Mas Amedda

"Order! We shall have order!"

- Mas Amedda

Mas Amedda was a Chagrian male politician who served in high-ranking government roles during the twilight years of the Galactic Republic and helped establish and administrate its successor state, the Galactic Empire. A native of Champala, Amedda was a talented political actor who filled the role of Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate of the Republic under two Supreme Chancellors on the capital world of Coruscant. His first chancellor, Finis Valorum, was ousted from the office following a Vote of No Confidence in his leadership during the Trade Federation's invasion of the Mid Rim planet Naboo. Amedda weathered the change in administration and retained his post under Valorum's successor, Naboo's Sheev Palpatine. He became a close associate of Palpatine's during his two terms in office and eventually became aware of the chancellor's alter ego as Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith intent on reforming the Republic into an autocratic state.

Near the end of Palpatine's second term, thousands of discontented star systems declared their intention to secede from the Republic, sparking the Separatist Crisis and creating a political atmosphere that kept the Supreme Chancellor in power. Amedda was instrumental in helping concentrate authority in the Office of the Chancellor at this time&mdash;efforts that culminated with the creation of the Grand Army of the Republic as tensions between the secessionist Confederacy of Independent Systems and Republic devolved into the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars. During the war, Amedda conspired with the Sith Lord to continue the unprecedented militarization of the Republic and marginalize the Senate's role as a body of oversight and consent. Amedda frequently opposed efforts by senators to push for peace with the Confederacy and managed the early stages of the confidential mobile battle station project, which would ultimately produce the Death Star superweapon.

At the end of the war in 19 BBY, Amedda stood with Palpatine as the chancellor used his authority to declare the Jedi Order enemies of the state and transform the Republic into the First Galactic Empire. As the Senate became an increasingly irrelevant body, the Chagrian transitioned to a new role as Grand Vizier of the Empire. In this station he oversaw a rapidly expanding military and civilian bureaucracy and served as the administrative right hand to the newly anointed and increasingly reclusive Emperor Palpatine. The Empire's increasingly oppressive and abusive reign was eventually opposed by the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War&mdash;a rebellion that achieved its greatest victory in 4 ABY, when the Emperor and many other Imperial leaders were killed at the Battle of Endor.

In the aftermath, Amedda was the highest ranking political leader in the Empire. With no control over the Imperial Military, the Grand Vizier was helpless as the New Order fractured and the recently established New Republic seized large parts of the galaxy. Amedda attempted to hold the regime together from Coruscant, but as the throneworld was roiled by civil war, military leaders like Counselor Gallius Rax and Grand Admiral Rae Sloane effectively took control, leaving the Grand Vizier stranded. After attempts at surrender and suicide Amedda was confined to the Imperial Palace by order of Counselor Rax until 5 ABY, when he escaped Coruscant and formally surrendered the Empire by signing the Galactic Concordance, thereby ending the Galactic Civil War. As part of the agreement, he was afforded continual rule on Coruscant as the leader of a provisional government, but under the surveillance of Republic overseers both Amedda and his administration were rendered powerless.

Biography
A politician native to the planet Champala, Mas Amedda managed to rise in the ranks of the Galactic Republic Senate on Coruscant to become Vice Chair to Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum by the time of the Invasion of Naboo.

Invasion of Naboo
During the invasion, Amedda presided over the motion of a Vote of No Confidence in Valorum's leadership, as requested by Queen Amidala of Naboo following the Senate's inaction in response to the Trade Federation's occupation of the planet and as suggested by Senator Sheev Palpatine. As the chamber was filled with protests from the Senators, Amedda called for order, silencing most Senators, as Valorum sat down on his chair, defeated. Following Senator Palpatine's election to the chancellorship, Amedda continued to serve as Vice Chair in the Galactic Senate, and was often seen around the Chancellor and his administrative aide, Sly Moore.

Separatist Crisis
"This is a crisis. The Senate must vote to give the chancellor emergency powers."

- Mas Amedda

At some point during the Separatist Crisis, Mas Amedda created the concept for a Republic propaganda piece titled Strength and Unity. This piece was intended to combat the image of human-centrism that much of the Core-created messaging conveyed to the galaxy with a diverse array of an image of a wide array of Loyalist alien species. Amedda's mistake, however, was including himself in the piece. This lead to a scandal in which Amedda was accused of narcissism and more, causing the intended message to be lost in the messaging.

In the final days of the Separatist Crisis and following an assassination attempt on Senator Amidala, Amedda escorted Amidala and her fellowship to the Chancellor's office, where the Senator discussed the likely involvement of Count Dooku with Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Yoda, only for Palpatine to suggest that the Jedi Council sent Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, to bodyguard her.

Soon enough, Amedda also presided the session in which Representative of Naboo, Jar Jar Binks, proposed to give emergency powers to the Chancellor, whose first act with such authority was to create the Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increasing threat of the Confederacy of the Independent Systems, using clones from Kamino as discovered by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Along with Chancellor Palpatine and other senators, Amedda oversaw the launching of the massive clone army from Coruscant, marking the beginning of a galaxy-spanning conflict known as the Clone Wars.

Dealing with Duchess Satine
"You can't keep them reined in, obviously, so we will."

- Republic Vice Chair Mas Amedda to New Mandalorians Duchess Satine Kryze

During a session of the wartime Senate, Amedda presided over the chamber as the Senators debated the potential threat that the Death Watch terrorist organization posed to the people of Mandalore. Despite the protests of Mandalore's Duchess Satine Kryze, the Senate was prepared to vote to allow the Republic to occupy the planet in order to resist the Death Watch. Amedda placed a datacard into a holoprojector that displayed a hologram of Mandalore's Deputy Minister Jerec calling for Republic assistance, though the message had in fact been doctored. Kryze was later attacked, and after being granted an audience with Palpatine, was told by Amedda and the Supreme Chancellor that the assassination attempt proved that Mandalore needed the Republic's aid. Amedda expressed his belief that Kryze was unable to keep the Death Watch reigned in by herself.

When Senator Amidala of Naboo uncovered Minister Jerec's real holorecording, requesting that the Republic leave Mandalore alone, Amedda and Palpatine presided over a Senate session that rescinded the Senate's earlier vote to occupy the planet. Kryze, Kenobi, Skywalker, and Amidala later discussed the outcome of the vote with Amedda and Palpatine in the Chancellor's office, and the latter three discussed the logistics of ratifying the Senate's vote, with Palpatine and Amedda apologizing for their actions.

Zillo Beast rampant
Amedda attended Palpatine when the Supreme Chancellor welcomed Skywalker, Windu, the astromech droid R2-D2, and the giant Zillo Beast of Malastare to Coruscant; Palpatine was eager to study the beast's fearsome armor despite the Jedi's discomfort with keeping the beast on the capital. Palpatine assigned Doctor Sionver Boll to the task of study, and brought Amedda with him to check on her progress. Back in the Supreme Chancellor's office, Skywalker and Amidala appealed Palpatine's decision to kill the creature, but Amedda expressed his opinion that uncovering the secrets to its armor was for the greater good.

Reduced military spending bill
Some time later, Amedda and Palpatine presided over a session that saw Amidala present a bill proposing the cutting of military spending, and soon after attended the funeral of Amidala's ally in the Senate, Onaconda Farr of Rodia, who had been poisoned by his aide Lolo Purs. Amidala's bill was voted down, and Amedda was present outside of the Senate Chamber when Palpatine and Amidala discussed the outcome.

Festival of Light
Amedda also accompanied the Supreme Chancellor to Naboo to celebrate the Festival of Light. During the festival, Palpatine was the victim of a kidnapping attempt by Count Dooku and a group of bounty hunters.

Jedi Temple bombing
At one point, Amedda was summoned to Palpatine's office and was asked to prepare him his shuttle, so as to leave for Mandalore at once. Around that time, Amedda was present at a funeral for Jedi who were killed in the Jedi Temple bombing. Shortly after the funeral's conclusion, Amedda conversed with Chancellor Palpatine, Jedi Masters Yoda, Windu, Koon, and Sinube, as well as Republic Navy admirals Yularen and Coburn, in one of the Jedi Temple halls. Soon after, he served a role in the trial of the Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano. Amedda handed the jury's verdict to Palpatine, but before he could read it, Skywalker entered with Barriss Ofee, who confessed her crimes and proved Tano to be innocent.

Inhibitor chip conspiracy
Amedda would greet Jedi Master Shaak Ti and Kaminoan scientist Nala Se, who were escorting clone trooper "Fives" to plead his case directly to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine on Coruscant. Unbeknownst to them, Palpatine was secretly responsible for the inhibitor chip conspiracy, and was sure to ratify Se's false claims that the chips were merely to make clones less aggressive and more compliant to orders. As Palpatine asked for some time alone with Fives, Amedda escorted the Jedi Master and Nala Se out of the room, only to return to the Chancellor's side once he was attacked by the clone, who had become aware of the Chancellor's darker side and wanted to warn the Jedi.

Fall of the Republic
"Senator Organa&hellip; the Supreme Chancellor requests your presence at a special session of Congress. He is expecting you."

- Vice Chair Amedda, to Senator Organa

Following the Battle of Coruscant, Amedda accompanied the Chancellor in the Galaxies Opera House to a performance of the Mon Calamari play Squid Lake. However, Palpatine dismissed him and his other aides upon the arrival of Skywalker, to whom he told the story of Darth Plagueis, his Sith Master, as part of his plan to seduce Skywalker to the dark side of the Force. Shortly afterwards, following the Jedi's attempt to arrest Palpatine, the Chancellor would begin a purge of the Jedi Order with Order 66 and ordering the Attack on the Jedi Temple. After this Vice Chair Amedda would recall all senators to a special session of the Senate, where he stood next to Palpatine who proclaimed that the Republic would be transformed into the Galactic Empire to ensure security and stability after the Clone Wars and the defeat of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the so-called Jedi rebellion with the Jedi Order all but destroyed.

Rise of the New Order
"Tell Captain Kagi to prepare my shuttle for immediate takeoff.''" "Yes master." "''I sense Lord Vader is in danger."

- Emperor Palpatine, to Grand Vizier Mas Amedda

Silently, Amedda saw as the newly-proclaimed Emperor conferred with his new apprentice, Skywalker (recently re-christened as "Darth Vader"), that he had already eliminated the Separatist Council on Mustafar and the Emperor ordered Vader to send a shutdown signal to the entire Separatist Droid Army. However, when Grand Master Yoda appeared to duel the Emperor, who attacked the small Jedi Master, Amedda left the room only to reunite with the Emperor once Yoda fled the Senate Chamber. While he oversaw Yoda's search by the clone troopers, he followed the Emperor's orders to tell Captain Kagi to prepare him a shuttle, so that he could go to the Mustafar system to rescue Vader.

Grand Vizier of the Empire
"We all do our part for the Empire."

- Grand Vizier Mas Amedda

Five years later, Amedda still served the Emperor, now under the position of Grand Vizier of the Imperial Ruling Council, becoming one of the Emperor's most valued advisers, as well as the Empire's most formidable intermediary. After the Emperor had retired from public life, Amedda and the rest of the Ruling Council took to dispatching processions of Imperial skylimos to maintain an illusion that the Emperor still moved about in public.

When the Imperial Security Bureau reported the discovery of a cache of communications devices capable of a HoloNet sabotage on Murkhana, Amedda recommended the ISB to open the investigation to discussion with the Ruling Council and Imperial Intelligence.

Three weeks later, following an attack on Sentinel Base, Amedda contacted Moff Wilhuff Tarkin to tell him of the Emperor's request of his presence on Coruscant, but revealed nothing as to why Palpatine wanted their reunion. On Tarkin's arrival to the Imperial Palace, Amedda received and led the Moff to a meeting with Vader, who after a short conversation led Tarkin to the Emperor. Along with Vader and Tarkin, Amedda was later present at a meeting of Ruling Council and the heads of the Security Bureau and Naval Intelligence Agency concerning the Murkhana discovery, presided by the Emperor himself, until Amedda used his staff to finish the session up, claiming that the Emperor would take the matter under advisement. Later, Amedda informed Tarkin of his mission to Murkhana alongside Vader, though the Chagrian told the Moff nothing of who was in command of the mission, and later, told the Emperor about Tarkin's displeasure at the assignment.

Once Tarkin's ship, the Carrion Spike was shipjacked by insurgents and used to attack Galidraan Station, Amedda and Ars Dangor were dispatched by the Emperor to meet with the intelligence officers Harus Ison, Dodd Rancit and Terrinald Screed, where he was angered at their recommendation to let the Carrion go and told them of the threat of dissidence, when the report of an attack on Lucazec arrived. As the situation progressed, Amedda continued to meet with the Ruling Council and the Emperor, who eventually asked him to summon the ISB agents responsible for the Murkhana discovery. As the Emperor interrogated Bracchia and Stellan, Amedda, 11-4D and a pair of Royal Guards listened to Sidious, who discovered the dubious involvement of Vice Admiral Rancit with the insurgents.

Fourteen years after the rise of the Empire, Amedda continued to hold the position of Grand Vizier. At one point, as the Emperor was unavailable, Amedda received Governor Arihnda Pryce from Lothal to discuss Lothal's industrial and mining sectors on her visit to Coruscant.

Theft of the Imperialis
"You do understand what will happen to you if you do not recover that ship, Commander Pasqual.''" "''Of course, my Lord Amedda."

- Amedda warns Pasqual not to fail in recovering the Emperor's ship

Some time after the Empire's Death Star was destroyed by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, a rebel organization created to fight back against the Empire, at the Battle of Yavin. During the turmoil, Amedda was contacted on Coruscant by Commander Pasqual, informing him that the Emperor's pleasure craft, Imperialis, which was docked at Sienar Fleet Systems Orbital Shipyard CC-24 above the Colonies world of Castell, had been stolen. Amedda ordered Pasqual to recover the ship at once, reminding him that he had already failed in keeping the ship secured. Amedda went before Emperor Palpatine, and informed him of his ship's theft.

Keeping the Empire together
"You&hellip;you're serious. You want me to surrender&hellip;the entire Galactic Empire?''" "That's right." "I don't&hellip;" "You don't have the power, do you?" "I&hellip;" "''So, get it back. And then bring a treaty to our door."

- Grand Vizier Mas Amedda and Senator Leia Organa, on Velusia

Amedda had the massive task of keeping the Empire together after Palpatine's death at the Battle of Endor acting as a proxy Emperor but in reality held little real influence beyond the throneworld of Coruscant. However his reign was troubled from the beginning as it was met with whole sectors of Coruscant started to revolt as he began to be entrenched in government districts. Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax refused to allow Grand Admiral Rae Sloane of the Imperial Navy to send reinforcements to Amedda as the throneworld had no place in his vision of a renewed Empire. Amedda would in his despair and desperation as his powers and influence faded with Rax replacing him as de facto emperor and losing control over most of Coruscant would seek to turn himself over to New Republic as he saw himself as a prize and that there was no target greater than he was, eventually making his way to a meeting with Chancellor Mon Mothma and Princess and Senator Leia Organa on Velusia, his plan would fail as they refused to accept him as a prisoner and instead demanded he find a way to gain full control of the Galactic Empire and sign a full surrender.

After returning back to Coruscant, Amedda considered suicide by jumping off of one of the Imperial Palace's balconies. However as he made his way back into his office he realized that Sloane was sat in his office and initially thought she had come to kill him. The Grand Admiral however handed him a picture of Amedda himself, Palpatine, Vice Admirals Screed and Rancit, Wullf Yularen and a young boy and asked to know about the picture. He reached for his blaster, Sloane revealed that she had it. Remembering Mothma's words about him just being an administrator, Amedda decided that to gain the Empire back in his grip he would need to strike an alliance with Sloane. Confirming Sloane's thoughts about the picture, that it was indeed Gallius Rax as the young boy in the picture, Amedda offered Sloane a way to find out who Rax was and where he came from, and in return for the name of the location where she could find this information Amedda wanted to become a part of Sloane's Empire. After Sloane agreed, Amedda revealed the droids that contained the information Sloane sought were aboard the wreckage of the Imperalis on Quantxi, the junk moon of Ord Mantell.

From captivity to capitulation
During the final months of the Galactic Civil War, Amedda was confined to the Imperial Palace by soldiers loyal to Rax. Using intimidation tactics such as the threat of death or torture, Rax forced Amedda to broadcast propaganda speeches praising the Counselor and urging the Empire to maintain the war effort. When a group of children infiltrated the Palace, initially seeking to assassinate the Grand Vizier, Amedda promised to surrender the Empire and end the war if they facilitated his escape. The young Coruscanti agreed and with their assistance, Amedda went into hiding. He would later recount the experience, crediting the gaggle of children who rescued him from captivity.

Following Rax's death at the Battle of Jakku, Amedda reemerged and&mdash;with the military shattered into ineffective remnants&mdash;was free to represent the Empire at the signing of the Galactic Concordance. Unlike other Imperial officials who were convicted of war crimes, the Republic spared Amedda and allowed him to resume his rule on Coruscant as the leader of a provisional government. However, Republic officials would oversee his administration to ensure that the Grand Vizier remained little more than a figurehead of a powerless government.

Legacy
Mas Amedda would be remembered as a willing, yet weak-willed participant in the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The media and history books both portrayed him as a sycophant and lackey of Emperor Palpatine.

Personality and traits
Mas Amedda's booming voice often called for order when the partisan nature of the Republic's government degenerated into pointless bickering. In a gesture of authority, he would often punctuate such calls with a flicker of his long, forked tongue.

Amedda was a Chagrian male who stood at 1.96 meters. The color of both his skin and eyes were blue.

Behind the scenes
Mas Amedda was played by Jerome Blake in The Phantom Menace, David Bowers in Attack of the Clones, and by both Blake and Bowers in Revenge of the Sith. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he was voiced by Stephen Stanton.

Notes and references
[[Category:Sith mi