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- "M'lady, I'm so sorry. I've failed you, Senator."
- ―Cordé, to Padmé Amidala
Cordé, formerly known as Cordyn, was a handmaiden who served Senator Padmé Amidala in the days leading up to the Clone Wars. She was acting as a decoy when she was killed in an attempt on Amidala's life by Clawdite bounty hunter Zam Wesell.
Contents
Biography[edit | edit source]
Cordyn was a human female born on the planet Naboo. She had a sister who worked as a jeweler.[5] In 32 BBY,[6] Cordyn was one of several girls considered by Captain Quarsh Panaka of the Royal Naboo Security Forces while he was looking for additional handmaidens for newly-elected Queen of Naboo Padmé Amidala, along with Rabene Tonsort. Cordyn strongly resembled Amidala, but Panaka removed her from consideration because her poor hand-eye coordination meant she lacked skill with a blaster or other forms of combat.[5][7]
Four years later, after Amidala's two terms as monarch ended, she was asked by Queen Réillata to serve as the Chommell sector's Senator in the Galactic Senate. She came to the conclusion that she would need additional handmaidens to act as decoys. Rabé suggested Cordyn, pointing out that her resemblance to the senator would make her an excellent decoy despite her poor fighting skills. Cordyn was tracked down by Saché on behalf of Amidala and eventually agreed to take on the role, taking on the name Cordé. Amidala also took on two other handmaidens, Versé and Dormé.[5]
In the days leading up to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Amidala returned to the galactic capital of Coruscant to take part in a vote on the creation of a Republic army in the wake of the Separatist Crisis.[3]
Cordé moments before her death
On the orders of Amidala's chief of security, Captain Typho, Cordé served as her decoy, traveling on the senator's ship posing as Amidala while the senator piloted a Naboo starfighter in disguise. Upon landing, Cordé descended the ramp with her retinue, but was soon caught up in an explosion that destroyed the ship and killed both her and six other people. The explosion was set up by bounty hunter Zam Wesell, who had been hired by Jango Fett to assassinate the senator.[3]
While Cordé lay dying, Amidala ran to her handmaiden's side. With her dying words, Cordé apologized for failing her mistress, though Amidala insisted that she had not.[3] Sometime later, Amidala shared private tears for Cordé with Duja, another of her handmaidens.[8]
Personality and traits[edit | edit source]
Cordé had brown hair, brown eyes and light skin.[3] Despite being slightly taller than Padmé Amidala, she was considered the closest physical match to her.[5]
Skills and abilities[edit | edit source]
Cordé was able to perfect Amidala's voice to the point that even a voice identifier couldn't tell the difference. However, she lacked combat ability, especially with a blaster,[5] due to poor hand-eye coordination.[7]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
Cordé was played by Natalie Portman inside the cruiser and walking down the entry ramp, a stunt actress during the explosion that took her life, and Veronica Segura during her death.[9]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Queen's Peril (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy – A Graphic Novel
- Queen's Shadow (First identified as Cordyn)
- Queen's Shadow audiobook
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (First appearance)
- Attack of the Clones Read-Along Storybook and CD (Indirect mention only)
- Thrawn: Alliances (Mentioned only)
- Thrawn: Alliances audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Darth Vader 3 (Mentioned only)
Sources[edit | edit source]
Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones on StarWars.com (backup link)- Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Captain Typho - Naboo Security - Base Series 1)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Zam Wesell - Bounty Hunter - Base Series 1) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Cordé - Royal Decoy - Base Series 1)
- Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: Card Trader
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy
- Padmé Amidala in the Databank (backup link) (Picture only)
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑
Naboo royal handmaidens in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ Queen's Shadow establishes that Cordé was chosen to pose as Padmé Amidala's decoy as she was the closest physical match despite being slightly taller than the senator. As Padmé Amidala in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) establishes Amidala's height as being 1.65 meters, it can be deduced that Cordé's height was slightly more than that.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Queen's Shadow
- ↑ Queen's Peril takes place before and during the Invasion of Naboo, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 32 BBY. Thus, the events of the novel must take place in that year.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Queen's Peril
- ↑ Thrawn: Alliances
- ↑ Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels
