The Phantom Menace
	Terry Brooks
	1999
	32 Years Before The Battle of Yavin
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SPOILER ALERT: This Will Spoil The Plot of the Book!

Anakin Skywalker, a nine year old slave on Tatooine, is engaged in a pod race. He is the only human that has successfully competed in these types of races. As he flies frantically through the valleys and caverns of the desert planet he can almost sense where his competitors are and would have won the race were it not for the scheming of Sebulba who knocks him off course. After the race, Anakin is scolded by his owner, Watto, for wrecking another pod and demands that the pod be repaired immediately.

Anakin has a sense of things before they happen, a secret only his mother is aware of. That evening, Anakin and his friends head off into town where they meet an old Republic spacer who was impressed by Anakin’s skills in the race and offers to buy them desserts. He regales them of tales of flying Jedi Knights and Anakin wishes he will one day fly into the stars, but his friends laugh since a slave is not likely to reach that goal. The spacer gives him hope and tells him not to be dissuaded.

Back at home, Anakin enters his room and sees the parts of a protocol droid he’s been working on for his mother. His mother begs him to quit podracing, but knows Watto will make him do it anyway.

Around the planet Naboo, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, lead by his Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, are granted permission to land on a Trade Federation cruiser that is leading a blockade of the planet. The Neimoidians on board grow nervous with their arrival and they contact Darth Sidious who tells them to begin invading the planet and kill the two Jedi! He tells them he will make their actions legal within the Senate.

Poison gas begins pouring into the waiting room on the two Jedi. A group of battle droids await them outside, but the Jedi easily dispatch them and begin cutting their way into the bridge. Before they can gain access, however, they are chased away by several destroyer droids.

Queen Amidala of Naboo contacts the Neimoidians and tells them the blockade will soon be over once the Senate intercedes.

Elsewhere, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon witness the battle fleet prepping for landing and they decide to hitch a ride down to the surface. After landing, they are forced to flee from the coming armada. Qui-Gon literally runs into a native Gungan named Jar Jar Binks and saves the creature's life. Jar Jar then gives Qui-Gon a life debt and follows him, much to the dismay of the Jedi. Jar Jar takes the two Jedi into a pool that leads to his underground city. Once inside, Jar Jar is taken into custody and the Jedi are lead to Boss Nass. They try to convince him to help the reach the Naboo capital, but Nass refuses as the two cultures do not like each other. He does agree to give them a transport to go through the planet’s core to reach the city of Theed. As they leave, Jar Jar warns them the core is really a trap. Qui-Gon, much to Obi-Wan’s disapproval, invokes the life debt and Boss Nass begrudgingly permits Binks to go with them.

Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray and Rune Haako again speak with Darth Sidious who tells them that the Queen will be easily manipulated. Fearing his reaction, they do not reveal that the Jedi have gone missing.