Second Battle of Theed

"The Federation Army's also much larger than we thought, and much stronger. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think that we can win."

- Captain Panaka to Queen Amidala

The Second Battle of Theed (also called the Recapture of Theed or Battle of Theed Palace) was the turning point of the Invasion of Naboo, taking place at the same time as the Battle of Grassy Plains and the Naboo Space Battle.

Entry to the Palace
"I thought the battle was going to take place far from here. This is too close!"

- Viceroy Nute Gunray

As the battle for Naboo raged on in the plains, a ready force of Naboo soldiers escorted the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with Captain Panaka and Padmé Amidala, into the capital city of Theed. The squad of Gian speeders surprised and destroyed the Armored Assault Tank defenses, allowing the team to enter the Theed Palace.

The battle raged on in the corridors of the castle, and eventually into the Theed Hangar, where the team was pinned down by droidekas. Anakin Skywalker, taking refuge in a N-1 starfighter, destroyed the droids with the craft's laser blasts, allowing the other pilots to take off and the space battle to begin.

Upon leaving the hangar, the team was confronted by Darth Maul, the first apprentice of Darth Sidious who had been dispatched to prevent the Jedi from settling the conflict.

As the starfighters left the hangar, taking several casualties from an AAT hidden outside the hangar, the Jedi and Sith engaged in a duel that waged on into the Theed Generator Complex. Amidala, Panaka, and their security forces left the hangar relatively unscathed through a separate door.

Retaking of the Palace
The Queen's battle continued to recapture the invaded Theed Royal Palace. She split up with her handmaiden, Sabé, who led a second squad of Naboo soldiers through the palace corridors.

Queen Amidala and Panaka with their own group tried to break through to the throne room where their target, Viceroy Nute Gunray, had made himself nicely at home. However, a squad of droidekas surrounded Amidala's rebels and forced their apparent surrender. The droidekas brought the Queen's squad to the throne room, then left the area, leaving only around a dozen flimsy B1 battle droids to accompany them into the room, where Nute Gunray and Rune Haako waited.

"Your little insurrection is at an end, Your Highness. Time for you to sign the treaty and end this pointless debate in the Senate."

- Viceroy Nute Gunray



After being led to the throne room as captured enemies, the Queen and her protectors were not to be prisoners for long. Sabé and her team suddenly appeared, distracting Viceroy Gunray and his battle droids long enough for Amidala to unlock a secret compartment in the throne full of blasters and throw them to her fellow freedom fighters.

"Now, Viceroy, we will discuss a new treaty."

- Queen Padmé Amidala

The confused battle droids were quickly shot down and the doors to the throne room jammed, locking in the Viceroy and his second-in-command, Rune Haako, with Queen Amidala's pistol ready to kill at a moment's notice. The two cowardly Neimoidians did not dare make any wrong moves. Two of the most prominent leaders of the Trade Federation were now in custody. Theed had been wrested back from Federation control.

Duel in Theed
"We'll handle this."

- Qui-Gon Jinn



Meanwhile, Darth Maul engaged Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in a furious lightsaber duel. The trio fought through a pair of blast doors connecting the hangar to the Theed Generator Complex. On a catwalk across the Complex the duel raged for a long time, Maul being a more formidable opponent than either Jedi had ever faced before; wielding his double-bladed lightsaber with vicious efficiency. However, despite Maul's seeming dominance on the battlefield, he continually gave ground over the entire battle, leading the two Jedi into a labyrinth of catwalks.



The catwalk met a hall with laser fields. Kenobi had been knocked down several stories by Maul, and by the time Kenobi caught up to the two combatants, Kenobi and Jinn were separated by the laser barriers. This left Qui-Gon to duel alone with Maul. One-on-one, Maul quickly killed Qui-Gon as Kenobi could only watch in horror. Finally the laser fields switched off, and Kenobi ran through to avenge his master's fatal blow.

Overcome with hatred, Kenobi was manipulated by Maul's dark senses and the Sith suddenly Force pushed Kenobi into a melting pit. Kenobi clung for his life on a power node, watching his lightsaber disappear down the endless pit.

As the Sith lord taunted him with lightsaber strikes on the edge of the pit, Kenobi was able to relax his nerves and focus on the light side. He flung himself out of the pit, Force-guided his master's lightsaber into his hand, and landed with a single sweeping death blow.

The Sith lord fell into the melting pit, neatly sliced in two. By then, the rest of Naboo had been liberated and the Invasion of Naboo was over. "Peace!"

- Boss Rugor Nass

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace novel
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace game
 * Invasion of Theed Adventure Game
 * Star Wars: Battle for Naboo
 * Episode I: Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * The Last of the Jedi: Death on Naboo
 * Old Wounds
 * Phantom Menaces
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game

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