Sio Bibble/Legends

"This invasion will gain you nothing. We're a democracy. The people have decided&hellip;"

- Governor Sio Bibble

Sio Bibble was governor of Naboo during the reigns of Queens Amidala, Jamillia and Apailana. During the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY, he stayed behind and allowed himself to be taken captive by the Trade Federation, while Queen Amidala traveled to Coruscant to appeal to the Galactic Senate.

Bibble was an advisor to his respective monarch, and he would often lend his experience and knowledge in heated debates. He was defiant in the face of oppression, but was a devout pacifist, and his motives often conflicted with that of Captain Panaka, Theed's head of security.

Early career
Sio Bibble was the Governor of Naboo, and the head of the Royal Advisory Council.

In his official capacity, Bibble appeared with Padmé Amidala, Princess of Theed, at a public appearance on the steps of the Theed Royal Palace. As soon as King Veruna prepared to abdicate, Bibble helped prepare Amidala succeed him. As he and others groomed the princess for her coronation, a young man, Ian Lago, son of Veruna's advisor Kun Lago, confronted Amidala and told her that he loved her. Bibble, however, had to ask Lago to leave, repeatedly, as the coronation approached. The man was eventually ejected from the room. That night, Veruna formally abdicated, and the next morning, Amidala was elected Queen of Naboo.

In 33 BBY, Station TFP-9, located in the outskirts of the Naboo system, fell under attack by a band of what was assumed to be pirates. Bibble sat in as a Security Officer briefed the pilots of Echo Flight and Bravo Flight, who were to be dispatched to stop the attackers from destroying TFP-9. Bibble personally wished the pilots good luck before they departed. During the subsequent battle, seven of Echo Flight's pilots were killed, and one of the Naboo pilots, Dren Melne, turned on his compatriots. Apparently, Melene had been hired by the Agamari to aid in the capture of at least two of the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps' N-1 starfighters. The station was successfully defended however, and Melene was killed by the Agamari forces that had been attacking the station in order to lure out Naboo's fighters.

Governor Challep of Agamar denied that his people had any degree of involvement in the incident, but Bibble and his people requested that Naboo's senatorial delegation prompt an investigation nonetheless. Bibble and his people learned that the Agamari had been purchasing a variety of weapons and starfighter technology, including vulture droids from Xi Char. Bibble's people had also traced a credit transfer from Melene's Ord Mantell account to his Selton account of one thousand credits, but were unable to verify where the credits had originated. Making matters more complex was the fact that the authorities on Ord Mantell were reluctant to cooperate with Bibble.

Ric Olié, commander of the Royal Space Fighter Corps, and Bravo Flight leader Esarra Till were summoned to Bibble's office five days after the incident, and Olié reported that the Agamari had made three requests to purchase N-1s or N-X Police Cruisers from the Corps, but the Advisory Council had declined each time. Bibble then inquired as to whether there were any connections between the Agamari government and Melene, but Olié conceded that most mercenaries would spend some time in the service of the Agamari. Till, who had once personally served with the Agamari, had nothing to add. Bibble was disappointed with the lack of result, and did not look forward to informing Amidala about the lack of developments.

He offered sound advice to the naïve young Queen and was a leading member of the Advisory Council. His task would be to deal with regional representatives from the outlying areas of Theed, and he would meet with town officials as a part of the day-to-day administration of the capital.

Invasion of Naboo
"A communications disruption can mean only one thing—invasion."

- Sio Bibble

In 32 BBY, a fleet of Trade Federation cruisers under the command of Viceroy Nute Gunray blockaded Naboo, as a protest against the Galactic Senate's new taxation of trade routes. Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum reacted by dispatching two ambassadors to Gunray's flagship, the Saak'ak, in the hopes of reaching a settlement. However, when Amidala contacted Gunray after the ambassadors were supposed to arrive, the viceroy claimed that he had met with no such emissaries. Bibble and the rest of the Advisory Council were present when Amidala contacted Naboo's representative in the senate, Senator Palpatine, and inquired as to what was going on. Palpatine was surprised, as he had been assured by Valorum that the ambassadors had already arrived. Before the senator could go on, however, his holographic image faltered, and then disappeared.

Amidala demanded to know what had happened, and Captain Panaka had one of his subordinates check the palace's transmission generator. Bibble, however, had come to his own conclusion already: that a disruption in communications meant that the Federation was invading Naboo. Amidala was not convinced, and Panaka agreed with her. The Queen insisted that they keep their faith in negotiation, but Bibble was quick to remind her that they had already lost all their capacity for communication. Also distressing to the governor was the absence and possible whereabouts of Valorum's ambassadors. Panaka reminded the Queen that his Security Forces would not be able to repel the Federation's advance, and Amidala insisted that she would not go to war with the aggressors.

Occupation of Theed
"The death toll is catastrophic. We must bow to their wishes. You must contact me!"

- Sio Bibble

Sure enough, and invasion was in progress, and Gunray's Droid Army swept into Theed. Bibble was arrested, along with Amidala and Panaka. Gunray personally met with them in the palace, and talked with the group briefly as they were escorted out of the building. Bibble was curious as to how the viceroy would explain the situation to the Galactic Senate, but Gunray was convinced that Amidala would sign a treaty legitimizing the Federation's occupation after she witnessed the suffering of her people. Bibble, Amidala, and Panaka were grouped with the Queen's Handmaidens, and several Palace Guards, and were to be taken to Camp Four for "processing."

As the group was marched through the streets of Theed, two Jedi Knights and a Gungan leapt in front of them, and the Jedi quickly dispatched the security droids that had been escorting the group. The elder of the two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn, urged the Queen and her entourage to move off the streets, and she obliged. Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, were revealed to be Valorum's ambassadors, and Bibble was quipped that their negotiations had been somewhat of a failure. Jinn retorted, claiming that they had never been given the opportunity to enter into such negotiations. He insisted that they make contact with the Galactic Republic, but Panaka informed him of their eliminated communications capacity. Needing another way to reach the Republic, the group made their way towards Theed Hangar.

When they reached the Hangar, Jinn requested that Amidala accompany him to Coruscant, but the Queen decided that she would stay on Naboo with her people. The Jedi warned her that the Federation would have her killed, but Bibble baulked at the threat, insisting that they wouldn't dare to harm her. Panaka agreed, and he pointed out that the Federation needed her to sign the treaty. Jinn, however, felt that the situation was not what it seemed, and that if she were to stay, Amidala would be killed. Bibble came to agree with the Jedi, advising the Queen that the aid of the Galactic Senate was their only hope, and that Palpatine would need aid from her. Amidala was unsure, but one of her Handmaidens encouraged her, prompting her to join Jinn in leaving the planet. Panaka and his men departed with her, leaving Bibble alone to stay in Theed.

He was arrested again, and brought before a fuming Gunray. He forced Bibble to send a transmission to Amidala, wherever she was, pleading her to return, citing a catastrophic death-toll. Whether or not this was true is not known, but a reply to the message was never received. Bibble then tried to negotiate with Gunray, only to be met with Gunray's derision. Bibble was taken away to one of the prisoner camps and forgotten. He was eventually saved when the Queen returned and liberated Naboo.

After the Invasion


"It's outrageous. But after four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. I fear the Senate is powerless to resolve this crisis."

- Sio Bibble

During the Separatist Crisis, he continued to serve the Queen, now Jamillia. He feared that the crisis would expand into a full-scale war, something not seen since the Ruusan Reformation. He also expressed outrage at Nute Gunray's punishment for the Invasion, which had amounted to little more than a slap on the wrist.

Bibble's predictions turned out to be accurate as the Separatist Crisis evolved into the Clone Wars. During this time, he was an advisor to Queen Apailana, and attended the funeral of one of his former Queens, Amidala.

Personality and traits
Bibble was a very passive man—not wanting to openly defy others, rather, he preferred to sit back and let others argue. However, he was dedicated to his work, and would often lend his experience to the meetings of the Royal Advisory Council. He believed in the Republic, although his faith was shaken when Gunray's sentence was passed. He was also brave for a man of his position—when faced with death during the Invasion of Naboo, his concern was for his people, not for himself.

Behind the scenes


Governor Sio Bibble was portrayed by Oliver Ford Davies in all three movies of the prequel trilogy. He was voiced by Jamie Alcroft in the game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.

Since the acclaimed British actor Davies was unable to attend the shooting of the Episode II Naboo court scenes in Italy, his part was reshot on bluescreen and reinserted later.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace novel
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace comic
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace junior novel
 * Star Wars Episode I Journal: Queen Amidala
 * Episode I: Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novel
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones comic
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones junior novel
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones junior novel
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith