What's so special about Naboo?

I'm relatively new to these boards, which by the way, are absolutely fantastic!

I have a question that may already have been addressed, but I can't find a thing about it. The question is: Why does the Trade Federation form a blockade around Naboo? What I mean is, why Naboo specifically? What not Aldreaan or some other world? My sense is that Naboo is near the outer fringe, not a very important planet in the Old Republic, small with a mostly aggrarian society. So why Naboo? Now, I know that the obviosu answer is thta Palps was the Senator from that planet and sympathy for him helped elevate him to the status of Emperor. Bu t this doesn't entirely fit. Palps, sans Sidious, spends the entire movie trying to get his hands on Padme. Why? And how does she play into the choice of Naboo as a blockade target? I just think that the entire saga focuses on this very large plot point, and it almost never gets discussed in any substantive fashion.

Any thoughts?

 

Nothing, that's the point.

 

Exactly. Absolutely nothing.

"There's no logic in their occupation here" - Qui-Gon
(It's something close like this).

What's better than to attack your own planet? Reminds me of the The World is Not Enough when Sophie Marceau attacks her own pipeline

 

I believe they chose Naboo so that the Senator from Naboo could manouver himself into being elected Supreme Chancellor. That's how Palpatine gains control of the Senate. It might not have worked if another world was in trouble, as this was his world.

 

Well, that, and it's out of the way and represents on a greater scale the problems of the Republic - that they've grown so massive and corrupt that the problems and suffering of individual planets is completely overlooked. Sideous could wheel and deal and manuever his way through the Naboo scandal as much as he pleased with little intereference.

Interesting to see how much credence it gave to the Naboo, afterwards. Not only did Palpatine manage to launch himself into the Chancellor seat, but Padme also gained alot of recognition as a democratic leader if her record as one of the lead voices in such movements as the anti-military and the struggle against Palpatine's growing power in episode III.

 

Palpatine says it himself ...

"I feel confident our situation will create a strong sympathy vote for us - I will be chancellor."

By using Naboo, Palpatine automatically draws the focus to himself in the Senate. He can stand there in full righteous anger and call for a vote of no confidence in Valorum, and with it being his world attacked, it creates a sympathy vote for Naboo, and of course, Palpatine. He never, of course, planned for the Queen to come to Coruscant - his initial plan was for her to sign a treaty, have her planet handed over to the Federation, and then Palpatine would have his excuse to call for the "vote of no confidence". It just moves Palpatine to centre-stage in the Senate.

There's no "real-world" logic for invading Naboo. The Neimoidians are angry at the tax on trade routes (a tax which, ironically, Palpatine helped to instigate), and they find a supporter in Sidious. He tells them he can help them, and pursuades them to blockade Naboo. The Federation is acting purely for greed, and in protest of the tax - but they're also being told what to do. Sidious has his own agenda, and that's all that matters in the scheme of things.

 

Naboo was choosen SOLELY for the Gungans.

'NUF SAID.

-Zenek

 

I'm with MarkyMark on this one.

"Naboo was choosen SOLELY for the Gungans."

hehe.

"Palps, sans Sidious, spends the entire movie trying to get his hands on Padme. Why?"

As Sidious, to get her to sign the treaty.
As Palpatine, he puts the idea of the no confidence vote in her head.

 

Since Palpatine and Sidious are the same person, he used both personae to manipulate both sides of the conflict into getting the result he wanted: Chancellorship.

 

nothing. That's why Earth relates to it so much

 

What DarthyMarkyMark said