Freedom Day

In 32 BBY, according to the year system, the Trade Federation illegally blockaded the planet Naboo, which was a member of the Galactic Republic. The Neimoidian leaders of the Trade Federation deployed their droid army onto the planet's surface. With assistance from two Jedi Knights, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, the two indigenous populations of Naboo, the Naboo people and the Gungans, joined forces to resist the invasion. Essentially, two battles were fought simultaneously. While the Gungans engaged the majority of the droid infantry on the Great Grass Plains, the pilots of Naboo's Bravo Squadron aimed to destroy the Vuutun Palaa, the Federation's control Ship responsible for commanding the droid army on Naboo. The victory was secured when young Anakin Skywalker unexpectedly piloted an N-1 starfighter into the control ship's core, launching proton torpedoes into its reactor. The resulting explosion obliterated the ship, effectively disabling the entire droid army.

The Naboo resistance, working together, successfully expelled the Trade Federation from their home world. Queen of Naboo Padmé Amidala, who demonstrated heroic behavior throughout the crisis, forged a new alliance with the Gungans, represented by Boss Rugor Nass. The victory on Naboo was significant, but it came at a heavy cost in terms of lives. At least 543 Gungans perished on the battlefield, and Master Qui-Gon Jinn was killed by the Sith Lord known as Darth Maul during a duel in Theed's plasma Refinery Complex.

Following the decisive battle on the Great Grass Plains, the Trade Federation's prison camps were quickly taken down, and the people of Naboo anticipated a period of official celebration. Their desire was acknowledged, and a victory parade was scheduled. However, the Queen first had to arrange a proper funeral for the deceased Jedi Master Jinn. The day after the battle, Jinn's body was cremated in a solemn ceremony at the Funeral Temple of Theed, a serene structure with an open roof. Queen Amidala, deeply moved by the funeral ceremony, felt that a parade would be too soon and inappropriate given the death of a great hero like Qui-Gon Jinn. She sought advice from the young Obi-Wan Kenobi, expressing her wish to cancel the parade out of respect for the deceased. However, Kenobi comforted the grieving queen, assuring her that Master Jinn would have wanted the parade to proceed, advocating for life to triumph over death and sorrow. Amidala then changed her mind and committed to holding a victory ceremony the day after the funeral.

The Grand Army and the Great Municipal Band, led by Augara Jowil, assembled to form a large Gungan procession through the streets of Theed. Meanwhile, the citizens of the Naboo capital gathered along the sides of the Palace Plaza, carrying colored ribbons and cut flowers. On the city's main square, columns of Gungan warriors and musicians marched through Theed to the sounds of cheers and songs. As they marched toward the Palace steps, the Great Municipal Band played the opening movement of the "Symponik Nabooalla"—meaning "the epic for all of Naboo"—a musical piece composed by Jowil specifically for this occasion. Children threw flowers from the sides, and laughter filled the streets. Boss Nass led the marching Gungans, riding a ceremonial falumpaset. Bombad General Jar Jar Binks and Captain Roos Tarpals served as his honor guard, riding their own kaadu. Tarpals, who had earned a senior position in the parade due to his heroic actions in the Battle of the Grassy Plains, was filled with pride.

Queen Amidala stood at the top of the stone steps, accompanied by the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the twelve members of the Jedi High Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and young Anakin Skywalker. The Queen's guards, the pilots of the Naboo Space Fighter Corps, and various dignitaries also observed the parade from the Palace steps, beneath the statues of ancient Naboo philosophers. Several members of the Chancellor's Blue Guard were also present.

The Queen presented the Globe of Peace, a sacred Naboo artifact from ancient times, to her Gungan counterpart. Nass, a skilled public speaker, knew how to ignite the crowd's enthusiasm. He dramatically raised the Globe toward the crowds, shouting the day's key phrase: "Peace!" The overjoyed Gungans immediately broke formation and began dancing on the plaza. While some initially doubted Amidala's leadership due to her youth, the Queen recognized that such doubts had vanished as she looked at the citizens of Naboo, both Humans and Gungans, together. The joint victory ceremony between the Gungans and the Naboo was the largest and most impressive ever held on the planet.

While the parade represented the formal aspect of the celebration, popular festivities were also organized in the streets of Theed and Otoh Gunga, the Gungan's underwater capital. In Theed, the entertainment venues of the Coliseum Plaza opened their doors to the public. Inside the city's funnel-shaped Coliseum, the Gungan Sling Brigade performed sling painting, delighting the audience. The Theed Music Hall and the Naboo Puppet Theater also offered free shows. At the Gungan funfair, visitors could dance the deesco with Jar Jar Binks at the "Deesco Bubble," try to dunk Boss Nass in a clear water tank at the "Dunk Boss Nass Bubble," or search for hidden clams in a water-filled cave with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, who enthusiastically participated in the game. Although he was now a Jedi apprentice under Kenobi's guidance, young Anakin Skywalker also enjoyed the lively streets of Theed.

The triumphal parade featured at the conclusion of the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace was included in the earliest versions of the script. Originally, the Trade Federation's Viceroy Nute Gunray and his assistant Rune Haako were to be presented to the Queen, in chains and guarded by Gungans. Additionally, Amidala would not present the Globe of Peace to Rugor Nass, although the alliance between the Naboo and Gungans would still be evident. While the scene appears to be a happy ending, it represents Palpatine's initial step toward galactic domination. Consequently, the cheerful music played by the band was a reworked version of "The Emperor's Theme," a somber vocal piece first heard in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. The Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game also features the celebration scene at the end of its final mission, but it uses the track "Hail to the, Winner, Anakin Skywalker" instead of "Augie's Great Municipal Band."

The majority of the scene was created using CGI by an Industrial Light & Magic visual effects team, led by Scott Squires. The team added numerous CGI characters and creatures, increased the amount of colorful confetti, and adjusted the lighting to make the parade appear to occur at sunset.

In the 2010 art book Star Wars Art: Visions, Allan R. Banks, an American painter known for classic works, depicted the children of Theed celebrating during the victory parade. Banks' artwork was titled Celebration of Naboo Youth on Freedom Day, suggesting that the official name of the victory celebration was "Freedom Day."