INT. THEED–NABOO PALACE–HALLWAY–DAY

Amidala, Captain Panaka, the Queen’s handmaidens and their troops are pinned down in the hallway by the battle droids. Struck by inspiration, Captain Panaka shoots out a window.

CAPT. PANAKA: Go!

Captain Panaka, Amidala and six guards and officers run to the broken window and climb outside the building onto a ledge about six stories above a raging waterfall.

CAPT. PANAKA: (Con’t) Ascension guns!

Rabé, Eirtaé, and about twenty Naboo soldiers stay in the hallway to hold off the battle droids.

EXT. THEED–PALACE–OVER WATERFALL–DAY

Amidala, Captain Panaka, and six Naboo guards are lined up along the ledge. They have pulled attachments out of their pistols and fire at a ledge about four stories above them. Thin cables shoot out of the pistols and are embedded into the ledge. Amidala, Captain Panaka, and the others are pulled up to the next window ledge.

INT. THEED–PALACE–HALLWAY TO THRONE ROOM–DAY

A window in the hallway blasts apart. Amidala, Captain Panaka, and her soldiers climb into the hallway. They head for the door to the throne room.

INT. THEED–POWER GENERATOR COMPLEX–DAY

The lightsaber battle continues on a catwalk. Darth Maul kicks Obi-Wan off the walkway and he falls several levels. Qui-Gon knocks the Dark Lord off the walkway and he lands hard on a walkway two levels below.

Nice backhand, Qui!

Qui-Gon jumps down after him. The Dark Lord backs away along the catwalk toward a small door. Qui-Gon follows. Obi-Wan leaps up to their level and runs to catch up.

INT. THEED–POWER GENERATOR ELECTRON BEAM–HALLWAY

The Sith Lord, followed by Qui-Gon, enters a long hallway filled with a series of electron walls that go on and off in a pulsing pattern every few minutes or so. Darth Maul makes it down several walls before they close. Qui-Gon is one wall away from the Dark Lord. Obi-Wan is just at the beginning of the hallway and is five walls away from Qui-Gon. They must wait until the next cycle to advance down the corridor.

Darth Maul tests the electron wall with one end of his double-bladed lightsaber, then shuts it down. Qui-Gon kneels and meditates. Obi-Wan is impatient and shuts down his weapon. Darth Maul paces, keeping an eye on Qui-Gon.

How can something be improved and be new? If it exists, it’s not new anymore, and if you improve it, it’s still the same thing, but it’s different–

Whatever.

Anyway, now there a snazzy new banner to look at and a new theme. You can get to the rest of DarthSheba.com from here, too.

Enjoy!

P.S.: I might get rid of the calendar in the sidebar. It only reminds me of how lazy I am posting.

INT. THEED–NABOO PALACE–HALLWAY–DAY

Amidala, Captain Panaka, the Queen’s handmaidens and their troops run toward the other end of the hallway. Battle droids appear and send them scrambling for cover. Many battle droids are cut down, but others quickly take their place.

AMIDALA: We don’t have time for this, Captain.

The desperate battle in the corridor continues.

INT. NABOO STARFIGHTER–COCKPIT–SPACE

Anakin’s fighter flies into space above Naboo. Artoo beeps and whistles.

ANAKIN: Look! There they are! That’s where the Autopilot’s taking us.

Anakin’s fighter flies toward the Federation battleship.

EXT. NABOO PLAINS–DAY

Destroyer droids roll onto the battlefield and begin firing on the Gungans. The destruction is devastating, but the Gungans continue fighting. A Gungan warrior blasts a battle droid apart, but the top half lands on Jar Jar’s back. Jar Jar throws the wreckage on the ground and jumps on it.

JAR JAR: Dumb droid. Take that!

Jar Jar gives the shattered droid a kick, but he gets his foot caught in the wiring and drags the torso around with him.

JAR JAR: (Cont’d) Get off! Get off! Get off!

This time, Jar Jar’s clumsiness works for him. The droid’s gun fires randomly, accidentally blasting several droids in the process.

I don’t have a thing to say about this. I usually fast-forward through this part.

INT. NABOO STARFIGHTER–COCKPIT–SPACE

The battle isn’t going well for the Naboo fleet.

RIC OLIÉ: The deflector shield is too strong.

The battleship’s guns take their toll on the fleet.

INT. NABOO STARFIGHTER–COCKPIT–SPACE

Anakin finds himself in the middle of the space battle.

ANAKIN: This is tense!

He looks forward to see enemy ships approaching head on.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Artoo, get us off this Autopilot. It’s gonna get us both killed.

Artoo beeps a reply. The ship’s displays now read that Anakin has full control.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) You did it, Artoo! Okay, let’s go left.

Oy.

The ship goes left, getting deeper in the dogfight. Artoo screams a request. The translation of Artoo’s statement appears on a display.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Go back?! Qui-Gon told me to stay in this cockpit, so that’s what I’m gonna do.

Enemy ships are now on his tail. He tries evasive maneuvers.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) I’ll try spinning, that’s a good trick.

Anakin rolls the ship as Artoo screams desperately.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) I know we’re in trouble. Just hang on!

Can we get back to the duel? Please?

INT. THEED–CENTRAL HANGAR–DAY

Amidala and Captain Panaka’s groups are done with the battle droids.

AMIDALA: My guess is the Viceroy’s in the throne room.
CAPT. PANAKA: Red group! Blue group! Everybody this way!

They start to head for the exit, on the way passing the fighter where Anakin is hiding. Anakin stands up in the cockpit.

ANAKIN: Hey! Wait for me!
QUI-GON: Anakin, stay where you are. You’ll be safe there.
ANAKIN: But, I . . .
QUI-GON: Stay in that cockpit.

They head for the exit. The doors part suddenly, bringing everyone to a halt. Darth Maul is revealed, standing his ground. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan step forward.

QUI-GON: (Cont’d) We’ll handle this.
AMIDALA: We’ll take the long way.

Captain Panaka, Amidala, and her troops back away. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan take off their robes, while Darth Maul does the same. At the far end of the hangar, three destroyer droids roll in and transform into their battle positions. Artoo calls Anakin’s attention to the droids. The droids start firing on Amidala and her troops.

ANAKIN: We gotta do something, Artoo.

Darth Maul presents his lightsaber, which lights up on both ends, forming a deadly double-bladed weapon. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan ignite their lightsabers and begin to engage the Sith Lord.

Me Jedi. You Sith. We fight.

The destroyer droids have Amidala and her troops pinned down. Artoo whistles at Anakin.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) I’m trying to. I don’t know where the trigger is.

Anakin pushes a button. The ship’s systems go on and the fighter begins to levitate.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Oops. Wrong one. Maybe it’s this one.

Anakin pulls a lever, and the canopy closes.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Nope. Wait. Here it is.

Anakin finds the trigger and fires at the destroyer droids, wiping out two of them.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Yeah!

When the last destroyer droid is blown away, Amidala calls to her troops.

AMIDALA: Let’s go!

The fighter carrying Anakin and Artoo continues toward the hangar exit.

ANAKIN: It’s on automatic pilot!

Amidala and her troops exit the hangar into a palace hallway. The fighter rockets out of the hangar. A tank fires, but misses. Artoo whistles at Anakin.

ANAKIN: (Cont’d) Try to override it.

The Jedi are engaged in a fierce sword fight with Darth Maul. They have moved into the center of the hangar. The Sith Lord’s moves are incredible. He is fighting the two Jedi at once, outmaneuvering them at ever turn.

The battle takes them into the Theed power generator complex, a series of immense chambers criss-crossed by high, narrow bridges. The Jedi drive the Sith Lord to the edge of a platform. Darth Maul jumps across the chasm onto a bridge. The Jedi follow, one to either side of the Sith Lord. They continue their sword fight.

INT. THEED–CENTRAL HANGAR–DAY

Amidala, the Jedi, Anakin, Eirtaé, and Amidala’s troops rush into the hangar. Battle droids begin firing at them. The Jedi deflect bolts aimed at Amidala back into the battle droids causing them to explode.

QUI-GON: Ani, find cover! Quick!
AMIDALA: Get to your ships!

The pilots run for the Naboo fighter craft stacked in the hangar bay. Anakin hides behind one of the fighters, ducking as large bolts whiz past him and EXPLODE near him. Amidala and the Jedi destroy battle droids right and left. The Queen’s troops and handmaidens also blast away at the droids. Fighters begin to soar out of the hangar. Artoo interfaces with the nearest fighter and is elevated into the droid socket behind the cockpit. Anakin climbs inside the fighter.

EXT. THEED–CENTRAL PLAZA–DAY

Naboo fighters exit the main hangar. A tank fires at them, hitting one of them, which cause it to pinwheel into the ground far below and EXPLODE.

INT. THEED–CENTRAL HANGAR–DAY

Captain Panaka and Naboo troops rush into the hangar, ducking as fighters fly over them. They join forces with Amidala’s group to finish off the remaining battle droids.

INT. NABOO STARFIGHTER–COCKPIT–SPACE

The Naboo fleet leaves the planet and heads toward the droid control ship. Many Federation fighters head away from the ship on an attack course.

RIC OLIÉ: Fighters straight ahead.
BRAVO TWO: Roger, Bravo Leader.
BRAVO THREE: Roger, Bravo Leader.

The Naboo fleet and the droid fighters engage in a vicious battle.

EXT. NABOO PLAINS–DAY

The Federation tanks continue firing on the Gungans, but still can’t damage their shield.

OOM-9: Cease fire!

The tanks stop firing. The Gungans aren’t sure what to make of this and start to get nervous.

JAR JAR: Steady. Steady.

The doors to the massive transports open and racks of battle droids are deployed and lined up on the battlefield. The Gungans power up their personal shields and ready their weapons.

EXT. DROID CONTROL SHIP–SPACE

The Naboo and Federation fleets continue their space battle around the droid control ship.

INT. DROID CONTROL SHIP–BRIDGE

Daultay Dofine commands the space and land battle from the bridge.

DOFINE: Activate the droids.
TEY HOW: Yes, sir.

Tey How presses a control on a console, activating the droid army on Naboo.

EXT. NABOO PLAINS–DAY

Thousands of droids come to life on the battlefield, reconfiguring into their standing position. The awesome sight of the mechanical army unnerves Captain Tarpals.

I used to think that was awesome.

CAPT. TARPALS: (gulping) (to Jar Jar) Ouch time.

The droid army marches toward the Gungans. They slowly push through the protective shield and start firing. The Gungans fire their shield guns and fling small balls of energy with slingshots. The warriors dump large balls of energy goo into catapults that fire them onto the battle droids, causing them to short out. Jar Jar isn’t very good at fighting. He falls off his mount, then in his zeal to help the war effort, manages to almost take himself out of the action trying use a slingshot.

The battle rages as the Gungans defend their shield generators against the army of droids.