Apailana

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Apailana was a human female monarch who served as the Queen of Naboo during the final days of the Clone Wars and the early days of the Galactic Empire.^[4] She was one of the youngest rulers to be elected by the Naboo, succeeding Neeyutnee at the age of twelve.^[3]

Shortly after the Clone Wars, the young queen attended the funeral of Senator Padmé Amidala,^[4] who had supported Apailana's election as the new monarch. Apailana did not believe the official statement that Amidala had been assassinated by rogue Jedi.^[3]

Biography

Apailana was born around 32 BBY^[2] on the Mid Rim planet of Naboo.^[1] Towards the end of the Clone Wars Apailana was successfully elected as the queen of Naboo,^[4] succeeding Queen Neeyutnee. During her campaign to become queen she was supported by Senator Padmé Amidala,^[3] who represented the Chommell sector in the Galactic Senate^[5] and who had also served two terms as queen of Naboo where she had defended the planet from the Trade Federation.^[6]

Though Naboo often elected young girls as leaders, believing that they possessed a form of pure, childlike wisdom that adults lacked,^[7] Apailana was still one of the youngest monarchs ever elected at age twelve.^[3]

In 19 BBY, following the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, Apailana, along with thousands of others, attended Amidala's funeral. Apailana was part of the procession, along with others such as Amidala's family and her former handmaidens such as Umé who walked beside Apailana.^[4]

Publicly, Amidala's death was blamed on rogue Jedi^[3] and the alleged Jedi rebellion that had triggered Order 66^[8] but privately Apailana did not believe the official statement.^[3] After the funeral, Amidala's former handmaiden, Sabé admitted to herself that she didn't know how she could help the new queen.^[9]

Moving into the Imperial Era, Apailana worked through many challenges. She worked to keep her people united under Imperial reign and to stay true to her morals.^[10] She refused to become a puppet of Emperor Palpatine, placing her duty to her people first.^[11]

A Braha'tok-class gunship named the Apailana's Promise served the Rebel Alliance during its struggle against the Galactic Empire.^[12]

Personality and traits

Apailana measured 1.57 meters and had brown eyes and light skin. During Amidala's funeral, she wore a headdress in tribute to Amidala,^[3] as well as makeup and,^[4] as with her predecessors and per Naboo tradition, a scar of remembrance. She did not believe the lies told by the Empire about the Jedi, specifically that they were responsible for Amidala's tragic death. Apailana had the qualities she sought in Naboo's rulers: her pure heart and absolute devotion to the peaceful values of the planet.^[3]

Equipment

The mourning dress that Apailana wore to Amidala's funeral consisted of a purple underdress under a white-gold funeral gown with a purple trim embossed with the royal emblem. She also wore a feather-crested shiraya fan headdress with mourning beads hanging from it that symbolized Naboo's tears.^[13]

Behind the scenes

"It feels kind of strange knowing that I rule the whole planet of Naboo and I'm only thirteen. At first, my face—because it was really white—was a bit of a shock. But when the whole costume was put together and the headdress was put on, I really felt proud, like a Queen."

―Keisha Castle-Hughes^[14]

Apailana was portrayed by the Oscar-nominated New Zealander actress Keisha Castle-Hughes in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the third and final installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.^[4]