Five Things You Didn’t Know About Naboo
When George Lucas created the world that we have come to know as the Star Wars universe, we had a limited view of the world in the original trilogy. As the movies grew, people became more and more involved in the creation of the universe in the prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy, and everything in between. We learned there were more planets to explore and learn about. To the hardcore fans, we now seem to know every aspect of the galaxy far, far away, but the glory of having new shows and movies means more casual fans are starting to join the rest of us. In the last few weeks, The Book of Boba Fett has brought back the planet of Naboo into the spotlight as this is where the titular Mandolorian, Din Djarin got his new spaceship. So naturally, people want to know more about where is Naboo and why everyone seems so interested again in this planet.
If you watched the prequel movies (aka. Episode I, II, and III) or The Clone Wars animated series, Naboo plays a significant role in the Star Wars story. Not only was it at the center of the first movie, The Phantom Menace, but it is the home planet for Luke and Leia’s mother, Padme Amidala, the Emperor himself, Sheev Palpatine, and fan-favorite Jar Jar Binks. Still, I bet you don’t know these other five facts about the planet.
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1. Naboo Is A Planet Without A Core.
Unlike most planets in the universe, Naboo does not have a core. Now not to get all Neil deGrasse Tyson on everyone, but this is a statistical anomaly and virtually impossible. So, what is inside the planet? The planet is made of rock formations which created vast amounts of caves and tunnel systems. Think of Naboo as a giant round piece of Swiss cheese. This unique setup also made the planet a natural source of plasma which is the main fuel source for most starships and equipment within the Star Wars universe. Given how important and vital plasma is to the universe, it is no surprise that Trade Federation set up blockades in Episode I to control this resource around the galaxy.
2. Naboo Held The Pursuit Of Art Above All Else.
According to Queen's Peril, a canon book written about Queen Amidala just before the events of The Phantom Menace, Naboo encouraged and guided their youth to look into the arts for their educational background. Everyone was asked to embrace the artist lifestyle and belief system where music, fashion, and art were held in high regard. This would explain the high fashion looks of the Naboo people and the grandiose look of the Queen of Naboo. For this reason, the Naboo architecture and spaceships were not only functional but also pleasing to the eye.
3. Naboo Was An Imperial Mecca.
During the events of the prequel movies, Sheev Palpatine first was elected Supreme Chancellor of the Senate and then the unquestioned leader of the Empire by Revenge of the Sith. Naturally, when you are the home planet of the unquestioned Sith ruler of the galaxy, there were some perks. The planet faired much better than most planets during Imperial rule. Like Graceland is to Elvis Presley, Naboo became a place to visit for those loyal to the Empire. This did not mean that Naboo was treated kindly in the eyes of the surrounding systems. In the canon comic Shattered Empire, which followed the events after Return of the Jedi, Naboo believed “Palpatine's stain is heavy on our people, and we carry that shame still."
4. Naboo Chose To Elect Young Females To Rule
Naboo had a monarchy system where all decisions for the plant went through a king or queen. While there were male rulers in the past, Naboo favored women and more specifically young women to rule as their pure, childlike wisdom, which adults tend to lack, would help them make unbiased decisions. Naboo monarchy was also not like a traditional monarchy as the mantle of king or queen was not passed on to their offspring. Anyone could be elected king or queen of Naboo. When a ruler was chosen, their names were changed. After their rule, they could decide to keep their regnant name or switch back to their old name. For the record, Padme’s original name before she became queen was Padme Naberrie.
5. Naboo Has No Military Now
As discussed previously, yes, Naboo faired much better compared to other systems during the Empire’s rule but that did not mean that they did not suffer. If you were wondering how a Naboo N-1 starfighter shows up on the desert planet of Tatooine in The Book of Boba Fett, understand that when Palpatine became Emperor, one of his first tasks was to dismantle the military of systems that were part of the new Empire. This ensure that Palpatine’s forces were the only ones around. All those Naboo ships and military might seen in The Phantom Menace were sold off or destroyed. Over the years, their fighting skills became lost to time. Furthermore, most of Naboo was destroyed during Operation: Cinder. This particular military action was noted in season two of The Mandalorian when the remnants of the Empire scorched all the planets they were occupying upon the death of Palpatine.
And there you have it! One of the benefits of having so much Star Wars content on the airwaves through the comics, books, television shows means that people want to learn more about the world we have come to love. Is there another planet you want to see featured? Let us know!
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