- "Order! We shall have order!"
- ―Vice Chair Mas Amedda
The Vice Chair, known as the Vice Chairman and also known as the Vice Chancellor, Vice chair of the Senate, or as the Senate Speaker, was the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the Galactic Republic. The position was also a bureaucratic role in the Galactic Senate with the purpose in maintaining procedures and protocol in the legislative.
Mas Amedda served as vice chair during the twilight years of the Republic, first under Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and then his successor, Sheev Palpatine of Naboo. In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, Amedda became the Grand Vizier of the Galactic Empire.
Role and powers[]
- "Don't you have more pressing issues that require your attention today?"
"No, Mr. Speaker, I do not." - ―Vice Chair Mas Amedda and Senator Padmé Amidala
The Vice Chair,[5] also referred to as the Vice Chancellor[6] or Senate Speaker,[7] was a bureaucratic position affiliated with both the Galactic Senate and the Office of the Chancellor,[2] the legislative and executive branches of the Galactic Republic, respectively. As speaker of the Senate, the vice chair was tasked with maintaining order among the galaxy's senators. During the Republic's final years, the Senate was made to follow protocol and procedures to the letter, under the stewardship of Vice Chair Mas Amedda. Although the Chagrian politician believed that he kept the government functioning, in truth bureaucrats like Amedda often slowed down the process to the point of rendering the Senate ineffective.[5]
History[]
- "This is a crisis. The Senate must vote to give the chancellor emergency powers."
- ―Vice Chair Mas Amedda
During Chancellor Lina Soh's administration, Larep Reza served as her Vice Chancellor. Attending the ill-fated Republic Fair, Reza was the presumed successor to Soh when her term came to a close.[8]
In 32 BBY,[1] Queen Padmé Amidala petitioned the Galactic Senate to support her home planet of Naboo, which had been invaded and occupied by the Trade Federation Droid Army. When delegates from the Trade Federation and Malastare insisted that the Senate form a committee to inspect the validity of the young monarch's accusations, Vice Chair Mas Amedda counseled Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum to concede to their demands. Unwilling to leave the Naboo under Federation control while the Senate debated the issue, Amidala called for Chancellor Valorum's removal from office, in the hope that the next chancellor would be more decisive.[9]
Despite Valorum's fall from power, Amedda retained his post as vice chair under the new chancellor, Sheev Palpatine, formerly the senator of Naboo.[9] He would continue to serve in chancellery throughout the remaining years of the Republic, which became engulfed by the Separatist Crisis and the Clone Wars that followed.[3] The vice chair was also one of the few individuals who knew that Palpatine was a Sith Lord, and actively participated in the chancellor's schemes by helping him to gain more wartime powers through their manipulation of the Senate.[2]
Shortly after the fall of the Jedi, Vice Chair Amedda stood at Palpatine's side as the self-anointed Galactic Emperor announced the formation of the First Galactic Empire.[10] Amedda would remain a member of the Emperor's inner circle, serving as one of Palpatine's closest aides and advisors under the new title of Grand Vizier.[2]
List of Vice Chancellors[]
Period | Vice Chancellor |
By 231 BBY[11]– | Larep Reza[8] |
By 32 BBY[1]–19 BBY[1] | Mas Amedda[2] |
Behind the scenes[]
The encyclopedia "Chancellors, Senators and States Persons of the Republic" incorrectly describes the positions of Vice Chair and Vice Chancellor as separate titles.[12]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
- Mas Amedda in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Mas Amedda - Vice Chancellor - Base Series 1) (First identified as Vice Chancellor)
- Ultimate Star Wars
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 2 (Databank A-Z: Alzoc III–Antilles)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 9 (Databank A-Z: C-21–Chandrila)
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 22 (Weapons & Uniforms: The Supreme Chancellor of the Republic)
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Bust Collection 1 (Star Wars Universe: Darth Vader) (Picture only)
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition (First identified as Senate Speaker)
- Rise of the Separatists
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle! (First identified as Vice Chairman)
- "Aftermath" Episode Guide | The Bad Batch on StarWars.com (backup link) (Picture only)
- "Chancellors, Senators and States Persons of the Republic" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (First identified as Vice chair of the Senate)
- Star Wars 100 Objects
- Chagrian in the Databank (backup link)
- Mas Amedda in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Mas Amedda in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Zillo Beast Strikes Back"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mas Amedda in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The High Republic: The Rising Storm
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of The High Republic: The Rising Storm to 231 BBY.
- ↑ "Chancellors, Senators and States Persons of the Republic" — Star Wars Encyclopedia