Sio Bibble

Originating from Naboo, Sio Bibble dedicated a significant portion of his adult life to teaching philosophy at one of the planet's most prestigious universities. He was later chosen as the Governor of Naboo during the reign of King Ars Veruna. He also held the position of head of the Naboo Royal Advisory Council and was a member of the Naboo Governing Council. In his role as governor, Bibble was responsible for overseeing all matters that were to be presented to the King or Queen. As the leader of the Advisory Council, Bibble worked directly with regional representatives and governing officials from the towns in their daily administrative tasks. Bibble held a highly critical view of Veruna, especially when the King came under the influence of the planet's representative in the Galactic Senate, Senator Palpatine. Bibble was even more concerned by the fact that Veruna's policies began to focus on the galaxy as a whole, rather than specifically on Naboo.

In his official capacity, Bibble made an appearance with Padmé Amidala, the Princess of Theed, at a public event on the steps of the Theed Royal Palace. Nevertheless, he did not offer his support to her campaign to be elected as the planet's ruler. Despite Bibble's opposition, as soon as King Veruna made preparations to abdicate, the governor provided assistance in preparing Amidala to succeed him. While he and others were grooming the princess for her coronation, a young man named Ian Lago, who was the son of Veruna's advisor Kun Lago, approached Amidala and confessed his love for her. However, Bibble had to repeatedly ask Lago to leave as the coronation approached. Eventually, the man was escorted out of the room. That night, Veruna formally abdicated, and the following morning, Amidala was elected as the Queen of Naboo. Bibble was retained as the Governor of Naboo due to his extensive political experience and renowned intellect. The governor's perception of Amidala evolved as she governed the planet, and he eventually became one of her most ardent supporters.

In 33 BBY, Station TFP-9, situated on the outskirts of the Naboo system, was subjected to an attack by a group believed to be pirates. Bibble was present as a Security Officer briefed the pilots of Echo Flight and Bravo Flight, who were assigned to prevent the attackers from destroying TFP-9. Bibble personally extended his best wishes to the pilots before their departure. During the subsequent battle, seven of Echo Flight's pilots lost their lives, and one of the Naboo pilots, Dren Melne, betrayed his comrades. Apparently, Melne had been hired by the Agamari to assist in the capture of at least two of the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps' N-1 starfighters. However, the station was successfully defended, and Melne was killed by the Agamari forces that had been attacking the station in an attempt to lure out Naboo's fighters.

Governor Challep of Agamar denied any involvement of his people in the incident, but Bibble and his associates requested that Naboo's senatorial delegation initiate an investigation nonetheless. Bibble and his people discovered that the Agamari had been acquiring various weapons and starfighter technology, including vulture droids from Xi Char. Bibble's team also traced a credit transfer of one thousand credits from Melne's Ord Mantell account to his Selton account, but they were unable to determine the origin of the credits. Adding to the complexity, the authorities on Ord Mantell were hesitant to cooperate with Bibble.

Ric Olié, the commander of the Royal Space Fighter Corps, and Bravo Flight leader Essara Till were summoned to Bibble's office five days after the incident. Olié reported that the Agamari had made three requests to purchase N-1s or N-X Police Cruisers from the Corps, but the Advisory Council had rejected each request. Bibble then inquired whether there were any connections between the Agamari government and Melne, but Olié admitted that most mercenaries would spend some time in the service of the Agamari. Till, who had previously served with the Agamari, had nothing to add. Bibble was disappointed with the limited results and was not looking forward to informing Amidala about the lack of progress.

In 32 BBY, a fleet of Trade Federation cruisers, commanded by Viceroy Nute Gunray, blockaded Naboo as a protest against the Senate's new taxation of trade routes. With the planet under threat, Captain Quarsh Panaka, who was responsible for the Queen's security, advocated for increased armament, but Bibble strongly opposed such measures, considering himself a philosopher and a pacifist. Amidala, Bibble, and Panaka contacted Palpatine on Coruscant to inform him of the Federation's actions, and the senator assured them that he would immediately urge the Republic to intervene. Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum responded by dispatching two ambassadors to Gunray's flagship, the Saak'ak, in the hope of reaching a settlement. However, when Amidala contacted Gunray after the ambassadors were supposed to arrive, the viceroy claimed that he had not met with any such emissaries. Bibble and the rest of the Advisory Council were present when Amidala contacted Senator Palpatine and inquired about the situation. Palpatine was surprised, as Valorum had assured him that the ambassadors had already arrived. Before the senator could continue, his holographic image faltered and then disappeared.

Amidala demanded to know what had occurred, and Panaka instructed one of his subordinates to inspect the palace's transmission generator. However, Bibble had already reached his own conclusion: that a disruption in communications indicated that the Federation was invading Naboo. Amidala remained unconvinced, and Panaka concurred with her. The Queen insisted that they maintain their faith in negotiation, but Bibble was quick to remind her that they had already lost all means of communication. The governor was also concerned about the absence and possible whereabouts of Valorum's ambassadors. Panaka reminded the Queen that his Security Forces would be unable to repel the Federation's advance, and Amidala insisted that she would not engage in war with the aggressors.

As anticipated, an invasion was underway, and Gunray's Droid Army advanced into Theed. Bibble was arrested, along with Amidala and Panaka. Gunray personally met with them in the palace and briefly spoke with the group as they were escorted out of the building. Bibble questioned how the viceroy would explain the situation to the Galactic Senate, but Gunray was confident that Amidala would sign a treaty legitimizing the Federation's occupation after witnessing the suffering of her people. Bibble, Amidala, and Panaka were grouped with the Queen's handmaidens and several Palace Guards and were to be taken to Camp Four.

As the group was marched through the streets of Theed, two Jedi and a Gungan appeared before them, and the Jedi swiftly eliminated the security droids that had been escorting the group. The elder of the two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn, urged the Queen and her entourage to leave the streets, and she complied. Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, were revealed to be Valorum's ambassadors, and Bibble remarked that their negotiations had been somewhat unsuccessful. Jinn retorted, claiming that they had never been given the opportunity to enter into such negotiations. He insisted that they make contact with the Galactic Republic, but Panaka informed him of the communications disruption. Needing another way to reach the Republic, the group made their way towards Theed Hangar.

Upon reaching the hangar, Jinn requested that Amidala accompany him to Coruscant, but the Queen decided to remain on Naboo with her people. The Jedi warned her that the Federation would have her killed, but Bibble dismissed the threat, insisting that they would not dare to harm her. Panaka agreed, pointing out that the Federation needed her to sign the treaty. However, Jinn felt that the situation was not as it seemed and that Amidala would be killed if she stayed. Bibble, alarmed by Jinn's speculation, came to agree with the Jedi, advising the Queen that the aid of the Galactic Senate was their only hope and that Palpatine would need her assistance. Amidala was uncertain, but one of her handmaidens encouraged her, prompting her to join Jinn in leaving the planet. Panaka and his men departed with her, leaving Bibble to remain in Theed. Several of the guards and the handmaidens stayed with him. With his Queen on the run, Bibble took it upon himself to represent his people and to appease Gunray.

In an attempt to locate Amidala, the Zabrak Darth Maul—a Sith Lord who was collaborating with the Federation—transmitted a series of fabricated transmissions purportedly from Bibble. One such forged message, which depicted Bibble pleading with the Queen to contact him and claiming that the death toll from the occupation was reaching "catastrophic" levels, was received by Amidala's J-type 327 Nubian royal starship. The deception was successful, and a reply was sent to the transmission, allowing Maul to trace the ship to the planet Tatooine. Bibble was later re-captured by the Federation forces, and he decided to protest the occupation by participating in a hunger strike, which was soon joined by others. As a result, Bibble was brought before Gunray. The viceroy was growing impatient and reminded the governor of his current predicament. Bibble remained defiant, however, criticizing Gunray and declaring that the people of Naboo participated in a democracy. The viceroy responded by dismissing the governor from his presence. The Queen was unable to find support in the Senate, but when she returned to Naboo, she allied herself with Boss Rugor Nass of the Gungans. He, in turn, had the Gungan Grand Army engage the Federation's forces, and, through a combined effort between the Gungans, the Queen's security forces, and the two Jedi, Naboo was liberated. Gunray was arrested, and several days after the Federation's defeat, Bibble attended the funeral of Jinn, who had died in battle, before participating in a victory parade, assisting Amidala in presenting Nass with the Globe of Peace.

Despite Gunray being brought before the Supreme Court for his actions on Naboo, he retained his position as Trade Federation Viceroy, much to Bibble's outrage. Eventually, Amidala's term as Queen came to an end, and she was succeeded by Jamillia. Bibble continued to serve, and as the Separatist Crisis unfolded, the governor feared that the galaxy was heading towards a state of war. Amidala, now serving as Naboo's Senator, returned home in 22 BBY following an attempt on her life by bounty hunters. She was accompanied by a bodyguard, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker, and the two of them met with Jamillia and Bibble in the throne room. Bibble, Jamillia, and Amidala all shared their perspectives on the crisis before Jamillia turned her attention to Amidala's safety. Although Amidala and Skywalker had a brief disagreement, it was agreed that the senator would stay in the Lake Country.

Bibble's predictions proved accurate: later that year, the Clone Wars erupted on the planet of Geonosis. As the conflict intensified, war once again reached Naboo when a droid scout party was detected near the Eastern swamps by the Royal Naboo Security Forces. Upon learning of the incident, Bibble expressed his concerns about the potential upcoming invasion to Queen Neeyutnee, Jamillia's successor. Subsequent investigations by Naboo Senatorial Representative Padmé Amidala uncovered the presence of a Separatist laboratory on Naboo, which was successfully neutralized by Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and their clone troopers. Bibble attended the annual Festival of Light, a celebration held in Theed that commemorated Naboo's joining the Republic later that year, and was present when a team of bounty hunters launched an attack. The group was attempting to kidnap Palpatine, now the Supreme Chancellor, who was the celebration's keynote speaker. Bibble was subsequently escorted to safety in a group led by the Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, and the bounty hunters were quickly apprehended by the Republic. In 20 BBY, Bibble accompanied Amidala to the Senate when Queen Julia called. Palpatine was about to assign Amidala and Senator Bail Organa, but Julia specifically called for Jar Jar Binks, confusing everyone.

When the Clone Wars concluded in 19 BBY, Amidala was killed in a dispute with Anakin Skywalker. Her body was transported to Naboo for burial, and Bibble joined her funeral queue in Theed.

Sio Bibble possessed a forthright demeanor and was reluctant to resort to violence, having never wielded a weapon in his life and believing himself to possess greater knowledge than a common soldier. He was also intelligent and considered himself a scholarly and philosophical individual. He was quick to draw conclusions and was consistently outraged by events he deemed unconscionable. Bibble demonstrated defiance in the face of great danger, as evidenced when Nute Gunray invaded Theed. He would occasionally disagree vehemently with Captain Panaka and was genuinely concerned for the safety of his Queen. Bibble voiced his opinions on matters such as the Separatist Crisis and Gunray's ongoing trials in the Supreme Courts, often more emphatically than others. In turn, Amidala trusted Bibble and relied on him, particularly during times of crisis.

Bibble paid close attention to his appearance. During Amidala's reign, he maintained a sharply pointed beard, as was the fashion. His clothing was often flamboyant yet stately, and at the time of the Invasion of Naboo, he chose to wear a Naboo philosopher's cloak with a formal collar, as well as fashionable sleeves and cuffs. Complementing his appearance was Bibble's deep appreciation for both art and fashion.

The character of Sio Bibble was created for George Lucas' 1999 film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Concept art for the character was developed by Iain McCaig. Bibble was portrayed in the film by Oliver Ford Davies, who would later reprise the role in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. During the principal photography of Attack of the Clones in Italy, Davies was unable to attend due to his involvement in another film and a play. Nine months after the completion of principal photography on Attack of the Clones, Davies' scene was filmed on a bluescreen stage and digitally inserted into the scene shot in Italy later. The character was voiced by Jamie Alcroft in the game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. According to George Lucas' daughter Katie, she was the one who conceived the name "Sio Bibble."