Padmé Amidala/Legends

"She was&hellip; very beautiful. Kind, but&hellip; sad."

- Leia Organa

Padmé Amidala of Naboo (born Padmé Naberrie, known as Her Royal Highness, Queen Amidala of Naboo, from 32 BBY to 24 BBY, and as Her Excellency, Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, from 24 BBY until death) was the daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie, and the younger sister of Sola Naberrie. Later in her life, Amidala became the secret wife of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and the mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo, two of the most important figures in Galactic history. She was also the grandmother of Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, Anakin Solo, and Ben Skywalker. This would have made her great-grandmother of Allana, Jacen's daughter, and an ancestor of Cade Skywalker and Kol Skywalker.

She was the democratically elected Queen of Naboo before representing Chommell Sector as a Senator in the Galactic Senate. As Queen of Naboo, Padmé helped liberate her people, becoming one of the most respected politicial figures in the galaxy. Throughout her relatively short life, she played a vital role in the politics and events surrounding the Clone Wars, where Amidala and other senators were responsible for creating the foundation for the Rebel Alliance.

Early life (46 BBY–32 BBY)
"My life is dedicated to the people of Naboo. It is the least I owe them."

- Padmé Naberrie, to her former lover, Ian Lago, shortly before her election as Queen



Padmé was the youngest daughter of Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie, and the younger sister of Sola Naberrie. Born Padmé Naberrie in 46 BBY, Amidala grew up in an isolated mountain village where her parents instilled in their children high virtues like self-sacrifice and care for the socially weak. Her family moved to Theed when she was young, and Padmé attended the best schools available to her, enjoying occasional class retreats to Naboo's lake country. In her youth she volunteered for the Refugee Relief Movement, like her father had before her, and journeyed to Shadda-Bi-Boran to aid in the relocation efforts of the natives. Sadly, many of these refugees died when they were unable to adapt to life on another world. Following this, she entered the Legislative Youth Program, where she met a young man named Palo. A brief, innocent relationship followed, but the pair parted ways when Palo became an artist, and Padmé continued in politics. She never did forget her past or her heritage, however; even after she reached the top, Amidala still maintained her village's tradition of painting her fingernails stark white, a small but notable sign of her dedication to her family.

Her rise was meteoric&mdash;she had joined the Apprentice Legislature at age eight and became a full Apprentice Legislator by age eleven. During this time, she first met Silya Shessaun, her workshop mentor. The two would meet again as senators, and share a close bond. By 33 BBY, at the age of thirteen, Padmé Naberrie had become Princess of Theed, where she was a magnet for personalities opposed to the rule of King Veruna.

She became involved in a relationship with Ian Lago, the young son of Veruna's chief counselor. Both families were opposed to the match, but it ended of its own accord when Veruna abdicated and Amidala was persuaded to enter the race to succeed the King. Her personal popularity and opposition to Veruna's policies ensured her landslide victory and she never saw Ian again.

Although prodigiously talented, Amidala was still not the youngest Queen of Naboo to ever be elected. Her birth name was Padmé Naberrie; Amidala was actually a regnal name. In her guise as Queen Amidala, she appeared regal and austere but as Padmé, she was headstrong and compassionate.

During her tenures as Queen and later as a Senator, Amidala cultivated a cadre of handmaidens, young women of a similar age and with a striking similarity to her. These handmaidens acted as bodyguards, decoys, and confidantes to their mistress, roles devised by Amidala's head of security, Captain Panaka, who insisted the new queen be trained in self-defense and weapons usage.

As Queen, these handmaidens included Sabé, Eirtaé, Rabé, Yané and Saché. During her term as Senator, Amidala's handmaidens included Dormé, Cordé, Versé, and later Moteé and Ellé.

Queen (32 BBY–24 BBY)
"I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!"

- Queen Amidala, to the Galactic Senate



Once elected Queen, Padmé took the name Amidala, and amended the constitution to limit the rule of elected monarchs to two terms, in light of Veruna's tyrannical rule.

Five months after her election in 32 BBY, Queen Amidala was faced with what would become one of the most significant problems in Naboo history. In protest of the Galactic Senate's decision to tax users of the galaxy's trade routes, Viceroy Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation enforced a blockade on Amidala's homeworld. Naboo, with few resources of its own, relied on imports, and the blockade served as the perfect example of the Republic's reliance on trade.

Amidala tried to use diplomatic and political means to rid her planet of the Trade Federation, yet it was all in vain. The Viceroy&mdash;secretly following the orders of Darth Sidious&mdash;avoided direct diplomacy efforts, going so far as to order his troops to assassinate the Republic ambassadors that Supreme Chancellor Valorum had secretly dispatched. Unfortunately for him, these ambassadors were Jedi, and shortly after their escape Gunray was ordered to both sabotage all of Naboo's communications systems and deploy his troops for invasion. Amidala refused to condone a course of war for her planet, but the Federation invaded anyway and swept away the RSF defense. When the Federation took Theed, Amidala was hereafter captured at the Palace, but in the guise of a handmaiden; her double, Sabé, assumed the guise of the Queen during this time. Acting on instructions, the decoy refused to sign the treaty authorizing Federation takeover of Naboo, and they were sentenced to be placed in detention camps. On their way to detention facilities, the retinue&mdash;consisting of the false Amidala, her handmaidens, Governor Sio Bibble and Captain Panaka&mdash;was soon freed by the Jedi ambassadors Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks. Though reluctant to leave her people, Amidala (via Sabé) accepted the Jedi's offer to escort her to Coruscant, leaving Bibble and two handmaidens behind.

Engaging the blockade as the Naboo Royal Starship escaped, total destruction was avoided thanks to the droid R2-D2, whom Amidala commended. Significant damage was inflicted in the escape, however, and the ship was forced to land on the remote planet Tatooine. Disguised as the Handmaiden Padmé, Amidala accompanied Jinn, Binks, and R2-D2 into the small town of Mos Espa. It was there that she met a nine-year-old slave, Anakin Skywalker, and formed a close bond with him that would last her entire life. Anakin offered to take part in the Boonta Eve Classic, a podrace, to win the group enough money to acquire new parts and leave for Coruscant. Though she liked Anakin, Padmé doubted Jinn's wisdom in placing her planet's fate in a little boy's hands. She reconsidered, however, when Anakin won.

The fight for Theed
Arriving on Coruscant, Amidala once again resumed her role as Queen. In preparation for her appearance in the Senate, Senator Palpatine, her planet's representative, warned her of the Senate's corrupt nature, and was proved right when Amidala was unable to acquire immediate help for her people. Following Palpatine's advice, Amidala called for a Vote of No Confidence in the Senate's leader, Finis Valorum. Soon after, Palpatine himself was nominated to succeed Valorum, and eventually won.



However, Amidala decided to ignore his pleas for her to remain on Coruscant until that time, choosing instead to return to Naboo. En route, Amidala revealed to a concerned Qui-Gon Jinn that she planned to unite with the native Gungans, with whom the Naboo had had somewhat bad relations in the past. Appearing before the Gungan leader Boss Nass, Amidala (actually Sabé) attempted to convince the Gungans to unify in a bid to oust the Trade Federation. Seeing that this attempt was going nowhere, Padmé decided to reveal her secret identity as a signification of trust. Nass agreed, and the two warring cultures hastily put an end to their dispute to concentrate on a more pressing issue: the occupation of Naboo. Padmé presented her formulated plan to the group, which would consist of her leading a strike team into the Royal Palace and capture the Viceroy as the Gungan Grand Army led a ground assault to distract the droid armies. Though the plan eventually worked&mdash;thanks mostly to Anakin's effort in destroying the Droid Control Ship and Sabé's distraction&mdash;it did not come without loss, with Qui-Gon Jinn being killed by Darth Maul, who had been sent to help the Neimoidians on Naboo.

Her actions throughout the crisis earned her immense popularity with the people, and the Naboo and Gungans became officially unified during a celebration in Theed, attended by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the Jedi Council.

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 stayed true to her belief that "popular rule is not democracy". Hereafter, Amidala gave up the throne to her elected successor, Queen Jamillia.

Senator (24 BBY–19 BBY)
"Wake up, Senators&hellip; you must wake up! If we offer the Separatists violence, they can only show us violence in return! Many will lose their lives. All will lose their freedom."

- Amidala, before the Galactic Senate



Though Amidala had planned to retire into a family life, as had her sister Sola, at Queen Jamillia's urging she was appointed Naboo's representative in the Galactic Senate, succeeding Horace Vancil as the Galactic Senator from the 36th regional state space system. Surprisingly, given her career change, she retained an elaborate fashion sense and a constantly-changing wardrobe. Indeed, due to her enormous support on Naboo, Amidala continued to be granted all the formalities usually restricted to the elected monarch, including distinctive chrome-plating on all of her starships.

Though she preferred to remain on Naboo, when on the capital Padmé lived in a small penthouse apartment in the Senate Apartment Complex. Though the interior was modest in size and decor compared to other Senatorial residences, the apartment's large veranda boasted a private landing platform as well as a number of luxurious Naboo artifacts.

Soon, she was one of the leaders of a faction opposed to the establishment of an army to quell the growing Separatist movement. She believed that signalling violence only invited violence in return. Padmé Amidala was also appointed by the Supreme Chancellor to the Loyalist Committee, an exclusive group of Senators who would act as advisors to the Chancellor during the Separatist Crisis. She also served on a team of Republic diplomats that attempted to negotiate a peace with the Separatists, but suspected Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatists, was behind terrorist attacks that thwarted the negotiations.

Assassination attempts
"She's not one to follow orders."

- Captain Typho, to Obi-Wan Kenobi

In 22 BBY, Amidala was targeted for assassination by an unknown enemy, which she firmly believed to be the former Jedi and Separatist leader Count Dooku. An attempt on her life was made by the Clawdite bounty hunter Zam Wesell, resulting in the deaths of Amidala's decoy Cordé, handmaiden Versé and numerous other security guards on a Coruscant landing platform. Hours later, Amidala appeared in the Senate both to thwart reports of her death and openly criticize her enemies as well as supporters of the Military Creation Act, which she strongly opposed. After a brief conference with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, members of the Loyalist Committee and numerous members of the Jedi Council (including Yoda and Mace Windu), it was decided that Amidala be placed under protection of the Jedi while the matter was being investigated. Padmé held firm her belief that Dooku was behind the attack, but the Jedi&mdash;believing a former Jedi to be incapable of murder&mdash;remained against that claim.

Later that day, Amidala was reunited with Anakin Skywalker, now a Padawan to Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had been assigned to protect her. After a second assassination attempt by Zam Wesell&mdash;who had, under the orders of Jango Fett, placed poisonous kouhuns in her bedroom&mdash;which Skywalker and Kenobi were able to prevent, the Jedi Council determined that Skywalker would escort Amidala to her homeworld of Naboo for protection while Obi-Wan continued the investigation. As the vote on the Military Creation Act was fast approaching, an annoyed Amidala had to be commissioned by an executive order from Chancellor Palpatine to return to Naboo. Disguised as a refugee couple from the Thousand Moons system, Amidala and Skywalker traveled discreetly on a freighter ship to Naboo. During the trip they discussed the sacrifice that Anakin's mother made by letting him go to train with the Jedi, in hope to make him feel better and without knowing she will make the same thing for her children, Padmé said that that was what a parent needs for her child, to know that he had been given a chance of a better life.

To maintain the illusion that the Senator was still on the capital, Captain Typho and handmaiden Dormé stayed behind, with the latter acting as Amidala's decoy. After a meeting with Queen Jamillia, as well as a meal with Padmé's family, she and Anakin took refuge at Varykino, Amidala's family lake retreat, where the two began to fall in love. It was a forbidden romance, a love that could not be denied. Padmé attempted to dismiss the notion, fearing the repercussions on both her and Anakin's careers. It was against the Jedi Code, and Amidala was not willing to take that risk.

The nightmares


After Skywalker had a dream of his mother dying, one similar to that witnessed by Padmé on the refugee freighter, Padmé accompanied him to Tatooine, to help find and rescue her. While on Tatooine, both learned that Shmi Skywalker had married a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars during Anakin's ten-year absence. Lars sadly informed Anakin that his wife had been kidnapped by Tusken Raiders, and that after a disastrous search party, all hope for her was now lost. Upset and unwilling to give up, Skywalker went out to rescue her, leaving Padmé in the care of the Lars family. While there, she got to know Anakin's step-brother Owen Lars and his girlfriend, Beru Whitesun, the couple that would eventually become foster parents to her son, Luke Skywalker. Anakin returned the next morning, carrying the lifeless body of his mother. Skywalker deeply grieved for the death of her, and confessed to Padmé his massacre of the Tusken Raider village in which she was being held captive. Though shocked, Padmé understood his grief and his guilt, attempting to comfort him with the notion that he, like anyone, was only Human. During Shmi's funeral, Artoo informed Padmé of a message received by Obi-Wan Kenobi.

After saying goodbye to the Lars family, the pair viewed the message only to discover that Obi-Wan had been captured by droidekas on the planet of Geonosis. The message also revealed Count Dooku's involvement in the assassination attempts made on Amidala; the Count was apparently trying to fulfill a deal that would see Padmé's former enemy, Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation, officially join the Separatist movement. Twisting Mace Windu's orders for Anakin to remain with the Senator, Padmé resolved that if Anakin was to protect her, he would have to follow her to Geonosis in her attempt to rescue Anakin's Master.

Arriving on Geonosis, Skywalker and Amidala were chased through a droid factory, where Padmé would have no doubt been killed if R2-D2 had not intervened. Captured by battle droids, the pair were however sentenced to execution. As they were brought into the Geonosian execution arena, Padmé finally admitted her love for Anakin, resolving that they were about to be killed, and the pair shared an intimate kiss. Amidala was slashed across the back by a nexu, leaving long, bloody cuts. The execution was put on hold as Mace Windu and a Jedi strike team aided their rescue. With Kenobi, the three together fought in the Battle of Geonosis, where Amidala proved handier in combat than most would expect of a politician.

"I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life. I truly, deeply, love you."

- Amidala, to Anakin Skywalker, 22 BBY

After being separated from the two Jedi, Padmé managed to catch up with a squad of clone troopers, only to find Anakin's forearm severed by Count Dooku, who had escaped. The battle, however, was won. But win or not, the battle was the start of the great Clone Wars.

Marriage


Soon afterwards, Skywalker and Amidala were married at Varykino on Naboo, in a secret ceremony performed by a Naboo holyman, witnessed only by the two droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. From this moment on she was also called Padmé Amidala Skywalker.

Clone Wars
"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy?"

- Amidala, to Skywalker



With the beginning of hostilities, her message of diplomacy and restraint began to be drowned out by the guns of war. She found herself the target of assassins (due to Nute Gunray's personal grudge against her) over and over again, forcing her to remain on the capital world. She rarely saw her secret husband, Anakin Skywalker, who was constantly at the front line, leading clone troopers with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Amidala maintained a secret correspondence with her husband, and, though she was thrilled about his exploits, she also feared for his safety.

Four months into the war, Amidala was traveling with Jedi Master Yoda aboard her Naboo yacht when the ancient Jedi sensed a disturbance in the Force, coming from the planet Ilum. Despite Captain Typho's protests, she accompanied Yoda to the world and assisted in the rescue of the Jedi Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee, after battling against 3 chameleon droids, with some help from R2 and C-3PO.

Throughout the Clone Wars, Senator Amidala was a source of diplomacy in a decaying Republic. One such example was during the Outer Rim Sieges in which she and Captain Typho traveled to the planet of Bri'ahl in order to persuade the natives to join the Republic. Coincidentally, Amidala's diplomatic solution would have failed miserably had C-3PO, in his clumsiness, not accidentally literally crushed a resistance and a contingent of fake clone troopers attempting to murder both the Senator and the planet's President, Vuul, so Bri'ahl would not be carried into the Clone Wars.



Believing that she could not simply sit back and allow others to defend the Republic's freedoms, Amidala joined with Sheltay Retrac to reveal the Separatist sympathies of Senator Bezz Drexx for Bail Organa.

During the Clone Wars, Amidala was disliked by many who believed her to be responisble for starting the Clone Wars by her illegal presence on Geonosis.

In 20 BBY, Amidala went with Skywalker, Obi-Wan, and another Jedi Siri Tachi to the planet Genian, where the Separatist were after an important codebreaking mechanism invented by Talesan Fry, whom Siri and Kenobi had met decades earlier. Talesan was now the founder of a very wealthy business on Genian, a world that hadremained neutral during the war. After persuading Talesan to give the device to the Republic, they were attacked by the Bounty Hunter Magus.

Talesan accompanied the Jedi and Amidala to Azure, where the Republic was fighting off more Separatists. Siri and Amidala took a starfighter to go after Magus, while Kenobi, Skywalker, and Talesan fought off the attack led by Magus (who was working for the Corporate Alliance). Upon reaching Magus, Amidala was left to fly the ship herself, when Siri made a desperate leap and landed on Magus’ starfighter. In the end, Padmé and the Jedi were successful, but Siri Tachi was fatally injured and soon died.

Separation
Several months later on Coruscant, Padmé enjoyed a brief reunion with her husband in the depths of the city planet, before Anakin was called away by Obi-Wan Kenobi. It was that night that Anakin was finally granted the rank of Jedi Knight by the Jedi High Council. Soon after, Padmé received his severed Padawan braid, placing it in a box next to a carved japor-snippet pendant that eight-year-old Anakin had made for her.

Later on in the war, during Anakin's brief break from the war (granted by the Jedi Council due to his and Obi-Wan's extended service in the Outer Rim), Padmé was reunited with her husband on Naboo. This was not to last for long, as the couple were shortly interrupted by a suspicious Obi-Wan Kenobi, who wanted his former Padawan to help him hunt down Asajj Ventress, one of Count Dooku's dark disciples. Anakin, believing himself to have killed the Dark Jedi, was offended, but he was persuaded by Padmé to accompany his master. This would be the last time Padmé would see her husband until the war came to the capital.

In 19 BBY, Padmé was present on Coruscant when General Grievous and the Separatist army made an attack on the capital, kidnapping Chancellor Palpatine in the process. Though now pregnant with Anakin's child, the Senator still proved able in combat, helping to lead the evacuation of the Senate Apartment Complex. Later, assisted by Jedi Council members Shaak Ti and Stass Allie, Padmé and Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma were able to acquire a small transport to take them to one of the Senate Complex's bomb shelters. En route, the trio of Senators were forced to engage in combat with droid starfighters, with Padmé again proving extremely efficient with a blaster. Once Palpatine had been rescued and Grievous's capital ship crash-landed on Coruscant by Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and R2-D2, Padmé was reunited with her husband in the shadows of the Republic Executive Office building. It was at this time that an anxious Padmé informed him of her pregnancy.

"Something wonderful has happened... Ani, I'm pregnant."

- Amidala, to Skywalker

Democracy's end
"This war represents a failure to listen. Now you're closer to the Chancellor than anyone. Please, ask him to stop the fighting and let diplomacy resume." "Don't ask me to do that! Make a motion in the Senate where that kind of a request belongs!"

- Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker

"So this is how liberty dies&hellip; with thunderous applause."

- Padmé Amidala to Bail Organa following the Declaration of the New Order



By the end of the war in 19 BBY, the now-pregnant Amidala became increasingly alarmed by the changes in her husband's character as he was seduced to the dark side. Furthermore, she became disturbed by his visions of her dying in childbirth, especially when considering whether her child also died in these visions. On Coruscant, she pleaded with Skywalker to tell Palpatine to end the war and give up all the emergency powers the Senate had awarded him, but he would do nothing. After a number of meetings with various worried Senators—such as Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Giddean Danu and Fang Zar—Amidala agreed to lead the Delegation of 2000, a group of Senators opposed to the dictatorship that Chancellor Palpatine's rule was creating. Though the spokesperson for the committee, her efforts to involve and cooperate with the Jedi (presumably Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker) were futile, with her peers feeling that it was at that point too dangerous. While the petition presented by Padmé to the Chancellor would later pave the way for a resistance movement, the Rebel Alliance, its immediate effects were the reverse of what was hoped, with Palpatine first ignoring it altogether and then using it to round up what he coined "traitors to the Senate" during and after his ascension to absolute power.

Padmé Amidala was, with her retinue, present in the Senate chamber during a special session in which Chancellor Palpatine presented "proof" of a Jedi Rebellion against the Senate, which in actuality was an attempt to arrest Palpatine for his allegiance with the Sith. Painting himself as a heroic survivor of such an attack, Palpatine managed to convince the Senate of the Republic's reliance on the protection he could offer it. With little to no resistance in the Senate—for indeed many of Padmé's fellow Delegation members began to be rounded up as the speech took place—Palpatine declared himself Emperor, much to the dismay of Padmé and Bail Organa, who was with her. Though the latter attempted to vocally oppose the declaration, Padmé assured Bail that this was not the time. Indeed, she was correct, as the future generation would testify. Padmé, having been warned by her husband to distance herself from her "friends in the Senate", well understood the need for her not to be a vocal supporter of the Resistance movement, and thus she asked Organa to continue his movement without her knowledge. Being watched by both Anakin and Imperial spies, Padmé knew that any involvement on her part would jeopardize Organa's efforts, and his life. Knowing this she said to Organa:

"Vote for Palpatine. Vote for the Empire. Make Mon Mothma vote for him too. Be good little Senators. Mind your manners and keep your heads down. And keep doing&hellip; all those things we can't talk about. All those things I can't know. Promise me, Bail."

- Amidala, to Bail Organa

The last days
"I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I can't follow!"

- Amidala



It was not long after the Emperor's Declaration that Padmé was visited by Obi-Wan Kenobi, her friend and Anakin's former master. He told her of hologram evidence he had seen of Anakin's raid on the Jedi Temple and his allegiance with the Sith. Padmé refused to believe such claims, at least outwardly, and did not tell Kenobi where Anakin was, to ensure her husband's safety. It was during these moments that Kenobi discovered her involvement with Anakin, and understanding her reservations, left. Upon this revelation of her husband's dark deeds, Amidala traveled to the planet Mustafar to intercept Anakin and discover the truth, although inwardly Padmé likely understood not only the truthfulness of Kenobi's claims, but its later effects on her marriage. She did not realize that before the journey, Obi-Wan Kenobi had managed to stow away onboard her Naboo Skiff.

Shortly after the Separatist slaughter, Padmé met with Anakin, she tearfully told Anakin that he was breaking her heart, and tried to persuade him to turn back to the Light Side of the Force. When he told her his plans to kill Palpatine and become emperor with her at his side, Amidala told Anakin that he had changed and that she could not follow him down his chosen path, because of what he had done and what he planned to do. It is then that Obi-Wan revealed himself on the boarding ramp of Amidala's ship. Not even allowing Padmé the time to explain herself, Skywalker succumbed to his anger and used a Force choke against her, believing that she had brought Obi-Wan to kill him. Intercepting Vader, Kenobi managed to distract him so that he released his force grip, preserving Padmé's life. C-3PO and R2-D2 then moved their fallen mistress into her ship.

Death
"Obi-Wan&hellip;There is good in him&hellip;I know. I know there is&hellip;still&hellip;"

- Padmé Amidala's last words



After Obi-Wan defeated Anakin (now christened Darth Vader) in a lightsaber duel, the Jedi Master took Padmé to a medical facility on the asteroid Polis Massa, where Yoda and Bail Organa were waiting. There, a medical team tried to save Padmé; sadly, they discovered that she was dying, having apparently lost the will to live. Before her death, however, Padmé managed to give birth to healthy twins, Luke Skywalker and Leia Amidala Skywalker.

In her final breaths, she told Obi-Wan she knew there was still good in Skywalker. At the age of twenty-seven, Padmé left behind Luke and Leia, her legacy and hope for the future.

The beginning of the Empire
"Lord Vader, can you hear me?" "Yes, Master. Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she all right?" "It seems in your anger, you killed her." "I? I couldn't have! She was alive! I felt it! Noooooooooooo!"

- Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader

After the defeat of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and transformed into Darth Vader, he and his master began building the first Death Star.

Funeral
Padmé Amidala, former Queen and Senator of Naboo, was laid to rest in Theed. Amidala's casket, drawn through the streets of Theed, led an enormous procession of mourners that included her family, Queen Apailana, the Royal Advisory Council, Boss Nass, Representative Jar Jar Binks and her former handmaidens, who acted as pallbearers. Thousands lined up in the streets of Theed to pay their respects to a remarkable woman who had freed their planet of occupation, united its people, and spoken for democracy. Ironically, one of the first resolutions passed by Palpatine after the formation of the Empire was a national day of mourning for the "murdered" Amidala. Her old friend Senator Silya Shessaun tried to open an investigation into Amidala's death, but the effort was quickly thwarted by Palpatine due to, what he called, "security concerns".



Custody of her children
Shortly after her funeral, the eldest child Luke was given to the care of Anakin's step-brother Owen Lars and his wife Beru, on their moisture farm on Tatooine. Leia, meanwhile, was formally adopted by Bail Organa and his wife, Breha (who were childless), becoming the heir apparent to Alderaan as Princess Leia Organa. Her life would mirror her mother's, with Leia also serving the Senate as well as championing similar causes. However Padmé's son, Luke, would follow in his father's footsteps, becoming a powerful Jedi.

Amidala's family and Queen Apailana were informed by Imperial Intelligence that she had been killed, along with other Senators, by rogue Jedi on Coruscant. An investigation into who had impregnated her would have gone against Naboo tradition, yet many doubted this official statement, with Apailana going on to harbor Jedi who had escaped Order 66. In 18 BBY Amidala's maternal grandmother Ryoo Thule was killed by Inquisitor Malorum, who had gone to Naboo to investigate Amidala's pregnancy when he managed to uncover that her baby had not died. Thanks to Ferus Olin, a rogue Jedi, this information died with him.

In the years before the Battle of Yavin, Amidala's youngest niece, Pooja Naberrie, served with Amidala's daughter, Leia Organa, as Senators in the Imperial Senate. Neither woman, however, was informed of their biological relationship.

"I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her."

- Luke Skywalker to Leia Organa on Endor



Shortly before the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, Luke asked Leia if she remembered her mother at all. From very faint recollections, Leia stated "Just images really&hellip;feelings." Leia was able to describe her as very beautiful, kind, but sad. Luke remarked that he had no memory of Amidala whatsoever. Unbeknownst to either of them, a large painting of their mother still hung in the Imperial Palace, even up to the Thrawn Crisis, twenty-eight years after her death.

Amidala was briefly seen in a hologram projected by R2-D2 while Luke was fixing him in 35 ABY. R2 showed Anakin telling her about his dream of her dying in childbirth. Until this revelation, Luke and Leia had been unaware of the identity of their mother, though they were aware of a "Senator Amidala" who had served in the final days of the Old Republic. However, they had no inkling of their relation to her.

Later during the Swarm War, Luke also saw recordings of his mother's conversations with Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

In 40 ABY her grandson, Jacen Solo, flow-walked back 59 years to see why Anakin had fallen. Once he realized that Anakin had fallen in order to save Padmé from dying, Jacen went back to the future and was convinced that his reasons for becoming a Sith were more compelling than Anakin's had been.

Personality and traits
"I will not let you give up your future for me."

- Amidala, to Skywalker



Padmé took to heart the lessons of self-service that had been taught her by her parents, and throughout her life she continued to do what was best for her people and the Republic she believed in, without thought of herself. Her sister sometimes scolded her for this attitude, asking when the last time was she had ever done something for her own sake. She rarely gave in to personal desires, at a young age denying Ian Lago her affection, saying that Naboo needed her more than he did. She was compassionate, always considering other people before herself, and she stood firm in what she believed in. She was even willing to doubt the Republic in its later years, because of how far it had fallen short of its duty. Partly because of her firm belief in democracy and her genuine care for her people, her election for Queen of Naboo was a landslide. Unable to deny her people's need, when her two terms for Queen were over she accepted Queen Jamillia's invitation to become Senator. She was obviously well-loved by her people, as she still kept several privileges usually restricted to the monarch of Naboo during her time as a Senator, such as allowing her ships to be chrome-plated.

Amidala matured quickly, as evidenced by her quick rise to political heights at a very young age, reaching Queen at only fourteen years of age. Though responsible, she was a strong-willed person, who continued to do what she believed to be correct and right despite those closest to her standing against her. She followed her own instincts in pleading to the Senate for help as Queen, and to return to Naboo afterwards to strike out on a limb to unite with the Gungans. She also refused heightened security, even after blatant attacks on her life during her terms as senator, going so far as to cover security cameras. Though her security's fears were proven true time and again, she still was loath to leave during the vote on the Military Creation Act, and only an order from the Supreme Chancellor could make her budge.



Her strong will and self-restraint were proven again when she firmly told herself and Anakin that a relationship between them would go nowhere and would endanger both of their futures. She saw how difficult it would be, and how much it had the potential to ruin their lives, and though trying to force Anakin to see it, as well, it was difficult for her to accept. However, when she believed she was about to die, she saw no harm in admitting her true feelings, now that they could not come to pass. However, when they survived their 'execution,' she and Anakin could not longer deny their love, and they were married.

Even then, she remained loyal as a senator to her people, and continually urged Anakin to stay loyal to the Order, even when, at times, he wanted to refuse an order because of the long periods of time away from her. Though pained by the long separations they had to endure, she kept strong for them both, knowing the great burden placed on both of their shoulders. She believed strongly in Anakin, and when she heard of his exploits during the Clone Wars, she was enthralled, though she remained worried for his safety. Her belief in him became evident when she even began to believe him over the Jedi Order when he told of their manipulations of him to use him as a spy for their own purposes. She was reluctant even to believe Obi-Wan, a close friend of theirs, when he told her of Anakin's dark deeds. Partly to assure that what he had not said was not true and partly to convince herself that they were not, she traveled to Mustafar to ask him herself. Even when he confirmed her worst nightmares, she refused to believe that he could not come back to the light and urged him to do so. However, her voice was stilled when Anakin, seeing Obi-Wan, accused her of betrayal and nearly choked her to death.

But even in death she believed in him, speaking of the good still in Anakin —though no one believed her. ... at that time. 23 years later, her son would share this belief.

Portrayal


The role of Padmé Amidala was played by Natalie Portman in the prequel trilogy. In her interview on the "Inside the Actors Studio" program, she admitted that, when her agent first mentioned the new Star Wars trilogy to her, she didn't know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.

Portman also missed the first screening of The Phantom Menace, due to exams.

An unknown actress played Amidala in holophotos that can be seen in Episode II deleted scenes.

Continuity
Padmé's first actual appearance in the Star Wars universe was in the comic The Last Command 5, which came out around a year before Episode I. At the time the comic was being made, the decision to cast Natalie Portman as the future mother of the twins had just been made, so the authors of the comic decided to place her likeness in the background. Although this clashes to some extent with the eventual revelation that Leia never knew her mother, The Last Command 5 nonetheless was her first appearance in the Star Wars Universe.

In Return of the Jedi, Leia tells Luke she remembered her real 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 is not confirmed. Leland Chee admitted that this inconsistency is not yet addressed in the Holocron continuity database ). Another speculation is that Padmé herself was Force-sensitive while pregnant with the twins. In the novelization of Revenge of the Sith, many references are made in regard to this, most notably, when Anakin and Padmé communicate with each other across the city (he from the Jedi Temple, she from her apartment). It is possible that Leia saw a hologram or picture of sorts as well. It would seem that this problem is resolved; however, in the junior novelization of Revenge of the Sith, where it says that the newborn Leia looks around shortly after being born, as if she wanted to memorize every detail.

In the Return of the Jedi novelization, it was said that Obi-Wan took both Leia and her mother (Padmé) to Alderaan after the birth of the twins, while in Revenge of the Sith, Padmé dies shortly after child birth.

In the Phantom Menace novelization, Anakin has a vision of Padmé leading an army against a dark man (Vader), foreshadowing his betrayal.

Name
"Padmé" is Sanskrit for "lotus flower," while "Amidala" is a variant of "Amitabha", which means a spiritual manifestation.

In Egyptian, the name "Nabirye" means "Mother of twins." Padmé's own surname, Naberrie, appears to be a homonym.

Though she married Anakin Skywalker in 22 BBY, she never took the name Skywalker, in order to keep Anakin from being expelled from the Jedi Order and to protect them both from any vulnerabilities this marriage would bring them.

Non-canon appearances

 * Tag & Bink: Revenge of the Clone Menace
 * Nobody's Perfect
 * Old Wounds
 * Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing