Set decades before the original trilogy, the story begins as Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are dispatched as ambassadors to settle a trade dispute involving the small planet of Naboo. After discovering a massive droid army set for invasion, they rescue Queen Amidala and flee the blockade. Forced to land on the desert planet of Tatooine for repairs, they encounter a young slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who exhibits an extraordinarily high affinity for the Force. As they navigate political corruption in the Galactic Senate and the mysterious return of the Sith, they must decide if the boy is truly the "Chosen One" destined to bring balance to the Force.
Information |
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Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
May 19, 1999 |
Running time |
136 minutes |
Genre |
Sci-Fi Action Adventure |
Budget |
$115,000,000 |
Box Office |
$1,027,082,707 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
George Lucas |
Produced by |
Rick McCallum |
Written by |
George Lucas |
Music by |
John Williams |
Cinematography |
David Tattersall |
Edited by |
Paul Martin Smith Ben Burtt |
Production Co. |
Lucasfilm Ltd. |
Distributed by |
20th Century Fox |
Top Cast |
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Official Trailer |
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Movie Collection |
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Movie Order: #04 in Star Wars Collection
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The Plot
A Fracture in the Republic and the Shadow of the Sith
Thirty-two years before the legendary Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Republic finds itself paralyzed by a bitter trade dispute. The Trade Federation, protesting the taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems, has established a suffocating blockade around the peaceful Mid-Rim planet of Naboo. In a desperate move to bypass the Senate’s bureaucracy, Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum secretly dispatches two Jedi—Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his young Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi—to serve as "ambassadors" to the Federation’s flagship. As they wait in a cold briefing room, Obi-Wan admits, "I have a bad feeling about this," sensing something elusive and dark. His master, ever focused on the living Force, warns him to keep his mind on the here and now.
Unbeknownst to the Jedi, the Trade Federation’s leadership, Viceroy Nute Gunray and Rune Haako, are pawns in a much larger game. They are in league with the mysterious Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith, who orders the immediate execution of the Jedi and the invasion of Naboo. Gunray, fearful of the legal repercussions, is reassured by Sidious that he will "make it legal." The Federation attempts to assassinate the Jedi with dioxis gas while simultaneously destroying their ship, the Radiant VII, in the hangar. However, the Jedi survive the gas and carve a path through squads of battle droids. They attempt to storm the bridge, but the arrival of shielded Destroyer Droids forces them to retreat. Realizing they must warn the planet, they stow away on separate landing craft bound for the surface of Naboo.
Chaos on the Surface and an Unlikely Guide
As the Federation’s massive droid army descends upon the lush forests of Naboo, the planet's communications are severed. Queen Amidala, the elected ruler of Naboo, is left in the dark as Governor Sio Bibble warns that an interruption of communications can only mean one thing: invasion. On the surface, the Jedi emerge from their transports amidst the chaos. In the midst of the droid advance, Qui-Gon Jinn saves a clumsy, exiled Gungan named Jar Jar Binks from being crushed by a Trade Federation Multi-Troop Transport (MTT). Though Binks is an outcast, he offers to lead the Jedi to the safety of Otoh Gunga, a magnificent underwater city hidden beneath the depths of Lake Paonga.
In Otoh Gunga, the Jedi face Boss Nass, the stubborn leader of the Gungans. Nass harbors a deep-seated resentment toward the "surface dwellers" of Naboo and refuses to intervene in the conflict. However, he provides the Jedi with a bongo submarine to reach the capital city of Theed through the planet's core. Their journey is fraught with peril as they encounter monstrous predators like the Opee Sea Killer and the Colo Claw Fish, only to be saved when even larger "Sando" aqua monsters consume their attackers. Reaching Theed just as the Federation occupies the city, the Jedi launch a daring rescue of Queen Amidala and her retinue, escorting them to the Queen’s royal starship in a bid to reach Coruscant and plead their case to the Senate.
The Sands of Tatooine and a Child of Prophecy
The escape from Naboo is costly. The Queen's starship is heavily damaged while running the Federation’s blockade, and it is only through the bravery of an astromech droid named R2-D2 that the shields are repaired long enough for them to jump to hyperspace. However, the hyperdrive is leaking, forcing the group to land on the remote, desert world of Tatooine—a lawless planet outside the Republic’s jurisdiction. Qui-Gon, accompanied by Jar Jar and the Queen’s handmaiden Padmé, visits the settlement of Mos Espa to find parts. They encounter Watto, a Toydarian junk dealer who possesses the T-14 hyperdrive generator they need. Unfortunately, Watto refuses Republic credits, and Qui-Gon’s Jedi mind tricks prove useless against the dealer’s resistant physiology.
During their search, they befriend a nine-year-old slave boy named Anakin Skywalker. Anakin is exceptionally gifted, possessing an innate talent for mechanics and piloting, evidenced by the protocol droid he is building, C-3PO. Qui-Gon is stunned when he senses an unprecedented concentration of the Force within the boy—far exceeding that of Master Yoda. Believing Anakin might be the "Chosen One" of Jedi prophecy, Qui-Gon strikes a high-stakes gamble with Watto. Using his powers to ensure a favorable roll of the dice, Qui-Gon enters Anakin into the dangerous Boonta Eve Classic podrace. The deal is set: if Anakin wins, they get the parts and the boy’s freedom, though they are unable to secure the release of his mother, Shmi.
The Shadow Emerges and the Choice of the Council
Anakin proves his mettle in a harrowing, high-speed race, defeating his ruthless rival Sebulba and securing the ship's repairs. As they prepare to depart, Qui-Gon conducts a blood test, discovering that Anakin's midi-chlorian count is over 20,000—higher than any Jedi in history. However, their departure is nearly derailed by a dark figure on a speeder bike. Darth Maul, the Sith apprentice sent by Sidious, finally tracks them down. Qui-Gon engages the black-robed assassin in a brief, ferocious lightsaber duel, barely escaping onto the rising starship. Once on Coruscant, Qui-Gon reports the encounter to the Jedi Council, shocking them with the revelation that the Sith have returned after a millennium of presumed extinction.
While the Council deliberates over the Sith threat, they test Anakin. Despite the boy's immense potential, Masters Yoda and Mace Windu refuse to allow his training, citing his age and the "clouded" future caused by the fear and attachment he feels for his mother. Meanwhile, the political arena is just as treacherous. Senator Sheev Palpatine of Naboo manipulates Queen Amidala, convincing her that Chancellor Valorum is powerless against the Senate’s corruption. Frustrated by the lack of action, Amidala calls for a "Vote of No Confidence" in Valorum’s leadership, a move that paves the way for Palpatine to be nominated as the new Chancellor. Refusing to wait for the Senate’s slow deliberations, the Queen decides to return to Naboo to fight for her people, accompanied by the two Jedi.
The Battle of Naboo: A Multi-Front War
Upon returning to Naboo, the Queen realizes she needs the help of the Gungans. Padmé reveals her true identity as the Queen to Boss Nass, humbling herself to forge an alliance between the two cultures. They devise a four-part strategy to liberate the planet. The Grand Gungan Army will act as a massive distraction on the plains, drawing the Federation's droid army out of the capital. Meanwhile, a small strike force led by the Queen and the Jedi will infiltrate the palace to capture Viceroy Gunray, while Naboo pilots attempt to destroy the Droid Control Ship in orbit to disable the invasion force.
The battle on the plains is brutal. The Gungans activate their energy shields, but the droids march through, leading to a desperate struggle. In space, young Anakin Skywalker accidentally ends up in the cockpit of an N-1 starfighter and joins the assault on the Federation fleet. Inside the palace, the Queen’s team is halted by the reappearance of Darth Maul. The Jedi move to engage the Sith Lord, leaving the Queen to find another way to the throne room. Through a series of daring maneuvers and sheer luck, Anakin flies his fighter inside the Droid Control Ship’s hangar and destroys its main reactor from within. The explosion kills Daultay Dofine and causes the entire droid army on the surface to shut down instantly, turning the tide for the Gungans.
The Duel of the Fates and the Price of Victory
In the depths of the Theed Generator Complex, one of the most significant lightsaber duels in history unfolds. Darth Maul, wielding a terrifying double-bladed lightsaber, takes on both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. The battle spans across narrow catwalks and through a series of timed laser force fields. Obi-Wan is separated from the fight by the fields, forced to watch helplessly as his master faces the Sith alone. Maul eventually finds an opening, stunning Qui-Gon with a blow to the chin before driving his blade through the Jedi Master's chest. When the fields deactivate, a vengeful Obi-Wan rushes Maul. The Sith Lord manages to Force-push Obi-Wan into a deep reactor shaft, but the Padawan clings to a service pipe.
In a moment of supreme focus and calm, Obi-Wan uses the Force to leap out of the pit, summoning his fallen master's lightsaber. He catches Maul by surprise, slicing him in half and sending his body plummeting into the abyss. Obi-Wan rushes to his master’s side, where a dying Qui-Gon makes him promise to train Anakin, insisting the boy is the Chosen One who will bring balance. With his final breath, Qui-Gon passes away. In the aftermath, the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine arrives on Naboo to congratulate the Queen, while the Jedi Council grants Obi-Wan the rank of Jedi Knight and reluctantly allows him to take Anakin as his apprentice.
A Bitter Celebration and an Uncertain Future
The victory is marked by both mourning and celebration. In a somber ceremony, Qui-Gon Jinn’s body is cremated. Mace Windu and Yoda discuss the Sith, noting the "Rule of Two"—always a Master and an apprentice. They wonder aloud which one was destroyed: the Master or the apprentice? As the fire consumes the fallen Jedi, the camera lingers on Palpatine, the man who has just ascended to the highest office in the galaxy. The following day, a grand parade is held in Theed to celebrate the new peace between the Naboo and the Gungans. Amidst the cheering crowds, Anakin Skywalker stands alongside his new Master, now officially a Padawan. The Queen presents Boss Nass with the Globe of Peace, but as the music swells, the shadow of the Sith remains, hidden in plain sight.
