Quarsh Panaka / Legends Quarsh Panaka was a Human male who served as the head of the Royal Naboo Security Forces before , during , and after the Invasion of Naboo , and later was the Moff for the Chommell sector during the Galactic Civil War . He was a vocal militarist among the peaceful people of Naboo , a fish out of water amongst his peers . Shaken by the murder of King Ars Veruna , he installed various security measures to make sure that the same thing did not happen to his second monarch , Queen Padmé Amidala . By learning from the mistakes of his predecessor , Maris Magneta , he was able to successfully defend her in several periods of danger , and continued to serve Naboo , the Republic , and eventually , the Empire . Notoriously conservative , Panaka often clashed with the Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn during the Invasion of Naboo , deriding the Jedi ' s controversial methods and retaining the utmost faith in his own . Nevertheless , with Jinn ' s help he was able to get his chance at military action , in the Battle of Naboo . Panaka thereafter became a staunch supporter of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the New Order of the Galactic Empire , rising to the position of Moff of his home sector with Palpatine ' s patronage . Biography . Early career . Quarsh Panaka was born on Naboo , but was educated offworld in several guilds , specializing in threat analysis and personal combat . Panaka ' s education was broad , designed to give him the full spectrum of knowledge and training he would need to become an effective security chief . In his education , he traveled to Tolan , and was given instruction from a Zabrak in the Tracker ' s Guild . He later joined a Republic Special Task Force and gained combat experience against pirates . This experience and education served him in good stead upon his return to Naboo and subsequent enlistment in the Royal Naboo Security Forces . While he was off - world , his older sister was killed during a training exercise . To deal with this grief , Panaka became increasingly dedicated to his job and to serving the current monarch , King Ars Veruna . He served under Captain Maris Magneta as a Lieutenant and was paired with Sergeant Bialy . He was not known for being sociable — a character trait he would exhibit throughout his life — being more focused on being the consummate professional . Panaka was constantly working to improve the security force , and actually invented the liquid - cable grappling hook shooter that became standard amongst his colleagues ' weapons . In 36 BBY , Panaka and Bialy were charged with bringing in a Gungan , Kroke Modbom , who had apparently been causing trouble in Port Landien . The pair cornered Modbom at the Port Landien Perfumery , and while Panaka waited to ambush his target in the store ' s cellar , Bialy went upstairs to confront the Gungan . The lieutenant heard blaster shots ring out , before Modbom burst into the room . Panaka fought with the Gungan , trying to prevent him from escaping the perfumery . He was successful in subduing the target , although he sustained several injuries to his face in the process . Bialy noted that the Gungan did not have a blaster , and so she supposed that Modbom had an accomplice , who had escaped . Returning to the Palace , Panaka was commended by Magneta , who then introduced him to an aide of Senator Palpatine ' s , Sate Pestage . Pestage was taking Modbom ' s punishment into Palpatine ' s hands , much to Panaka ' s confusion . He mentioned Modbom ' s supposed accomplice , but Magneta had already assigned the lieutenant to traffic control , as a sea creature had beached itself north of Port Landien . While blocking off the coastal road near the cove containing the beached creature , Panaka was almost killed when a speeder broke through the roadblock . Calling officers Bialy , Pestrak and Dunni on his comlink for backup , Panaka set off in pursuit , chasing the felon to the cove . There , he saw the beached creature for the first time : a legendary sando aqua monster . Making his way down into the cove , the lieutenant spotted a white - garbed figure who tried to run him over . Panaka fired off warning shots , but the figure jumped into one of the many nearby rock tunnels . Cautiously , the lieutenant followed , venturing into the pitch black abyss of the Naboo ' s unmappable rock tunnel network . As he moved further into the tunnels , blindly , he was ambushed by a man codenamed Veermok , who was wielding a blaster . Forced to surrender , Panaka was at Veermok ' s mercy , and was led even deeper into the tunnel network . Veermok claimed that the tunnels held a stash of secrets that could incriminate King Veruna . He claimed to be fighting for Naboo , and against the lies of its monarchy — something that Modbom had been doing as well . Panaka was not deterred by the accusations , but before the pair could reach the alleged evidence , the sando aqua monster ' s movements above caused a cave - in , releasing a torrent of water . Released in the torrent was a wide array of disturbing objects , including eight corpses — humans and Gungans alike — and several storage lockers . Panaka was able to reclaim his blaster , and once the commotion was over , Veermok attempted to escape . In response , the lieutenant attempted to shoot him in the back of the knee , but his blaster malfunctioned . Acting quickly , he utilized the liquid grappling cable , and reeled Veermok in . Before he could restrain his captive , Veermok broke free of Panaka ' s hold , and ran off down the tunnel once more . The lieutenant prepared to utilize his grappling hook again , but before he could , a blaster shot rang out , and Veermok fell to the ground . The man who had fired the shot was none other than Pestage . Veermok had not perished immediately , but died soon afterward . Panaka was angry at the result , but Pestage , who had intercepted the lieutenant ' s earlier distress call , pointed out that he had his man . Returning to the palace , Panaka was convinced that Pestage ' s actions indicated a cover - up of evidence , and that the matter required further attention . He mentioned the bodies , but Magneta claimed that they could have been regurgitated by the monster , or killed by pirates . Nevertheless , Panaka wanted Pestage arrested , but Magneta insisted that everything was being taken care of . Before Panaka could examine the room and its potentially incriminating evidence , Captain Magneta had the area blasted with proton torpedoes from an N - 1 starfighter . The evidence , which could have pointed at King Veruna or even Senator Palpatine , was destroyed forever . Three years later , King Veruna abdicated in the wake of a corruption scandal and was killed mysteriously . Magneta failed to prevent this death and resigned in disgrace . Panaka was appointed Head of Security in Magneta ' s stead ; one of Queen Amidala ' s first acts as regent . Panaka took the death of Veruna particularly hard , and he felt the late King ' s death was his fault . To ensure this never happened again , he developed an elaborate security setup , which involved using the Queen ' s handmaiden s as decoys . The ploy saved the life of Amidala more than once . During a diplomatic mission to Coruscant in 32 BBY , Panaka and other members of the Royal Naboo Security Forces were fired upon by an unknown attacker . Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes received permission from Panaka to drive away the attacker . Invasion of Naboo . When the Trade Federation blockaded Naboo , Panaka was among the first to recognize the significant threat they posed to the world . When they subsequently invaded Naboo , Panaka and his security force were less than well - equipped to defend Theed from them . His forces put up minor resistance , though they surrendered when they fully realized the sheer size of OOM - 9 ' s force . The droids stormed the palace , and took both him and the Queen into custody . Shortly before , Panaka had initiated his decoy scheme , and although the real Queen was captured too , the Neimoidians fell for the ruse , and focused on the decoy . As they were being escorted out of Theed , two Jedi Knights , ambassadors that had been sent to resolve the dispute behind the blockade , rescued Panaka , the Queen , the Governor , Sio Bibble , and several security guards . Qui - Gon Jinn , one of the Jedi , wanted to take Amidala to Coruscant , against Panaka ' s initial instincts . The Queen decided against Panaka ' s judgment , and chose to travel to the capital with the Jedi . Grudgingly , Panaka joined her while Bibble chose to remain behind and look after the Naboo . After the Jedi seized the Theed Hangar from the droids stationed there , the group entered the Queen ' s personal starship , and blasted away from Naboo . Before he left the planet , Panaka issued an evacuation order to the Royal Naboo Security Forces , ordering them not to engage the enemy except in self - defense . In trying to get through the blockade , the ship ' s hyperdrive was badly damaged . Jinn ' s apprentice , Obi - Wan Kenobi , suggested that they land on Tatooine , a desert planet , for repairs . Panaka was outraged at the suggestion , claiming that the Hutts who ruled the planet were gangsters . When Jinn took the suggestion before the Queen , she sided with the Jedi , leaving Panaka in disbelief at her rashness . While Jinn , Jar Jar Binks , Amidala , and R2 - D2 went scouting for parts for the hyperdrive , Panaka remained behind and guarded the ship — ostensibly guarding the Queen . During a sandstorm , the ship received a falsified transmission from Naboo from Governor Sio Bibble , pleading with the Queen to contact him . Kenobi ordered Panaka and the others not to respond , warning it was bait to establish a trace so that the Trade Federation could locate Amidala . One night , a band of Tusken Raiders invaded the ship and absconded with the Queen . Panaka asked Kenobi to rescue the Queen from the Tusken Raiders while he stayed on - board to guard the handmaidens . Kenobi successfully defeated the Tusken War Chief and returned with the Queen . Thanks to the efforts of one Anakin Skywalker , Jinn and Amidala had been able to obtain the parts needed to get the ship fully operational again . With the hyperdrive repaired , the group traveled to Coruscant , where they were met by Senator Palpatine . Panaka kept a close eye on Amidala , anticipating an ambush by the Trade Federation , and went with her to the Senate Rotunda as she and Palpatine put forth their case against the Trade Federation . The Queen ' s request fell on deaf ears , and she was left with a shaken faith in the Republic . The experience had hardened her resolve , and she decided to return to Naboo , over Panaka ' s objections , although he tried to explain to her that she would be captured and forced to sign the treaty . Return to Naboo . The Queen had a plan . First , she made contact with Boss Rugor Nass and the Gungan Grand Army and swayed them to her side . Then she sent Panaka to make contact with the Naboo Security Force on the emergency channel . He met with them on the plains of Naboo atop Rasker Hill where they were ambushed by a Trade Federation patrol . Fortunately , the Gian speeders made short work of the Single Trooper Aerial Platform . Panaka made contact with Lieutenant Sykes , who had discovered a Trade Federation convoy . Panaka ordered the pilot to destroy the convoy . He brought back the leaders to plan strategy — the Gungans would draw the droid army out of the city and engage in battle . Meanwhile , the Jedi together with the Naboo would sneak into the palace in Theed and attempt to capture Viceroy Nute Gunray . Using the secret entrance , Panaka split his forces in two . One group was to distract what droids remained behind while the other , including the Jedi , would liberate the starfighters from the Theed Hangar , allowing pilots to disable the " Lucrehulk " - class Droid Control Ship " Vuutun Palaa " in orbit . Panaka directed Sykes as part of the diversionary forces to commence the diversion by firing on an Armored Assault Tank . As Panaka , Amidala and the Jedi set out to find the Viceroy , they were met by the Sith Lord Darth Maul , who had been tracking them since their stay on Tatooine . Panaka and Amidala ' s group were forced to go the long way around while the Jedi stalled the Sith . Panaka and Amidala faced heavy resistance as they battled through the streets of Theed to reach the Royal Palace , but they were able to breach the security zone and enter the palace . Once inside the palace , Panaka assisted Amidala in finding the passkeys to unlock blocked portions of the palace . Progress was frustratingly slow battling through the halls of the Palace , but Panaka came up with an idea . Half the group split off from the main force , clambered out onto a window sill , and used their ascension guns to bypass a level of the Palace . The group made their way through the palace while Sabé led the other half through the main Palace defense force . Unfortunately , Amidala ' s group were swiftly captured by droidekas and escorted to the Viceroy . Sabé ' s group made it to the Throne room and drew out the droids inside while Amidala grabbed a couple of blasters from a secret compartment in the throne , tossed one to Panaka and they eliminated the droids in the room . Defenseless and humiliated , the Viceroy was forced to sign a treaty of surrender . After the battle , Nute Gunray and Rune Haako were handed over by Panaka to the Republic for trial who dryly observed that their time as a successful trade franchise was over . Panaka then attended the funeral of Jinn , who was killed in the fight with the Sith , before participating in the celebrations following the liberation of Naboo . After the Battle of Naboo . When Amidala ' s term as queen of Naboo ended , Panaka remained on Naboo to protect the new Queen , Jamillia . Amidala eventually became the Senator for the Chommell sector . Although Jamillia was his primary concern , he still looked after Amidala . During the Separatist Crisis , when Count Dooku and his backers seceded from the Republic and formed the Confederacy of Independent Systems , a group of spice miners rallied outside the Palace while Amidala was there . After ensuring that Jamillia was safe , Panaka checked on his former charge . His reason for meeting with her was twofold : He also wanted to make sure she would be safe to return to Coruscant , to vote against the Military Creation Act . In a matter of weeks , a security plan was formulated , and Panaka assigned his nephew , Captain Gregar Typho , to protect Amidala . Before she departed for the capital , Panaka informed her that Viceroy Gunray , having escaped punishment , had fallen in with Dooku ' s Confederacy . Although Typho felt that Amidala , being against the Military Creation Act , would be considered an informal ally of the Confederacy , Panaka was concerned , and cautioned the Senator , as the Confederates had been known to utilize violence against their enemies . Some time later , after the Clone Wars had broken out , he learned of the marriage between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker . Panaka informed Palpatine , who used this information to his advantage when turning Anakin to the dark side . The ramifications of Panaka ' s choice would eventually lead to the Imperialization of the galaxy , a change that would work to his advantage . As Palpatine installed himself as Galactic Emperor , Panaka remained extremely loyal to him . Fighting the Skaak Tippers . In the early days of the Galactic Civil War , Panaka , now a Colonel , was working with the Royal Security Forces in the city of Kaadara to stop the criminal organization known as the Skaak Tippers from terrorizing the peaceful inhabitants of Naboo . One of Panaka ' s agents , Sergeant Willoc , went missing while investigating a Skaak Tipper plot to steal bank terminals from Kaadara , hack into them , and gain access to the bank accounts of everyone in the city . Having not heard from Willoc in over a week , Panaka was surprised to receive an unidentified transmission from Willoc ' s comlink . A spacer investigating an old war bunker on Naboo discovered the comlink and used it . Panaka urged the spacer to report to him immediately , and seizing the opportunity , enlisted the individual to disrupt the Skaak Tippers ' activities in the surrounding area . The spacer obliged , and helped Panaka by wiping out a number of Skaak Tippers , finding one of their radios , and gaining intelligence on a Skaak Tipper plan to smuggle weapons . Panaka surmised that this was related to the Skaak Tippers ' bank heist plot . To discourage the Skaak Tippers from carrying out their crimes , Panaka devised a plan with his newly recruited operative to raid their nearby Island Hideout , kill at least sixteen of their members , and assassinate their leader , Jonni Skaak , who was actually a former Royal Security Forces agent named Jonthol Mazoon . The assault was a success , and had the effect of crippling the Skaak Tippers ' operations . In appreciation for their bravery , Panaka formally inducted his operative as a private in the Royal Security Forces , and rewarded the agent with a special Royal Security Forces jacket and a considerable amount of credits . Later service in the Empire . Panaka was eventually promoted to Commander , and tasked with leading an expedition to the uncharted planet of PL - 40112 - CE - 021105 of the Salfrem system in the Wastes region of Wild Space . It was during this expedition that he met with Bertroff Hissa , a Human - Sephi hybrid , and also went into a forced alliance with the near humans of the planet to drive off an invasion of interdimensional Rozzum s . Panaka , alongside Hissa , were the only survivors of the conflict . After returning , Panaka managed to recruit Hissa into the Imperial Military , despite its Human supremacist nature at the time . Panaka even fought for Hissa against his prejudiced peers , up until he himself was promoted to Moff of the Chommell sector . As reward for remaining close to Palpatine during the tumultuous years of the early Rebellion , Panaka was promoted after the Dissolution of the Imperial Senate in 0 BBY . As Moff , he represented the Chommell sector , replacing Senator Pooja Naberrie in the process . To show his continued admiration of Palpatine , Panaka gave him an ornate statue . The statue was placed in the Emperor ' s receiving chamber aboard the second Death Star . It was destroyed in the station ' s subsequent destruction at the Battle of Endor Following the death of the Emperor during the Endor debacle , the Galactic Empire shattered , while the Rebellion reorganized itself into a burgeoning New Republic . In 5 ABY , Moff Panaka traveled to Hosk Station and met Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan , a pre - eminent figure of the New Republic . Organa , who wished to avoid conflict between her troops and those of the Chommell sector , had arranged that meeting on a neutral site . She attempted to convince the Moff by evoking the memory of the late Amidala , whom he had once served . Panaka did not see any legitimacy in Organa ' s resurrected Republic , and was not moved by his remembrances of the dead queen . He pointed out that the late Amidala had attracted danger on Naboo and done very little to restore the planet ' s defenses in the wake of the Trade Federation ' s invasion . The meeting turned short when Organa told him some members of the Republic were thinking of seizing Naboo , although that threat left Panaka unimpressed . By 13 ABY , Panaka ' s fortunes had reversed . The Empire had been defeated and replaced by a New Republic . In the new political order , Panaka was replaced with the Gungan senator Boma in the New Republic Senate . Personality and traits . Panaka was a very pessimistic man and prepared for the worst . During the Naboo crisis , he was clearly annoyed at the fact that Naboo did not have its own planetary army . He often expressed his opinions on this matter , and regularly disagreed with Amidala ' s Jedi protectors . Captain Panaka was often humorless and grim , constantly striving to do the best he could at his job . Panaka was usually on the alert , and was often called " the quickest eyes on Naboo . " He possessed keen senses , and was quite intelligent . His fellow officers found him distant , demanding , and professional . Panaka took orders , but would voice his opinion when given an order he felt was questionable . One of Panaka ' s most excited moods occurred when he was successful in protecting his monarch and defeating the Trade Federation . Panaka was raised harboring feelings of bigotry towards the Gungans of his homeworld , a view that was common among the Naboo prior to their alliance with the Gungans in the Naboo crisis . This was reinforced by the fact that the Gungans he encountered during his early career were criminals and exiles . Despite this , during the reign of the Galactic Empire , he was willing to allow aliens to serve in the Imperial Military as long as they were extremely capable , as evidenced by his allowing the human - Sephi hybrid Bertroff Hissa to serve in the Imperial Military . Panaka was bilingual , and could speak Huttese in addition to Galactic Basic Standard . Behind the scenes . In 1999 ' s " " , Panaka was played by Hugh Quarshie . He was voiced by Jeff Coopwood in the games " " , " " and " " . The plot of the video game adaptation of " The Phantom Menace " diverges from that of the film , when , shortly after landing on Coruscant , the Queen is assaulted by an assortment of mercenaries . The player , as Panaka , fends off the attackers , but the Queen , now isolated from the rest of her entourage , is kidnapped by more mercenaries , in the employ of a Sun Guard . Panaka subsequently ventures through Coruscant and saves the kidnapped Queen , killing the Sun Guard in the process . Panaka then leads the Queen to the Galactic Senate to meet with Palpatine . In the 2001 video game " , " the player , taking the role of the titular Jedi , meets Panaka inside the Theed Royal Palace during an altered scene from the movie . Panaka was fighting the Trade Federation occupation with other soldiers while the Queen was being taken to Camp Four by a battle - droid escort . In the movie , Panaka was captured along with the Queen . This article assumes his presence during the mission is non - canon . The character of Panaka was originally intended to appear in " Attack of the Clones " , but Quarshie decided not to return , feeling that he wasn ' t being offered enough money . So , in Panaka ' s absence , the character of his nephew Gregar Typho was created . Panaka was included as a non - player character in the 2003 massively multiplayer online role - playing game " Star Wars Galaxies : An Empire Divided " , developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts , prior to its closure on December 15 , 2011 . The character was added to the game as part of the , an expansive series of that was released as part of Publish 25 ' s New Game Enhancements on November 15 , 2005 . In the game , players could assist Colonel Panaka by participating in a number of quests to disrupt the Skaak Tippers . By completing his final quest , titled " Tipping the Balance " , Panaka would award the player with a Royal Security Forces jacket and 5901 credits . Panaka would then reassign the player to Captain Typho . This eventually presented a continuity error , as Gregor Typho was shown to be killed well before the events of " " in " " , a novel released on August 26 , 2008 . Panaka was originally slated to appear in episode " Destroy " Malevolence " . " He was going to be captured alongside Padmé and be brutally murdered by Grievous . He was eventually cut , because at the early stages of production the studio didn ' t have the ability to include many new characters because of the time it took to create a digital model . " Panaca " is the name given to the ancient Incan royal families . In Brazil Panaka ' s name was changed to " Panassi " due to the fact that his name is similar to " panaca " which means " douchebag . " Panaka is featured in both " " and " " as a playable character . Panaka ' s first name , Quarsh , was revealed in the article on the Official Star Wars Blog . The name is an obvious reference to Hugh Quarshie , the actor who plays him .