Fall of Theed

In 32 BBY, as part of the Grand Plan to bring the galaxy under Sith dominion, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who was known publicly as Senator Palpatine of the Mid Rim planet Naboo, orchestrated the passage of Senate Resolution BR-0371, which enforced the taxation of the Free Trade Zones in the Mid and Outer Rims. The resolution significantly impacted the profits of the Trade Federation of Planets, whose Viceroy, Nute Gunray, was persuaded to lead an Invasion of Naboo in protest of BR-0371 by Sidious to further the Sith Lord's purposes. The invasion began with a blockade of Naboo six months after the passage of the resolution.

The blockade involved a fleet of Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighters surrounding the planet and halting all commerce. A month after the blockade began, the Galactic Republic Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum dispatched two Jedi ambassadors, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate with the Trade Federation to resolve the crisis. Gunray was frightened by their appearance and contacted Sidious, who ordered him to kill the Jedi and begin the invasion earlier than scheduled by landing the Trade Federation Droid Army on Naboo. The Jedi were able to escape and stowed aboard separate C-9979 landing crafts.

Sidious gave the Droid Army two objectives for the invasion: to sever Naboo's communications and to force the Human Naboo Queen Amidala to sign a treaty of surrender. The crafts mostly landed in remote locations to avoid detection by Naboo's populace. An elite group landed in the planet's northern hemisphere, where the Human capital city of Theed was located. The Naboo radar arrays detected the Federation invasion force but the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps radar operators were shocked at the scale of the force. The pilots waited for the order to strike, but Queen Amidala remained convinced of a peaceful solution to the situation and did not order a response.

Meanwhile, droid starfighters attacked airborne transports in order to force them into landing. One vessel, the passenger freighter Crescent captained by Nuun Pargen, was fired upon and forced to set down on the edge of the Great Grass Plains outside of Theed, Naboo's capital city. Pargen's daughter, Inea, was injured in the attack. Captain Pargen asked the students to return to Theed to retrieve the medical supplies necessary to stabilize Inea while he repaired the ship.

The B1-Series battle droid OOM-9 led one of the first attacks, destroying transmitters at the cities of Vis, New Centrif, and Parrlay to prevent the Naboo from communicating with the Galactic Senate. This disruption interupted a holographic meeting between Palpatine on Coruscant and Amidala and the Naboo Royal Advisory Council in Theed, announcing to them that the invasion had begun. OOM-9 moved on to capture the cities of Harte Secur and Spinnaker, the latter of which was a short distance from Theed. The Droid Army took strategic positions on the planet overnight, ready to strike at Theed on the morning after their landing. Meanwhile, Jinn and Kenobi reunited in the Gungan Swamps and encountered one of the indigenous Gungans: Jar Jar Binks. He led them to the underwater Gungan capital Otoh Gunga, from which the Jedi acquired a tribubble bongo which, with Binks's help, they used to navigate the waterways through Naboo's planetary core to reach Theed. Their journey was impeded by encounters with large creatures native to Naboo, including an opee sea killer, a colo claw fish, and a sando aqua monster.

The droids that marched towards Theed were held in thirty-three large transports, which each contained 112 battle droids, 342 Armored Assault Tanks, and other infantry and starfighters. Each vehicle and battle droid were programmed with a map of the city and given key objectives to execute. Multiple bridges within the city were destroyed in order to slow down the Trade Federation's progress. The battle droids also had orders to capture or kill any Royal Naboo Security Forces personnel they encountered. As the passengers of the Crescent reached Theed, the city was in a state of chaos as the residents of the outer sectors had spotted the approaching Droid Army. The passengers therefore attempted to find the medical supplies for Inea Pargen swiftly.

The Trade Federation Droid Army struck in the morning, catching the citizens of Theed unaware. Some panicked citizens tried to flee but were unable to escape. As the army approached Theed, Gunray made a transmission to Sidious, informing him of their imminent victory. The Droid Army had occupied the surrounding countryside and Queen Amidala had advised her military to stand down, although the Trade Federation expected sporadic resistance throughout the city. A signal jammer near the Theed Hangar complex prevented the Federation from sending in transports and droid starfighters. OOM-9, in a Heavy Armored Assault Tank, personally led a battalion of elite units into Theed. His forces consisted of eight AATs, two Heavy Energy Pummels, three Single Trooper Aerial Platforms, and sixteen Heavy battle droids.

They broke through the southern gates of Theed and advanced northeast toward the signal jammer, using the pummels to destroy two fortresses and other military buildings they encountered on the path. The droids sent their tanks in first ahead of the infantry, crushing through fountains and arbors. The Trade Federation's strategy also involved spreading their forces out through the city while working towards Theed Palace. The Royal Naboo Security Forces sent Gian speeders and infantry forces against the Droid Army to no avail. The droid forces destroyed the signal jammer, and OOM-9 reported its destruction to Gunray. The Viceroy sent more reinforcements to the western side of Theed. These consisted of four droidekas, four AATs, two energy pummels, two Single Strooper Aerial Platforms (STAP), and six OX9 labor droids. Gunray ordered OOM-9 to get at least five battle droids within the grounds of the Royal Palace, after which they would use the OX9s to build a Neimoidian Throne next to the Palace to symbolize their control of the city.

The two Trade Federation groups linked up and proceeded up the Main Boulevard to the Theed Royal Palace. The droid forces destroyed the gates blocking their path along with two additional Fortresses. When the droids occupied the palace grounds, more labor droids, along with five droid starfighters, arrived. The labor droids were ordered to construct a Neimoidian Throne. After it was completed, a pleased Gunray congratulated OOM-9 for capturing Theed before telling him to capture the queen. Once the majority of the city was under Trade Federation control, the battle droids adopted a slightly less aggressive stance designed to prevent the queen from escaping. This made it easier for determined individuals to hide or escape Theed, as long as they did not attack the battle droids or otherwise resist.

Queen Amidala watched the invasion from a window in the Royal Palace while looking down in sadness and witnessed the shooting of a woman who had defied a battle droid's orders. Amidala then called in her handmaiden Sabé to enact a security plan ordered by Panaka in which Sabé presented herself as Queen Amidala while Padmé herself assumed the role of a handmaiden. Sabé wore the queen's , and Padmé also gave Sabé an amulet given to her by her parents, vowing to herself that she would not wear it again until Naboo was free. As battle droids waited for her in a hallway, Amidala recorded the events of the day in her journal, unsure of when she would have time for another entry.

While Amidala adopted her disguise, Panaka ordered all Royal Naboo Security Forces personnel to abandon their duties and escape to the forests and swamps, where they could regroup and organize an organized resistance. He also called for the use of violence only in self-defence to avoid a war in the streets of Theed. The first hours of the invasion had been filled with chaotic street battles. The Naboo Teckla Minnau and her half-sister Nandi fled to the planet's swamps along with elements of the Royal Naboo Security Forces in that time. The passengers of the Crescent escaped Theed by taking a speeder across the Solleu River, encountering an MTT and a STAP patrol on their way until they reached safety. A group of students from Theed's Royal House of Learning, including the Wookiee Rorworr and the Gungan Toba, also escaped undetected. The passengers of the Crescent had gathered medical supplies for Inea and attempted to return to the ship during the battle, and had difficulty doing so. As they fought their way out, they attempted to aid the resisting Naboo where they could, which included helping overwhelmed Royal Naboo Security Forces soldiers defeat an overwhelming battle droid attack. The group were informed of the plan to create a resistance movement.

The members of Bravo Flight heeded Panaka's evacuation order and fled the city. Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes fought his way through a number of droid forces, rescuing a number of captured civilians in the process, before receiving a transmission from Captain Kael, who was pinned down near the Royal Naboo Security Forces headquarters. Sykes destroyed the destroyer droids attacking Kael. Together, they destroyed or went around other battle droids and Armored Assault Tanks. Kael ordered Sykes to follow him as they moved through the plaza to escape into the swamps. Along the way, Sykes picked up a vehicular upgrade. They then arrived at a hangar in a square on the outskirts of Theed protected by two tanks. Kael ordered Sykes to destroy them, and the captain realized the tanks were protecting STAP-2s. The two stole the speeders and escaped into the countryside.

The entire city had fallen shortly after sunrise, too quickly for any substantial defense to be arranged. Any available weapons had been confiscated and battle droids patrolled Theed for any remaining resistance. The Trade Federation began relocating the Naboo to newly constructed detention camps outside the city. Inside Theed Hangar, the Naboo were captured. Palace Guard Pars Varqom saw Theed's piazza's full of water and musk-rose petals carelessly broken by the droids. According to Varqom, anyone who fought against the battle droids were killed by their overwhelming numbers and air supremacy. Due to the swiftness of the invasion, many of the buildings in Theed remained intact, although the Palace Courtyard was severely bombed by Armored Assault Tanks.

After the city was under Trade Federation control, the Jedi's bongo breached the surface of the Solleu River inside the city limits. As it did, the bongo was pulled along by the currents to a waterfall. Jinn ordered Kenobi to restart the bongo, but its engines failed. The Jedi Master then launched a grappling hook into the canal walls, which prevented the bongo from descending down the waterfall. The two Jedi pulled themselves along the hook line to reach safety while Binks panicked in the bongo. The Gungan left the vessel just in time. As the Jedi pulled Binks out of the canal, a B1 battle droid, 3B3, approached them and ordered them to halt. Jinn cut the droid down just as it fired a shot from its blaster, hitting the cable and sending the bongo over the waterfall. With the droid destroyed, the Jedi looked towards Theed Palace and proceeded to it.

After the fighting in the city had ended, Amidala and Sabé were captured by the Trade Federation along with Captain Quarsh Panaka, head of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, Governor Sio Bibble, several Palace Guards, and the handmaidens; Rabé, Eirtaé, Saché, and Yané. The sight of battle droids in Theed Palace made Amidala want to weep, but she was determined not to give the invaders the satisfaction of seeing her in tears. With the city under their control, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako travelled down to the planet, a rare move for them as they normally remained in their battleships. Both Neimoidians, however, were eager to visit Theed Palace and see its treasures. The Neimoidians landed in their personal Sheathipede-class transport shuttle, OOM-9 then reported the success of the queen's capture to the viceroy, causing Gunray to declare with pride that it was a victory.

Gunray and Haako met with the queen and her entourage in the Royal Palace's throne room, with a dozen battle droids holding the Naboo hostage. Bibble chastised the Neimoidians for intefering with Naboo's communications, but Gunray was disinterested in his protests. As the droids escorted the queen and her group down the stairs of Theed Palace, Gunray revealed his plan for the queen to sign a treaty of surrender. Sabé, as Padmé had coached her, rejected Gunray, who ordered the droids to take the queen and her entourage to Camp Four. The B1 battle droid 3B3-21 was assigned to escort the queen, and ten OOM security battle droids fulfilled the order. Amidala was in awe as she walked through the Palace Plaza, which was normally filled with the sounds of street vendors and musicians, and was then full of Trade Federation tanks and droids.

Jinn told his Padawan that he would create a diversion while Kenobi found a way into the Palace, and cautioned his Padawan to avoid entanglements. Kenobi went up the stairs near the bongo and engaged several B1-Series battle droids. That way did not lead to the Palace, so he returned to the Solleu and swam to the other side. He then climbed onto the streets and dispatched the two battle droids in his way, and started toward the Palace. He fought through the battle droids stationed in the streets and rescued three hostages. He also sliced his lightsaber through the alarm systems, disabling them. At one point, he climbed up the balcony and picked up a sniper rifle to reduce the number of enemies in his way. He then moved forward across a bridge over the river. Down the street, a shield blocked one street, so he went through a door and climbed the stairs to the upper balcony. There he found another hostage; he rescued the man, who led the Jedi to a balcony to spy on more prisoners. Kenobi then moved past the nearby statue.

A droid starfighter destroyed the bridge to the Palace. Stuck on the wrong side, Kenobi met two Naboo soldiers and a grenadier. They helped him find another way around and told him about a secret entrance to the Palace. Kenobi went up the stairs to the next level and saved another hostage, who warned him about nearby battle droids. Moving along the cliff to the other side, the young Jedi faced more battle droids and one of the Federation's new assassin droids. He defeated all the droids. He then took over a gun turret to destroy a Single Trooper Aerial Platform. He then jumped across the ledges, went up the stairs, and shut off the water flow to the pool. That revealed the secret stairs for him to go down into.

During the Jedi's trek through the city, the central bridge across the river was blasted apart by an Armored Assault Tank, cutting the city off from other regions. Kenobi was separated from Jinn and Binks. The Jedi were forced to cross the city to find the Queen.

Kenobi jumped into the river and swam away from the tank. He climbed onboard one of the islands a nearby plaza and went onto the walkway. He then Force pushed a lever to extend the walkway. Continuing onward, he then fought a group of battle droids. A force field generator blocked his path, but Kenobi used the Force to flick a switch and lowered the dam, shorting out the generator. Walking along the path and turning left, he found himself among a firefight with more droids and two Naboo guards. After a conversation with them, he told them he was going to enter the garden, and the soldier gave the Jedi a light repeating blaster. Two Multi-Troop Transports settled over the garden and disgorged droids. Kenobi met a wounded guard, who told Kenobi the passcode to enter the gates near the palace. Kenobi then moved forward, avoiding an Armored Assault Tank in the plaza and sneaking around a battle droids and a disabled Multi-Troop Transport. Kenobi gave the password to another Palace Guard. Once through the gates, the guard charged forward but was gunned down.

Kenobi then moved through the door and into the plaza. He found the button to open the door out of the gardens, then went through it. Off in a small alley rested a droid starfighter, which self-destructed as Kenobi approached. Returning to the path, the Jedi then drained several water pools to reveal the controls to the bridge to access the plaza near the palace. He also destroyed the droids near the controls.

Kenobi crossed the bridge and climbed the stairs at the end of the walkway, which had been mined, then neared the palace gates, where another Armored Assault Tank was stationed. The Jedi avoided the laser blasts long enough to Force push the lever to open the inner gates, then went back across the tank's path to throw the switch to open the inner gates, which was hidden behind a window. Kenobi then ran through the gates into the area near the palace.

During the battle, Kenobi rejoined Jinn, and they infiltrated Theed and fought through a city littered with more than 20 battle droids and OOM security battle droids to make it to the Royal Palace. They passed the Theed Royal Library, which had been turned into a war room for the Droid Army. Juast past the library, they faced a guantlet of missile launcher-armed droids on the balcony and six destroyer droids on the road. At one point, the Jedi commandeered an Armored Assault Tank after taking out its 3 pilot droids and used it to travel through Theed, blasting other tanks and droids. They also rescued seven handmaidens who had been captured. They disembarked from the tank near the Palace grounds. As they moved onto the palace grounds, they faced more battle droids. In front of the palace they destroyed a T4 turret droid along with Flame battle droids.

After entering the palace through the secret entrance, Kenobi found himself inside the palace kitchen, where he met the servant Asha. She told him the Palace was on lockdown, but she could crack the codes. Kenobi climbed up the fireplace to reach the next level and fought the droids in the dining room. He then hit the switch to raise the dining table up from the kitchen, which Asha rode up. She then sliced the doors for the Jedi, but held back as Kenobi fought off the battle and destroyer droids in the next room. Once all the droids were destroyed, Asha sliced the next door for him. In the next room, Kenobi was cut off by force fields. He destroyed the droids, including an assassin droid, and then shut down the force field for Asha. The codes had been changed, but she sliced the doors.

Through the next doors, the Jedi entered a firefight with Panaka and other Naboo soldiers. Asha was locked out by force fields. Together, Kenobi and the Naboo soldiers destroyed the attacking battle droids and the destroyer droid. Kenobi then unlocked the force fields, and went into the next room with a double staircase and fought more droids. Asha then unlocked the throne room. The group entered and fought three assassin droids, which burst through the windows. A Palace Guard informed them that the Queen had been taken to Camp Four to sign a treaty.

Kenobi contacted his Master and informed him of the situation. Jinn ordered Kenobi to meet back up. Traveling back outside of the palace, Kenobi met a a Naboo grenadier, who informed the Jedi about an Armored Assault Tank blocking the resistance. Kenobi jumped on the balcony and destroyed a grenade droid. He then took over a repeater cannon and destroyed two droids on a lower balcony which were manning more repeater cannons. Moving forward, the young Jedi disabled a force field blocking the street and then assisted several resistance members in fighting battle droids, then dropped an ion grenade on the tank, disabling it. The destruction of the tank cleared his way to the next street. Kenobi then deactivated the shield generator blocking his way, and stepped through.

The two Jedi entered the palace and fought through more droids, including B1 grapple droids, destroyer droids, and OOM command battle droids. At one point they Force jumped on the outside of the walls, using the balconies to proceed to the next story. After that, they infiltrated the throne room with the help of one of the handmaidens they had rescued, who showed them a secret entrance.

As the queen's entourage reached an avenue leading to the outskirts of the city, Jinn, Kenobi, and Binks snuck onto a balcony near the palace just as the group walked beneath it. Together, the Jedi leapt down and activated their lightsabers. Kenobi kicked two of the battle droids while Jinn began cutting them down. The Jedi Master also used the force to push two of the battle droids against a wall. Jinn suggested that the group leave the streets, and Panaka ordered his Palace Guards to take the droid's E-5 blaster rifles. Jinn explained that he and Kenobi were the Chancellor's ambassadors and that they needed to make contact with the Republic. Panaka responded that Naboo's communications had been disabled, leading Jinn to inquire about any available transports. Panaka led the group towards Theed Hangar through backstreets and alleyways. They moved quietly amidst the growing alarm sounds and buzz of STAPs flying overhead. Jinn remained calm in an effort to ease the fears of those now under his protection.

On their way to enter the passage under the Palace, Kenobi and the Queen were separated from Jinn, Panaka and the others. The Queen led Kenobi away from a group of charging battle droids and into a Palace corridor. She informed him about a secret passage through the garden, and they headed that way. In the garden, Kenobi saved the Queen from a battle droid. He then pushed a statue out of the way so they could access the passage. They went up the stairs, with Kenobi dispatching another droid. The door to the passage was locked, so Kenobi Force-jumped across the broken balcony and accessed the door's control from the other side, and the two move out into the streets.

Kenobi went into an apartment and met a woman who was distraught after being separated from her son. Kenobi promised to rescue the son. The boy had hid from battle droids in a nearby building and Kenobi brought him back to his mother. The woman gave the Jedi a health pack in return. Kenobi also found a wounded Naboo guard nearby. In return for Kenobi fetching him water, the guard warned him about a nearby Armored Assault Tank. Kenobi then snuck around the balcony to flank the tank, and destroyed the battle droids in his way. The young Jedi then found a prisoner. After a brief dialogue, Kenobi freed the man, who gave the Jedi a thermal detonator.

Kenobi destroyed the droids under the archway, prompting the tank to leave its position. He then returned to the Queen and led her past the tank. In the next street, they were ambushed by droids, three of which were up on a balcony. Kenobi then met an astromech droid, but told it he didn't need a droid following him, and the droid remained. Moving along, the Queen and her Jedi protector dueled more battle droids on the way to the hangar. Kenobi then went into the apartment of another woman by accident. The woman told him that the gate was locked. Kenobi then leapt onto the balcony, then crossed over the street on an overhanging vine, and opened the gate. During the battle, Kenobi had acquired a blaster, and he used it to destroy three mines on the street to allow the Queen to proceed to the river; he also destroyed more droids. Kenobi then met a fisherman, and used his boat as a stepping stone to the street. Once there, he Force-pushed a lever to lower the bridge for the Queen to pass over the river. Once across, the two were ambushed by more droids. Further down the street they faced a heavy repeating cannon. Past that, they joined a firefight with more Palace guards and faced several more groups of battle droids, along with a destroyer droid. The Queen and Kenobi then rejoined Jinn and the others in the Hangar.

The group entered Theed Hangar through an unguarded service door and encountered no droids in the hallways. They stopped to peer in to the main hangar, which was occupied by at least fifty battle droids, who had rounded up the pilots there. Panaka directed the group to a side door and nudged it open to point out the queen's transport, the J-type 327 Nubian royal starship. The captain feared that there were too many droids in the hangar, but Jinn insisted that they would not be an obstacle. Jinn then implored the queen (Sabé in disguise) to come to the galactic capital Coruscant with him, as he sensed that her life was in danger, contrary to Padmé's expectations that the Jedi would leave for Coruscant alone. Bibble and Panaka protested, claiming that the Trade Federation would keep the queen alive so that she could sign the treaty of surrender.

When Jinn insisted again, Bibble changed his mind and agreed that Amidala would need to support Palpatine in the Senate to help free Naboo. The governor assured the queen that he would remain on Naboo to help retain order and to advocate for the Naboo people. Sabé looked to the real Padmé Amidala, who communicated in a coded phrase that she approved of the plan. Amidala used eye signals to communicate with Sabé, and together they decided that the handmaidens Eirtaé and Rabé would come with them. Saché and Yané cried in response, leading Sabé to reassure them as they reluctantly stayed behind. Panaka selected two of his four Palace Guards to remain with the handmaidens and Bibble. As the group entered the Hangar bay, Panaka confirmed that they would need to free the twenty captive pilots to escape, which Kenobi decided to handle. The Padawan diverged from the main group towards the pilots.

The group boldly approached the battle droids, with Jinn causing confusion by ignoring the droids that moved to intercept them. Jinn approached an OOM command battle droid, 2163, and blatantly stated his intention to take the group to Coruscant. When the droid ordered their arrest, Jinn destroyed 2163 and the other droids with his lightsaber, including 3B3-1204, who had been preparing to upload anti-Jedi tactics to the rest of his unit. Meanwhile, Kenobi attacked the six droids guarding the Naboo pilots with ferocious determination and ordered the pilots to run. As more battle droids entered the bay and began firing in all directions, Panaka and his guards formed a protective circle around the queen and the handmaidens as they boarded the Royal Starship.

Jinn continued deflecting the droids blaster fire, drawing upon the Force to make accurate parries. He observed Kenobi as he ran to the ship with a group of Naboo behind him. Several explosions occurred throughout the hangar and a few Naboo were killed by the battle droid's blaster fire. The Jedi Master ordered his Padawan to get the ship into the air as Kenobi boarded. Not long after, Jinn retreated to the boarding ramp, which closed behind him. The pilots who had made it to the ship, including chief pilot Ric Olié, had activated its engines by the time Jinn reached the cockpit. Alarms sounded and more droids entered the hangar, and Amidala witnessed Bibble's capture as the ship left the hangar.

Olié piloted the exceptionally fast and agile ship out of the atmosphere in seconds. The pilot introduced himself to the Jedi and thanked them for the rescue, and Jinn ordered him to focus on getting past the blockade first. Kenobi took Binks out of the cockpit to the ship's astromech droid storage and to keep out of trouble. In space the starship faced the Trade Federation blockade, where one of the blockade battleships started firing at the Royal Starship.

When Kenobi returned to the cockpit, blaster-fire knocked the ship from its trajectory and Olié tried to steer it back to its intended path. Jinn tried to find a solution, asking if the ship had a cloaking device, to which Panaka angrily responded that they were not on a warcraft and had no weapons. The starship was hit directly by blaster-fire, damaging its deflector shield generator. Olié pressed a button to send out the ship's complement of six astromech droids to repair the damage, startling Binks. The droids emerged and entered the airlock as the ship began to level out as the rest of the crew watched anxiously from a viewscreen.

Olié kept the Royal Starship close to the Lucrehulk-class battleship, meaning that its larger guns were unable to target the ship. The Trade Federation then dispatched a squad of Vulture droids to take on the starship. Within seconds of departing, they were on top of the ship and Olié struggled to speed up and find cover. Of the droids on the ship, R2-M5 and R2-N3 were blasted from the ship's hull while fixing an imbalance in the starboard engines, and three more: R2-B1, R2-R9, and G8-R3, were directly hit by Trade Federation fire. The sixth droid, R2-D2, continued on, steadily reconnecting wires while the Vulture droids fired. After one blast of droid fire, Kenobi feared that R2-D2 had been destroyed, but after the sparks disappeared he saw that the droid was still active. After bypassing the main power drive, the shields were restored, and R2-D2 emitted a whistle of satisfaction. Olié commented on the droid's success was able to press down on the thrusters. The shields held up against several minutes of intense fire until the Royal Starship was out of the battleship's range and the droid starfighters fell behind.

The Royal Starship's hyperdrive was leaking, meaning that the Jedi were unable to take the queen to Coruscant immediately. Kenobi identified the planet Tatooine as a suitable destination, as it was poor and out of the way. Panaka rejected the suggestion, as the planet was controlled by gangsters of the Hutt species, but Jinn reasoned that any of their options would be similar to hiding on a Trade Federation planet, except that the Hutts would not be looking for the queen. Olié, on Jinn's instructions, set their course for Tatooine.

Gunray and Haako returned to the Saak'ak, where Sidious demanded a report of the invasion via hologram. The Sith Lord ordered them to slowly and quietly execute Naboo's remaining government officials. Gunray informed him that they controlled the northern and western portions of the Naboo's territory, and apprehensively admitted that they had lost Queen Amidala and could not trace her ship and it was out of their range. Sidious then introduced his apprentice, Darth Maul, and told the Neimoidians that the Zabrak would be capable of finding the queen. After the transmission ended, Haako expressed regret for the situation they had gotten in to. Maul helped send out a countfeint transmission from Bibble, which were transmitted to the Royal Starship.

Aboard the Royal Naboo Starship, R2-D2 was brought before the decoy queen and thanked for his actions before she ordered Amidala to clean the droid's carbon scoring in order to maintain the deception. The droid was happy to receive recognition and to be cleaned up. The disguised queen took time on the voyage to record the events of the Fall of Theed in her journal. She had been haunted to see her planet fall and the image of tanks in Theed and blood in its fountains. Amidala resolved that she would continue until Naboo was free again. Jinn convinced the queen to continue the diversion to Tatooine for repairs, despite Panaka's disagreement.

On Tatooine, Jinn focused on securing a hyperdrive that would suit the Royal Starship. He was able to locate one at the shop of the junk dealer Watto, but the dealer would not accept Jinn's Republic credits. The matter was resolved with assistance from Anakin Skywalker, a boy enslaved by Watto, who agreed to win the Boonta Eve Classic podrace and buy the hyperdrive with the prize money. Additionally, the Royal Starship received the forged transmission from Bibble claiming that the death toll on Naboo was catastrophic and that the queen needed to contact him. Kenobi warned them that it was a Trade Federation trick and that replying would reveal their position. Panaka later defied the Jedi's orders and replied to the message, allowing Maul to trace their position.

Skywalker won the race and was granted his freedom by Jinn, who had placed a wager with Watto. Just as they were about to leave Tatooine, Maul attacked Jinn, but he and Skywalker were able to board the Royal Starship and escape. The starship travelled to Coruscant, where Queen Amidala hoped to present Naboo's plight to the Senate. She was unable to convince the Senate to aid Naboo or condemn the invasion, leading her to initiate a Vote of No Confidence against Chancellor Valorum at Palpatine's urging. Palpatine was nominated for the position in the election election and was excited to inform Amidala, claiming that the Naboo crisis would secure his victory and therefore allow him to help his home planet. Amidala, however, decided that she would return to Naboo rather than wait for the Senate to take action.

Kael and Sykes immediately engaged additional Trade Federation forces in the nearby countryside. They went on to form a resistance movement. Several officers, Palmer among them, were were captured by the Trade Federation, but later rescued. Pars Varqom and five others escaped Theed and set up a resistance cell in the Penladen Hills, acting on training Panaka had given them. Teckla Minnau and Nandi were separated in their escape from Theed, and Minnau had to avoid STAP patrols and Trade Federation bombs for days until she found shelter in a marsh village for the rest of the invasion. The brutality of the Droid Army and the damage done to Theed unintentionally inspired many civilians and off-worlders to fight against the occupation.

As a result of the Trade Federation's successful invasion, the blockade fleet, with the exception of the Droid Control Ship, the Vuutun Palaa, dispersed. Theed's upper-class citizens suffered in the detention camps with little food and poor conditions. After the transmission of Bibble was sent out, the governor was brought to Theed Palace's throne room for sentencing by Gunray in response to a strike that he had organized. Several Neimoidians; including Haako, Naboo officials, and battle droids were in attendance. Gunray ordered Bibble to be sent away.

Following Amidala's return to Naboo, she formed an alliance with the Gungans, who had been driven from their homes in the Siege of Otoh Gunga. Together they formed a plan to capture Viceroy Gunray at Theed Palace and liberate the planet. Panaka contacted Varqom about the plan, but the Palace Guard was too far away to assist and the captain was also concerned that the return of too many Naboo guards would reveal their plan. Instead, Panaka ordered them to attack the Penladen detention camp, saving the Theed gentry imprisoned there. Varqom was surprised to see them furiously tear apart their battle droid guards. The Gungan Grand Army marshalled on the Great Grass Plains outside Theed, drawing most of the Droid Army away from the city. Amidala, Jinn, Kenobi, Skywalker, Panaka, Sabé, and R2-D2 all snuck into Theed through secret tunnels that ended near Theed Hangar. There, several pilots, including Skywalker, took control of the N-1 starfighters there and flew out to attack the Vuutun Paala.

The queen's group successfully captured Gunray and Haako, and Skywalker destroyed the Vuutun Paala. Maul intercepted the Jedi in Theed Hangar and killed Jinn, but he was then defeated by Kenobi. Jedi Grand Master Yoda travelled to Naboo for Jinn's funeral, where he met with Kenobi. and had him recount the events of the invasion, including their rescue of Amidala during the Fall of Theed. Following that, the Freedom Day celebrations were held in the streets of Theed. The damage done to Theed in the invasion was repaired by 22 BBY, including a revamp of Theed's Palace Courtyard. Varqom would later give an account of the invasion, including the Fall of Theed, that was recorded in the Royal Archives of Naboo.

The Fall of Theed was created for the prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, written and directed by George Lucas. Some scenes involving the Fall of Theed were set inside Theed Palace, the real world location of which was Caserta Palace in Italy. Filming there took place over four days beginning on July 21, 1997, and only took place at night due to the location's tourist popularity. Scenes set in Theed Hangar were filmed on a practical stage at Leavesden Studios, United Kingdom, where filming lasted from June 26 to July 18, 1997.

The Phantom Menace was released theatrically on May 19, 1999, although clips of Theed's occupation were previously seen in the film's trailer, released in theaters on November 17, 1998. The first narrative sources to portray the invasion of Theed were the film's novelization, written by Terry Brooks, and the illustrated screenplay, both of which were published on April 21 1999, simultaneous with another source that mentioned the event: Star Wars Episode I Who's Who: A Pocket Guide to the Characters of The Phantom Menace by Ryder Windham. The first source to identify the battle as the Fall of Theed was the CD-ROM Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide, released on June 23, 1999.

Details about the Fall of Theed changed throughout the development of The Phantom Menace. In Lucas's revised rough draft, Amidala receives word of the Trade Federation's approach and intends to warn the Naboo rulers not to fight. Panaka disagrees, and Amidala insists that they will continue resisting the occupation but cannot do so openly. Amidala's stand-down orders were later mentioned in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds

Kenobi and Binks—without Jinn, who did not factor into the main plot until the other main characters reached Coruscant—reach Theed before the Droid Army. They encounter a curious crowd before a group of Naboo guards arrive to escort them into Theed Palace, and Kenobi convinces Amidala to leave Theed before the attack. OOM-9 snuck the Trade Federation Droid Army into Theed undetected, and the battle began once Gunray ordered them to begin their full scale attack. The Federation uses speakers on military transports to message the Naboo not to resist, and all Naboo security personnel that fight back are wiped out.

The Naboo Royal Starship rests on a secret landing platform beneath a fountain instead of in Theed Hangar, and the ship has armaments such as cannons which are crewed by Naboo guards to protect the astromech droids. The Trade Federation starfighters kill some of the guards when they fire on the ship. Other sources such as the novelization specify that the ship has no weapons. R2-D2 is shocked by electricity while finishing the repairs to the shield generator, but is undamaged. When he returns inside the ship, he repairs the damaged hyperdrive to the extent that the ship is able to jump to hyperspace to Tatooine. OOM-9 reports to Darth Sidious that five ships of the queen's brigade attempted to break the Trade Federation blockade, only one survived and escaped. Sidious correctly believes that Amidala is on board that ship and sends Darth Maul to search for it.

In the revised second draft, Gunray and Haako do not physically enter Theed during the battle. They communicate via hologram, and Amidala's calls Gunray a "little coward." Additionally, no pilots require rescue by the Jedi, and it specifies that seventeen individuals boarded the Royal Starship, including Jinn and Kenobi, Binks, Amidala, Panaka, two handmaidens, four pilots, and six guards. While escaping, Jinn advises Olié to spin the ship to evade the Trade Federation's pulsar tracking. That moment was not included in the finished film but appeared in the novelization.

In the final version of the screenplay, when Jinn and Kenobi rescue the queen, the battle droid sergeant attempts to run away but is destroyed by Jinn using the Force. This moment was not included in the finished film but was included in the novelization. On board the Royal Starship, Binks is curious about his surroundings and presses on the head of a red R2 unit, causing it to pop up out of place. Binks closes the droid's head after more screws fly out, which occurs in the novelization.

The film novelization describes the queen and her retinue as surrounded by a dozen battle droids when they are arrested in the throne room, but Mighty Chronicles adaptation, written by John Whitman, states that there were twenty battle droids.

In the film novelization, and the junior novelization by Patricia C. Wrede (published May 3, 1999) and the first issue of the comic adaptation (May 5, 1999), the Jedi's rescue of the queen is portrayed differently from the film. Instead of jumping down from a balcony, the Jedi are standing in a street when the queen's group and their droid patrol encounter them. Jinn asks for an audience with the queen, and a droid sergeant orders his troops to clear out the interlopers. Four battle droids prepare to fire, but the Jedi cut them dow quickly and destroy the rest, and Jinn uses the Force to destroy the sergeant.

The junior novelization specifies that Olié was the only pilot to make it aboard the Royal Starship, but in the film multiple pilots can be seen boarding the ship. In the novelization, when the starship is in space, Jinn orders Olié to spin the ship to evade Trade Federation fire, which does not occur in the film. The novelization states that a squad of droid starfighters pursued the ship, while the junior novelization states that only two ships participated. The March 2000 picture book Droid to the Rescue, written by and illustrated by Jesus Redondo, depicts three starfighters in pursuit of the starship. This article follows the novelization's description.

According to the novel, the Royal Starship was equipped with five astromech droids, and only four act to restore the shield generator after one is deactivated by Binks. However, the film depicts R2-R9 as one of five droids conducting repairs. Droid to the Rescue, the Mighty Chronicles adaptation, and 2002's The New Essential Guide to Characters by Daniel Wallace state that there were five astromech droids involved in repairing the ship. The 2012 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary states that all six droids participated in the repairs.

This battle also appeared in two missions in the Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game. The player assumes the role of Kenobi for both missions. In the first segment, Gardens of Theed, Kenobi infiltrates the city after an Armored Assault Tank destroys a bridge, blocking his path. He follows the path through the gardens and through the gate to the Royal Palace. Along the way the player interacts with Naboo guards. If the player fails to get the code from the first wounded guard, the game allows the player to follow another guard through the gate. The second segment, Escape From Theed picks up after they rescue the Queen. She and Kenobi get separated from the others and Kenobi escorts her through the city. During the mission he has the option of talking to several characters to get information and game items, although none of it is required to complete the mission. The game's Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles: Prima's Official Strategy Guide reveals the required paths.

This battle appeared during two consecutive missions in the video game Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles, released in 2000. In the first mission, the player (or players) travel through Theed, with the option of bypassing a number of droids or destroying them all to boost their points. The turret droid is the level's boss, which must be destroyed to clear the level. The second level plays out differently from its appearance in other sources. For instance, the player(s), using the avatars of the Jedi, fight various battle droids, including B1 grapple droids. It is necessary to jump up the walls of the palace on balconies to reach another portion of the level. Then, the Jedi are led through a secret passage, under a large tomb, to the palace throne room by a handmaiden they had rescued in the first level; they rescue Amidala from a four-droid escort and lead her through the palace to the hangar, where they face two Plasma battle droids. In the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace film, the Jedi rescue Amidala and her retinue out on the streets before returning to the Theed hangar to destroy the battle droids guarding the royal starship. The game's strategy guide reveals the alternate paths along with the required paths.

In 2001 the video game Star Wars: Obi-Wan was released. The game features this battle during the the third chapter; the player assumes the role of Kenobi and plays the scene over three missions: City Under Siege, Within The Palace, and A Queen in Peril. These missions contradict the movie in that Kenobi meets Captain Panaka in the Royal Palace after the latter was supposed to be captured, and the Queen is escorted by a different group of droids when she is rescued. The first segment was written with to follow the 100% completion path outlined in the game's strategy guide. Going up and facing the first group of battle droids was necessary to pick up all the game's "location markers" and is off the critical path. In the third segment, destroying the Armored Assault Tank is optional.

The preceding three games contradict each other and the Episode I film to some extent. They all feature the Jedi's arrival in Theed up to rescuing the Queen or later. This article includes all three pathways and notes specific contradictions where applicable.

This battle also served as the first mission in the 2000 video game Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo, entitled Escape from Theed. The player, as Gavyn Sykes in a Flash speeder, was tasked with rescuing Kael and escaping the city. It was not necessary to destroy every droid in the level, just those attacking Kael. Finding the upgrade fulfills the bonus objective, but is not essential. Its placement during the battle is unclear, but it is before Panaka left the planet, as the opening video features his evacuation order.

In 2001 the game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds featured this battle and the ones leading up to it. The player, in the role of OOM-9, was tasked with leading a force into Theed and destroying the signal jammer. With that objective complete, reinforcements were granted and the player must move the army to the grounds of the Royal Palace, occupying the area (marked with flags) with at least five military units. When the player has fought through to the Palace, possibly destroying military buildings, Gunray orders the construction of a "Monument," the Neimoidian Throne, granting the player sufficient game rsources to do so. When the construction is complete, the mission ends. The game's strategy guide, besides walking the player through the mission locales and challenges, recommends the player destroy all Royal Security Force military buildings on the journey through Theed. When the reinforcements arrive, the game recommends sending them north to link up with the first army, instead of going west and running into additional fortresses.

In the Lego Star Wars game, the events and characters of the movie are re-stylized as the mute LEGO characters Amidala and Panaka during the game's mission Escape from Naboo; if only one player is active the other one is AI-controlled. The players must navigate through the level and use the game's telekinetic "Force power" mechanics and build new forms with LEGO studs. The level includes a number of freeplay areas which are not part of the required path. The mission starts in a courtyard and the players must immediately fight a squad of battle droids. At the end of the courtyard is an area where the grapple-carrying Naboo LEGO figures can use their grapples to move to the upper level. Up above the courtyard, the players must travel along the walkway and then jump through a window after breaking it. After that, the players must grapple up another level and destroy three battle droids. When that area is cleared, they proceed up another level by grappling and fight more droids before moving into another room. After clearing that room, the players shot then jump through another window and onto a walkway filled with battle droids. After that engagement, they follow the walkway to a closed gate, which opens when a target is shot with a blaster There they join Binks, Jinn, and Kenobi, who are fighting a group of droids. They proceed by grappling up to another level, where they drop into a walkway and face more droids. To get through the gate blocking their way, they shoot four targets. Passing through, they step on switches placed on three domes which open the tunnels underneath, and then shoot a cage to reveal the tunnel underneath, which they escape into.

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