The Perpetuus was a red-and-white CSS-1 Corellian Star Shuttle that was used by the Galactic Republic. In 32 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and the Jedi High Council used the transport to travel from the Republic capital Coruscant to the planet Naboo after the Battle of Naboo had concluded.
Description[]
The Perpetuus was a CSS-1 Corellian Star Shuttle with a red-and-white hull,[1] the red showing the ship's diplomatic immunity as the color of ambassadorial relations and neutrality for spacecraft of the Galactic Republic, with the full-red scheme showing that the vessel had come from the Republic's capital, Coruscant.[4] The transport was equipped with three ion engines and a Class 1.5 hyperdrive and could travel at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour (497 miles per hour).[1]
Measuring eighty meters (262 feet, 5 inches) in length, the unarmed vessel had a heavily armored exterior, unusually strong deflector shields, and narrow viewing windows at the front for security. The Perpetuus could carry up to two hundred passengers and included impressive meeting rooms and space for three years worth of supplies.[1]
History[]
Manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, the Perpetuus was used by the Galactic Republic toward the end of its reign.[1] In 32 BBY,[5] the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and the members of the Jedi High Council traveled from Coruscant[6] to Palpatine's homeworld of Naboo on the transport[1] for celebrations and a series of memorials[6] shortly after the planet's inhabitants had defeated Trade Federation forces that had occupied the world.[3]
Upon arriving above Naboo's capital of Theed, the shuttle hovered above the city at a vantage point where Palpatine could admire the city's unified, harmonious style.[7] The Perpetuus then landed in a courtyard outside the Theed Hangar[2] where a local delegation awaited it with the captive Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray and his subordinate Rune Haako. Once the transport's boarding ramp had lowered, Palpatine disembarked with a contingent of Senate Guard, followed by the High Council. Captain Quarsh Panaka and the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi then led Gunray and Haako to the base of the ship's ramp, waiting for the passengers to leave the ramp[3] before taking the prisoners on board to be taken to Coruscant,[2] where they would answer for their crimes before the Galactic Senate. Palpatine and the Jedi then greeted those waiting for them.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
The Perpetuus appeared in the 1999 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.[3] A model of the ship was created,[8] and the scene after it has landed was filmed during planned pickup shots at Leavesden Studios in 1998.[9] In the current Star Wars canon, the vessel was identified in the 2018 reference book Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles, which was written by Landry Q. Walker.[1]
Daniel Wallace originally created the name between 1999 and 2000 for use in the Star Wars Legends reference book The Essential Guide to Episode I; however, the work was canceled before its release.[10] The name Perpetuus was then published for the first time in the 2012 Legends reference book Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary, which was written by David West Reynolds and Jason Fry.[11] Perpetuus is a Latin adjective meaning "continual" or "uninterupted."[12]
Episode I's script describes the Perpetuus as "the large, grand cruiser of the Supreme Chancellor" and establishes that Grunay and Haako are taken on board despite this not being visible in the film.[9] "The Crisis on Naboo," an entry in De Agostini's Star Wars Encyclopedia series[6] released on August 10, 2021,[13] contradicts this and erroneously states that Gunray and Haako traveled on a separate, less luxurious prison shuttle.[6]
Appearances[]
- Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special 1
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (First appearance)
- The Phantom Menace - The Film Novel
- The Skywalker Saga
- Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy – A Graphic Novel
- "The Final Fight" — The Prequel Trilogy Stories
Sources[]
- Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles (First identified as Perpetuus)
- "The Crisis on Naboo" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Phantom Menace - The Film Novel
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace to 32 BBY.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "The Crisis on Naboo" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑ Star Wars: Complete Locations
- ↑ Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide
- ↑ "Lostwords: The Essential Guide to Episode I" — Continuity, Criticisms, and Captain Panaka — Daniel Wallace's StarWars.com Blog (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary
- ↑ Perpetuity on www.merriam-webster.com (archived from the original on February 5, 2023)
- ↑ Star Wars Encyclopedia on De Agostini's official Spain website (backup link)