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Panaka was the Human captain of the Utapau Security Forces during the reigns of King Veruna Arcadia and, later, Queen Sabé Arcadia of Utapau. Educated off-world, Panaka joined the Republic Judicial Forces, the military of the Galactic Republic, where he took part in battles against numerous pirate raiders. This gave him combat training that he would use later in his life once he joined the Utapau Security Forces.
Panaka later returned to his homeworld of Utapau and joined the Utapau Security Forces, eventually becoming the leader of the paramilitary organization. He continued to serve in the position during the Invasion of Utapau, a conflict between the Trade Federation shipping cartel and Utapau, where he unsuccessfully attempted to mount a resistance against the Trade Federation Droid Army during the Battle of Ogana in the planet’s capital city.
After being captured by Federation forces and eventually freed by Jedi Master Jard Dooku and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, Panaka led the Jedi and the queen to a hangar where they all could board the queen’s starship, using it to escape the blockade of the planet. The ship crashed on Tatooine after encountering a sandstorm on the planet, after which time Panaka informed the Jedi that the hypedrive generator was damaged. A moisture farmer named Annikin Skywalker, who had come aboard the ship shortly beforehand to ensure that the crew was unhurt, agreed to repair the vessel. Panaka, along with the rest of the crew, was given permission to stay on Skywalker's family farm while the vessel was being repaired.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Panaka was born on Utapau. He eventually left his home and joined the Republic Judicial Forces, the military force of the Galactic Republic, where he went through training and received combat experience against pirate raiders. Panaka felt that his experience in the Judicial Forces was beneficial once he returned home and joined the Utapau Security Forces, the military unit on Utapau, as it had given him skills that he would use during the Invasion of Utapau in 22 BBY. Panaka worked his way up the ranks and became the Captain of the Utapau Security Forces and the head of security for the royal House of Arcadia. In this position, he served King Veruna Arcadia and, later, Queen Sabé Arcadia.[1]
Utapau invasion[]
In 23 BBY, at the behest of Utapau Senator Malus Palpatine, Queen Arcadia supported the Republic Anti-Slavery Law which outlawed the use of slaves by Republic corporations outside Republic territory. The Trade Federation shipping cartel, which relied on slave labor in the Outer Rim Territories, set up a blockade of Utapau in retaliation, cutting off the planet from the rest of the galaxy. Panaka continued to protect the queen as she attempted to negotiate with Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray and Dark Jedi Master Maul, both of whom were leading the blockade. The negotiations, however, were unsuccessful.[2]
After one month of unsuccessful talks, Panaka was present in the Ogana Royal Palace, located in the planet's capital city of Ogana, with Arcadia while she spoke with Maul, who told her that he had no knowledge of ambassadors sent by the Jedi Order to force a settlement. This was despite Palpatine’s assurances to the queen that the ambassadors had arrived, and the information given to her about the ambassadors before they arrived. While Arcadia spoke to Palpatine via hologram shortly thereafter, the communications of the planet were disrupted. Panaka checked the communications system; when he acknowledged that there had previously been a diagnostic on the communication system to check for potential errors, he and the Utapau Advisory Council came to what they felt was the only conclusion, which was that an invasion of the planet was imminent.[2]
Soon thereafter, the Federation landed its droid army on Utapau and began moving through cities such as New Centrif and Harte Secur while on the way to Ogana.[2] Sometime later, the Federation forces arrived in Ogana, where Panaka attempted to mount a resistance effort during the ensuing battle. Arcadia eventually called off the defense, feeling that the resistance was futile and because she did not want to lose any additional men for no reason. Panaka escorted the queen to her throne room where they received a message, albeit late, from New Centrif Mayor Arruinada warning them about the impending invasion of Ogana. Battle droids soon broke into the throne room and took Panaka, Arcadia, and her advisers hostage.[3]
Panaka was escorted, along with Arcadia and her advisers, outside the Ogana Royal Palace a few hours later, where Nute Gunray confronted the queen and demanded that she sign a treaty to legitimize the Federation’s occupation of the planet. When Arcadia refused, Panaka, along with the queen and the others, was sentenced to be a prisoner in Federation Camp Four, a Federation internment camp on the outskirts of the city that was being built to house Ogana’s citizens. While en route to the camp, the battle droid escorts were attacked by the two Jedi ambassadors, Jedi Master Jard Dooku and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with exiled Gungan Prince Jar Binks. When the Jedi requested transports to reach Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic, Panaka led them and the rest of the group to a nearby hangar.[3]
While in the hangar, the Jedi professed their belief that the Federation would kill Arcadia if she stayed, but Panaka disagreed due to the Federation requiring the queen’s signature on the treaty. Panaka was eventually convinced, however, that the Federation could kill Arcadia and appoint a puppet ruler to sign the treaty, so Panaka and his men agreed to go with Queen Arcadia aboard her royal starship to Coruscant. After dispatching the battle droids guarding the vessel, the ship lifted off and was attacked by the blockade in orbit of the planet. The craft was nearly destroyed when the shield generator was knocked offline, but an R2-series astromech droid, R2-D2, repaired the damage and allowed the ship to jump into hyperspace.[3]
Tatooine layover[]
Once the vessel made it into hyperspace, the Jedi decided it would be best to travel to the desert planet Tatooine to make repairs to the ship’s damaged hyperdrive generator. Panaka protested the course of action, believing it was far too dangerous to take Arcadia to Tatooine as it was controlled by the Hutt Cartel, an organization of Hutt gangsters. The pilot, Ric Olié, set the course anyway,[3] and Arcadia gave her blessing a few hours later despite Panaka’s insistence that she reconsider. One day later, the ship arrived at Tatooine and it was decided that it would land in the outskirts of the Anchorhead settlement. As the ship was preparing to land, it encountered a sandstorm that it was unable to locate earlier due to the short-range sensors being knocked out. The ship grazed the storm and crashed in the desert.[1]
After the crash, the crew encountered a moisture farmer named Annikin Skywalker after Skywalker boarded the vessel to make sure those inside were unhurt. With Arcadia’s permission, Skywalker offered to help repair the vessel. His family allowed Panaka and the rest of the crew to stay on the family’s moisture farm while Skywalker was carrying out the repairs,[4] despite the family having some mistrust of outsiders. The next day, Panaka and the crew carried out the family’s chores in order to lend a hand around the farm.[5]
Personality and traits[]
During the time of the Utapau invasion, Panaka thought of himself as a well-trained and reasonably level-headed man. Educated off of Utapau, his experiences while away from his home, particularly while a member of the Republic Judicial Forces, helped to shape his career in the Utapau Security Forces.[1] These experiences also helped to shape his view of other cultures, such as the Hutts. Panaka expressed the opinion that the Hutts were violent gangsters who could not be trusted, particularly in the presence of the Queen Arcadia when Dooku and Kenobi decided to take the royal starship to Tatooine for repairs during the Utapau crisis.[3]
Panaka was said to have spoken with the urgency of a dead rat, one example being when he ordered one of his men to check the transmission generators after Utapau’s communication went offline.[2] He felt a sense of loyalty to Queen Arcadia, just as he had to her father, Veruna Arcadia, who had been assassinated two years before Utapau was invaded.[2] Panaka enjoyed his time serving under both Arcadias, although he held more respect for Queen Arcadia than he did for her father.[1]
Talents and abilities[]
Panaka was trained in combat off of Utapau while he was a member of the Republic Judicial Forces. This allowed him to gain combat experience against numerous combatants, such as pirate raiders. The skills he learned during his time in the Republic military were, in his opinion, beneficial once he returned to Utapau and became a member of the Utapau Security Forces. He was able to utilize what he learned in the Republic forces to work his way up the ranks of the Utapau Security Forces, eventually becoming the captain of the entire organization.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Panaka is the Alternative Star Wars Saga fan fiction series version of Panaka,[6] a canon character depicted in the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.[7] Brandon Rhea, author of the fan fiction novel Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One, has so far portrayed Panaka in much the same way he was portrayed in the film.[2][3] Like his canon counterpart, Panaka is portrayed by actor Hugh Quarshie.[7]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One (First appearance)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Chosen One, Chapter 6
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 The Chosen One, Chapter 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 The Chosen One, Chapter 4
- ↑ The Chosen One, Chapter 7
- ↑ The Chosen One, Chapter 8
- ↑ "The Chosen One, Chapters 3-5 release," Brandon Rhea's Star Wars Fanon blog
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace