Summary
- Naboo’s democracy allows for young elected monarchs, like Padmé Amidala, who became queen at just 14 years old.
- The elected monarchy system in Naboo has a unique history, with terms limited to two four-year periods per ruler.
- Despite being a puppet ruler for the Empire, Queen Kylantha of Naboo secretly supported the Rebel Alliance and democratic values.
Padmé Amidala is the Queen of Naboo, whose human government is explicitly a democracy in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Constitutional and/or elected monarchies do exist in reality, yet Naboo’s human government is particularly strange, as Queen Amidala is only a teenager in The Phantom Menace – and Padmé reveals she was not Naboo’s youngest monarch in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Star Wars lore reveals the intricacies of Naboo’s political system as well as its history, explaining why the humans of the Mid Rim planet have such an odd system of government.
The two leading societies of Naboo are the humans, who dwell on the surface, and the Gungans, who live predominantly in underwater cities. The Gungan ruling body is the Gungan High Council, consisting of Reps and a presiding Boss. Naboo’s humans, however, have an elected constitutional monarchy, whose rulers can be as young as teenagers, As revealed in Steve Miller and J.D. Wiker’s Secrets of Naboo, Naboo’s first monarch was a queen whose reign began in 3900 BBY. Naboo’s first queen did not support a hereditary monarchy, hoping that her people who elect the wisest possible rulers as her successors.
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Naboo Is Ruled By An Elected Monarchy
Secrets of Naboo also reveals that there is no age restriction for voting, only an intellectual aptitude test for potential voters. Jude Watson’s 2006 novel The Last of the Jedi: Death on Naboo notes that the Naboo monarch’s advisors are also elected. Naboo’s constitution, notably, only allows up to two terms, with four years per term. In some cases, a Naboo monarch’s surname would be replaced by a “name of state,” as explained in James Luceno’s novel Darth Plagueis. Queen Amidala’s surname is one such name, with Padmé’s true surname being Naberrie.
Padmé Amidala’s predecessor, King Ars Veruna, was unpopular and often accused of corruption. Following his long reign, it was Padmé herself who established the monarchy’s limit of two potential four-year terms.
Despite Naboo’s first queen wishing for her people to elect their leaders, Naboo became a hereditary monarchy after her reign ended, with Naboo’s monarchy having various dynasties. The original wish of Naboo’s first queen was finally fulfilled in 150 BBY, toward the end of the Gungan-Naboo War. Naboo’s last hereditary monarch died in combat, and their successor officially instated an electoral system and terms for her successors. This would last until 18 BBY when the Galactic Empire – following their assassination of Queen Apailana – installed Queen Kylantha as her successor/puppet ruler and removed term limits to Naboo’s monarchy.
Moff Panaka, formerly Captain Panaka, ruled the Chommell sector on behalf of the Empire as well, though he was truly loyal to Palpatine and his regime.
Despite her ostensible loyalty to Emperor Palpatine, Queen Kylantha was sympathetic to the Rebel Alliance, though she kept these feelings discreet to avoid her predecessor’s fate. Even as she served as an Imperial puppet ruler, Kylantha strived to hold Naboo’s democratic system intact as best she could. Presumably, Naboo’s democracy was fully restored when the Empire fractured following the Battle of Endor, as Naboo eagerly joined the Alliance of Free Planets (the Rebellion’s transitional government) and later the New Republic.
Padme Was One Of The Youngest Ever Queens Of Naboo
Padmé Amidala
- Died
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Queen Amidala was elected at 14 years old, but strangely was not the youngest Naboo monarch to be elected. In a hereditary monarchy, whoever is next in the line of successor ascends to the throne, regardless of their age, which potentially leads to young monarchs. With Naboo’s monarchy being elected, however, Padmé’s statement seems odd, considering that an adult would seem to be more appropriate. As noted in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary by David West Reynolds, young elected monarchs are fairly typical on Naboo, whose human populace values innocence and kindness over more utilitarian qualifications.
How The Phantom Menace Fits Into The Star Wars Timeline
The Phantom Menace was a significant turning point for the Star Wars galaxy as the first prequel movie, revealing the origins of Anakin Skywalker.
George Lucas Had A Very Strange View Of Constitutional Monarchies
It is not clear why George Lucas chose to develop Naboo this way. He may have simply wished to give Naboo a regal aesthetic and corresponding titles for its leaders, but simultaneously make the world’s system of government functionally a democracy. As for Naboo’s tendency to elect teenagers, this might have similarly served a specific narrative purpose. Padmé will one day marry Anakin Skywalker, so Lucas had to make the two close in age. Rather than make Anakin Skywalker an older teen or young adult in The Phantom Menace, he made Padmé Amidala a young teen.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
- Release Date
- May 19, 1999
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century
- Cast
- Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson
- Runtime
- 133 minutes
- Budget
- $115 Million