"Is that legal?" "I will make it legal." How?

In Episode One, how does Sidious go about making the Trade Federation occupation of Naboo legal?

I know this is a film topic, but I'm hoping that I can find enlightenment in the EU, since the film doesn't really seem to address this matter. Moreover, I've only had bad experiences in the film forums.

 

By getting Amidala to sign the treaty.

 

Actually, i dont think he does, he just causes enough turmoil to make it not important for Valorum.

 

Ghost: "Sideous is Palpatine."

Okay, but how does Palpatine go about making it legal? I don't think he's going to go up to the Senate and say, "I propose a Bill warranting occupations of any planet, particularly Naboo, to be legal."

Chiss: "Actually, i dont think he does, he just causes enough turmoil to make it not important for Valorum."

Causes turmoil in what way, though?
All we're given in the film and novelization is the Trade Federation conflict with Naboo. I don't recall any other conflict being mentioned.

 

By getting Amidala to sign the treaty.

 

Ghost: "By getting Amidala to sign the treaty."

Now we're getting somewhere. But, that still has nothing to do with Sid being Palp. I mean, it wasn't Palpatine encouraging Amidala to sign the treaty. In fact, it was Palpatine trying to encourage Amidala to remain on Coruscant!

Does anyone know the content of the mentioned treaty?

 

I assumed hat you were wondering how Sideous controls the senate. That's why I said he's Palpatine.

Palpatine a master of the Dark Side. He probaly knew she would never stay. In fact,you xan see him smile when she leaves for Naboo.

 

Of cpurse he wanted her to leave, that way he could play Jar Jar for a patsy and vote for the standing army...remember, Amidala was going to vote AGAINST it...he arranged the assassination attempt to get her to leave

 

Yeah, but how does the alleged "treaty" make the occupation legal?

What rights would Amidala be signing over?

 

Yeah, but how does the alleged "treaty" make the occupation legal? What rights would Amidala be signing over?

You know...I haven't a clue either. Lucas never bothered to explain this. All that's apparent form the whole plot -- a plot devised by Sidious/Palps -- was for an emergency to be created at Naboo, have the Queen be captured and sign a treaty ratifying the occupation of the world and, well, giving the TF whatever they wanted. However, what does occupying Naboo have to do with the taxation of trade routes? Was Naboo an important waypoint for commercial hyperspace lanes? It doesn't seem that way, at least from what we know through the EU galactic maps. Naboo's right in the middle of a region space between two important hyperlanes: The Corellian Run and the Rimma Trade Route. Maybe there's some strategic and economic value to Naboo but it really eludes me. Or maybe there's an important hyperlane near Naboo we just don't know about.

Did occupying Naboo relieve the TF in some way from increased shipping costs provoked by the tax hike? Again, this was never explained, at least onscreen. I haven't read the novelization to see if it's properly explained there. The Neimoidians were Sidious dupes, yes, but what did they really have to gain from all the trouble they were putting themselves through.

Sidious's plan all along was for an important upstart ruler like Amidala to lose her world, be humiliated by the TF bullies while the Republic did nothing. All this to show her how innefective the Republic was and open the way for a new Chancellor to be elected. However, she escaped from Naboo and made it all the way to Coruscant. Things couldn't have worked better for Sidious. Now she was right there in front of him. He took her to the Senate floor. He whispered his suggestions and lies in her ear and convinced her to cast the vote of No Confidence that allowed future Emperor Palpatine to come to power by legals means, with no one being the wiser. Nice going Padmé.

So the question remains: what did the Trade Federation have to gain from occupying Naboo?

 

I imagine using the force to sway the vote.

 

Um, I think it might help if my first post was regarded carefully. I'm referring to Episode ONE, not Episode Two!

Invidious: "Did occupying Naboo relieve the TF in some way from increased shipping costs provoked by the tax hike?"

If anything, I'd assume the occupation of Naboo increased the Trade Federation's expenses. War can be pretty expensive, and they lost a number of battle droids and battle tanks--not to mention their starships, too!

"I haven't read the novelization to see if it's properly explained there. The Neimoidians were Sidious dupes, yes, but what did they really have to gain from all the trouble they were putting themselves through."

I've read the novelization, but I don't recall the Trade Federation's perspective being portrayed in depth there, either.

"So the question remains: what did the Trade Federation have to gain from occupying Naboo?"

Naboo appears to be rich in natural resources. Perhaps the Trade Federation wanted access to those?

That would make sense, wouldn't it? The treaty could have requested Amidala to give foresting, mining, etc rights to the Trade Federation. Maybe...

 

If this helps, I think that "I will make it legal" was maybe kind of a foreshodowing thing that he would one day be able to do whatever he wanted. He did convince Amidala to take the first steps of getting Valorum out of office, and he probably had enough people sided with him to get himself elected. In ROTJ, it shows he has a big thing for planning. Just my two cents worth though.

 

Jade: If this helps, I think that "I will make it legal" was maybe kind of a foreshodowing thing that he would one day be able to do whatever he wanted. He did convince Amidala to take the first steps of getting Valorum out of office, and he probably had enough people sided with him to get himself elected.

As intriguing as that theory is, I still harbor a level of skepticism about it. Sidious instructed Gunray to deploy his troops immediately. The process Palpatine had to endure before being promoted to Chancellor was time-consuming. I don't think it was compatable with the urgency the Trade Federation required for their own endeavors.

I mean, the Trade Federation was attacking Naboo. Sidious tells them that he'd make it legal, implying that he'd intervene before the law could. Then, Palpatine goads Amidala into making the way clear for him to be elected as Chancellor. Voting takes time. The entire process takes time.
What stopped the NR from intervening quicker?

When was Palpatine elected Chancellor? Before Amidala's departure? Or after the Battle of Naboo?

If the former, then why wasn't anyone suspicious about Palpatine not intervening with the matters in Naboo as soon as he was elected? If the latter, then, "I will make it legal" was probably just a lie goading the Trade Federation into being manipulated.

I think that perhaps the latter scenario is what happened. For, if you regard AotC, you'll hear Dooku tell Kenobi that the Dark Lord of the Sith betrayed the Trade Federation. So, it goes hand in hand.

 

I have a completely different perspective on Palpatines use of "I will make it legal". Let's remember something here. Palpatine is out for Palpatine. He's the senator from Naboo, with high goals set for himself. He doesn't want Amidala to neccessarilly lose Naboo. What he wants is control. He wants to be the top dog. What better a way to get there then to cause a crisis on his home planet and hence getting the sympathy vote as well as all the others he's manipulated. Now. To do this he needed a patsy. Enter the Trade Federation with the excuse of the taxing of trade routes as a way to justify their blockade. When he tells them to attack, and they ask if it's legal, and he responds in said manor, he's playing them for the fool, which they obviously were. Since in AOTC Naboo hasn't been threatened again, it seems my reason's hold up. If he really wanted Naboo destroyed, why not have Dooku manipulate the TF into attacking there again? No. I think Palps used the TF and he was just goading them into believing it would be legal, as from AOTC we know it wasn't. "It's unthinkable. That after four trials in the supreme courts, Nute Gunray is STILL the viceroy of the Trade Federation."

 

Infamous: Yes. Your theory certainly seems sound, and well-supported, too, I might add.

 

Other possibilities:

1. Palpatine was just trying to shut up those whining Neimoidians by aleviating their fears with empty promises

2. Alluding to the fact that whoever Sidious is, he has some power on Coruscant (being Palpatine).

3. Predicting that he would become Supreme Chancellor and would soon have powers to do crazy stuff.

 

DarthJarJar: "1. Palpatine was just trying to shut up those whining Neimoidians by aleviating their fears with empty promises."

Well, that does seem like a Sith-like thing to do.

 

The parallel is the German occupation of Czechoslavakia which the British then agreed to. The Czechs had no say--and the occupation became legal.

I've always figured that Palpatine's original plan involved the Galactic senate would agree to the treaty, in much the same manner. The whole peace in our time routine and the Neimodians agree to not blockade/invade any other planet.