Nooroyo was a spice-producing jungle planet that was part of the Confederacy of Independent Systems at the beginning of the Clone Wars between it and the Galactic Republic. In 22 BBY, Queen Jamillia of the Mid Rim planet Naboo asked Senator Padmé Amidala to retrieve a group of Naboo Torada Collective artists who were residing in an artist commune on Nooroyo. At the same time, the Trade Federation's Viceroy Nute Gunray and stakeholder Oje N'deeb visited the planet for spice trade negotiations.

Amidala and the Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker traveled to Nooroyo and met the commune's owner, Celena, who brought them to one of the artists they sought—the man Kharl. Kharl expressed the group's reluctance to leave their chosen home, explaining his own reasons for living on the world. After recognizing Amidala as Naboo's former queen, he informed her of Gunray's presence on Nooroyo, which posed a danger for her. Kharl brought the artist Antraya—Jamillia's sister—to them, and the latter accompanied Amidala and Skywalker in hastily departing the planet and returning to Naboo.

Description[]

Nooroyo was a terrestrial planet that orbited a sun and had at least two moons. It lay at a distance of less than a day's travel through hyperspace from^[1] the Mid Rim^[3] planet Naboo.^[1] The world featured a Type I atmosphere^[2] breathable to several species, including humans. Its temperate climate fostered the growth of lush, biodiverse green jungles. At least one portion of the world was warmer than others, and several gardens were maintained in this area that housed vibrantly-colored, scented flowers. Nooroyo's terrain also featured rocky beaches and at least one wide, rushing river. Deposits of spice could also be found on the planet.^[1]

History[]

Artist's commune[]

During the reign of the Galactic Republic, Nooroyo was a spice-producing planet. The woman Celena established an anti-violence artist commune on the planet in which artists adopted a peaceful lifestyle and maintained gardens. For some time, they did not register most starships entering the world's airspace, and the Mid Rim planet Naboo's former queen Padmé Amidala considered them welcoming, even in comparison to the hospitable Chommell sector planet Karlinus.^[1]

At some point, five Torada Collective Naboo artists—including the man Kharl and the woman Antraya, who was the sister of Naboo's incumbent queen, Jamillia—left their homeworld to join the commune. On Nooroyo, the Naboo artists integrated into the commune under Celena's leadership and formed an attachment to their newfound home. Additionally, Kharl began imbibing medical-grade spice to alleviate the pain caused by a chronic medical condition he suffered from, having been unable to acquire the substance on Naboo due to the world's spice laws.^[1]

Outbreak of war[]

Following the start of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems^[1] in 22 BBY,^[3] Nooroyo fell within the borders of the latter's territory. Jamillia and the parents of the five Naboo artists living on the planet worried for their safety due to the onset of the conflict, prompting the queen to ask Amidala—by then a Republic senator—to bring them back to Naboo. Amidala departed Naboo in her Nubian yacht with her secret paramour, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker, and traveled to the Nooroyo coordinates Jamillia had given her. Unbeknownst to the senator, at least two individuals affiliated with the Trade Federation—Viceroy Nute Gunray and the stakeholder Oje N'deeb—were present on Nooroyo at the same time, negotiating trade in the world's spice.^[1]

After arriving in Nooroyo's atmosphere, a primary landing control employee hailed their vessel, and after Amidala explained the reason for their visit, the employee gave them a flight path. As the pair continued their approach, the landing control sent a scanning team to investigate their vessel. Celena escorted Amidala and Skywalker into her commune after they landed, telling them about the group's way of life as the pair admired the verdant gardens within the artists' compound.^[1]

Kharl met with the pair and insisted that Nooroyo was now their home, expounding on his own personal reason for living on the world—to acquire medicinal spice to deal with chronic pain. After the man spoke with Amidala further, he panicked upon realizing who she was and informed her of Gunray's presence on the world, which put her in danger due to the Neimoidian's several attempts on her life over the past decade. As Amidala and Skywalker fled back to their starship, Kharl left and then returned with a reluctant Antraya, with the latter having agreed to flee Nooroyo. Though their starship had been scanned before their departure, it managed to jump to hyperspace without incident and safely deliver Antraya to Jamillia on Naboo afterward. Some time later, N'deeb spoke with Amidala via hologram and noted that they had almost been on Nooroyo at the same time not long before.^[1]

Inhabitants[]

By the time of the Clone Wars, a number of humans lived on Nooroyo, including Celena, Antraya, Kharl, and at least three others. While residing in their artist commune, Celena and those living in her houses sought to live a peaceful lifestyle centered around gardening, artistry, and passing their skills on to others. Additionally, at least one worker serving the Nooroyo primary landing control and several children lived on the world. Residents on the world spoke Galactic Basic.^[1]

Locations[]

During the Republic Era, an artist commune led by Celena operated on Nooroyo, north of Nooro-City. The commune consisted of lush, well-maintained gardens near a river, coupled with several houses to provide living quarters for the residents there.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Nooroyo appeared in Queen's Hope,^[1] a 2022 young-adult novel written by E. K. Johnston.^[4]

Appearances[]

• Queen's Hope (First appearance, simultaneous with audiobook)
• Queen's Hope audiobook

Notes and references[]