Nine year old Anakin Skywalker hand-carves a japor snippet necklace, lacing a length of brown string through the ivory-colored pendant. “I made this for you,” Skywalker says. The boy presents his modest, handmade gift to Padmé aboard the Naboo Royal Starship.
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Both Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala stand at the precipice of critical turning points in their lives. Young Skywalker is leaving his home, his mother, and his previous way of life on Tatooine. He will eventually go to Coruscant and begin Jedi training. Upon joining the Jedi Order and beginning his training, he’s unsure if or when he may ever see Padmé again. At the same time, Padmé is strategizing her response to the Trade Federation’s invasion of her homeworld. Her impending decisions will come to define her reign as Queen of Naboo.
Padmé accepts and carefully inspects the squared hourglass-shaped pendant. “So you’d remember me,” he explains. “I carved it out of a japor snippet. It’ll bring you good fortune.”
The small gift represents Skywalker’s modest means and upbringing on the far flung planet Tatooine, while showcasing his creativity and resourcefulness. The japor snippet necklace also demonstrates his sentimentality and thoughtfulness along with his boyish infatuation with Padmé.
The necklace comes to symbolize an enduring emotional bond between Padmé and Anakin. Years later the bond blossoms into love, a whirlwind forbidden romance, and a secret marriage and pregnancy. Padmé treasures the memento, wearing pendant in private.
After Anakin falls to the dark side, Padmé gives birth to twins whom she names Luke and Leia. A heartbroken Padmé dies for unknown medical reasons. A medical droid claims she’s lost the will to live.
During Padmé’s funeral procession, the japor snippet necklace band is interlaced among her fingers while the pendant drapes across her body.
How Anakin Creates the Japor Snippet Necklace
According to Star Wars Legends, young Anakin Skywalker acquires a piece of japor ivory wood at some point through a trade. The type of wood is found on Tatooine, Skywalker’s desert home planet. In 32 BBY, the boy carves traditional Tatooine sand symbols into the piece to form pendant. He threads a string of jerba leather through a hole cut into the top of the piece in order to complete the necklace.
Real Life Japor Snippet Necklace from Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge offers a Japor Snippet Necklace for purchase at Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. The necklace has a metal chain and measures 24 to 26 inches. The pendant features markings on the front face while the rear of the pendant is blank. Disney released the necklace, a Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge exclusive item, in 2019 for a retail price of $19.99 plus tax. Some sellers on platforms like eBay offer the Galaxy’s Edge Japor Snippet Necklace secondhand.
Behind the Scenes
The japor snippet necklace first appears in the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999).
