naboo starfighter
The Naboo starfighter is actually more of a light duty escort fighter. It’s primary role is escorting the queen on her diplomatic travels. While highly maneuverable, it is under-armored and equipped with relatively light weapons. It has only a single torpedo launcher and two light laser cannons. Anakin Skywalker was in the cockpit of this ship when he found himself in his first space battle. He managed to destroy the Trade Federation’s droid control ship with some well placed torpedoes to save the day.
On the way to the world premiere of The Phantom Menace, my mother challenged me to create a figure from the movie we’d waited 16 years to see. Like any true origami artist, I never go anywhere without paper to fold. Within the hour, I came up with the Naboo starfighter. It’s uncommon for me to design figures this quickly but sometimes I just get lucky. This time I was doubly lucky. Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) was also at the after-party for the world premiere.
Once I saw Jake there, I just had to give him the starfighter. He had several (huge) bodyguards around him. I cautiously approached one and asked if I could give Mr. Lloyd the figure. To my astonishment, I was granted an audience. Jake seemed very impressed with my fighter, which pleased me to no end. Unfortunately, I gave him the only one I had made and by the time I got home that night I couldn’t remember exactly how I’d done it. The re-creation is better than the original (as I remember it) because I used the back side of the paper to “color” the cockpit. So Jake, if you’re reading this, and you’d like the new and improved starfighter, drop me a line.
