The Phantom Menace: Podrace Aftermath

Here's a feelgood scene to set up some upcoming pathos.

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

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - DAY

As ANAKIN stops the Podracer, KISTER turns up, and they
embrace. Hundreds of SPECTATORS join them and put ANAKIN on
their shoulders, marching off, CHEERING AND CHANTING. Darth
Maul's PROBE DROIDS move through the crowd.

INT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - PRIVATE BOX - DAY

Several ALIENS leave Watto's box, laughing and counting their
money. WATTO sees QUI-GON standing in the doorway.

WATTO
You! You swindled me! You knew the
boy was going to win! Somehow you
knew it! I lost everything.

WATTO flies up to QUI-GON and puts his face right up against
QUI-GON's.

QUI-GON simply smiles.

QUI-GON
Whenever you gamble, my freind,
eventually you'll lose. Bring the
parts to the main hanger. I'll come
by your shop later so you can release
the boy.

WATTO
You can't have him! It wasn't a fair
bet!

QUI-GON
Would you like to discuss it with
the Hutts...I'm sure they can settle
this.

WATTO
No, no! I want no more of your tricks!
Take him!

The SITH PROBE DROID watches with great interest.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - MAIN HANGER - DAY

The Main Hanger is almost deserted as RACERS depart.

INT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - MAIN HANGER - DAY

JAR JAR gives ANAKIN a great hug, then PADME gives him a
hug, then SHMI.

ANAKIN
Ah, gee...enough of this...

SHMI
It's so wonderful, Annie. You have
brought hope to those who have none.
I'm so very proud of you...

PADME
We owe you everything.

ANAKIN
Just feeling this good was worth it.

In the background, QUI-GON has harnessed the EOPIES to
containers full of parts.

QUI-GON
Padme. Jar Jar, let's go, we've got
to get these parts back to the ship.

The GROUP walks over to QUI-GON and the EOPIES.

PADME climbs on behind QUI-GON. JAR JAR swings up onto the
second EOPIE, only to slwly slide off the other side. ARTOO
whistles. ANAKIN and SHMI wave as they ride off.

QUI-GON
I'll return the eopies by midday.

EXT. TATOOINE - DESERT - NABOO SPACECRAFT - DAY

ARTOO cruises ahead of QUI-GON and PADME, who are riding one
of the EOPIES; JAR JAR ridses the other. They stop in front
of the sleek Naboo spacecraft.

OBI-WAN comes out of the ship and joins them.

QUI-GON
Start getting this hyperdrive
generator installed. I'm going
back...some unfinished business. I
won't be long.

OBI-WAN
Why do I sense we've picked up another
pathetic life form...?

QUI-GON
It's the boy who's responsible for
getting those parts.

On a hill far overlooking the Naboo spacecraft, the SITH
PROBE DROID turns and speeds away. 

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) 

The Phantom Menace: Pod Race!

Here's the first lap 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



EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA ANNOUNCER'S BOX - DAY (FX)

FODE/BEED
B : Start your engines.

The earth-pounding ROAR of the engines revving is deafening.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - ROYAL BOX - DAY (FX)

Jabba bites off the head of a frog and spits it at a gong,
signaling the start of the race.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - STARTING GRID - DAY

On a bridge over the track, a great green light at the center
flashes. The Podracers shoot forward with a high-pitches
scream. ANAKIN'S engine floods and coughs - then dies. All
the other Podracers except one swerve around him and dissapear
down the track. The slave boy struggles to get his racer
started. The two-headed announcer reports.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
A : An dare ovv!
(And they're off!)

B : Oh...wait. Little Skywalker has
stalled.

PADME and JAR JAR are very dissapointed with ANAKIN. QUI-GON
puts his arm around a very worried SHMI to comfort her.
Finally, Anakin's engines ignite. He zooms away after the
receeding pack of competitors, leaving one quadra-Pod racer
still trying to get started. The two-headed ANNOUNCER
describes the race as it progresses.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B : And there goes Skywalker... He'll
be hard pressed to catch up with the
leaders today.

EXT. MOS ESPA - RACETRACK - DAY (FX)

The Podracers fly across the desert. SEBULBA is running neck
and neck with MAWHONIC. They round the first turn in the
track, side by side. SEBULBA drives his Pod into his rival,
forcing him into the wall of a large rock formation. MAWHONIC
crashes in a spectacular display of fire and smoke. ANAKIN
is much faster than the back-end stragglers and passes them
easily.

One of the drivers, GASGANO, won't let ANAKIN by. ANAKIN
tries to pass him on one side and is cut off. He then tries
to pass him on the other side ansd is cut off. As they come
up on a cliff drop-off, ANAKIN backs off, then guns it as
GASGANO goes over the cliff. ANAJIN accelerates so fast that
he sails right over the top of GASGANO and speeds away.

Four TUSKEN RAIDERS perched above the race course fire their
rifles at the Pods racing in the canyon below them. One shot
ricochets off the back of Anakin's Pod.

FODE/BEED
B : Looks like a few Tusken Riaders
have campe out on the canyon dune
turn.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - VIEWING PLATFORM - DAY

JABBA THE HUTT and the crowd watch the progress of the race
on small, hand-held view screens. JAR JAR is looking over
the shoulder of a strange alien named FANTA.

JAR JAR
Where's Skywalker?

FANTA moves the view screen out of Jar Jar's view. PADME,
SHMI, and QUI-GON watch another screen and look worried.

ARTOO, down in the pits with KITSTER, lets out a worried
sigh. The driver of the quadra-Pod looks worried.

EXT. MOS ESPA - RACETRACK - DAY (FX)

ANAKIN is powering around corners and over hills and cliffs,
passing other racers right and left. SEBULBA is in the lead.
He is being challenged by another racer, XELBREE.

SEBULBA slows a little, and as XELBREE pulls alongside, he
opens a side vent on the racer's engine and the exhaust starts
to cut through the alien's engine.

The blast cuts along the engine until finally it EXPLODES.
SEBULBA deftly veers away.

ANAKIN works his way through a dense mass of racers as they
zoom over a dune sea, kicking up dust. His Pod shakes
violently as he goes over a jump.

One of the Podracers, ODY, catches one of his engines in the
sand, and the whole thing EXPLODES.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - VIEWING PLATFORM - DAY

QUI-GON sits quietly, meditating. PADME and SHMI search the
landscape for any sign of the racers. JAR JAR is still
annoying FANTA for information. The crowd SCREAMS. WATTO is
laughing with his friends, confident in Anakin's defeat.

The quadra-Pod engines start just as the racers come around
the corner. The DRIVER, BEN QUADINAROS, puts it in gear, and
the four engines go off in all directions, EXPLODING in a
spectacular display. The Pod drops to the ground as SEBULBA
enters the arena, closely followed by all the OTHER RACERS.

KITSTER strains to see as ARTOO beeps excitedly. The announcer
continues.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
B ; There goes Quadinaros' power
couplings.
A : Sebulba! Ka pa me cheespa wata!
(Here comes Sebulba in record time.)

QUI-GON, PADME, SHMI, and JAR JAR yell for joy as ANAKIN
passes. JAR JAR is very nervous and pounds on the back of
his alien neighbor, FANTA.

JAR JAR
What gooie-on?

FANTA
Bug off.

The Phantom Menace: Race Day on Tatooine

Anakin and Sebulba get all lined up for the race as Mos Espa turns out to see the drama.
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



EXT. MOS ESPA - STREET - DAY

One of Darth Maul's PROBE DROIDS slowly floats down the main
street of Tatooine. It looks in shops and studies PEOPLE as
it searches for OBI-WAN, QI-GON, or the QUEEN.

EXT. MOS ESPA - DESERT RACE ARENA - DAY

An EXTREME HIGH WIDE ANGLE reveals a vast arena in the
Tatooine desert. A large semi-circular amphitheatre that
holds at least a hundred thousand people dominates the
landscape. Large viewing platforms loom over the racetrack.

INT. MOS ESPA - ARENA ANNOUNCER'S BOX - DAY (FX)

A two-headed ANNOUNCER describes the scene.

FODE/BEED
A: Toogi! Toogie!
(Greetings)
Toong mee cha kulkah du Boonta magi!
tah oos azalus ooval Poddraces.
(We have perfect weather today for
the Boonta classic. The most hazardous
of all Podraces.)

B : That's absolutly right. And a
big turnout here, from all corners
of the Outer Rim territories. I see
the contestants are making their way
out onto the starting grid.

EXT. MOS ESPA - DESERT RACE ARENA - DAY

On the left side of the tracks across from the grandstands,
a line of Podracers emerges from the large hanger, surrounded
by several CREW MEMBERS. Pods are pulled by a wide variety
of CREATURES and are led by aliens carrying flags. The PILOTS
stand facing the royal box.

FODE/BEED (O.S.)
A : La Yma beestoo
(Yes, there they are!)
B : I see Ben Quadinaros from the
Tund system.
A : ...eh Gasgano doowa newpa Ord
Petrovia!
(And Gasgano in thenew Ord Pedrovia.)
B : Two time winner, Boles Roor...
A : Poo tula moosta, woe grane champio
Sebulba du Pixelito! Splastyleeya
bookie ookie!! (On the front line
the reigning champion, Sebulba from
Pixelito. By far the favorite today.)
B : And a late entry, Anakin
Skywalker, a local boy.
A : Wampa peedunkee unko
( I hope he has better luck this
time.)
B : I see the flaggers are moving
onto the track.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - GRANDSTAND - DAY

Colorful canopies shade some of the SPECTATORS. VENDORS sell
barbecued creature parts and colorful drinks.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - ROYAL BOX - DAY (FX)

All the PILOTS bow from the waist as JABBA THE HUTT enters
the box and waves to the crowd.

FODE/BEED
A : O grandio lust, Jabba Du Hutt,
amu intoe tah parena.
(His honor, our glorious host, Jabba
the Hutt has entered the arena.)


The crowd ROARS. SEVERAL OTHER SLUG-LIKE HUTTS follow, along
with humans and aliens. Several SLAVE GIRLS on a chain are
led alongside JABBA.

JABBA (SUBTITLED)
Chowbaso! Tam ka chee Boonta rulee
ya, kee madda hodrudda du wundee.
(Welcome!)
Sebulba tuta Pixelito...

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - STARTING GRID - DAY

SEBULBA, who is right next to ANAKIN, stands and waves to
his fans. A small pep band plays as his fans wave and cheer.

KITSTER attaches the giant engins to Anakin's Pod with a
long cable. SHMI gives ANAKIN a big hug and kiss. She looks
him right in the eye.

SHMI
Be safe.

ANAKIN
I will, Mom. I promise.

She leaves as ANAKIN checks the cable hitches.

JABBA
...Mawhonic tuta Hok, Teemto Pagalies
tuta Moonus Mandel, Anakin SKywalker
tuta Tatoonine....

The CROWD YELLS. ANAKIN waves to the crowd, as JABBA continues
with his introductions. SEBULBA moves over to one of Anakin's
engines. KITSTER and JAR JAR unhitch the EOPIES, and KITSTER
leads them away. ARTOO beeps that everything is OK. JAR JAR
pats ANAKIN on the back.

JAR JAR
Dis berry loony, Annie. May da guds
be kind, mesa palo.

PADME comes up and gives ANAKIN a little kiss on the cheeek.
SEBULBA bangs on a part protruding from Anakin's engine. He
looks around to see if anyone has noticed.

PADME
You carry all our hopes.

ANAKIN
I won't let you down.

PADME moves away as SEBULBA edges his way next to ANAKIN and
gives him a sinister grin.

SEBULBA
Bazda wahota, shag. Dobiella Nok.
Yoka to Bantha poodoo.
(You won't walk away from this one,
slave scum! You're Bantha poodoo.)


ANAKIN (SUBTITLED)
Cha skrundee da pat, sleemo.
(Don't count on it, slime-ball.)

ANAKIN looks the evil SEBULBA in the eye with a cold stare.
QUI-GON approaches, and SEBULBA backs off toward his racer.

JABBA (SUTITLED)
...Ka bazza kundee hodrudda!
(...Let the challenge begin!)

The CROWD lets out a LOUD CHEER. QUI-GON helps ANAKIN into
his Pod. The boy straps himself into the tiny racer.

QUI-GON
Are you all set, Annie?
(Anakin nods)
Remember, concentrate on the moment.
Feel. Don't think. Trust your
instincts.
(he smiles)
May the Force be with you.

QUI-GON steps away as ANAKIN puts on his goggles. The PILOTS
flip switches, and powerful energy binders shoot between the
engines. ANAKIN flips a switch, and his engine starts. The
incredible ROAR of high-powered engines igniting echoes
throughout the arena. One driver, ODY MANDRELL, yells at a
droid (DUM-4) to get away from the front of his engine. The
crowd is tense.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - STARTING GRID - DAY

The giant power-house engines torque as the PILOTS gun them.
The PILOTS flip switches, and poerful energy binders shoot
between the engines. Aliens carrying large flags move off
the track. JAR JAR covers his eyes.

JAR JAR
Mesa no watch. Dissen ganna be messy!

FODE/BEED
A : Ya pawa culka doe rundee! (The
power couplings are being activated)
B : Hey, it looks like they're
clearing the grid.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - VIEWING PLATFORM - DAY

SHMI looks nervously to QUI-GON as he enters a veiwing
platform. PADME and JAR JAR are already on board. The platform
rises like an elevator.

SHMI
Is he nervous?

QUI-GON
He's fine.

PADME
You Jedi are far too reckless. The
Queen...

QUI-GON
The Queen trusts my judgment, young
handmaiden. You should too.

PADME
You assume too much.

The Phantom Menace: Gambling for Slave Flesh

 Here we see Qui-Gon Jinn propose a bet with Watto, with slaves as the pot.
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


EXT. TATOOINE - DESERT MESA - NIGHT

The sinister looking Sith spacecraft lands on top of a desert
mesa at dus, scattering a herd of banthas. DARTH MAUL walks
to the edge of the mesa and studies the landscape with a
pair of electrobinoculars. He picks out the lights of three
different cities in the distance, then pushes buttons on his
electronic armband.

Six football-sized PROBE DROIDS float out of the ship and
head off in three different directions toward the cities.

DARTH MAUL stands on the mesa and watches them through his
electrobinoculars.

EXT. MOS ESPA - SLAVE QUARTERS - PORCH - SUNRISE

Padme exits the hovel.

EXT. MOS ESPA - SLAVE QUARTERS - BACK YARD - SUNRISE

As the twin suns rise, ARTOO is busy painting the racing
Pod. ANAKIN is asleep. PADME passes ARTOO.

PADME
I hope you're about finished.

ARTOO whistles a positive reply. PADME sees KITSTER riding
toward them on an EOPIE, a strange camel-lile creature. He
is leading a second EOPIE behind him. PADME goes over to
ANAKIN. He looks very vulnerable as he sleeps. She watches
him, then touches him on the cheek. ANAKIN wakes up, yawns,
and looks at her, a little puzzled.

ANAKIN
You were in my dream... you were
leading a huge army into battle.

PADME
I hope not, I hate fighting. Your
mother wants you to come in and clean
up. We have to leave soon.

ANAKIN stands up and stretches just as KITSTER arrives.

ANAKIN
Hook 'em up, Kitster.
(to Padme))
I won't be long. Where's Qui-Gon?

PADME
He and Jar Jar left already. They're
with Watto at the arena.

EXT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - MAIN HANGER - DAY

RACE CREWS mill about outside the Main Hanger.

INT. MOS ESPA - ARENA - MAIN HANGER - DAY

The hanger is a large building with a dozen or so Podracers
being readied for the race. ALIEN CREWS and PILOTS rush about,
making last minute fixes on their vehicles. WATTO, QUI-GON,
and JAR JAR walk through the activity.

WATTO
...I want to see your spaceship the
moment the race is over.

QUI-GON
Patience, my blue friend. You'll
have your winnings before the suns
set, and we'll be far away from here.

WATTO
Not if your ship belongs to me, I
think... I warn you, no funny
business.

QUI-GON
You don't think Anakin will win?

WATTO stops before an orange racer. Sitting to one side,
having his shoulders and neck massaged by TWIN YOBANAS, is
SEBULBA.

WATTO
Don't get me wrongo. I have great
faith in the boy. He's a credit to
your race, but Sebulba there is going
to win, I think.

QUI-GON
Why?

WATTO
He always wins.
(laughs)
I'm betting heavily on Sebulba.

QUI-GON
I'll take that bet.

WATTO
(suddenly stops
laughing)
What??!! What do you mean?

QUI-GON
I'll wager my new racing pod
against... say... the boy and his
mother.

WATTO
A Pod for slaves. I don't think so...
well, poerhaps. Just one...the mother,
maybe...the boy isn't for sale.

QUI-GON
The boy is small, he can't be worth
much.

WATTO shakes his head.

QUI-GON
For the fastest Pod ever built?!

WATTO shakes his head again.

QUI-GON
Both, or no bet.

WATTO
No Pod's worth two slaves... not by
a long shot... one slave or nothing.

QUI-GON
The boy, then...

WATTO pulls out a small cube from his pocket.

WATTO
We'll let fate decide. Blue it's the
boy, red his mother...

WATTO tosses the cube down. QUI-GON lifts his hand slightly;
it turns blue.

QUI-GON smiles. WATTO is angry.

WATTO
You won the small toss, outlander,
bou you won't win the race, so... it
makes little difference.

ANAKIN and PADME enter the hanger on one of the EOPIES,
pulling an engine. KITSTER, on the other EOPIE, is pulling
another engine. With THREEPIO walking alongside, ARTOO
trundles behind, pulling the Pod with SHMI sitting on it.
WATTO passes ANAKIN as he leaves.

WATTO (SUBTITLED)
Bonapa keesa pateeso, o wanna meetee
chobodd.
(Better stop your friends betting,
or I'll end up owning him, too.)

WATTO walks off, laughing.

ANAKIN
What did he mean by that?

QUI-GON
I'll tell you later.

ARTOO beeps at THREEPIO.

THREEPIO
Oh my! Space travel sounds rather
perilous.

ARTOO emits a series of beeps.

THREEPIO
I can assure you they will never get
me onto one of those dreadful
starships!

KITSTER
(to Anakin)
This is so wizard! I'm sure you'll
do it this time, Annie.

PADME
Do what?

KITSTER
Finish the race, of course!

PADME
You've never won a race?

ANAKIN
Well... not exactly...

PADME
Not even finished?!

ANAKN looks sheepish.

ANAKIN
...but Kitster's right, I will this
time.

QUI-GON
Of course you will.
 

Aside: The Death of the Emperor

While we're at it, let's admit something.

The whole proposition that Star Wars is really the story of the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker is kinda cute.  But it doesn't matter, really.

What do we get out of Darth Vader throwing the Emperor into that shaft in the second Death Star?  The Death Star was toast anyway.  It's Han and Leia and R2D2 who get the shield generator down.  It's Lando Calrissian and the great Nien Nunb who blow up the Death Star.

Luke won a lightsaber battle.  So what?  He gets zapped by the Emperor.

The only good thing I see coming out of this is that, unlike Luke, the Emperor is prevented from fleeing the Death Star before it fully combusted.  Which is obviously a great thing, but hardly a climax of a six-film epic.

The Phantom Menace: Meet the Midichlorians

Here, we see the other children of Tatooine, and are first introduced the mysterious midichlorians.


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

EXT. MOS ESPA - SLAVE QUARTERS - BACK YARD - DAY

KITSTER (a young boy about Anakin's age), SEEK (a boy of
ten), AMEE (a girl of six), and WALD (a Greedo Type, six
years old) join ANAKIN, JAR JAR, ARTOO, and PADME securing
some wiring.

ANAKIN
Padme and Jar Jar, this is my friend
Kitster, and Seek, Amee, and Wald.

All whistle, hoot, and speak a greeting.

KITSTER
Wow, a real Astro Droid...how'd you
get so lucky?

ANAKIN
This isn't the half of it. I'm entered
in the Boonta Race tomorrow!

KITSTER
What? With this??

WALD (SUBTITLED)
Annie, Jesko na joka.
(You are such a joke, Annie.)

AMEE
You've been working on that thing
for years. It's never going to run.

SEEK
Come on, let's go play ball. Keep it
up, Annie, and you're gonna be bug
squash.

SEEK, WALD, and AMEE take off, laughing. JAR JAR is fiddling
with one of the energy binder plates.

ANAKIN
Hey! Jar Jar! Stay away from those
energy binders...

JAR JAR
Who, mesa?

ANAKIN
If your hand gets caught in that
beam, it will go numb for hours.

JAR JAR peeks at the energy plate; it makes a little
electronic pop, zaps him in the mouth and jumps back. JAR
JAR tries to say something, but his mouth is numb and his
words are garbled.

JAR JAR
Ouch-dats muy bigo Oucho.
(gibberish)

KITSTER
But you don't even know if this thing
will run.

ANAKIN
It will.

QUI-GON approaches the GROUP and gives ANAKIN a small battery.
JAR JAR gets his hand caught in the afterburner and tries to
tell Anakin, but can't get words out that make sense.

QUI-GON
I think it's time we found out. Use
this power charge.

ANAKIN
Yes, sir!!

ANAKIN jumps into the little capsule behind the two giant
engines. He puts the power pack back into the dashboard.
EVERYONE backs away, except for JAR JAR who calls for help.
Finally PADME frees him and the engines ignite with a ROAR.
EVERYONE cheers.

EXT. MOS ESPA - SLAVE QUARTERS - PORCH - DAY

SHMI, watching from the porch, smiles sadly.

EXT. SLAVE QUARTERS - BALCONY - NIGHT

ANAKIN sits on the balcony rail of his hovel as QUI-GON tends
to a cut. The BOY leans back to look at the vast blanket of
stars in the sky.

QUI-GON
Sit still, Annie. Let me clean this
cut.

ANAKIN
There are so many! Do they all have
a system of planets?

QUI-GON
Most of them.

ANAKIN
Has anyone been to them all?

QUI-GON
(laughs)
Not likely.

ANAKIN
I want to be the first one to see
them all... Ouch!

QUI-GON wipes a patch of blood off ANAKIN'S arm.

QUI-GON
There, good as new...

SHMI yells from inside the hovel.

SHMI (O.S.)
Annie, bedtime!

QUI-GON scrapes ANAKIN's blood onto a comlink chip.

ANAKIN
What are you doing?

QUI-GON
Checking your blood for infections.

ANAKIN
I've never seen...

SHMI (O.S.)
Annie! I'm not goiung to tell you
again!

QUI-GON
Go on, you have a big day tomorrow.
(beat)
Goodnight.

ANAKIN rolls his eyes and runs into the hovel. QUI-GON takes
the blood stained chip and inserts it into the comlink, then
calls OBI-WAN.

QUI-GON
Obi-Wan...

OBI-WAN
Yes, Master.

QUI-GON
Make an analysis of this blood sample
I'm sending you.

OBI-WAN
Wait a minute...

QUI-GON
I need a midi-chlorian count.

OBI-WAN
All right. I've got it.

QUI-GON
What are your readings?

OBI-WAN
Something must be wrong with the
transmission.

QUI-GON
Here's a signal check.

OBI-WAN
Strange. The transmission seems to
be in good order, but the reading's
off the chart... over twenty thousand.

QUI-GON
(almost to himself)
That's it then.

OBI-WAN
Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-
chlorian count that high!

QUI-GON
No Jedi has.

OBI-WAN
What does it mean?

QUI-GON
I'm not sure.

The JEDI KNIGHT looks up and sees SHMI in the doorway watching
him.

Embarrassed, she goes back into the kitchen while QUI-GON
ponders the situation.