Padmé Amidala/Legends

Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker, also Her Royal Highness, Queen Amidala of Naboo and later Senator Amidala of Naboo (46 - 19 BBY), was the wife of Anakin Skywalker and mother of Leia Organa Solo and Luke Skywalker. She was the democratically-elected Queen of Naboo before representing the planet as a Senator in the Galactic Senate. Prodigiously talented and well-learned, Padmé was still not the youngest Queen of Naboo to ever be elected. Her given name was Padmé Naberrie, Amidala was actually a Regnal name. She appeared very regal and austere as Queen Amidala. As Padmé, she was headstrong and compassionate. Amidala played an important role in the last years of the Old Republic.

Shortly after being elected Queen in 32 BBY, she tried to use diplomatic and political means to rid her planet from the blockade of the Trade Federation. When this failed, she participated personally in the Battle of Naboo, leading the operation which retook her palace in the city of Theed. During this time, she formed a close friendship with the nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker. She also called for a vote of non-confidence in Chancellor Finis Valorum's leadership in the Galactic Senate. This led to Naboo's Senator Palpatine being elected Chancellor.

In 24 BBY, Amidala ended her second term as Queen. Though some on Naboo suggested amending the constitution to allow her to serve a third term, she gave up the throne to her elected successor, Queen Jamillia. At Jamillia's urging, she became Naboo's representative in the Senate. Surprisingly, given her career change, she retained an elaborate fashion sense and a constantly-changing wardrobe. Soon, she was one of the leaders of a faction opposed to the establishment of an army to quell the growing Separatist movement.

After an attempt on her life in 22 BBY, Anakin, now an apprentice, was assigned to protect her. The two fell in love, though both of them were duty-bound to deny it. In the process of rescuing Obi-Wan Kenobi on Geonosis, they became directly involved in the first massed battle of the Clone Wars, where Amidala again showed herself to be rather more handy in combat than might be expected of a politician. Soon afterwards, Anakin and Amidala were married on Naboo, in a secret ceremony attended only by their droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.



By the end of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY, the now pregnant Padmé became alarmed by the changes in her husband's character as he was seduced by the Dark Side. Following the declaration of the Galactic Empire and the Great Jedi Purge led by Anakin, Amidala joined with Bail Organa to declare the founding of a resistance movement that would eventually become the Rebel Alliance. Traveling with Obi-Wan Kenobi to the planet Mustafar, she confronted Anakin to try and get him to turn back to Light Side of the Force, but he used a Force choke against her. After Kenobi defeated Anakin, he took Padmé to a medical facility on the asteroid Polis Massa. There, a medical team tried to save Padmé's life. However, after the birth of her twins Luke and Leia, she died comforted by Obi-Wan. Padmé's parents Ruwee and Jobal, sister Sola and Queen Apailana, were told that Padmé was killed by someone on Coruscant. An investigation into who impregnated her would have gone against Naboo tradition.

Behind the scenes
The role of Padmé was played by Natalie Portman in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. "Padmé" is Sanskrit for "lotus flower," while "Amidala" is the spiritual manifestation.

In Return of the Jedi, Leia tells Luke she remembered her mother dying when Leia was very young, and described her as very kind, beautiful and sad. Since Padmé dies in Revenge of the Sith while Leia is a newborn, it is not clear how Leia has these memories (it is speculated that Leia felt her mother's sadness through the Force, however this not confirmed).