Quarsh Panaka

Born in the waning decades of the Galactic Republic, Quarsh Panaka was a male human. He hailed from the idyllic [planet](/article/planet] of Naboo, home to the Naboo, peaceful humans, and the Gungans, a species of sentient amphibians. As a young man, he gained battle experience fighting space pirates in his native Chommell sector as a member of a Republic Special Task Force. Eventually, he rose to become the Head of Security for the Royal House of Naboo, overseeing all aspects of the volunteer Royal Naboo Security Forces, including the Naboo Palace Guard, Security Guard, and the Space Fighter Corps. He resided in his private residence located in Theed. Panaka was married to Mariek Panaka and was the uncle of both Versé and Gregar Typho.

In 32 BBY, Panaka was in the service of Padmé Amidala, the fourteen year old Queen of Naboo, entrusted with her personal safety. Knowing the vulnerability of his world to planetary attacks, Panaka pushed for enhanced security measures, but the Queen's Advisory Council swayed her to a different view. However, that year, the [Trade Federation](/article/trade_federation], a shipping and trade conglomerate, chose to blockade and invade Naboo as retaliation for the taxation of the Free Trade Zone that was voted for by the Republic's Galactic Senate.

During the Trade Federation's battle droids raid on the palace, Panaka and his queen were apprehended. However, unbeknownst to the enemy, the captain had initiated a plan where one of Amidala's handmaidens acted as a decoy. Though the real queen was also captured, the Neimoidian leaders of the Federation were deceived and focused on the impersonator, a handmaiden named Sabé. Panaka, along with the queen, Governor Sio Bibble, and some security guards, were escorted from the palace.

While the Naboo group was being transported to a detention camp, two Jedi and a Gungan jumped from a balcony, initiating an attack to rescue the queen. These Jedi, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, were Republic ambassadors sent to resolve the blockade dispute. The attempt failed, leading Panaka to reluctantly agree with the Jedi's plan to take the queen to Coruscant, the Republic's capital, so she could present her case before the Senate. The group then seized control of the Theed Hangar from the stationed battle droids, boarded Amidala's Royal Starship, and quickly escaped Naboo. However, the ship's hyperdrive engine sustained significant damage while attempting to evade the blockade. When Kenobi suggested landing on the desert world of Tatooine for repairs, Panaka strongly opposed, arguing that the planet was controlled by Hutt gangsters. The queen, however, sided with the Jedi.

Upon arriving on Tatooine, Panaka stayed on the ship as Jinn, their Gungan ally Jar Jar Binks, the astromech droid R2-D2, and Amidala—disguised as a handmaiden—searched for spare hyperdrive parts. At one point, the ship received a distorted transmission of a hologram from Sio Bibble, pleading with the Queen to contact him. Kenobi suspected a trap and instructed Panaka and the others not to respond or transmit anything.

Eventually, Jinn and Amidala acquired the needed hyperdrive parts with the help of Anakin Skywalker, a local slave boy, who earned his freedom in the process. The group then traveled to Coruscant, where they met Sheev Palpatine, Naboo's representative in the Senate. Anticipating a Federation ambush, Panaka accompanied Amidala to the Senate Chamber, where she and Palpatine presented their case. The Senate remained unmoved, leading the Queen to decide to return to Naboo and take matters into her own hands. Panaka strongly objected, arguing that she would be captured and forced to sign a treaty legitimizing the invasion.

While the Queen went to contact Boss Rugor Nass, the Gungan leader, Panaka organized the few Naboo security volunteers who hadn't been captured by the Trade Federation into fighting groups, equipping them with Flash speeders and Gian heavy patrol speeders. Eventually, the leaders convened to discuss strategy. It was decided that the militiagungs of the Gungan Grand Army would engage the droid army outside the city, while the Jedi and the Naboo would infiltrate the Royal Palace to capture Nute Gunray, the Viceroy of the Trade Federation.

Using secret passages on the waterfall side of Theed, Panaka split his forces in two. One group created a diversion, while the other, including the Jedi, freed the N-1 starfighters from the Theed Hangar, enabling pilots to destroy the Trade Federation droid control ship in orbit. On their way to the throne room, Panaka, the Queen, and the Jedi encountered Darth Maul, a malevolent Sith Lord who had pursued the Jedi since Tatooine. Panaka's group was forced to take a longer route while the Jedi confronted Maul.

The captain's group advanced slowly, battling waves of battle droids in the palace corridors. When the Queen expressed her frustration, Panaka chose to use ascension guns to bypass a level of the palace, hoping to reach the throne room more quickly. Meanwhile, a small group led by Sabé, still impersonating the Queen, continued to advance. The Neimoidians eventually saw through the deception and realized Amidala's true identity. Consequently, Panaka and the Queen's group were quickly captured by droidekas and taken to Gunray.

Just in time, Sabé's group reached the throne room, drawing out the droids stationed there while Amidala grabbed a pair of short-barrel ELG-3A blaster pistols from a hidden compartment in her throne. Panaka and the Queen then eliminated the remaining droids in the room, leaving the Viceroy defenseless.

After the battle, Panaka turned over the Viceroy and his aide Rune Haako to the Republic for trial. As he did so, the captain remarked dryly that the Neimoidians could "kiss your Trade franchise goodbye." Shortly after, Panaka attended the cremation of Jinn, who had been slain during the fight with Darth Maul, before participating in the parade in Theed to celebrate the liberation of Naboo and the new alliance between the Naboo and the Gungans. Meanwhile, Palpatine had been elected Supreme Chancellor of the Republic due to a surge of sympathy in the Senate.

Following the victory against the Trade Federation, Jar Jar Binks went to the Theed Palace seeking the Queen's help in finding an ancient soshiniday blobball on Boss Nass' behalf. Although Panaka knew he couldn't prevent the Queen from embarking on that adventure, he advised her to be cautious, as things tended to go wrong whenever Binks was involved.

Panaka continued to serve Amidala, although their relationship cooled as Panaka became more paranoid after the invasion. Nevertheless, he respected Amidala greatly, and like his wife, voted for Amidala to have a third term despite it being impossible. Panaka publicly opposed the installation of the Ion pulse outside the Theed Royal Palace, preferring more robust defenses, which strained his relationship with Amidala and other politicians who supported the installation. It also put a strain on his marriage, but Mariek maintained that she was still happily married.

Panaka stayed with Amidala and her handmaidens during their stay at Varykino during her final days as queen, watching over them as they swam in the nearby ocean and joking that his wife could no longer recognize him.

When her two terms ended, Panaka stepped down from his role as her personal bodyguard. Réillata, who had been queen before Amidala, succeeded her as queen. After the coronation, Panaka was present in the throne room when Réillata asked Amidala to replace Senator Oshadam as the Senator of Naboo.

When Amidala became senator of Naboo, Panaka's nephew, Gregar, succeeded him as Amidala's bodyguard and head of security, joined by Mariek. Panaka also made it a habit to visit the Naberrie family for lunch occasionally. During these visits, he engaged Amidala's father, Ruwee Naberrie, in friendly but heated debates about Naboo's military actions. Ruwee understood Panaka's beliefs but disagreed with them, and Amidala's sister Sola always tried to leave before the debates escalated.

Despite his plan to retire after losing the confidence of many officials due to his pushes for security greater than the ion pulse, he continued his services as head of Security under Queen Jamillia. In 22 BBY, his niece Versé, working as one of Amidala's handmaidens, was killed in a failed attempt to assassinate Amidala. During the Clone Wars, a three-year conflict between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Panaka met Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan several times.

Immediately following the Clone Wars, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine dissolved the Republic and replaced it with the Galactic Empire, an autocratic regime with himself as the supreme ruler. In contrast to most of Naboo, who felt only disgust and shame for Palpatine and his new Empire, Panaka remained loyal to the newly appointed Emperor and was made the Moff, or governor, of his native Chommell sector. Panaka gave his first formal address to Naboo around the time of Padmé Amidala's funeral, but neither his wife nor nephew attended. Once in office, Panaka had a red wood chalet built on Onoam, one of Naboo's moons. He also presented the Emperor with an ornate statue. His appointment led to the abolishment of the position of Governor of Naboo, ending an election that one of his former handmaiden protégés, Saché, was likely to win, and saw nearly all actual power and influence in Naboo transferred directly to him, rendering the Monarch of Naboo and its government mere figureheads.

In 3 BBY, Panaka briefly met with Queen Dalné of Naboo and Leia Organa, princess of Alderaan, at his chalet. Upon seeing her, the Moff was struck by Organa wearing a Naboo jubilation dress, which reminded him strongly of Queen Amidala wearing the same dress decades before. Though his visitors wanted to discuss the working conditions of the local spice miners, Panaka steered the conversation toward Organa's background, asking if she had been adopted and who her birth parents were. By the end of the meeting, Panaka suspected that Organa was the long-lost daughter of the late Amidala—which was true. He also promised to mention the poor working conditions of the miners and promised the princess that the Imperial supervisors wouldn't get away with what taking away the miners safety equipment. Although the Moff intended to warn the Emperor of his findings as soon as his visitors were gone, a bomb exploded in his chalet, destroying the building and killing him. Organa later discovered that the bomb had been planted by Saw Gerrera's Partisans.

After returning to Alderaan following Panaka's death, Leia overheard her parents discussing the matter in their private library. Bail wanted to immediately take a stand to get the Partisans under control, while Breha agreed that Gerrera's logic was faulty but that they needed to ask themselves how far they were willing to go. Leia interrupted them, asking if they were involved in Panaka's death, which angered Bail.

Shortly after, Breha took Leia to the palace gardens to discuss her meeting with Panaka. By the end of the story, Breha was trembling so much that Leia had to look at the candlewick blooms instead as she wasn't sure she could keep talking otherwise. When Leia had, indirectly, confirmed that not enough time had passed for Panaka to pass on his suspicions about Leia's heritage to Palpatine, Breha looked as though she had aged years in a minute.

Breha then confirmed that she and Bail did not know that Panaka was going to be assassinated, as he was the highest ranking Imperial that the rebels had hope of contacting and possibly even working with. Breha lamented that she wished that Panaka was still an option left open to them with Leia agreeing that she had seen that in him too. She also told Leia about Gerrera and the Partisans, adding that she intended to tell him about how close he had come to killing Leia and that if that didn't shock him into reconsidering his ways, then nothing would. Later that night as she went to bed, Leia thought of Panaka and his assassination. Leia recognized Panaka as a decent man who served the Empire out of personal loyalty rather than ambition and that the killing of him and his household was wrong, but Leia also recognized that the Empire wasn't going to fall without the use of violence.

Panaka's assassination was also discussed at a rebel strategy meeting disguised as a dinner party on Alderaan shortly after, with many of the rebels being disgusted at Saw's actions.

Historically, Panaka was remembered for his crucial role in liberating his homeworld during the Naboo Crisis. In 4 ABY, the statue Panaka once offered to his liege stood in the Emperor's receiving chamber aboard the second Death Star battle station, which was destroyed by Wedge Antilles in his T-65B X-wing starfighter and Lando Calrissian and Nien Nunb aboard the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor.

In 5 ABY, during the Battle of Jakku, a starship named Panaka served as part of the Coruscant blockade. When Colonel Soran Keize came to Coruscant to destroy the Hall of Imperial Register in Coruscant's Verity District, the commander of the Panaka ordered Keize to dock with her ship, and Colonel Kieze pointed out the irony of a ship bearing Panaka's name preserving a blockade.

Quarsh Panaka, a member of Naboo's Royal Security Forces, was characterized as an effective, yet pessimistic, officer. He was often irritated by Naboo's lack of a formal military, a point he frequently raised. He also often found himself at odds with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi assigned to protect Queen Amidala. Entrusted with the Queen's personal safety, Panaka followed orders, yet frequently expressed his reservations when he questioned their wisdom. This was evident when Amidala, upon realizing the Galactic Senate was ineffective, chose to return to Naboo to directly address the situation. His already heightened concern for security, verging on paranoia, intensified after the Trade Federation's invasion, negatively affecting his relationships and diminishing the respect he once held. However, his nephew Typho assured Amidala that he believed Panaka knew he could ask her for anything, a promise she had made.

Panaka's heightened paranoia led him to advocate for stronger defenses than the ion pulse, which put a strain on his marriage to Mariek. Despite this, they remained committed to their relationship. His security-related debates with Ruwee Naberrie, while often loud, were ultimately amicable.

Unlike many high-ranking officials within the Empire, Panaka did not surround himself with extravagant or costly possessions. He preferred simplicity and practicality, while still maintaining a sense of style. He was also resistant to corruption, a trait uncommon among his peers. Yet, he frequently overlooked actions he disapproved of, attributing Imperial abuses of power to isolated incidents rather than systemic issues. Despite Panaka's unwavering loyalty to Palpatine making him a dangerous figure, Breha Organa of Alderaan regarded him as "one of the best men within the Emperor's inner circle, and certainly better than most." Her husband, Bail, displayed hostility towards the Partisans for their involvement in the Moff's death, as they had previously hoped Panaka might be willing to collaborate with the rebels. Their daughter Leia, however, recognized that Panaka, despite his allegiances, was a decent man motivated by personal loyalty to serve the Empire. Furthermore, many of the Organas' political allies were also disgusted with Saw Gerrera for assassinating Panaka.

Panaka was a powerfully built man with dark skin, a smooth face, and piercing brown eyes. His height was 1.83 meters. By the time of his death, his black hair had begun to show streaks of gray at the temples. His voice was deep and distinctly masculine.

As the Head of Security for Queen Amidala, Panaka wore a brown leather jerkin, paired with a blue shirt featuring two burgundy horizontal stripes near the bottom, and a crested officer's cap. His weapon of choice was a custom-made S-5 blaster pistol.

The character of Quarsh Panaka was brought to life by Ghanaian-British actor Hugh Quarshie in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, the initial installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Although Panaka's name was absent from the film's dialogue, Quarshie, eager to ensure the character's name was known to the audience, took the initiative to insert it during a scene on Tatooine when answering a communicator.

Ramon Tikaram, an actor known for his role in This Life and who later portrayed Commodore Almudin in a deleted scene from the 2018 Star Wars Anthology film Solo: A Star Wars Story, was originally considered and offered the part of Quarsh Panaka in The Phantom Menace. However, Tikaram declined the offer due to disagreements over the terms regarding a required haircut.

Quarshie was initially slated to reprise his role as Panaka in the 2002 sequel, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. However, he declined to return when the producers refused to provide him with the full script, offering only his lines. Consequently, the character of Gregar Typho, played by Jay Laga'aia, was created as Panaka's replacement.

Panaka was initially intended to appear in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode titled "Destroy Malevolence." The original plan was for him to be captured alongside Padmé and subsequently killed by Grievous. However, this idea was ultimately scrapped due to the studio's limited capacity to incorporate new characters at that stage of production, owing to the time-consuming process of creating digital models. The first name "Quarsh" was conceived by Jason Fry for a war portrait of Panaka intended for inclusion in the Legends reference book, The Essential Guide to Warfare. Although the portrait was ultimately removed from the manuscript, it was later published on StarWars.com as part of the Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut series of articles. The name was officially canonized when it appeared in Claudia Gray's 2017 novel, Leia, Princess of Alderaan.

According to Claudia Gray, Panaka's role as Moff in Leia, Princess of Alderaan offered the potential to explore the connection between Leia and her mother Padmé Amidala through a character present in both their lives, an idea that became Gray's favorite aspect of the novel's narrative. Interestingly, during the writing process, Gray considered making Panaka a member of the Rebellion. However, she changed her mind after Pablo Hidalgo reminded her that Panaka became a Moff loyal to Emperor Palpatine in the Legends continuity, a detail she felt deserved inclusion in the new canon as well.

In Brazil, Panaka's name was altered to "Panassi" because of its similarity to the word "panaca," which translates to "dweeb."