Vidar Kim was a politician of the Human species, identified as male, hailing from the planet of Naboo. He lived during the waning years of the Galactic Republic era. Prior to 50 BBY, Kim held the position of Senator representing the Chommell sector within the Galactic Senate. Notably, he served as a tutor to a young nobleman named Palpatine. Unbeknownst to Kim, Palpatine had been secretly inducted as an apprentice under the tutelage of Darth Plagueis, the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Kim's oldest son, Ronhar, was discovered to be Force-sensitive as an infant and was subsequently given to the care of the Jedi Order. This decision would later become a source of regret for the senator before his death. Kim's political leanings were conservative and isolationist, leading to disagreements with figures such as Bon Tapalo and Ars Veruna, who advocated for Naboo's integration into the wider galaxy. In 54 BBY, tragedy befell Kim when his wife and two of his children died in a starship incident above Kaadara. Believing that his political rivals orchestrated the deaths of his family to force him into retirement, Kim's behavior became increasingly unstable, even attempting to persuade Ronhar to abandon the Jedi Order and return to Naboo. Identifying the Senator as a threat to the Sith Grand Plan, Palpatine, acting on Darth Plagueis's instructions, orchestrated Kim's assassination in 52 BBY.
Born on Naboo, the primary world of the Chommell sector, Vidar Kim's introduction to politics began during his mandatory service in the Legislative Youth Program. He advanced his career in Naboo's political landscape by becoming the administrative aide to a young female Senator.
Sometime later, Kim encountered his wife and enjoyed a long and happy marriage, during which they had three sons, including Ronhar Kim, who possessed the Force-sensitive trait. Upon being approached by the Jedi Order, Kim and his wife made the difficult decision to entrust young Ronhar to their care, sending him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for initiation into the ways of the Jedi.
As a conservative Naboo, Kim gained the backing of Cosinga Palpatine, the head of House Palpatine's, due to their shared support for isolationist policies. Kim actively worked to prevent corporate entities from exploiting the planet's abundant plasma reserves by urging the monarchy and the Senator to avoid selling their valuable resource off-world. As Kim neared the end of his time in the Apprentice Legislator program, he befriended Cosinga's eldest son, Palpatine, and mentored him during his participation in the Youth Program. Despite their differing political views—Palpatine favored opening Naboo to the galaxy—they developed a close bond. Vidar once confided in Palpatine, considering him the younger brother he never had.
Kim's conservative beliefs and influential supporters ultimately led to his succession of the retiring Senator as the representative of the Chommell sector in the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic's. His isolationist stance caused conflict with King Bon Tapalo regarding the sale of Naboo's plasma reserves. Tapalo had arranged a deal with the Trade Federation to export Naboo's plasma, which Kim viewed as unfair and exploitative, as the Federation resold the plasma at a significantly higher price. Kim felt that his position as Senator was maintained solely to appease the noble houses of Naboo that had opposed Tapalo in the 65 BBY election.
By 54 BBY, Kim was joined in the Senate by his former student, now ambassador Palpatine, and Kinman Doriana. Unbeknownst to Kim, Palpatine had become the apprentice of Darth Plagueis, the Dark Lord of the Sith. The Muun Sith Lord instructed Palpatine to strengthen his connection with Kim upon learning that the Senator had a Force-sensitive son. Plagueis considered turning the boy to the dark side of the Force in the future if it would benefit the Grand Plan. Both Kim and Palpatine were aware that the younger man would eventually take his place in the Senate, and Kim's continued service was primarily to satisfy the opponents of King Bon Tapalo. During a gala on Malastare following the Vinta Harvest Classic, Senator Kim received news from Naboo about the death of his entire family in an airspeeder accident over Kaadara.
Upon returning to Naboo, Kim, accompanied by his entourage and a large group of mourners, gathered at the Funeral Temple in Theed for his family's cremation. King Tapalo led the funeral procession into the Temple, where the three bodies were placed on a large pyre and reduced to ashes. Kim walked to the nearby Livet Tower and silently reflected around the Eternal Flame before bidding an emotional farewell to his family, scattering their ashes into the Solleu River and over the Virdugo Plunge.
Devastated by the tragedy, Kim hatched a plan to persuade his only surviving son, the Jedi Knight Ronhar Kim, to leave the Jedi Order and continue the family line. Within a month of his family's accident, Kim returned to Coruscant but was met with disappointment when his son refused, reaffirming his commitment to the Jedi Order. For the next two years, the Kims did not communicate, though the matter weighed heavily on the Senator. In 52 BBY, Kim summoned Palpatine to his home in Theed to discuss matters of great importance. He shared his belief that the King and his advisor, Ars Veruna, had orchestrated the crash to force his retirement and outlined his plan to reveal the King's corruption to the Jedi High Council. While on Coruscant, Kim had arranged a meeting with his son, hoping to sway him to his cause and have him investigate on Naboo.
As Kim became increasingly agitated, the Sith Lords working in secret on Naboo decided that the Senator had become too great of a risk. Sidious, the secret identity of Ambassador Palpatine, arranged with Sate Pestage to have Kim killed on Coruscant by a Maladian assassin. A week later, Kim was riding in an open speeder with his last remaining heir when the hired assassin fired a shot at the vehicle, killing Kim before taking her own life to avoid capture and questioning by the Jedi.
The memorial service for Senator Kim took place at the Naboo Embassy on Coruscant, with Kim's longtime friend and interim Senator, Palpatine, in attendance. The clandestine Sith Lord used the occasion to meet Ronhar Kim, Kim's son and the first Jedi he had ever encountered. Palpatine approached Kim in the viewing room and discussed forming an alliance as Senator Kim's body lay nearby in silence. A bowl of purple flowers and a symbolic [candle](/article/candle-legends] representing the Eternal Flame were placed on his chest. After agreeing to the terms, Palpatine and Jedi Kim forged a close relationship as the Sith Lord worked to undermine the Republic.