunray and the Rodians were greeted by a battle droid that reported Amidala's escape.

Binks appeared on the platform on the side of the tower, learning of Amidala's breakout, and the Viceroy immediately ordered the battle droids to open fire at the "Jedi." The Gungan evaded the lasers but lost his grip on the side of the building. As Binks plummeted toward the ground, his foot snagged on a vine, slowing his fall. Freeing himself, the Gungan narrowly avoided several more laser shots from battle droids. Amidala appeared, and while she engaged the droids, Binks slipped out of his robe and back underwater. A B2-HA series super battle droid dropped several thermal detonators into the water, and the Gungan quickly swam away from the explosives. As the detonators went off, C-3PO tricked several battle droids guarding a communications room, telling them that the Jedi had been spotted in the south port. The unsuspecting battle droids vacated their post, and the protocol droid entered the communications room. Although C-3PO was able to send a message to a nearby clone trooper deployment, the battle droids discovered C-3PO's treachery. Returning, the battle droids arrested the protocol droid and took him to Gunray.

Back in the courtyard, Binks tried to escape by swimming away from his adversaries, but the B2-HA series super battle droid caught sight of the fleeing Gungan and launched a homing torpedo. As Binks swam away from the torpedo, the Kwazel Maw he had encountered earlier suddenly appeared. However, as the Gungan fled from the Kwazel Maw, he found himself caught between the creature and the torpedo. Binks was able to befriend the Kwazel Maw, and the creature took the Gungan into its mouth shortly before the torpedo went off. As Amidala fled from the battle droids, the homing torpedo exploded, and she believed Binks to have been killed. C-3PO arrived under battle droid escort, and as Gunray prepared to have the Senator and her protocol droid executed, several droidekas appeared and targeted the duo.

Capture of Gunray
The Kwazel Maw spat out Binks, and the Gungan retrieved his robe. As soon as Binks appeared, Farr diverted the Viceroy's attention to the "Jedi." As the droidekas attacked the Gungan, the Kwazel Maw smashed through the grate and attacked the droids. The battle droids were unable to penetrate the creature's thick hide, and the Kwazel Maw eliminated the droids. Gunray fled back to the palace's hangar with several battle droids, seeking to escape Rodia. However, Amidala was able to obtain one of the battle droids' blasters, and after eliminating the Viceroy's droid guards, she cornered Gunray. The Kwazel Maw pushed the Lapiz Cutter out of the hangar and into the water below, cutting off the Viceroy's only escape.

Farr appeared behind Amidala, and Gunray ordered the Rodian Senator to shoot both Amidala and the Gungan "Jedi." However, Amidala gave Farr a second chance to correct his mistake, and the Rodian Senator accepted it; Farr stated that he was with the Republic, not the Confederacy. Gunray was placed under arrest, and having received C-3PO's message, the Republic Venator-class Star Destroyer Tranquility arrived in orbit over Rodia. Several LAAT/i gunships landed in the hangar, and Clone Commander CC-1004 and Green Company apprehended the Viceroy.

Aftermath
Having learned of the Rodians' dilemma, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine dispatched several supply convoys to Rodia. Palpatine contacted Amidala and Farr with the news and commended their efforts, especially those of Binks. Farr thanked both Binks and Amidala for their assistance, and Rodia remained allied to the Republic. Gunray's actions on Rodia made him an open enemy of the Republic, and it was decided that he would stand trial for his war crimes on the galactic capital of Coruscant so that the Republic could rally support for the war. Jedi General Luminara Unduli arrived on Rodia to escort Gunray in a Consular-class cruiser to her flagship, the Tranquility, which was assigned to be his escort ship to Coruscant. General Skywalker was meanwhile battling enemy forces on another planet. However, Skywalker learned that Amidala had been involved in Gunray's capture and was potentially in danger from the Confederacy. Because he was needed on the planet to command the Republic forces, Skywalker was unable to leave for Rodia, but he instead sent his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to protect his secret wife and aid in transporting Gunray to Coruscant. Once the Jedi were aboard the Tranquility with Gunray, the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress undertook a mission to free the Viceroy, for it was believed that the Neimoidian would not last long under Jedi interrogation and would soon reveal Confederate secrets.

The Lapiz Cutter, which had been pushed into a swamp on Rodia, was eventually rescued for Gunray's continued use. Although Farr's brief alliance with the Separatists disappointed many, he continued his career in the Senate, hoping to make up for the mistakes he had made. As the war progressed, Farr's Senatorial aide, Lolo Purs, was left angered that Farr, her mentor, had brought the war to Rodia by dealing with the Separatists. Dissatisfied with Farr's "moral right" to lead the Rodians in the Senate and believing the Senator to be weak, Purs developed a grudge against him and eventually poisoned him, resulting in his death. Following investigations by the Coruscant Security Force and Senator Amidala herself led to Purs's apprehension and arrest.

Behind the scenes
"Jar Jar&hellip;is a tragic character. He's a sad character in a lot of ways; he's a&hellip;he's the 'fool', but he has very good intentions. He has a very good heart, and we wanted to try and show he really cares about his friends, he's really trying to do well, but, you know, he's just not coordinated."

- Series director Dave Filoni discusses the expansion of the character of Jar Jar Binks in the episode

The mission to Rodia first appeared in "Bombad Jedi," an episode in the first season of the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, and also appeared in a young readers' book that was based on the episode. The mission allowed the characters of Jar Jar Binks, Onaconda Farr, and Nute Gunray to debut in the series. In particular, the mission allowed both the characters of Binks and C-3PO to be expanded, as noted by series director Dave Filoni. The mission itself was constructed with several parallels to classic fairy tales.

Jedi Master Quinlan Vos was originally going to be present, albeit undercover, using his Force powers to make it appear as though Jar Jar Binks actually was a Jedi. His character was cut, however, because of the limit of the television series' crew to produce new CGI character models for the series.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Bombad Jedi
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jar Jar's Big Day
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Forces of Darkness
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Heroes
 * The Clone Wars: Transfer
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
 * The Clone Wars: Hunting the Hunters (Part II)
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
 * The Clone Wars: Hunting the Hunters (Part II)
 * The Clone Wars: Hunting the Hunters (Part II)