Plot to assassinate Padmé Amidala

"I guess I was wrong. There was no danger at all."

- Gregar Typho, to Padmé Amidala, immediately preceding the first attempt on the latter's life

Shortly before the start of a the Clone Wars a plot was set in motion to assassinate the Senator from Naboo, Padmé Amidala. The plot was carried out by Clawdite bounty hunter Zam Wesell on behalf of Jango Fett, who was following orders from Count Dooku, leader of the Separatist Alliance. It was also part of Darth Sidious' plot to ensure the passing of the Military Creation Act, of which Amidala was one of the leading opponents. The first attempt initially appeared to be a success, but Senator Amidala was found alive. The second attempt, however, was foiled by Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. In the aftermath of the second attempt, Zam Wesell was silenced by Jango Fett before the two Jedi could fully question her.

The first attack
"Milady, I'm so sorry. I've failed you, Senator&hellip;''" "''No!"

- Cordé and Padmé, before the former's death

The first attack did not claim the life of Senator Amidala thanks to the foresight of Captain Gregar Typho, Amidala's head of security. Prior to arriving on Coruscant, he had Amidala replaced by her handmaiden Cordé, while Amidala flew in a N-1 starfighter. A massive explosion prepared by Wesell took the lives of Cordé, a fellow handmaiden, and six members of the Naboo Royal Security Forces.

The attack was tracked to disgruntled spice miners from the moons of Naboo, though Amidala suspected Dooku. Afterwards, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine requested the Jedi Council to place Senator Amidala under the protection of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker were assigned for the task. Kenobi and Skywalker's protection prevented a second assassination attempt from succeeding.

The second attempt
"I hit the ship, but they used a decoy.''" "''We'll have to try something more subtle this time, Zam. My client is getting impatient. Here, take these. Be careful--they're very poisonous. Zam, there can be no mistakes this time."

- Zam Wesell and Jango Fett

Following the first failed attempt, Wesell was sent by Fett to terminate the life of Amidala a second time. Fett, saying that a more subtle attempt would be more desirable, gave Wesell two kouhuns, a type of venomous arthropod capable of easily killing adult Humans. Wesell placed the kouhuns in her assassin droid and sent it to place the kouhuns in Amidala's bedroom.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, from outside the bedroom, sensed the danger, however, and Skywalker burst into the room and killed the kouhuns. The two Jedi then pursued Wesell by airspeeder through the Coruscant skylanes. After catching up with the bounty hunter in a seedy night club, the pair took Wesell outside, where Fett was forced to shoot her with a toxic saberdart, killing her, just as she was about to reveal her employer's identity to the Jedi.

Aftermath
The saberdart proved to be Jango Fett's undoing; Kenobi brought the dart to his friend Dexter Jettster, whose knowledge of the dart's origins led him to the mysterious planet Kamino. On Kamino, Obi-Wan uncovered Fett and pursued him to the planet Geonosis, where Obi-Wan discovered the Separatists were constructing a droid army and that Count Dooku was truely behind the assassination attempts on Amidala. Fett was later killed on Geonosis by Mace Windu.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones