Teckla Minnau

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Teckla Minnau was a Human female who served as a handmaiden to Queen Kylantha. Born in the city of Parrlay, Minnau grew up with her half-sister, Nandi, and went to a private school in Theed. She was staying there when the Trade Federation invaded the planet, and attacked Theed itself. As the battle raged in the streets, Minnau fled to a nearby marsh village, and stayed there until the planet was liberated, and the Federation driven off.

In the decade following, Minnau and Nandi served Senator Padmé Amidala, and in 22 BBY, would tend to her family residence of Varykino, in the Lake Country. When the Clone Wars broke out later that year, Minnau was sent to Coruscant's Naboo Embassy, where she worked with Amidala's staff, and helped conceal her senator's pregnancy. When Amidala died in 19 BBY, Minnau returned to Naboo, married a writer, and became one of Queen Kylantha's handmaidens.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personality and traits 3 Behind the scenes 4 Appearances 5 Sources 6 Notes and references

[edit] Biography

Teckla Minnau was born in the city of Parrlay, Naboo, to a middle-class merchant family. She grew up with her half-sister Nandi, and they enjoyed a childhood free of incident. The pair of them were eventually sent to Theed, where they went to a private school to be instructed in the ways of hospitality, history, etiquette and the arts. While there, the sisters stayed at the household of their law clerk brother, Rehtul Minnau. In 32 BBY, Theed was attacked by the Trade Federation during the Invasion of Naboo, and as gun battles raged in the streets, Minnau and Nandi accompanied members of the Royal Naboo Security Forces in fleeing to nearby swamps.^[1]

The pair were separated while doing so, and Minnau had to endure bombing runs from the Federation, as well as Single Trooper Aerial Platform patrols, before reaching a marsh village. Staying there, Minnau waited out the rest of the Invasion,^[1] until Naboo was liberated by forces under Queen Amidala and Boss Rugor Nass.^[3] During the victory celebrations, Minnau was reunited with Nandi, and the pair went on to complete their schooling. Within a decade, they were employed as servants of now-Senator Amidala.^[1]

In 22 BBY, when Amidala journeyed to Coruscant to vote on the Military Creation Act,^[2] Minnau and Nandi stayed on Naboo to tend to the the senator's family estate in the Lake Country, Varykino,^[1] where they worked as waitresses.^[4] Some time later, Amidala returned to Naboo with a Jedi Knight bodyguard, Anakin Skywalker, and she decided to stay at Varykino. Minnau and Nandi waited on the pair,^[2] serving hand-picked sliced shuura fruit after their dinner. That year, the Clone Wars broke out, and Minnau was once again separated from Nandi, having to serve on Coruscant at Galactic City's Naboo Embassy as a member of Amidala's staff.^[1]

During the war, Amidala fell pregnant, but the senator did her utmost to keep the fact a secret.^[5] Minnau was one of the few entrusted with the knowledge, and she served as a caretaker and nurse to Amidala. She also did her utmost to keep the pregnancy visually hidden from others.^[1] In 19 BBY, Amidala died, and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine seized power, declaring himself Emperor and forming the Galactic Empire.^[5] As the New Order was ascendant, Minnau returned to Naboo, where she intended to live out the rest of her life. She married an aspiring writer, and in time became a handmaiden to Queen Kylantha.^[1]

[edit] Personality and traits

Minnau was skilled enough in the fields of etiquette and hospitality to be employed by the Royal House of Naboo in several capacities. She was also quite resourceful, as she was able to survive the Invasion of Naboo, despite being in great danger. Minnau was also a discreet being, as she was trusted with the knowledge of Amidala's pregnancy, and she did not betray the information to anyone.^[1]

[edit] Behind the scenes

The character of Teckla was conceived for George Lucas' Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, although she technically made her first apperance in R. A. Salvatore's novelization of that film, in which she was identified. The name of "Teckla" was mentioned Galactic Campaign Guide as an example of a Human female name, and the character was later elaborated upon by Evan Burger, writing as "Shadowcultist," through the StarWars.com Hyperspace feature, "What's the Story?" In creating a surname, "Minnau," for the character, Burger wrote the character of "Rethul Minnau" into his entry. The name "Rethul Minnau" was not canon, but instead was a name that Nathan Hamill had come up with for the character he cameoed as in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.^[6]

[edit] Appearances

• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novel (First appearance)

[edit] Sources

• Galactic Campaign Guide
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
•  Naboo lake retreat in the Databank
•  Teckla in the Databank (First identified as Minnau)

[edit] Notes and references