Second Battle of Theed
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The Second Battle of Theed (also called the Recapture of Theed or Battle of Theed Palace) was one of three linked battles that brought an end to the Invasion of Naboo. The Battle of Grassy Plains drew the majority of Trade Federation forces away from Theed allowing Naboo Royal Security Forces to covertly enter the city and take the remaining Federation forces by surprise. The successful initial stages of this battle allowed Naboo pilots to reach and launch their N-1 starfighters from Theed Hangar which began the Naboo Space Battle.
Had any of the three battles failed in its objective, it would have had disastrous results for one of the concurrent battles. Had the Battle of Grassy Plains not served as a diversion for the Federation army, the Naboo forces may not have had the element of surprise needed to allow their pilots access to their fighters. If the battle in space hadn't successfully destroyed the droid control ship, the Gungan Grand Army would likely have been decimated by the overwhelming flood of battle droids. Ultimately though, if the Naboo security forces had failed to capture Viceroy Gunray, all three battles would have been for naught as the Trade Federation would have returned with another droid army to reconquer the planet.
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[edit] Entry to the Palace
- "I thought the battle was going to take place far from here. This is too close!"
- ―Viceroy Nute Gunray[src]
As the battle for Naboo raged on in the plains, a ready force of Naboo soldiers escorted the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with Captain Panaka and Padmé Amidala, into the capital city of Theed. The squad of Gian speeders and Flash speeders surprised and destroyed the Armored Assault Tank and infantry defenses[1][2] , allowing the team to enter the Theed Palace.
The battle raged on in the streets of the castle, and eventually into the Theed Hangar, where the team was pinned down by droidekas. Anakin Skywalker, taking refuge in a N-1 starfighter, destroyed the droids with the craft's laser blasts, allowing the other pilots to take off and the space battle to begin.
Upon leaving the hangar, the team was confronted by Darth Maul, the first apprentice of Darth Sidious who had been dispatched to prevent the Jedi from settling the conflict.
As the starfighters left the hangar, taking several casualties from an AAT hidden outside the hangar, the Jedi and Sith engaged in a duel that waged on into the Theed Generator Complex. Amidala, Panaka, and their security forces left the hangar relatively unscathed through a separate door.
[edit] Retaking of the Palace
- "Your little insurrection is at an end, Your Highness. Time for you to sign the treaty and end this pointless debate in the Senate."
- ―Viceroy Nute Gunray[src]
The Queen's battle continued to recapture the invaded Theed Royal Palace. She split up with her handmaiden, Sabé, who led a second squad of Naboo soldiers through the palace corridors.
Queen Amidala and Panaka with their own group tried to break through to the throne room where their target, Viceroy Nute Gunray, had made himself nicely at home. However, a squad of droidekas surrounded Amidala's rebels and forced their apparent surrender. Just before being led away, Amidala sent a distress signal to the second squad led by Sabé.[1] The droidekas brought the Queen's squad to the throne room, then left the area, leaving only around a dozen flimsy B1 battle droids to accompany them into the room, where Nute Gunray and Rune Haako waited.
After being led to the throne room as captured enemies, the Queen and her protectors were not to be prisoners for long. Sabé and her team, responding to Amidala's signal, suddenly appeared and fooled Viceroy Gunray into thinking Sabé was the Queen.[1] The battle droids were distracted just long enough for Amidala to unlock a secret compartment in the throne full of blasters and throw them to her fellow freedom fighters.
The confused battle droids were quickly shot down and the doors to the throne room jammed, locking in the Viceroy and his second-in-command, Rune Haako, with Queen Amidala's pistol ready to kill at a moment's notice. The two cowardly Neimoidians did not dare make any wrong moves. Two of the most prominent leaders of the Trade Federation were now in custody. Theed had been wrested back from Federation control.
[edit] Duel in Theed
- "We'll handle this."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn[src]
Meanwhile, Darth Maul engaged Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in a furious lightsaber duel. The trio fought through a pair of blast doors connecting the hangar to the Theed Generator Complex. On a catwalk across the Complex the duel raged for a long time, Maul being a more formidable opponent than either Jedi had ever faced before; wielding his double-bladed lightsaber with vicious efficiency. However, despite Maul's seeming dominance on the battlefield, he continually gave ground over the entire battle, leading the two Jedi into a labyrinth of catwalks.
The catwalk met a hall with laser fields. Kenobi had been knocked down several stories by Maul, and by the time Kenobi caught up to the two combatants, Kenobi and Jinn were separated by the laser barriers. This left Qui-Gon to duel alone with Maul. Despite being considered one of the best lightsaber duelists in the Jedi Order, Qui-Gon could not keep up with the Sith Lord's youth, this coupled with the restriction of the narrow cat walk around the melting pit which kept Qui-Gon from using his Ataru style to it's full capacity, led to him being killed by Maul while Obi-Wan could only watch in horror. Finally the laser fields switched off, and Kenobi ran through to avenge his master's fatal blow.
Overcome with hatred, Kenobi was manipulated by Maul's dark senses and the Sith suddenly Force pushed Kenobi into the melting pit. Kenobi clung for his life on a power node, watching his lightsaber disappear down the endless pit.
As the Sith lord taunted him with lightsaber strikes on the edge of the pit, Kenobi was able to relax his nerves and focus on the light side. He flung himself out of the pit, Force-guided his master's lightsaber into his hand, and landed with a single sweeping death blow.
The Sith lord fell into the melting pit, neatly sliced in two. By then, the rest of Naboo had been liberated and the Invasion of Naboo was over.
[edit] Appearances
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace novel (First appearance)
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace comic
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace game
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace junior novel
- Star Wars: Battle for Naboo
- Episode I: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Appears in flashback(s))
- Precipice (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Republic 68: Armor (Indirect mention only)
- The Last of the Jedi: Death on Naboo (Mentioned only)
- Old Wounds (Non-canonical appearance) (Appears in flashback(s))
- Phantom Menaces (Non-canonical appearance) (Appears in flashback(s))
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Non-canonical appearance)
[edit] Sources
- Invasion of Theed Adventure Game
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
[edit] Notes and references
