Capture of Theed

"Viceroy, we have captured the Queen." "Ah, victory."

- OOM-9 and Viceroy Nute Gunray

The Naboo capital of Theed was captured during the early stages of the Trade Federation's Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY. The Trade Federation Droid Army, lead by OOM command battle droid OOM-9, moved its forces into the capital, consisting of Armored Assault Tanks, Multi-Troop Transports, Vulture Droids, and thousands of B1 battle droids. In addition, battle droids flying STAPs and groups of security battle droids were in Theed as well. When Queen Padmé Amidala and other captives were being transported, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, fought of the droid escort and lead them to the Palace's hangar, where the group escaped in a Naboo Royal Starship.

Prelude
"This is a dangerous situation, Your Highness. Our security volunteers will be no match against a battle-hardened Federation army."

- Panaka, to Queen Amidala.

In retaliation to the taxation of the Free Trade Zone voted by the Galactic Republic's Galactic Senate. , the Trade Federation, an interstellar shipping and trade conglomerate, blockaded the planet Naboo, in an attempt to force Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum hand in the matter. The Federation's actions were guided secretly by the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious. After Valorum had dispatched ambassadors from Coruscant on the Judicial Department Consular-class space cruiser Radiant VII to the Lucrehulk-class Battleship Vuutun Palaa over Naboo, the ambassadors were secretly two Jedi Knights, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sent to negotiate the ending of the blockade with the Viceroy Nute Gunray. After Sidious ordered Gunray to begin the invasion of Naboo, the viceroy was skeptical, as he was concerned over the legality of invading Naboo. Sidious assured the Viceroy he would "make it legal" and told Gunray, upon being inquired as to what to do with the Jedi, to kill them. Gunray then tried to kill the Jedi with dioxis gas but failed.

Gunray then spoke with Queen of Naboo Amidala where the viceroy reassured her no action would take place with the approval of the Senate and denied any ambassadors were sent. Amidala told Gunray he had gone too far before ending the transmission. He then promptly ordered a black out all communication arrays on the planet. After speaking with the viceroy, Senator Palpatine contacted the Royal Advisory Council in the Theed Royal Palace only to lose communication. The Governor of Naboo, Sio Bibble was one of the first to suspect it was the start of an invasion. While Quarsh Panaka recognized the significant threat and that the Royal Naboo Security Forces would not be able to defend the world against the Trade Federation Droid Army. However, Queen Amidala refused to condone any action that would lead them to war and believed the Federation would not dare go that far.

Capture of Theed
Nevertheless, Bibble's suspicions proved correct when the Federation began their invasion at the behest of Sidious. Realizing an invasion was underway, she soon switched places with her decoy Handmaiden Sabé. The two Jedi escaped from the Federation and made it down to the planet on separate C-9979 landing crafts. After learning the Jedi had escaped, Gunray contacted the invasion commander, the OOM command battle droid OOM-9, and warned him of the Jedi's presence among them and to not underestimate them. Within hours, the droid armies had taken Theed unopposed, subduing Naboo's small Royal Naboo Security Forces and leaving the planet completely under Federation control.

Behind the scenes
"Do not resist. We will not harm you. We have only come to help you. We bring you peace."

- Scrapped line from the rough draft of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

The capture of Theed appeared in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
 * The Phantom Menace Golden Book
 * The Phantom Menace Read-Along Storybook and CD
 * Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy – A Graphic Novel
 * Queen's Shadow