List of Star Wars handmaidens

Handmaidens are a group of women in the science fiction saga "Star Wars". They appear in the films ' (1999) and ' (2002). Handmaidens are protectors of Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), Queen and then Senator of the planet Naboo. This is a list of handmaidens who appear in "Star Wars". Queen Amidala was said to employ up to thirteen Handmaidens, although Amidala rarely used more than five at the same time.

Cordé

Star Wars character
name=Cordé
color=Republic
source=
position=Handmaiden and decoy of Queen Amidala of Naboo
species=Human
gender=Female
planet=Naboo
affiliation=Galactic Republic
portrayer=Veronica Segura, Natalie Portman and a stuntwoman

Cordé is a character appearing in "". Cordé is one of Senator Padmé Amidala's handmaidens. Due to her strong resemblance to the Senator, she also served a dual role as one of the Senator's decoys when on diplomatic missions. Cordé replaced Amidala's former decoy, Sabé, who was a decoy while Amidala was Queen of Naboo.

Cordé is one of several killed in an attack by hired assassin Zam Wesell on Amidala's Senatorial starship as it landed on Coruscant. Padmé, the intended target of the attack, survives, but is devastated by Cordé's death. The ruse confuses the assassins long enough for Padmé to get to the protection of Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi and Padawan Anakin Skywalker.

In the original script by George Lucas, the Galactic Senate believed that Padmé had been killed, and not Cordé, setting Padme up for a grand triumphant entrance into the Senate Chambers. This was edited from the final cut, but was included in the novelisation by R.A. Salvatore.

Cordé was portrayed by three women. Veronica Segura after the explosion which killed her, and by a stunt-woman during the explosion. Natalie Portman also played Cordé. Natalie's face is unseen as only the back of her head is visible in a short scene prior to the Naboo Senatorial Cruiser landing on Coruscant before its destruction.

Dormé

SW Character
name=Dormé


caption=
color=Republic
source=
position=Handmaiden and decoy of Queen Amidala of Naboo
species=Human
gender=Female
planet=Naboo
affiliation=Galactic Republic
portrayer=Rose Byrne

Dormé is a handmaiden of Senator Padmé Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo, in "." At the beginning of "Attack of the Clones", Dormé is already on Coruscant when Senator Amidala arrives. Because of this, Dormé survives the assassination attempt on Amidala's life that kills her fellow handmaidens Cordé and Versé.

She is incredibly devoted to Padmé and the two seem to have a sisterly relationship. She is desperately worried when Padmé leaves the capital in the company of Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker. She also has the ability to see the humor in a situation. In one cut scene of "," Dormé was chuckling in the background as Anakin complained about his relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Dormé does not appear again in "." She is portrayed by actress Rose Byrne.

;External links
* [http://www.royalhandmaidensociety.org/ Royal Handmaiden Society]

Eirtaé

Eirtaé is a character appearing in "".

Eirtaé is one of the three handmaidens, along with Sabé and Rabé, to accompany Queen Amidala to Coruscant and to later aid in the battle to free Naboo. She is the most recognizable of the handmaidens as she is the only one not to have brown hair. (But see Dané below.) She is also the tallest of all of the handmaidens. Eirtaé also exclusively has blue eyes.

Chosen more for her various talents than her actual physical resemblance to the Queen, Eirtaé comes from a wealthy and highly cultured family. She is responsible for tutoring Amidala in various matters of etiquette. Eirtaé was once chosen to run for Queen of Naboo, but she was defeated by Padmé Amidala in the campaigning process.

Eirtaé's role as a handmaiden also includes maintaining the monarch's wardrobe to the highest possible standards. She is said to be bossy, snobby and was not initially liked by her fellow handmaidens. But over time she adjusted to her role within the handmaidens.

She is portrayed by Friday Wilson (credited in the movie as Friday "Liz" Wilson).

Ellé

Ellé is one of Padmé Amidala's final handmaidens. She and her fellow handmaiden Moteé were chosen because of their resemblance to Amidala. They are aware of Amidala's relationship with Anakin Skywalker and help facillitate meetings between the two usually by acting as Amidala's decoys.

In the first draft of "", she and Moteé were scripted to die. This was changed and both handmaidens attend Amidala's funeral in the final cut of the film. Ellé's career is unknown after Amidala's death.

She is portrayed by actress Chantal Freer.

Moteé

Moteé is one of Senator Padmé Amidala's final handmaidens; she and Ellé were chosen because of their resemblance to Amidala. Both handmaidens are aware of Amidala's relationship with Anakin Skywalker and they help facillitate meetings between the two, often acting as decoys in the process.

In the original draft of "Revenge of the Sith", both Moteé and Ellé die, but both are present alongside the other handmaidens of Naboo at Padmé's funeral in the final cut. Moteé's further career after Padmé's death is unknown.

She is portrayed by Australian actress Kristy Wright.

Rabé

Rabé is a handmaiden of Queen Amidala who, along with Eirtaé and Sabé, accompanied Queen Amidala on her trip to Coruscant and who then later fought in the Battle of Naboo against the Trade Federation.

Rabé specializes in the Queen’s intricate hair and make-up. She is the only handmaiden able to calm the Queen down when she was stressed or upset. She was chosen to be a handmaiden because of her intelligence, courage and because of her patience. Like the rest of the handmaidens, she carries a small blaster under her robes.

Rabé appears in "The Phantom Menace", but does not appear in subsequent films.

She is portrayed by Brazilian actress Karol Cristina da Silva.

abé

SW Character
name=Sabé


caption=Sabé in Queen Amidala's battledress
color=Republic
source=
position=Handmaiden and decoy to Queen Amidala of Naboo
species=Human
gender=Female
planet=Naboo
affiliation=Galactic Republic
portrayer=Keira Knightley

Sabé (pronounced "Sah-bay") is one of Queen Amidala's five principal handmaidens during The Phantom Menace. Because of her striking resemblance to the Queen, Sabé is the first in line to act as Amidala's decoy, while the true Queen Amidala takes up the disguise of a handmaiden, using her true birth name, Padmé Naberrie as cover. Sabé was one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens from 32BBY to 24BBY.

Sabé is said to have a 'playful' personality, once even going as far as to ordering Padmé (the true Queen) to clean astromech droid R2-D2 as 'payback', for putting her life in danger by successfully protecting the true Queen Amidala. Sabé, as the Decoy Queen, said that R2-D2 "should be commended" and be given a clean-up as a reward for saving the Royal Cruiser after its escape from Naboo. This may also have been done deliberately, as Padmé could have discreetly contacted the Naboo government in private while she was alone, attending to R2-D2.

Little is actually known of Sabé, other than she was born on Naboo in 46BBY and that she is Padmé Amidala's best friend, presumably since the time when Padmé was Princess of Theed, prior to her election as Queen of the Naboo. During the early events of The Phantom Menace, Sabé was temporarily given Padmé's treasured amulet (given to Padmé by her father, Ruwee Naberrie) as a symbol of Padmé's love and trust for her best friend. (from "Queen Amidala's Journal", by author Jude Watson.)

Sabé, in her everyday role of Royal Handmaiden, always sits in in Theed's Royal Palace Throneroom in the chair closest to Queen Amidala's left-side. Sabé, as Queens Decoy, wore two items of the Queen's elaborate Royal Wardrobe during The Phantom Menace. She is seen wearing the Queen Amidala's black feather travel gown for the entirety of the film. Sabé also wears Queen Amidala's Battle-Dress combat uniform for the latter battle stages of the film.

Sabé performs both her duties to the Queen and as the Queen's decoy extremely well, seeming to fool even those who spend a great deal of time with her. She is an excellent shot with a blaster and is greatly skilled in mimickry. Sabé has excellent combat skills, learned from her mentor, Captain Panaka, chief of Naboo's Security Defence Forces. Sabé was also trained to impersonate Queen Amidala's voice patterns and her mannerisms perfectly. Sabé and Padmé have also developed together a discreet communication system between themselves, for circumstances when Sabé requires approval or coaching from her mistress in difficult situations.

It is known, despite the elaborate makeup and clothing, that Sabé did "not" fool the two Jedi sent to protect Queen Amidala. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi realised the decoy plan was in action and observed it to preserve the illusion, aiding the protection of the real Queen Amidala. On the planet Tatooine, Qui-Gon Jinn even played with this deceit whilst he and "Handmaiden Padmé" were aiding the young Anakin Skywalker in the completion of Anakins pod racer. Jedi Knights and Padawan-Learners are able to "feel" a person's true personality within the The Force, thus revealing the true Queen Amidala's personality and that of her loyal handmaiden/decoy, Sabé.

Later, in The Phantom Menace, when Queen Amidala decides to approach Boss Nass, leader of the Gungans for aid against the Federation, she has Sabé solicit their help, dressed in the Queens Battle Dress to aid the illusion. Sabé, despite her ability to imitate her mistress, lacks Amidala's political finesse and statecraft, forcing the true Queen to reveal her identity and duplicity at last in order to gain the Gungans' support.

In the Second Battle of Naboo, Sabé continues her role as decoy, still dressed in the battle clothes of the Queen while Padmé Amidala is dressed in the battle clothes of a handmaiden. It is thanks to this planning that the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, Nute Gunray, is fooled into believing that the young woman he had captive (who was indeed the true Queen) was a decoy. Through this, Amidala and her guards were able to capture the Viceroy.

Sabé is seen as herself again in the celebration after the battle of Naboo, dressed in a green hooded cloak, beside Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sabé served as one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens throughout Queen Amidala's maximum eight-year long term (two four-year terms), retiring from her duties as handmaiden in 24BBY at the end of Queen Amidala's reign. Sabé's future thereafter is unclear and purely speculative.

Sabé is portrayed in The Phantom Menace by Keira Knightley, although she is credited as "Kiera" Knightley", the actress' birth-name. (Changed from 'Kiera' to 'Keira' for pronunciation reasons in the U.S.)

;Keira Knightley (on the role of 'Sabé')"Quoted from "Loyal Decoy: A Sabé Shrine"

"The problem for me was that by being in the film the magic was broken. I loved the first Star Wars film and my mum was really into it too, that's why I took the part. But the Force wasn't there when we were filming it, and they didn't have real light sabres, which annoyed me."

"I hate to say it, but I was only on it for about three weeks. I have two memories. One was when I fell off the back of a golf buggy that Ewan McGregor was on, and to this day, I can't look at him without being embarrassed, because all I was wearing was a bathrobe, some tights, and some knickers, and I literally went flying with my legs over my head and everything on display! I've met him a number of times since, and he doesn't even remember! I also remember how uncomfortable it was, because those costumes are so difficult. But it was a very valuable experience because I was really sort of chucked into the deep end and forced to work on this epic scale film with blue screen, and green screen, and all that. It's quite a skill to be able to act against those things, when there's nothing really there. My hat goes off to all those guys who had big parts and were acting opposite a blue or green screen. You have to really concentrate."

Also (from nj.com): " By 12 - I did 'Star Wars' which was - a really good learning experience."

Natalie Portman had already been cast as Queen Amidala in the prequel "The Phantom Menace"; now George Lucas decided he needed another actress as well to play Sabe, the decoy. Knightley remembers her brother was thrilled to visit the set ("He kept going, 'Dum-dum-da-dum, dum-da-dum, dum-da-dum'); she was less enthralled.

"We didn't have scripts, and I was dressed like Natalie Portman and I didn't know why, so that was interesting," she says, making a face. "I've only seen it once, I still have no idea what that character was. I was completely confused."

Luckily, though, her character was supposed to be a bit confused.

"She was? Marvelous," she says happily. "All right then, my confusion was intentional. It was a complete and conscious character choice. That's what I'll say from now on, anyway."

;External links
*
* [http://schala.net/sabe/updates.html Loyal Decoy: A Sabé Shrine]

aché

Saché is one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens. She and her fellow handmaiden Yané were left behind on Naboo with Governor Sio Bibble while Amidala, Sabé, Rabé, and Eirtaé departed for Coruscant with Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Saché is the eldest of Amidala's handmaidens. Yané is the youngest of Amidala's five handmaidens. Both girls were chosen by the Queen to remain on Naboo to assist Governor Sio Bibble at first, but after his capture by the Trade Federation, the handmaidens went on to assist the underground resistance movement in the city of Theed.

Saché is the only recognizable handmaiden at Qui-Gon Jinn's funeral and is the only handmaiden that did not attend the Celebration Parade.

Saché is portrayed in "The Phantom Menace" by Sofia Coppola.

Versé

Versé was a handmaiden to Padmé Amidala, former Queen and Senator of Naboo, but beyond that, nothing is known about her background. She was killed at the beginning of "" during an assassination attempt on Amidala. Her fellow handmaiden, Cordé, was also killed in the blast.

Versé was portrayed by an uncredited actress, and she is subtly seen onscreen.

Yané

Yané is the youngest of Queen Amidala's handmaidens. She was left behind on Naboo, along with her fellow handmaiden Saché and Governor Sio Bibble while the Queen and handmaidens Sabé, Rabé, and Eirtaé escaped with the aid of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.

What happened to Yané during the Trade Federation Occupation is known, she and Saché were with Governor Bibble and he himself was captured. Yané and Saché escaped and fled into Theed to assist the formation of a resistance movement, which later helped take back the city of Theed.

Yané was reunited with Queen Amidala and her fellow handmaidens after the Battle of Naboo and attended both Jinn's funeral and the Celebration Parade.

She is portrayed by model/actress Candice Orwell.

Brianna

In the Star Wars Expanded Universe video game, Brianna joins the party of the Jedi Exile. At first, her real name is not known, but the Ebon Hawk's Crew refers to her as "handmaiden." She is a servant to Atris.

She sneaks onboard the Ebon Hawk when the Exile arrives at Telos for the first time, hijacks the ship and flies it to the hidden Jedi Enclave on Telos, capturing the droid T3-M4 with it. She was ordered by Atris to keep an eye on the Exile, as well as reporting to the Jedi Master immediately should the Exile fall to the Dark Side. She reveals herself on the Ebon Hawk when T3-M4 starts playing back the hologram of the Exile being expelled from the Jedi Order.

Despite being wary of the Exile, the Exile befriends Brianna, and they start building a close friendship (or becoming romantic should the Exile be male). Although she looks identical to all of the other Handmaidens on Telos, she still honours her mother, by sharing similarities to her in physical appearance (this becomes more apparent when Brianna wears her mother's Jedi Robes).

During the time of the Exile's journey, Brianna eventually confesses to the Exile that she had always wanted to be trained in the ways of the force, and become a Jedi. Atris become aware of this, and betrayed Brianna to her own Handmaiden Sisters. When Kreia later confronts Atris about her fall to the dark side, Brianna is confronted by her own sisters, and is forced to face them. Being strong in the force, and combining her own Echani skills with those of the Jedi, she killed all the Handmaidens with relative ease.

;External links
* [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Brianna Brianna on wookieepedia]

Dané

There is also officially a red-haired, green-eyed Royal Naboo handmaiden called Dané. She was born in 46BBY and is the same age as Amidala and Sabé. Like her colleague Sabé, she was trained by Captain Panaka with enhanced combat skills. She only appeared in a role-playing game called (by author Bill Slavicsek and published by Wizards of the Coast) and she is not well known. Dané is seen wearing the dark red battledress of a handmaiden in the game. Like Saché and Yané, she helped the Theed resistance movement in 32BBY to defeat the Trade Federation occupation.

External Links

Link to Dané on Wookieepedia: [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dan%C3%A9]