Released in 2000, the Gungan Submarine was the follow-up to 1999’s Naboo Starfighter. The submarine appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace during Qui-Gon and Obi-wan’s journey through the watery core of Naboo. It’s a powered ornament, with its cockpit, biomechanical tale, and underbelly light illuminated. It doesn’t play any sounds. It’s also the third featured ornament for Ornament-a-Day.
Unlike the sleek and reflect Naboo Starfighter, the Gungan Submarine doesn’t have much going for it save for obscurity. Its grey-green organic-style hull doesn’t stand out against the tree, and its lights aren’t particularly noticeable. It’s a subtle ornament designed to prompt the question “what the heck is that?”.
It’s also remarkably difficult to photograph because it’s so drab (something I just learned when taking photos – lots of photos – for this feature).
Why include it in Ornament-a-Day when it’s not one of my favorites? Well, it is a unique ornament – amidst all the shiny and elegant starships on the tree, it’s an exception. There’s also the nostalgia factor – this ornament may not look it, but it’s 19 years old. It harkens from a time pre-kids, when the prequel movies still held the potential of being just as awesome as the original series. It was a long time ago … in a galaxy very close to home, and it makes me smile every time I hang its tadpole-like form from the Geek Tree.