The Invasion of Naboo was an event that took place 32 years before the events of . The Invasion began as a blockade around the planet, with Nute Gunray taking charge of the fleet, this blockade was set up in order to protest the taxation of trade routes by the new republic, however the real intention of the blockade was to stage a droid invasion of the planet so that Senator Palpatine (who was secretly controlling Nute Gunray as Darth Sidious) could gain sympathy in the Galactic Senate. After the Blockade was set up, the trade federation began sending Battle Droids down to the planets surface. This event was seen throughout .