Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is the first movie in the Star Wars canon timeline and opens with a galactic conflict as the Trade Federation, under orders from the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, blockades the peaceful planet of Naboo. The Galactic Republic dispatches two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate a resolution. However, upon their arrival on the Trade Federation’s command ship, the Jedi are ambushed by battle droids and forced to fight their way to safety. Realizing that the Federation is preparing for an invasion, they stow away on a transport heading to the planet’s surface.
On Naboo, the invasion has already begun, and Queen Padmé Amidala is taken prisoner by the Federation’s viceroy, Nute Gunray. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, with the help of a clumsy Gungan named Jar Jar Binks, infiltrate the capital city of Theed and rescue the queen and her entourage. They decide to flee the planet and seek help from the Galactic Senate on Coruscant. However, their starship is damaged while escaping the blockade, forcing them to make an emergency landing on the desert planet of Tatooine.
In search of replacement parts, Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, Padmé (disguised as a handmaiden), and the astromech droid R2-D2 visit the settlement of Mos Espa. There, they meet a young slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who works for the junk dealer Watto. Qui-Gon senses that Anakin is strong in the Force and suspects he may be the prophesied “Chosen One” destined to bring balance to the Force. Since Watto refuses to accept Republic credits, Qui-Gon strikes a deal: if Anakin wins the upcoming podrace, Watto will provide the necessary ship parts, and Anakin will be freed.
Anakin prepares to participate in the Boonta Eve Classic, an event notorious for its danger and brutality. Despite his young age, Anakin has an uncanny talent for podracing—an art typically too fast and lethal for humans—but his instincts and reflexes, subtly enhanced by his strong connection to the Force, give him a fighting chance.
With a custom-built podracer that he’s assembled himself, Anakin enters the race under immense pressure. Not only does he carry the hopes of his Jedi sponsor, Qui-Gon Jinn, but he also faces off against the notorious Dug racer Sebulba, the reigning champion known for his underhanded tactics and ruthless competitiveness.
From the very start of the race, chaos erupts. Sebulba attempts to sabotage Anakin’s podracer even before the event begins, causing it to stall at the starting line. But Anakin, displaying both mechanical ingenuity and inner calm, manages to get his engines running and rejoins the race. Throughout the treacherous circuit of rock arches, narrow canyons, and deadly turns, Anakin overcomes obstacle after obstacle, including further sabotage attempts from Sebulba and the brutal dangers of the course itself. His piloting is a breathtaking blend of precision, bravery, and raw instinct. The race ensues, with deleted scenes from The Phantom Menace showing even more detail and action from the race.
In a climactic final lap, Anakin and Sebulba go head-to-head, their podracers locked in a high-speed duel. Sebulba’s aggression leads to a catastrophic mistake—his podracer malfunctions after a desperate maneuver, causing him to crash. Anakin surges ahead, crossing the finish line to the thunderous roar of the crowd. His stunning victory earns him his freedom, as Watto is forced to honor the wager made with Qui-Gon.
Though liberated, Anakin’s joy is tempered by heartbreak. His mother, Shmi, remains enslaved. She encourages him to leave with the Jedi, recognizing that his destiny lies beyond Tatooine. In a tearful farewell, Anakin clings to his mother, uncertain and frightened about the path ahead, but ultimately trusting in the promise of a greater future.
Leaving behind the only life he has ever known, Anakin departs with Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, and R2-D2, his heart filled with hope and sorrow. As their ship lifts off, Anakin looks out toward the twin suns of Tatooine, unaware of the extraordinary journey—and dark destiny—that lies ahead.
As they prepare to leave, they are attacked by a mysterious Sith warrior, Darth Maul, who is sent by his master, Darth Sidious, to capture the queen. Qui-Gon duels Maul briefly but manages to escape aboard the ship. The group finally reaches Coruscant, where Queen Amidala pleads her case before the Senate, only to find that political corruption has stalled any action. Supreme Chancellor Valorum, unable to intervene, suggests a bureaucratic solution, but Amidala, frustrated, calls for a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
Meanwhile, Qui-Gon presents Anakin before the Jedi Council, led by Yoda and Mace Windu, hoping to have him trained as a Jedi. The Council, however, senses great fear in the boy and refuses to grant approval, fearing that his emotions make him vulnerable to the dark side. Qui-Gon defies them, declaring that he will train Anakin himself if necessary. At the same time, Senator Palpatine of Naboo, secretly Darth Sidious, manipulates the political situation to position himself for greater power.
Queen Amidala, realizing the Senate will not act in time, decides to return to Naboo and take matters into her own hands. She forms an alliance with the Gungan people, led by Boss Nass, who initially distrust the Naboo but are convinced to join forces after Jar Jar Binks persuades them. Together, they plan a multi-pronged attack against the Trade Federation to reclaim the planet.
The battle unfolds with three separate conflicts. The Gungan army lures the droid forces away from Theed, while Padmé and her team infiltrate the royal palace to capture Viceroy Gunray. Meanwhile, Anakin, hiding in a starfighter, accidentally launches into space and ends up in the midst of the battle against the Federation’s control ship. Inside the palace, Padmé and her forces manage to overpower the viceroy’s security and seize control.
In the most intense battle, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face off against Darth Maul in a high-stakes lightsaber duel. Maul proves to be a formidable opponent, wielding a double-bladed lightsaber and engaging both Jedi at once. The duel takes them through the palace corridors and into a reactor chamber. Ultimately, Maul fatally wounds Qui-Gon, leaving Obi-Wan to fight alone. Fueled by determination, Obi-Wan manages to defeat Maul by slicing him in half.
As Qui-Gon lies dying, he asks Obi-Wan to promise to train Anakin as a Jedi. Obi-Wan agrees, and the Jedi Council, though initially hesitant, grants Anakin permission to become Obi-Wan’s apprentice. Meanwhile, Anakin’s accidental starfighter attack destroys the control ship, deactivating the entire droid army and securing victory for Naboo.
In the aftermath, Chancellor Valorum is removed from office, and Senator Palpatine is elected as the new Supreme Chancellor, a major step in his secret Sith plan. The Naboo and Gungans celebrate their victory with a grand parade. Obi-Wan is officially knighted as a Jedi, and Anakin is accepted into Jedi training, marking the beginning of his journey. However, Yoda warns that the Sith are still out there, as there are always two—a master and an apprentice. The episode ends with the question of who the true mastermind is, setting the stage for the larger conflict to come.