EXT: GEONOSIS – EXECUTION ARENA – DAY

Geonosians are gathering in the arena seats.

Reminds me of termite season in my old apartment.

INT: GEONOSIS, TUNNEL TO EXECUTION ARENA – DAY

In a dark tunnel, Anakin and Padmé are standing into an open cart. They are tied so that they stand facing away from each other. The murmur of a vast crowd is heard offscreen.

ANAKIN: Don’t be afraid.

PADMÉ: I’m not afraid to die. I’ve been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life.

ANAKIN: What are you talking about?

PADMÉ: I love you.

ANAKIN: You love me?!

ANAKIN: (Con’t) I thought we decided not to fall in love. That we would be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives…

PADMÉ: I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. I truly, deeply love you, and before we die I want you to know.

Padmé leans toward Anakin. By straining hard, it is just possible for their lips to meet. They kiss.

And the love theme starts to swell to tragic heights just as you frantically search for a barf bag.

The driver cracks his whip over the ORRAY harnessed between the shafts. The cart jerks forward. Suddenly, there is a HUGE ROAR and blinding sunlight as they emerge into the
arena.

INT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA – DAY

The great stadium is packed with tier upon tier of yelling Geonosians. The cart trundles to the center, where Obi-Wan is chained to one of four upright columns that are three feet in diameter. The cart stops. Padmé and Anakin are taken down, dragged to the columns and chained to them. Anakin is in the center. Padmé pulls a wire from her belt and places it in her mouth.

OBI-WAN: I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message.

ANAKIN: I retransmitted it as you requested, Master. Then we decided to come and rescue you.

OBI-WAN: (Glances up at his manacles) (sarcastically) Good job!

Yeah, really.

Their arms are pulled high above their heads, their chains attached to the top of the columns. The cart drives away. There is another ROAR as Poggle the Lesser, Count Dooku, Nute Gunray, the Fetts and dignitaries arrive in the archducal box and take their places.

POGGLE: (subtitled) Settle down, settle down.

The crowd becomes quiet.

POGGLE: (subtitled) Let the executions begin.

The crowd goes wild.

The other picadors poke the monsters toward the center.

ANAKIN: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

Yeah, because we’re about to embark on another CGI orgy.

The monsters toss their heads, looking around, roaring or screeching. Then they catch sight of the three captives and start moving toward them.

OBI-WAN: Take the one the right. I’ll take the one on the left.

ANAKIN: What about Padmé?

OBI-WAN: She seems to be on top of things.

She seems to be the only one attempting to do something.

Padmé has used the wire she concealed to pick the lock on one of the hand restraints. She turns around and pulls herself up by the chain to the top of the post. Within a moment, she is standing on top of it, trying to pull the chain free.

The Nexu arrives at Padmé’s column and rears on its hind legs. Its claws dig deep into the stone. It reaches the top of the post and takes a swipe at Padmé. She hits the creature with her chain and it backs off down the pole. The Nexu makes another lunge and swipes at her again. She turns and the claws barely catches her shirt, leaving superficial claw marks across her back. She screams in pain. The Nexu slips down off the column and prowls.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray beams and laughs.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray fumes.

NUTE GUNRAY: She can’t do that! Shoot her–or something!

Padmé climbs back up the column, scrambling to the top. The Nexu gets up, still whining and bit less vicious than before.

Obi-Wan fights off the Acklay with his spear.

I bet ya Ewan felt pretty silly jabbing at empty space when he was filming this.

Padmé finally manages to work the chain loose. Anakin comes charging up on the Reek. The creature gores the Nexu with its horns.

ANAKIN: Jump!!!

Padmé leaps from the top of the column to land on the Reek behind Anakin. She and Anakin briefly kiss, and the Reek charges away.

Obi-Wan throws his speak, stabbing the Acklay in the shoulder. The Acklay screeches in pain. Then it removes the spear with its teeth and bites it in half. The Reek passes the wounded Acklay and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan runs and jumps on the back of the Reek behind Anakin and Padmé.

In the archducal box, Nute Gunray turns angrily to Count Dooku.

NUTE GUNRAY: This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! Jango! Finish her off!

Count Dooku motions for the Viceroy to calm down.

COUNT DOOKU: (smiling enigmatically) Patience, Viceroy, patience. She will die.

Droidekas roll to the center of the arena where they transform and surround the Reek and contain the Jedi.

INT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA – DAY

In the tunnel outside the archducal box, a robed figure approaches quietly.

EXT: GEONOSIS, EXECUTION ARENA – DAY

In the archducal box, amid the uproar, Mace Windu ignites his lightsaber and holds it to Jango Fett’s neck. Count Dooku turns to see Mace standing behind him. Count Dooku masks his surprise elegantly.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Windu, how pleasant of you to join us.

MACE WINDU: This party’s over.

At strategic places around the arena there are sudden flashes of light as about ONE HUNDRED JEDI switch on their lightsabers. The crowds in the stands begin to flee.

COUNT DOOKU: (to Mace Windu) Brave, but, uh, foolish, my old Jedi friend. You’re impossibly outnumbered.

MACE WINDU: (Scoffs) I don’t think so.

COUNT DOOKU: (Smiling) We’ll see.

The approach of heavy metallic footsteps echoes from the tunnel behind Mace. A troop of SUPER BATTLE DROIDS fire on him. The Jedi quickly blocks their shots. Jango Fett fires his flamethrower at Mace, igniting Mace’s robe. He jumps into the arena, and upon landing, tosses away his smoldering robe. The battle begins. Geonosians fly away everywhere. Droids fire at Jedi, who deflect the bolts and cut down the droids.

More battle droids enter the arena. Threepio’s body with the battle droid head marches with them, armed with a blaster.

C-3PO: (Synthesized voice) My legs aren’t moving. I must need maintenance.

Ugh…

The Geonosian troops fire ray guns that are more difficult for the Jedi to deflect. The Reek is spooked by the battle. The beast bucks the riders off its back and stampedes around the arena. The Jedi go into action while Padmé picks up a discarded pistol and joins the fight.

More droids enter the arena. The battle droid body with Threepio’s head marches with them, carrying a blaster rifle.

C-3PO: What’s all this noise? A-A battle! Oh, there’s been some mistake! I’m programmed for etiquette, not destruction!

Obi-Wan and Mace Windu fight back-to-back, lightsabers flashing.

Threepio’s body with the battle droid head fires at one Jedi. He blocks the shots, deflecting one shot back. The battle droid head goes flying off Threepio’s body.

Another Jedi leaps into the archducal box and prepares to confront Count Dooku. Jango Fett fires on him, knocking the Jedi over the edge of the platform.

The Reek charges and separates Obi-Wan and Mace. The Reek chases Mace across the arena. Jango Fett, watching from above, rockets down into the arena. Mace slashes at the Reek but loses his lightsaber. Jango lands and dives for Mace’s weapon.

Mace retrieves his lightsaber with the Force. The Reek roars and tosses Jango away. Jango ends up under the Reek, avoiding the creature’s massive hoofs. Finally, Fett is free and kills the Reek with a single shot. Mace fights fiercely with Jango. Finally, the bounty hunter falls. His helmet goes flying. The bounty hunter’s body falls to the ground.

A look of concern crosses Dooku’s face. Boba stares blankly at what occurred.

Threepio’s droid body is blasting away at the enemy.

C-3PO: Die, Jedi dogs! Oh! What did I say?

The fight is getting too close for Nute and his aide as blaster shots detonate against the wall behind them.

On the arena floor, Jedi Kit Fisto faces the Threepio battle droid.

C-3PO: Oh, dear. I’m terribly sorry about all this.

Kit uses the Force to knock backward onto the arena floor.

C-3PO: Oh!

A downed Super Battle Droid falls on top of Threepio’s battle droid body, pinning him to the ground. Kit grins and goes back to the fight.

C-3PO: Excuse me. I’m trapped. I can’t get up.

A droideka blasts at the orray pulling the execution wagon. The wagon overturns, throwing Padmé and Anakin to the ground. They crawl back to the wagon, using it for cover.

ANAKIN: You call this diplomacy?

PADMÉ: No, I call it aggressive negotiations.

Is this supposed to mirror Han/Leia banter? I don’t think so.

Obi-Wan fights two battle droids, but they suddenly start backing off.

BATTLE DROID ONE: Uh-oh

BATTLE DROID TWO: Roger, roger.

The Acklay closes in on Obi-Wan from behind. He turns around and slices through the creature’s front legs. It shrieks and crashes to the ground. Obi-Wan plunges his lightsaber into the Acklay, killing it.

Artoo finds the battle droid with Threepio’s head attached.

C-3PO: Artoo, what are you doing here?

Artoo shoots a projectile from his body that attaches a suction device to Threepio’s head.

C-3PO: What are you doing? Oh, stop that! You’re going to strain something. My neck!

Artoo pulls the head away from the battle droid and drags it across the arena.

C-3PO: Now where are you taking me? Oh, this is such a drag.

Truer words have never been said.

Artoo beeps.

Artoo arrives at Threepio’s fallen body.

C-3PO: Oh, I’m quite beside myself.

Artoo begins reattaching Threepio’s head.

C-3PO: Artoo, please be careful. You’re singeing my circuits! (Artoo beeps) Yes, but is my head on straight?

As Artoo works, Threepio’s limbs twitch to life.

From the archducal box, Count Dooku senses that the battle is nearly over. Mace, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padmé and an exhausted group of about twenty Jedi stand in the center of the arena surrounded by a ring of battle droids. The bloodied sand around them is strewn with the bodies of dead Geonosians, shattered droids and Jedi.

Count Dooku lifts his hand. The droids stop firing and lower their weapons. Obi-Wan stoops to check on a fallen comrade.

The Count calls out to the Jedi.

COUNT DOOKU: Master Windu! You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished.

Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon and other survivors from the raiding party are herded into the circle by Geonosians.

COUNT DOOKU: (pauses briefly) Surrender, and your lives will be spared.

MACE WINDU: We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku.

COUNT DOOKU: Then, I’m sorry, old friend.

The droids raise their weapons. The Jedi prepare to fight. Padmé looks up suddenly.

PADMÉ: Look!

Above, SIX GUNSHIPS are descending fast through the open area in the arena ceiling. The droids fire on them. The ships circle the arena and blasts droids into scrap metal. Yoda appears at the door of one of the Gunships.

YODA: Around the survivors a perimeter create.

The Gunships land in a cluster around the handful of Jedi. CLONE TROOPERS spill out and start firing at the droids. The surviving Jedi dash to the Gunships and scramble in. Once the clone troopers are back aboard, the Gunships, firing all their weapons, rise out of the arena up and over the topmost rim.

On the arena grounds, Artoo beeps as Threepio tries to sit up.

C-3PO: What happened? I had the most peculiar dream.

In another part of the deserted arena, Boba Fett finds his father’s battered helmet. Kneeling down, he picks it up and lowers his head in sorrow.

INT: CORUSCANT, MAIN SENATE CHAMBER, UPPER CORRIDOR – EVENING

Mace Windu walks down an upper corridor and meets Yoda, who is sitting on a ledge overlooking the Senate chamber.

Inside the great rotunda, Jar Jar is addressing the Senate from his floating pod.

JAR JAR: It’s-a clear desa Separatists have made a pact wesa desa Federation du Trade.

JAR JAR: (Con’t) Senators, dellow felagates. In response to this direct threat to the Republic, mesa propose that the Senate give immediately emergency powers to the supreme chancellor.

Applause and voices of approval spread through the rotunda.

SENATORS: (Chanting) Palpatine! Palpatine! Palpatine!

MAS AMEDDA: Order! We shall have order!

The applause dies down. Palpatine rises.

PALPATINE: It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy. I love the Republic. (scattered applause from Senators) The power you give me I will lay down when this crisis has abated. And as my first act with this new authority, I will create a grand army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the separatists.

INT: CORUSCANT, MAIN SENATE CHAMBER, UPPER CORRIDOR – EVENING

MACE WINDU: It is done, then.

YODA: Hmm.

MACE WINDU: I will take what Jedi we have left and go to Geonosis and help Obi-Wan.

Wow, that’s a smart strategic move, dude. Go out in the middle of nowhere and possibly get everybody killed so there’s nothing left but kids and old folk. Nice.

YODA: Visit I will the cloners on Kamino, hmm…and see this army they have created for the Republic.

Mace leaves.

I left out the all-important “Jar Jar is responsible for the Empire’s creation” scene. I’ll pick that up in the next post (Chapter 30a) before that wonderfully romantic “love pledge” scene in the Geonosis arena (Chapter 32).

There is not much to say about the droid factory scene that hasn’t already been said elsewhere. But that won’t stop me from saying it! Anyway, just think about those old Warner Brothers cartoons where the characters are running through operating machinery avoiding getting folded, spindled and mutilated. If you want to see a good, fun, well-made, suspense-filled scene of this type, go watch Chicken Run. It definitely won’t leave you with a sour taste in your mouth, as will this.

EXT: GEONOSIS – DAY

Anakin pilots the starship close to the ground, weaving around towering rock formations.

PADMÉ: See those columns of steam straight ahead? They’re exhaust vents of some type.

ANAKIN: That’ll do.

Anakin pilots the craft straight down into a column, flying through the steam, and landing at the bottom.

INT: COCKPIT, NABOO STARSHIP – DAY

Padmé and Anakin prepare to leave the starship.

PADMÉ: Look, whatever happens out there, follow my lead. I’m not interested in getting into a war here. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess.

Oh, she was serious. Heh, my bad.

ANAKIN: Don’t worry. I’ve given up trying to argue with you.

ARTOO WHISTLES a plaintive sigh.

C-3PO: My obtuse little friend. If they had needed our help, they would have asked for it. You obviously have a great deal to learn about human behavior.

INT: GEONOSIS, CORRIDORS – DAY

Anakin and Padmé walk along a catwalk surrounded by clouds of steam. They stop at what appears to be a door. Anakin touches it, and with a hiss it opens. They pass through and enter. The door closes as they look around in wonder at the emptiness.

INT: COCKPIT, NABOO STARSHIP – DAY

Artoo stands in front of Threepio, who is fussing about.

C-3PO: For a mechanic, you seem to do an excessive amount of thinking. (Artoo beeps at him) I’m programmed to understand humans.

Artoo beeps a question.

C-3PO: “What does that mean?” Oh! That means I’m in charge here!

Artoo rolls out of the cockpit.

C-3PO: Where are you going now? You don’t know what’s out there. Don’t you have any sense at all? Oh! Idiot!

Artoo trundles out of the starship and down the landing ramp. Threepio follows him out of the ship.

C-3PO: Please wait! Do you know where you’re going?

Artoo bleeps at Threepio.

INT: GEONOSIS, CORRIDORS – DAY

Anakin and Padmé enter a dark corridor. As they pass, the surfaces of the walls seems to move.

ANAKIN: Wait.

Dark forms detach from the walls and close in. Anakin turns as one of the WINGED CREATURES attacks him. Lightsaber blazing, Anakin cuts down three creatures as Padmé exits through a far doorway. He reaches Padmé and they both stand on the edge of a short walkway extending over a deep crevasse. The door behind them closes, stranding the two. The walkway retracts and Padmé slips and then jumps down onto a conveyor belt leading into the droid factory.

ANAKIN: Padmé!

Anakin jumps down and slashes more Geonosians while attempting to reach Padmé. Padmé makes her way across stamping machines and welders as Anakin follows, beating back his opponents.

INT: GEONOSIS, DROID FACTORY – DAY

Threepio and Artoo stop at the small walkway.

C-3PO: Oh, my goodness! Shut me down! Machines making machines. How perverse! (Artoo bleeps)

C-3PO: (Con’t) Calm down. I almost fell. You’ll get your chance–!

Artoo pushes Threepio off the small ledge and onto a flying Conveyor Droid.

C-3PO: Oh! I’m scrap!

The conveyor droid grabs Threepio and tries to shake him off.

C-3PO: It’s a nightmare! Oh! I want to go home! Ahh!

The conveyor droid drops Threepio onto a conveyor belt below.

C-3PO: Oh, what did I do to deserve this?

Artoo uses his rocket jets to fly up and into the factory.

Those rocket jets we never see again.

Anakin continues to work his way toward Padmé, lightsaber flashing, Geonosians attacking from all directions. Padmé wrestles with one creature and is thrown into a large empty vat moving down the assembly line. Mechanized arms carry the vat to a position where molten metal will be poured into it. Padmé struggles to find handholds for escape, but is unsuccessful. Artoo flies toward Padmé.

Threepio is carried down the assembly line.

C-3PO: Hmm. I wonder what happened to poor little Artoo. He’s always getting himself into trouble. Oops!

A robotic arm knocks his head from his body. His head lands in a line of Battle Droid heads on another conveyor belt.

C-3PO: Oh, no!

Threepio’s headless body continues down the assembly line, sandwiched between Battle Droids. A Battle Droid head is welded on Threepio’s body.

C-3PO: (battle droid voice) Oh-no.

His head is welded onto a Battle Droid body.

C-3PO: Oh, I’m so confused.

Yuk, yuk, yuk.

Meanwhile, Anakin continues to battle the Geonosians. Using the Force, her hurls robotic arms and other equipment at them. He leaps up onto a conveyor belt above. He takes out a piece of machinery that’s about to hit him, but he’s knocked down by a second arm. He falls down and his right arm becomes trapped inside a metal part being welded together. Anakin comes close to the cutting machine.

As Padmé continues her struggle to escape the vat, Artoo finds the computer port controlling the vats and programs Padmé’s to dump her onto a walkway. Anakin maneuvers his body away from a series of cutters, but one slams down and cuts his lightsaber in half. Anakin finally frees his arm and prepares to ignite his damage weapon.

ANAKIN: Oh, no, not again. Obi-Wan is going to kill me.

Padmé is surrounded by Geonosians and taken prisoner. Anakin is surrounded by droidekas and from above, Jango Fett drops down, blaster in hand.

JANGO FETT: Don’t move, Jedi! Take him away!

More droidekas arrive with weapons drawn.