The Battle of Naboo was fought both on space and on land and both were quite hectic. The information on this page will cover much of the deleted material from these scenes, plus some other surrounding events.
ONE BATTLESHIP LEFT AND PADMÉ RETURNS
After a quick stay on Coruscant, our heroes returned to Naboo and noticed that there was only one Trade Federation battleship left in orbit. When the blockade was first put in place, there were quite a few Federation ships in orbit around Naboo. The following lines of deleted dialogue address this issue. The image is from the Episode I Comic Adaptation.
INT. NABOO CRUISER COCKPIT – DAY
The Naboo Cruiser heads toward the lush green planet. There is only one Federation battle cruiser orbiting. OBI-WAN and CAPTAIN PANAKA spot it on the view screen.PANAKA
The blockade’s gone.OBI-WAN
The war’s over…
No need for it now.
Directly after this, Anakin finally finds Padmé in the hold of the Queen’s ship while it is landing on Naboo, before the big battle. Anakin and Padmé exchange a few brief words that didn’t end up in the film. Here the scene according to the Episode I Illustrated Screenplay and you can also reference the same image above from the Episode I Comic Adaptation:
INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT – MAIN HOLD
The QUEEN, CAPTAIN PANAKA, TROOPS, and HANDMAIDENS get ready to disembark as the ship lands. The elevator door slides open, and ANAKIN emerges into the hold area. He sees PADMÉ and runs up to her.ANAKIN
Hi! Where have you been?PADMÉ
Annie! What are you doing here?ANAKIN
I’m with Qui-Gon…but…
they’re not going to let me be a Jedi.
I’m too old.PADMÉ
This is going to be dangerous, Annie.ANAKIN
Is it? I can help…
Where are we going?PADMÉ
To war, I’m afraid. The Queen has had to make
the most difficult decision of her life.
She doesn’t believe in fighting, Annie.
We are a peaceful people…ANAKIN
I want to help…
I’m glad you’re back.ANAKIN smiles. PADMÉ smiles back.
THE MARIE CELESTE
Queen Amidala made use of decoys like her handmaiden Sabé for protection and security measures. According to the Episode I Insider’s Guide CD-ROM, the Queen’s ship was also used as a decoy. Check out this passage from the CD-ROM:
In the revised third draft, the Queen’s starship actually lands directly in one of the Royal Palace’s courtyards. It is surrounded by battle droids and a tank. However, when droids led by a droid commando named 044 search the starship, they find nothing. Evidently, the Queen and her entourage abandoned the starship near Otoh Gunga, then programmed the autopilot to fly to the Royal Palace. Later, Nute reveals that the Trade Federation forces have located the “life pods” used by the Queen and her followers.
There was an Internet rumor long before the film was released which I’ll dub the “Marie Celeste” rumor. According to sources on various fan websites, the Queen’s Nubian chrome ship was originally called the Marie Celeste. Someone then researched the name and found out that the Marie Celeste (AKA Mary Celeste) was actually an old sailing vessel whose crew had mysteriously disappeared in 1872 without a trace, leaving no indication as to why. In the film the ship is never referred to by name, just make/model. However, there is evidence in the shooting script that the ship was referred to as the Marie Celeste. The scene described above from the Insider’s Guide is also in the shooting script. Not only is Nute present in the scene, but Darth Maul as well. It’s listed as Scene 141 EXT – Naboo Palace – Courtyard Plaza – Day
The pictures below from the Episode I Insider’s Guide CD-ROM may belong to this particular scene. Notice Darth Maul and the other Neimoidians.
RIC OLIÉ: NABOO PILOT
Ric Olié was one of the only Naboo pilots to get any attention or lines in the film. Below you’ll find some photos of Ric Olié from the Episode I Insider’s Guide CD-ROM. I believe that this first photo takes place during the conception of Amidala’s plan to capture Nute Gunray. The second shot is Ric Olié at what appears to be Qui-Gon’s funeral. It’s kind of bright out, though. Perhaps they altered the light in post-production to make it appear to be nighttime in the finished film. The last few pictures show the pilot in the cockpit of his Naboo N1 fighter. The one where he’s giving the “thumbs up” sign was one of the very first official still images released on Starwars.com. Little did we know then that this shot would never make it into the film. Back then, everyone thought that was R2-D2 back there behind him, but we all know the droid went along with Anakin on his wild ride.
ROGUE 2
You might have been wondering how no one noticed Anakin flying around during the space battle. Here’s something interesting. Anakin was referred to as “Rogue 2” in the shooting schedule. I think the Rogue distinction was probably meant to be taken literally and not a real reference to the famous “Rogue Squadron” which had yet to be born. In fact, this short excerpt from the Episode I Insider’s Guide CD-ROM clarifies things:
When Ric Olié spots Anakin’s N-1 starfighter, he is unaware that the vehicle is piloted by the young boy. He identifies the starfighter as “Rogue Two” and orders Anakin to “form up.” When questioned about his identity, Anakin tells Ric that he is just “someone trying to help.”
VIEWSCREENS
After the capture of Nute Gunray, there was another scene that took place in the Naboo Palace throne room that we didn’t see in the film. It involved many Battle Droids firing at the closed throne room door, trying to get inside. This scene is still intact in the Episode I Novelization:
Blaster shots hammered into the door of the throne room in the palace at Theed. Captain Panaka and the Naboo soldiers spread out to either side in a defensive stance, preparing a crossfire for the droids. Nute Gunray wanted to move out of range, but the Queen was still facing him, her blaster leveled at his midsection, and he did not care to risk provoking her into a hasty action. So he stood there with the others of the Trade Council, frozen in place.
Then abruptly, everything went still. All sound of weapons fire and droid movement beyond the battered throne room doors ceased.
Captain Panaka looked at the Queen, his dark face uncertain. “What’s going on?” he asked worriedly.
Amidala, her weapon pointed at Nute Gunray, shook her head. “Try communications. Activate the viewscreens.”
Her head of security moved quickly to do so. All eyes were on him as he slowly brought the outer screens into focus.
Panaka brings up the viewscreens, and then we cut over to the plains where the battle is taking place. Oddly enough, the book never cuts back to the throne room to see what happens. We go from the above scene right to the grassy plains where Jar Jar is fumbling around, and then that’s it. The book moves ahead three days later when Obi-Wan and Yoda are speaking about Anakin’s training.
There was also another brief scene with Ric Olié reporting to the Queen that battle is over. My guess is that this is what happens after Panaka brings up the viewscreens. While I’m not sure of the exact dialogue, there is a playing card from the Decipher Customizable Card Game “Menace of Maul” set (Bravo One is the card name) that conatins a quote from Ric Olié. He says, “Mission Accomplished, Your Highness.”
THE NABOO HANGAR
So many things get trimmed out of films. Some are entire scenes, but other things are just shots here and there. Sometimes there’s photo evidence of shots from alternate angles and such. Below are a few that take place in the Naboo hangar. The first is an alternate angle of the initial break-in by the Jedi and Amidala’s troops. The second is a random shot of some guards. I don’t remember this exact angle being in the film. The third is a bluescreen shot of Ric Olié and his crew. This could possibly be from a scene where the pilots are returning after the the battle is over. There is something in the original screenplay that could match this, though it’s hard to be sure. Here’s the excerpt from the Episode I Illustrated Screenplay:
EXT. THEED – CENTRAL HANGAR – DAY
ANAKIN and ARTOO follow the squad of yellw Naboo starfighters into the main hangar.INT. THEED – CENTRAL HANGAR – DAY
RIC OLIÉ and the OTHER PILOTS gather around as they exit their ships.BRAVO TWO
He flew into the hold, behind the deflector
shield and blasted the main reactor…BRAVO THREE
Amazing…they don’t teach
that at the academy.ANAKIN’S ship skids to a stop behind the other Naboo starfighters. RIC OLIÉ, BRAVO TWO, the OTHER PILOTS and GROUND CREW rush to his ship.
RIC OLIÉ
We’re all accounted for.
Who flew that ship?ANAKIN sheepishly opens the cockpit and stands up. All the PILOTS stare in amazement.
ANAKIN
I’m not going to get in trouble, am I?ARTOO beeps. Oh oh.
NABOO FIGHTER TEASER-TRAILER CLIP
Here’s a small clip from the very first Episode I teaser trailer. Little did we know when we first saw this in the theaters that this shot of a rotating Naboo N-1 fighter would never make it into the film.