Star Wars Episode I

The Phantom Menace

By
PJ

What if Star Wars got to be written by me?

FADE IN:
OPENING SCROLL
1

SPACE.

The camera pans down, revealing a massive, dirty space

station. This is deep in the Outer Rim. There are no laws
here.
2

INT. STATION - DAY

A family of two men, two women, and one child is herded like
sheep by pirates. The pirates scream at and shove the
people, telling them where to go.
CUT TO:
3

INT. STATION - DAY

A JEDI SHIP lands in the dock of the station. People begin

gathering around the ship, questioning why it is here. Some
have drawn blasters. The door opens and five Jedi step out.
These are Mace Windu, Kit Festo, Plo Koon, Qui Gon Jinn, and
his Padawan, Obi Wan Kenobi. With the exception of Obi Wan,
they are all members of the Jedi Council.
MACE WINDU
We are members of the Jedi Order.
We come in peace.
People shout at them: "Why have you come?!" "Leave, Jedi
scum!" "There is no place for you here!" "I am not afraid of
you!"
MACE WINDU
(projecting his voice with the
Force, extremely loud,
echoing)
There has been a disturbance in the
Force!
(now continuing, with the
crowd in silence)
We are merely here to investigate
this disturbance. We have no
quarrel with you. So long as you
stay out of our way, we will not
hurt you.
Various members of the crowd, a ragtag group of criminals,
slavers and the scum of the galaxy, many intoxicated on all
sorts of space-drugs, step forward: "With what, the Force?
HA!" "DIE JEDI FILTH!" "LEAVE OR BE KILLED!"

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.
MACE WINDU (contd)
So be it.

The Jedi ignite their lightsabers. A hush comes over the

crowd. This lasts for but a moment, when someone shoots.
Koon blocks the shot, deflecting it upward.
MACE WINDU (contd)
(Force projection)
Last chance!
There is a moments hesitation again. Suddenly, as if
coordinated, the crowd begins shooting at them. The camera
follows the Jedi as they deflect the shots around them,
sending them back into the crowd. They spin and slice,
avoiding all of the blasts. The crowd is more motivated by
the resistance and they charge ahead. The Jedi fight in
perfect unison. They use their abilities as Force-wielders
to shove large amounts of the crowd back into the walls.
After this happens, the crowd suddenly stops.
MACE WINDU (contd)
Are we done?!
Silence. The camera cuts to an EXTREME WIDE SHOT of the
scum, now all united in mystification at what has occurred
before them. The Jedi could actually do that?!
The Jedi all deactivate their sabers.
MACE WINDU (contd)
Thank you.
CUT TO:
4

INT. STATION - AUCTION

The family from before is put onto the stage. This is an

auction. Rich slavers, Hutts, and the like make up the
crowd.
AUCTIONEER
Annnnnnd here weve got a family,
two able bodied men, two fertile
young women, and one promising
five-year old child! They are NOT
available for individual sale, but
are able to be resold separately
for a pretty penny! Now...
A HUTT slithers foward from the front row and hands the
auctioneer a small device. On it, a screen lights up. The
auctioneer is shocked.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

AUCTIONEER
(in shock)
Sold to the man with the slithery
tail.
CUT TO:
5

INT. STATION - CORRIDOR

The Jedi run down a hallway, shopkeepers shouting as they

hurry by. Mace Windu leads the way. Suddenly, he stops.
MACE WINDU
I feel something new.
His hand involuntarily reaches up to his forehead.
QUI GON JINN
I feel it too, Master Windu.
The other Jedi agree.
OBI WAN KENOBI
(whispering to his master, Qui
Gon)
Ive got a bad feeling about this.
MACE WINDU
There is a great power here. We
must be even more careful moving
foward.
The Jedi agree.
KIT FESTO
Which way should we go then, Master
Windu?
MACE WINDU
Follow me.
He moves down a new corridor.
CUT TO:
6

INT. STATION - HUTTS ROOM

The HUTT enters his room. It is extremely dark. Someone

steps foward in the shadows, coming into the light. Darth
Maul.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

HUTT
What do you want?
DARTH MAUL
That is no way to greet someone
like me, Hutt.
HUTT
I have no fear of you. Tell me, why
are you here?
DARTH MAUL
The boy you bought today. I want
him. I am willing to pay a price.
HUTT
There is no price I will accept. I
have found a buyer who I am doing
business with.
DARTH MAUL
The price may have to be your life,
slimer.
Maul ignites his lightsaber, holding at the Hutts throat.
HUTT
Wait just a second. I did not say
that you could not steal them from
this buyer. Hangar 12D. On a ship
headed for Tatooine.
DARTH MAUL
You are scum.
Maul leaves. The Hutt lets out a sigh of relief.
CUT TO:
7

INT. STATION - HANGAR 12D

Darth Maul walks by. He makes his way to a small transport

ship in front of him. In the distance, the Jedi appear.
PLO KOON
My God.
MACE WINDU
There is something dark here.
QUI GON JINN
I sense something else, too.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

KIT FESTO
As do I. This may be more
complicated than it seems.
Mace Windu points to the ship.
MACE WINDU
There.
The Jedi make their way to the ship.
Meanwhile, Darth Maul notices the Jedi. He backs into the
ship, his hand reaching for his lightsaber. The ships door
closes and the Sith turns, making his way down some stairs
in the ship. He goes to a prison room, seeing the family.
They cry and run up to him. He deactivates the shield,
keeping them in and lets them come out. They try to run. He
closes the door with the Force. Stepping forward, he grabs
the boy. Angered, his father runs forward. Swiftly, Maul
ignites his lightsaber and lopping off the mans head. The
boy cries. Maul Force pushes the rest of the family back
into the cell. Maul silences the boy with a shot. He opens
the door, to be greeted by the ignited blades of the Jedi.
Maul throws the boy at them, throwing a grenade at the wall
behind him. The grenade sticks and explodes, giving him a
hole and an escape. He sends lighting at the Jedi, running
away. Kit Festo, Plo Koon, and Windu run after him. Qui Gon
embraces the boy as Obi Wan frees the family.
Qui Gon moves away from the boy.
QUI GON JINN
May I?
The boy nods. Qui Gon touches his head. His eyes open in
shock.
QUI GON JINN (contd)
My God.
He walks over to the other Jedi, who have returned.
QUI GON JINN (contd)
The Force is strong in that child,
perhaps stronger than I have ever
seen.
MACE WINDU
I sense it too. It is powerful, but
there is a darkness to it.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

QUI GON JINN

So is the nature of an untrained
force user, Master!
OBI WAN KENOBI
And what of the Sith Lord, Master?
MACE WINDU
He managed an escape.
OBI WAN KENOBI
HOW COULD YOU LET THAT HAPPEN?!
QUI GON JINN
Obi Wan...
OBI WAN KENOBI
(furious)
We havent seen a Sith Lord in
centuries, and when we finally see
one we let him go!!
MACE WINDU
That is not your place, Padawan.
OBI WAN KENOBI
Its... its... Im sorry, Master.
MACE WINDU
I will consult the Council on both
of these... troubling matters.
Thank you Master Jinn.
Mace Windu steps away.
CUT TO:
8

INT. JEDI CRUISER

The Jedi board the cruiser, taking the family with them. Qui
Gon talks to the mother.
QUI GON JINN
Where are you from, madam?
SHIMI SKYWALKER
We... we were from Tatooine,
origionally. Slaves.
QUI GON JINN
And your name?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

SHIMI SKYWALKER
Shimi. Shimi Skywalker.