Quarsh Panaka/Legends

"This is a battle I do not think that we can win."

- Panaka

Panaka was the head of the Royal Naboo Security Forces before, during, and after the Invasion of Naboo, and later was the Moff for the Chommell Sector during the Galactic Civil War. He was a vocal militarist among the peaceful people of Naboo, a fish out of water amongst his peers.

Shaken by the murder of King Veruna, he installed various security measures to make sure that the same thing did not happen to his second monarch, Queen Padmé Amidala. By learning from the mistakes of his predecessor, Magneta, he was able to successfully defend her in several periods of danger, and continued to serve Naboo, the Republic, and eventually, the Empire.

Notoriously conservative, Panaka often clashed with the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn during the Invasion of Naboo, deriding the Jedi's controversial methods and retaining the utmost faith in his own. Nevertheless, with Jinn's help he was able to get his chance at military action, in the Second Battle of Theed.

Early career
Panaka was born on Naboo, but was educated offworld in several guilds, specializing in threat analysis and personal combat. Panaka's education was broad, designed to give him the full spectrum of knowledge and training he would need to become an effective security chief. He later joined a Republic Special Task Force and gained combat experience against pirates. This experience and education served him in good stead upon his return to Naboo and subsequent enlistment in the Royal Security Forces. However, while he was off-world, his older sister was killed during a training exercise.

To deal with this grief, Panaka became increasingly dedicated to his job and to serving the current monarch, King Veruna. He served under Captain Magneta as a Lieutenant and was paired with Sergeant Bialy. However, he was not known for being sociable &mdash; a character trait he would exhibit throughout his life &mdash; being more focused on being the consummate professional. Panaka was constantly working to improve the security force, and actually invented the liquid-cable grappling hook shooter that was used to great effect during the Battle of Theed.

While overseeing the removal of a beached sando aqua monster from the shores of Naboo, Panaka found an underground chamber that contained locked rooms and decomposing bodies. Before Panaka could examine the room and its potentially incriminating evidence, Captain Magneta had the area blasted with proton torpedoes. The evidence, which could have pointed at King Veruna or even Senator Palpatine, was destroyed forever. Subsequently, King Veruna abdicated in the wake of a corruption scandal and was killed mysteriously. Magneta failed to prevent this death and resigned in disgrace.

Panaka was appointed head of security on Naboo shortly after the former monarch King Veruna was killed; one of Queen Amidala's first acts as regent. Panaka took the death of Veruna particularly hard, and he felt the late King's death was his fault. To ensure this never happened again, he developed an elaborate security setup, involving the Queen's handmaidens and decoys. This would save the life of Amidala more than once.

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

- Panaka



When the Trade Federation blockaded and subsequently invaded Naboo, Panaka and his security force were less than well-equipped to defend Theed from them. His forces put up minor resistance, though they surrendered when they fully realized the sheer size of OOM-9's force. The droids stormed the palace, and took both him and the Queen into custody. However, shortly before, Panaka had initiated his decoy scheme, and although the real Queen was captured too, the Neimoidians fell for the ruse, and focused on the decoy.

As they were being escorted out of Theed, two Jedi Knights, ambassadors that had been sent to resolve the dispute behind the blockade, rescued Panaka, the Queen, the Governor, Sio Bibble, and several security guards. Qui-Gon Jinn, one of the Jedi, wanted to take Amidala to Coruscant, against Panaka's initial instincts. The Queen decided against Panaka's judgment, and chose to travel to the capital with the Jedi. Grudgingly, Panaka joined her.

After the Jedi seized the Theed Hangar from the droids stationed there, the group entered the Queen's personal starship, and blasted away from Naboo. However, in trying to get through the blockade, the ship's hyperdrive was badly damaged. Jinn's apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, suggested that they land on Tatooine, a desert planet, for repairs. Panaka was outraged at the suggestion, claiming that the Hutts who ruled the planet were gangsters. When Jinn took the suggestion before the Queen, she sided with the Jedi, leaving Panaka in disbelief at her rashness.



While Jinn, Jar Jar Binks, Amidala, and R2-D2 went scouting for parts for the hyperdrive, Panaka remained behind and guarded the ship &mdash; ostensibly guarding the Queen. During a sandstorm, the ship received a falsified transmission from Naboo from Governor Sio Bibble, pleading with the Queen to contact him. Kenobi ordered Panaka and the others not to respond, warning it was bait to establish a trace so that the Trade Federation could locate Amidala.

Thanks to the efforts of one Anakin Skywalker, Jinn and Amidala had been able to obtain the parts needed to get the ship fully operational again. With the hyperdrive repaired, the group traveled to Coruscant, where they were met by Senator Palpatine. Panaka kept a close eye on Amidala, anticipating an ambush by the Trade Federation, and went with her to the Senate Rotunda as she and Palpatine put forth their case against the Trade Federation. The Queen's request fell on deaf ears, and she was left with a shaken faith in the Republic. However, the experience had hardened her resolve, and she decided to return to Naboo, over Panaka's objections, although he tried to explain to her that she would be captured and forced to sign the treaty.

Return to Naboo
"I think you can kiss your trade franchise good-bye."

- Panaka

The Queen had a plan. First, she made contact with Boss Rugor Nass and the Gungan Grand Army and swayed them to her side. Then she sent Panaka to make contact with the Naboo Security Force on the emergency channel. He met with them on the plains of Naboo where they were ambushed by a Trade Federation patrol. Fortunately, the Gian speeders made short work of the STAPs. He brought back the leaders to plan strategy — the Gungans would draw the droid army out of the city and engage in battle. Meanwhile, the Jedi together with the Naboo would sneak into the palace in Theed and attempt to capture Nute Gunray.

Using the secret entrance, Panaka split his forces in two. One group was to distract what droids remained behind while the other, including the Jedi, would liberate the starfighters from the Theed Hangar, allowing pilots to disable the Droid Control Ship in orbit. As Panaka, Amidala and the Jedi set out to find the Viceroy, they were met by the Sith Lord Darth Maul, who had been tracking them since their stay on Tatooine. Panaka and Amidala's group were forced to go the long way around while the Jedi stalled the Sith.



Progress was frustratingly slow battling through the palace battling through the halls of the Palace, but Panaka came up with an idea. Half the group split off from the main force, clambered out onto a window sill, and used ascension guns to bypass a level of the Palace. The group made their way through the palace while Sabé led the other half through the main Palace defense force. Unfortunately, Amidala's group were swiftly captured by droidekas and escorted to the viceroy.

Sabé's group, however, eventually made it to the Throne room and drew out the droids inside while Amidala grabbed a couple of blasters from a secret compartment in the throne, tossed one to Panaka and they eliminated the droids in the room. Defenseless and humiliated, the Viceroy was forced to sign a treaty of surrender.

After the battle, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako were handed over by Panaka to the Republic for trial who dryly observed that they could probably kiss their trade franchise good-bye. Panaka then participated in the celebrations following the liberation of Naboo.

After the Battle of Naboo


When Queen Amidala's term as queen of Naboo ran out, Panaka remained on Naboo to protect the new Queen, Jamillia. His nephew, Captain Gregar Typho, was assigned to protect Amidala, though Panaka still offered advice.

Upon learning of the marriage between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, Panaka informed Palpatine, who used this information to his advantage when turning Anakin to the dark side. The ramifications of Panaka's choice would eventually lead to the Imperialization of the galaxy, a change that would work to his advantage.

In the early days of the Galactic Civil War, Panaka, now a Colonel, was working with the Royal Security Forces to stop the criminal organization known as the Skaak Tippers from terrorizing the peaceful inhabitants of Naboo. Having not heard from the Royal Security Forces agent Willoc for a week, who had been sent off to investigate the activities of the Tippers, Panaka was surprised when he was contacted via Willoc's comlink by a newly recruited member of the Royal Security Forces who had infiltrated one of the Tippers' bases. Seizing the opportunity of the moment, Panaka devised a plan together with the agent, which would eventually result in the thwarting of a major crime scheme and the death of Jonni Skaak. In appreciation of the bravery, Panaka rewarded the Royal Security Forces agents with a considerable amount of credits and a special Royal Security Forces jacket, and relocated them to the command of Colonel Typho.

Panaka remained close to Palpatine and was later promoted to Moff of the Chommell Sector. As a gift, Panaka gave an ornate statue to the Emperor which was placed in the Emperor's receiving chamber aboard the second Death Star. His fate following the Emperor's death and the subsequent Uprising on Naboo is unknown.

Personality and traits
"I'll give them a Panaka blast!"

- Panaka

Panaka was a very pessimistic man and prepared for the worst. During the Naboo crisis, he was clearly annoyed at the fact that Naboo did not have its own planetary army. He often expressed his opinions on this matter, and regularly disagreed with Amidala's Jedi protectors.

Captain Panaka was often humorless and grim, constantly striving to do the best he could at his job. Panaka was usually on the alert, and was often called the "quickest eyes on Naboo." His fellow officers found him distant, demanding, and professional. Panaka took orders, but would voice his opinion when given an order he felt was questionable. One of Panaka's most excited moods occurred when he was successful in protecting his monarch and defeating the Trade Federation.

Panaka was raised harboring feelings of bigotry towards the Gungans of his homeworld, a view that was common among the Naboo prior to their alliance with the Gungans in the Naboo crisis. This was reinforced by the fact that the Gungans he encountered during his early career were criminals and exiles. It may also have been that, because of this belief, Palpatine made Panaka a Moff, as Humanocentrism was expressed by many members of the Galactic Empire. This is only speculation but is highly unlikely given that Panaka is recorded as having a change of heart towards the alien species following the invasion of Naboo.

It is also possible that Panaka derided the Jedi Knights &mdash; during the Trade Federation crisis, he constantly butted heads with them, only to have the Queen side with them, as opposed to her appointed head of security. This may have been a contributing factor towards his revealing of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala's marriage to Palpatine &mdash; as payback to both the Jedi and Amidala.

Behind the scenes

 * In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Panaka was played by Hugh Quarshie. He was voiced by Jeff Coopwood in the games Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Battle for Naboo and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.
 * Panaka's fate has not been established in a canonical source, though there are many fan theories abound, the most common being that he was killed after the Uprising on Naboo.
 * While Panaka's date of birth is unknown, the Attack of the Clones novelization says that he was over 40 years old at that time, so he must have been born before 62 BBY.
 * The character of Panaka was originally intended to appear in Attack of the Clones, but Quarshie decided not to return, feeling that he wasn't being offered enough money. So, in Panaka's absence, the character of his nephew Gregar Typho was created.

Appearances

 * The Monster
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Episode I: The Phantom Menace ½
 * Star Wars Episode I Journal: Queen Amidala
 * Star Wars: Battle for Naboo
 * Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novelization
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * Star Wars: Galaxies: An Empire Divided
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds