The Phantom Menace: Crossing the Finish Line

The conclusion of the pod race
See comments section for our thoughts.

Script copyright George Lucas
Script excerpted from this site:
http://www.supershadow.com/star_wars/episode_1/the_phantom_menace/script.html




Lap two. SEBULBA and the pack race past the main arena. The
crowd stands and YELLS as the Podracers scream off into the
distance. QUI-GON and PADME look worried.

JAR JAR
He musta crash-ud.

PADME
Here he comes!

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - PIT AREA - DAY (FX)

ARTOO lets out an excited whistle, as KITSTER yells.

THREEPIO : He has to complete two more circuits? Oh dear!

EXT. MOS ESPA - RACETRACK - DAY (FX)

Sure enough, coming around the bend is ANAKIN, quickly gaining
on the pack.

The two-headed announcer describes the action. The crowd
goes wild.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : It looks like Skywalker is moving
up through the field. He's in...
A : Steeth pa nagoola!
(Sixth place, not bad.)

ANAKIN continues to gain on the pack. Tension for SHMI and
PADME is unbearable.

ODY stops in the pits. Droids work on his engines. DUM-4
stands in front of the engine and is sucked in, causing the
engine to die. DUM-4 is spit out the back of the engine,
very bent up. The engine lets out one final wheeze, then
EXPLODES in a puff of smoke.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
A : Ody Mandrell! Coona wa wunda
dunko!
(Ody Mandrell into the pits for some
attention.)


ODY
Droids!

TERTER is getting close to SEBULBA, who purposely breaks a
small part off his Pod, sending it into Terter's engine,
causing him to veer into ANAKIN, and unhooks one of the main
straps on Anakin's engines that links the Pod to his engines.
ANAKIN struggles to keep control of the little Pod. It whips
about wildly.

As the Pod swings near the broken engine strap, ANAKIN grabs
for it.

Finally, he catches the strap and manages to unhook it to
the Pod.

SEBULBA cuts the engine of OBITOKI with his side exhaust,
and the racer crashes with a cloud of dust. A THIRD RACER,
HABBA, flie into the cloud of dust and crashes into OBITOKI.
ANAKIN rounds a corner and heads into the cloud of smoke. He
hits a part of one of the engines but regains control.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B :At the start of the third and
final lap, Sebulba is in the lead,
closely followed by Skywalker...

ANAKIN finally catches up with SEBULBA, and runs neck and
neck over the rough terrain. JAR JAR, QUI-GON, SHMI, and
PADME all SCREAM s ANAKIN comes through the arena. The lights
in the tower indicate that this is the third and last lap.
WATTO begins to worry.

SEBULBA uses his side exhaust port to try to cut through
Anakin's engines.

ANAKIN manages to avoid having his engine disabled but is
forced off course.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : Skywalker is forced onto the
service ramp!
A : Oh noah!

On a tight corner, ANAKIN dives to the inside and takes the
lead.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : Amazing... a controlled thrust
and he's back on course! What a move!

SEBULBA is furious. He stay's right on Anakin's tail, crowding
him and pushing him through the turns.

SEBULBA pushes ANAKIN harder, and the young boy has a
difficult time keeping control. One of the parts on Anakin's
engines begins to shake loose. ANAKIN sees it and switches
over to an auxiliary system. While he is trying to accomplish
this maneuver, SEBULBA races past him.

ANAKIN tries to get around SEBULBA, to no avail. Every move
ANAKIN makes, SEBULBA is able to block.

Finally, ANAKIN fakes a move into the inside as he usually
does, then tries to go around SEBULBA on the outside. They
race sid by side down the final stretch of the track.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : He's catching Sebulba.
A : Inkabunga.
(Incredible!)

SEBULBA veers toward ANAKIN and bangs into his Pod. He crashes
into ANAKIN over and over. The young boy struggles to maintain
control as the steering rods on the two Pods become hooked
together. SEBULBA laughs at ANAKIN.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : That little human being is out
of his mind.
A : Punda tah punda!
(They're neck and neck!)
B : They're side by side!
A : Bongo du bongu!
(Shoulder to shoulder!)

As they head for the final stretch, ANAKIN fights to unlock
the steering rods by trying to pull away from SEBULBA. The
strain on the steering rod is tremendous. Suddenly, ANAKIN's
steering arm breaks, and his Pos starts spinning.

The release of tension sends SEBULBA into an ancient statue.
One engine EXPLODES, then the other. SEBULBA skids through
the fire-balls, blackened, but unhurt. He slides to a smoking
stop, gets out of his racer, and throws what's left of a
shifter arm on the ground. Suddenly he realizes his pants
are on fire, and he struggles to put them out. ANAKIN flies
through the EXPLOSION as the crowd stands, CHERRING. PADME
and JAR JAR jump up and down with excitment, PADME screaming
for joy. ARTOO and KITSTER whistle hysterically. QUI-GON and
SHMI smile. ANAKIN races over the finish line, the winner.

INT. MOS ESPA - ARENA ANNOUNCERS BOX - DAY (FX)

The two-headed announcer excitedly calls the finish.

FODE/BEED
B : It's Skywalker! The crowd are
going nuts! Oh Ah Oh Ah (rock head
in tandem with partner)