Battle of Naboo ( Imperial Period ) In 18 BBY , Queen Apailana of the planet Naboo broke off diplomatic ties with the Galactic Empire , leading the Empire to dispatch the 501st Legion to suppress the growing opposition on the world and retake Naboo . Background . Because of Queen Apailana ' s polite and subtle refusal to accept the New Order , the Empire harbored suspicions about her true allegiance . This state of unease kept up for one year , until Darth Vader found out that the Naboo were hiding Jedi refugees trying to escape the Great Jedi Purge . Vader ordered Apailana ' s execution on the charges of treason , but knowing her guards would expect the assassination attempt on her , he sent the 501st Legion , an elite group of stormtroopers , to deal with the Royal Naboo Security Forces . The battle . Naboo ' s capital of Theed was immediately placed under siege by the 501st when the city would not surrender its queen , however , bold Naboo security guards defended their home with loyal soldiers and AAC - 1 speeder tank s . The 501st Legion landed in the royal plazas and engaged the nearby Naboo soldiers , quickly securing their landing area . The Theed Royal Palace was well armed by a grid of powerful particle cannon turret s which were operated by a defense console grid near the palace gates ; despite the opposition , Imperials succeeded in establishing a secure offensive surrounding the main gates . In order to buy time and prevent an escape by the queen , the 501st decided to surround the queen and her palace . Focusing all forces on three strategic locations , stormtroopers worked from right to left , and set up a line of defense . Commanders then managed to triangulate the exact position of the main defense grid console , thus allowing the Imperials a clear albeit difficult chance to neutralize the defense turrets . 501st Legion stormtroopers , under support fire from a TX - 130T fighter tank , worked their way onto the balcony where the auto - turret grid console was guarded . They saturated the area with grenades , killing the guards and destroying the console . Death of the Queen . Imperial troopers skirmished with Naboo forces inside Theed Palace . Shortly after the deactivation of the defensive turrets , several Jedi Masters and Padawans the queen was previously suspected and accused of harboring broke free of the castle . The Jedi , though formidable , were outnumbered , surrounded by the elite Imperials , and ultimately exterminated , but not before they killed many of the stormtroopers that attacked them head on . Faced with no other choice , the queen and her small band of Jedi protectors attempted to flee in an act of desperation , driving themselves among the bulk of the Imperial forces ; outmanned and outmaneuvered , the dwindling Jedi protectors were swiftly dispatched , and the queen was terminated . As seen in the journal entry of the retired clone trooper , a sniper hidden on a bridge shot the queen with a high powered sniper rifle ; her escorts were surrounded and executed by stormtroopers thereafter . Aftermath . The security and palace guards were taken prisoners and were said , like many of the Empire ' s captured enemies , to " disappear " . They were in fact transported to the secret , under - construction Death Star for safekeeping . Most would join Rebel inmates and die fighting in the later Death Star Uprising . To cover up the incident , the Empire declared that terrorists had attacked Theed Palace and the 501st Legion had arrived to stop the chaos , the Queen being killed " just before she could be saved " amidst the intense assaults . The Royal Security Forces never got a say in the matter , however . An Imperial Officer overseeing the stormtrooper ' s efforts said that it would intimidate potential uprisers into submission , and that it would " save countless lives " , but it ultimately would have the opposite effect . On Naboo , the Empire would proceed to install a puppet monarch and government ( headed by Queen Kylantha ) which would not be rebellious in any aspect . The Royal Naboo Security Forces was profoundly limited to a more individualized group of a select few bodyguards ( allowed to be chosen by the monarch ) who , it was believed , would never have enough strength to initiate another uprising . Nonetheless , the remainder of the security forces , along with other Naboo opposed to Imperial rule and supported by Gungan Rebels , were able to rise up against the disorganized Empire during the Uprising on Naboo in 4 ABY . Behind the scenes . The Battle of Naboo first appeared in the Pandemic Studios video game " " , which was released on November 1 , 2005 .