Antidar Williams

For other uses, see Williams.

"Captain, look!"
"Shields up!"

―Antidar Williams's and Maoi Madakor's last words — 20?cb=20250116042720

Antidar Williams was a human officer of the Judicial Forces of the Galactic Republic, training at the Judicial Academy on the planet Coruscant. Between 40 BBY and 34 BBY, Williams and Captain Maoi Madakor piloted a Consular-class space cruiser while transporting the Jedi Yoda and Vetna Mooncrest to the moon Veeros so that they could investigate experiments taking place there.

In 32 BBY, he and Madakor piloted the cruiser Radiant VII while transporting two Jedi ambassadors—Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi—to the Naboo system in order to negotiate an end to the Trade Federation's blockade of the planet Naboo. After docking on the Federation flagship, the Saak'ak, Williams and Madakor waited aboard the Radiant VII but were killed when the cruiser was ambushed and destroyed by a ceiling-mounted droid laser turret on the orders of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

Biography

Judicial officer and pilot

"Well… we're on the south side of the palace. Solar activity seems to be hiding our approach."
"Excellent, Captain Madakor. Now… lower the ship."

―Maoi Madakor and Yoda^[4]

Antidar Williams was a human male^[2] from the planet Barkhesh who served as an officer of the Galactic Republic's Judicial Department. After receiving military training at the Judicial Academy on the planet Coruscant, capital of the Republic, Williams and other Judicials worked together with the Galactic Senate's Diplomatic Corps and the Jedi Order's Council of Reconciliation to maintain peace in the galaxy.^[1]

Williams and Madakor transported Yoda and Vetna Mooncrest to Veeros.

Between 40 BBY and 34 BBY,^[5] Williams and Captain Maoi Madakor co-piloted a Consular-class space cruiser used to transport the Jedi Yoda and Vetna Mooncrest to the remote moon Veeros when they were dispatched to investigate dark experiments reported to be happening there. They landed the cruiser at the palace of the moon's leader and sole inhabitant, Atha Prime, where the Jedi disembarked. Yoda and Mooncrest found nothing at the palace and so soon departed in the cruiser again; however, they suspected that the experiments they sought were being hidden and so returned several hours later south side of the palace.^[4]

Madakor reported to the Jedi in the cruiser's cockpit that solar activity was covering their approach, and he ordered the two pilots to lower the ship closer to the moon's surface, allowing the Jedi to leap out. Yoda and Mooncrest then discovered a horde of xerexi that Prime had created and fought them, although Prime himself escaped from the moon. Yoda and Mooncrest then returned to the cruiser and left Veeros as other Jedi eliminated the remaining xerexi there.^[4]

Collateral damage

"The chancellor should never have brought them into this. Kill them immediately."
"Yes. Yes, my lord, uh, as you wish."

―Darth Sidious orders Nute Gunray to kill the Jedi, leading to Antidar Williams's death — 20?cb=20250116042720

▶️ (file info)^[3]

Antidar Williams piloted the Radiant VII. — Antidar Williams piloted the *Radiant VII*.

In 32 BBY,^[6] he was chosen to co-pilot the Diplomatic Corps Consular-class space cruiser Radiant VII alongside Madakor^[1] while transporting Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to the Naboo system. The two Jedi were acting as ambassadors on behalf of Republic Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum in the hopes of negotiating an end to the Trade Federation's blockade of the planet Naboo.^[3] Upon reaching the blockade, the Radiant VII docked in one of the main hangars aboard the Trade Federation flagship, the Saak'ak.^[1]

Williams and Madakor remained in the cruiser's cockpit while the Jedi left to meet with Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. Learning that the Jedi had been sent to negotiate, Gunray contacted his master, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who ordered him to kill the Republic party.^[3]

Williams was killed in the destruction of the Radiant VII. — Williams was killed in the destruction of the *Radiant VII*.

Under Gunray's orders, a droid laser turret descended from the ceiling in the hangar where the Radiant VII was parked and opened fire on the vessel. Williams^[3] immediately^[1] saw the attack coming and tried to warn Madakor, who ordered him to activate the cruiser's shields, but it was too late,^[3] and both were instantly killed as the cruiser exploded.^[1] The Jedi were able to avoid the Federation's attempt on their lives and escaped the Saak'ak, ultimately helping to defeat the Federation after it invaded Naboo.^[3]

Personality and traits

Antidar Williams had black hair, brown eyes, and light skin. He spoke with an aristocratic accent^[3] and stood 1.93 meters tall.^[1]

Equipment

While on the Radiant VII, Williams wore a blue Judicial Forces uniform^[3] and was unarmed.^[1]

Behind the scenes

"But I said to Robin, 'I would really like to appear in the film at some point so people could see my face,' and when the Jedi's pilot came up, they offered it to me."

―Silas Carson, on getting the role of Antidar Williams^[7]

As Nute Gunray, Silas Carson was responsible for the death of Antidar Williams, whom he also portrayed.

Antidar Williams was created for the 1999 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, in which he was played by Silas Carson.^[3] Although Carson initially auditioned for a separate, slightly more prominent pilot role that ended up not making it into the film,^[7] casting director Robin Gurland enjoyed the interview with him and so mentioned him to director George Lucas. Deciding that Carson looked like an interesting person, Lucas had him come back in for animatics^[8] and then gave him the part of the Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi instead.^[7]

Carson was later also given the roles of Nute Gunray and Senator Lott Dod, both of which, along with Mundi, required him to wear prosthetics that covered his face. Carson mentioned to Gurland that he would like for his actual face to appear in the film, so when it came time to cast Williams, Gurland asked him if he would like the role.^[7] All of the scenes in the cockpit of the Radiant VII were filmed on September 8, 1997.^[9]

Naming

"I tried numerous ways of getting my own name or one of my nicknames in there, but in the end they didn't look right and were kind of an ego-trip anyway."

―Ian Tapley, on naming Antidar Williams^[10]

Antidar Williams's first name is an anagram of his ship, the Radiant VII. — Antidar Williams's first name is an anagram of his ship, the *Radiant VII*.

The Antidar Williams character was first given a name in the new Star Wars canon by the mobile card game Star Wars: Force Collection,^[2] which initially launched in 2013. Although the launch of Force Collection predates^[11] the Star Wars canon reset of 2014,^[12] Lucasfilm Story Group member Leland Chee confirmed that the game was kept updated to fit with canon.^[13]

In Star Wars Legends, Williams appeared prior to the film's release in the novelization of The Phantom Menace, written by Terry Brooks.^[14] The character was originally given a surname by the Coruscant Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game in 2001.^[15] The forename "Antidar" was then created by fan Ian Tapley for the "What's The Story?" feature on StarWars.com. Tapley initially wanted the character's first name to be a tuckerization of his own name or one of his nicknames, but after being unable to come up with a satisfying result, he settled for an anagram of "radiant"—a reference to Williams's ship, the Radiant VII.^[10]