The lovely senator (and former Queen) from Naboo is in mortal danger. After an assassination attempt on Coruscant, it’s clear that someone wants her dead. Her Jedi protectors order her into seclusion against her wishes. Young Anakin Skywalker, no longer a boy but not yet a full Jedi Knight, is to escort her to Naboo and keep her safe. It is there that he will learn more about her and a reluctant love will blossom. Let’s take a look at a few scenes that didn’t make the final cut.
Category: Cut Scenes
Darth Maul
Let’s face it. You can say what you want about The Phantom Menace, but you have to admit that Darth Maul was pure Sith genius. The only complaint that I’ve ever heard about him was that he just wasn’t in the film enough. Not to pour salt on the wounds, but he did have a few more scenes in the film that were eventually dropped. Sorry, Maul fans! Let’s take a look.
Otoh Gunga
Otoh Gunga doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it? Then again, perhaps that’s the whole point. Like Utapau and Naboo, the weirder the name in Star Wars, the better. Here are a few shots from the underwater city of Otoh Gunga that weren’t in the finished film.
The Naboo Swamp
In the first few scenes of the film, Jedi ambassadors Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi arrive on a Federation ship for negotiations, but are instead attacked and need to flee the ship. Their transport has been destroyed, so they stow-away on some Federation landing ships and end up on the surface of Naboo. The Jedi need to regroup and hatch a plan. Qui-Gon finds an unlikely ally, while Obi-Wan crawls out of a swamp to try and find with his master. Here are a few things that didn’t make the final cut of the film.
The Battle of Naboo
The Battle of Naboo can be broken down into two categories: land battle and space battle. Both were occurring at the same time and were quite hectic. The information on this page, while most likely not complete, will cover some of the land and space scenes from Battle of Naboo plus some other surrounding events.
Naboo Rescue
It’s pretty clear from the beginning of the film that something is amiss on Naboo. The Neimoidians try to first stall, then kill the Jedi Ambassadors. Then the Queen is taken prisoner, along with her staff. Sounds like it’s about time for a good, old fashioned rescue attempt.
Coruscant: Capital of the Republic
The city planet of Coruscant was known as the capital of what was yet to become known as the “Old Republic”. The prequels play out over the backdrop of the falling of the Republic and the establishment of a new Empire, still controlled from Coruscant by Palpatine. In The Phantom Menace, however, these events are only starting to rear their heads as the bureaucrats and senators go about their busy lives, unaware of the plot that’s being hatched beneath their very noses. Our time on Coruscant in The Phantom Menace is relatively brief but does result in a few interesting bits that fall into the area of cut or altered scenes. Let’s take a look at some of these. Read More
Leaving Tatooine
New Hyperdrive? Check. Free slave who will grow up to be a Sith? Check. Step in icky icky goo? Check. Time to get off this dustbowl of a planet, but not without taking a few moments to say goodbye and clean up some loose ends. This page deals with departing that lovely yellow-orange planet we know and love: Tatooine.
The Pod Race
The Boonta Eve Podrace from Episode I is definitely a highlight of the film, especially after George Lucas decided to extend and improve it in the subsequent video releases. No matter how much he expands it, however, deleted shots remain. This page will cover any deleted/alternate scenes that take place directly before, during, and after the Podrace.
Welcome to Beautiful Mos Espa, Tatooine
Tatooine’s a big planet. Did you think Mos Eisley was the only town? Mos Espa is the home of the Boonta Eve Podrace, Watto’s Junkyard, and young Anakin Skywalker. The following scenes all take place in this fateful desert slave town. Read More
Jedi Diplomacy
The Trade Federation has stopped all shipping to and from the small planet of Naboo. Two Jedi have been dispatched at the request of Supreme Chancellor Valorum to help negotiate the matter. This section deals with some of the shots and scenes deleted and/or altered from the opening of The Phantom Menace. Read More