Synopsis:
Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The
taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in
dispute.
Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly
battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all
shipping to the small planet of Naboo.
While the congress of the Republic endlessly debates
this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor
has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians
of peace and justice in the galaxy, to settle the
conflict...
A trade dispute between the Trade Federation and the
outlying systems of the Galactic Republic has led to a
blockade of the small planet of Naboo. Supreme
Chancellor Finis Valorum, leader of the Galactic Senate,
has secretly dispatched two Jedi, Master Qui-Gon Jinn
and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to resolve the dispute.
Unknown to them, the Trade Federation is in league with
the mysterious Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who
secretly orders the Trade Federation to invade Naboo and
kill the two Jedi upon their arrival. The two Jedi
escape the assassination attempt and stow themselves
aboard Federation landing craft leaving for the invasion
of Naboo.
On the planet's surface, Qui-Gon saves the live of a
native Gungan outcast Jar Jar Binks. In gratitude Jar
Jar shows the two Jedi the way to an underwater Gungan
settlement thus escaping the Trade Federation armies.
Meanwhile, the Trade Federation successfully invade
Naboo and capture their leader, Queen Padmé Amidala.
The Jedi meet the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, and ask him
to help the people of Naboo, but Nass refuses and
dismisses them. The Jedi, with Binks in tow, reach Theed,
the capital city of Naboo and rescue Queen Amidala from
the Trade Defence Force. They depart for Coruscant to
ask for help from the Senate. An astromech droid named
R2-D2 manages to repair the Queen's starship and they
narrowly escape an attack from Federation battleships.
Due to the damage the ship's hyperdrive sustained in the
attack, the Queen's party is forced to land on the
desert planet of Tatooine for repairs. While searching
for a new hyperdrive generator, they befriend young
Anakin Skywalker, a slave boy, whose master is Watto, a
Toydarian junk dealer.
Anakin is gifted with piloting and mechanics, and has
built an almost-complete droid named C-3PO. Qui-Gon Jinn
senses a strong presence of the Force in Anakin, and
feels that he may be the Chosen One who will fulfil a
prophecy by bringing balance to the Force. By entering
Anakin into a podrace, Qui-Gon orchestrates a gamble in
which the boy will be released from slavery and they
will win the parts needed for their ship. Anakin wins
the race, the spaceship parts and his freedom but cannot
take his mother who must remain in bondage to Watto. The
Jedi with Queen Amidala and Anakin prepare to take of
for Coruscant, where Qui-Gon plans to seek permission
from the Jedi High Council to train Anakin to be a Jedi.
Meanwhile, Darth Sidious sends his apprentice, Darth
Maul, to kill the two Jedi and capture the Queen. Maul
appears just as the group is leaving the planet, and
duels with Qui-Gon. The fight is cut short when Qui-Gon
manages to escape his black-robed assailant by jumping
onboard the starship as it takes off.
On Coruscant, Qui-Gon informs the Jedi Council of the
mysterious attacker he encountered on Tatooine. Because
of that being's obvious mastery of the Jedi arts, the
Council becomes concerned that this development may
indicate the reappearance of the Sith, a religious order
who were followers of the dark side of the Force and
thought to be long gone. Qui-Gon also informs the
Council about Anakin, hoping that he can be trained as a
Jedi. After testing the boy and deliberating with one
another, the Council refuses, deeming him too old for
training according to the Jedi Code. They are also
concerned due to their sense a seemingly clouded future
and a strong presence of fear in the boy. Meanwhile the
Senator for Naboo, Palpatine, warning of the corruption
in the Senate, advises Queen Amidala to call for a vote
of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum. Seeing no
alternative, the Queen takes this advice when she
addresses the Senate. Palpatine is among the candidates
to replace the Supreme Chancellor, and the Queen later
announces to Palpatine that she herself will return to
their home planet to repel the invasion of her people.
She is frustrated by the Senate's deliberation and lack
of action, and feels that even if Palpatine is elected
Chancellor, it will be too late. The Jedi Council send
the two Jedi to accompany the Queen back to Naboo,
hoping to shed light on any Sith involvement.
Back on Naboo Queen Amidala forms an alliance with the
Gungan people, uniting in battle against the Trade
Federation. On the grassy plains of Naboo the Gungan
army faces the Trade Federation droid army, however for
the Gungan army to succeed, the Naboo defence force will
have to destroy the orbiting droid command spaceship
while the Jedi, Amidala and her Royal Guard capture the
Trade Federation leader, Nute Gunray. But as the Jedi,
Amidala and soldiers fight to retake their spacecraft
and the Royal Palace they are confronted by Darth Maul.
Splitting their forces, the pilots take their spacecraft
into combat against the Trade Federation spaceships, the
Queen and Royal Guard make for the throneroom and Gunray,
and the Jedi will engage Maul.
In space although the Naboo pilots face overwhelming
numbers of droid fighters, victory comes when Anakin
accidentally takes control of a starfighter and goes on
to destroy the Federation's Droid Control Ship,
rendering the planetside droid army useless. Meanwhile,
Queen Amidala and her force successfully fight their way
back into the royal palace and capture Nute Gunray.
At the same time, in a Theed hangar bay, Darth Maul has
been engaging in combat with the two Jedi, using a
double-bladed lightsaber. The battle moves from the
hangar, across a series of catwalks, to the Theed
Generator Complex. During the fight, Obi-Wan is
separated from his master and by the time he recovers
himself he discovers that Qui-Gon and Maul have also
become separated by a force field in the entrance to the
Generator Room. Obi-Wan catches up to them, but is
cut-off from his master by several force fields. When
the force fields deactivate, Jinn and the Sith continue
their battle while Kenobi remains divided from the
battle when the force fields reactivate. Maul suddenly
rams his lightsaber straight into Qui-Gon's chest,
mortally wounding him. Enraged, Obi-Wan redoubles his
assault upon Darth Maul and chops Maul's lightsaber in
half, but the Sith almost kills Kenobi when he Force
pushes him to the edge of a melting pit. Obi-Wan saves
himself from falling when he manages to grab onto a pipe
protruding from the wall of the pit. Darth Maul kicks
the Jedi's lightsaber into the pit and prepares to
finish him off. The Padawan calms himself, using the
Force to jump out of the pit and summons his fallen
Master's lightsaber to his hand. Within an instant he
lands behind the surprised Maul and cuts him in half,
the Sith's body falling into the pit.
Just before passing away, Qui-Gon instructs Obi-Wan to
train Anakin to become a Jedi. Obi-Wan gives his word
that he will. The newly-elected Chancellor Palpatine
arrives to congratulate Queen Amidala on her victory, as
Nute Gunray is sent to stand trial for his crimes.
After the battle, the Jedi Council names Obi-Wan a Jedi
Knight. Kenobi conveys his Master's wish regarding
Anakin Skywalker to Yoda, who reluctantly allows him to
become Obi-Wan's apprentice. Qui-Gon's body is cremated,
and Mace Windu and Yoda agree that the Sith are
definitely to blame for the tragedy. Being that there
are only ever two Sith at any given time (a Master and
an apprentice), both Masters believe that one must still
remain.
The Naboo and Gungans organize a great victory
celebration on the streets of Theed, in front on the
palace. Obi-Wan and Anakin are present, the younger now
wearing in his hair a special braid: the mark of a Jedi
Padawan. Queen Amidala presents a gift of appreciation
and friendship to Boss Nass and the Gungan people.
|