As the Jedi begin their journey, Obi-Wan wonders why Qui-Gon has brought along Jar Jar, who appears to be a worthless distraction. He continues by saying Qui-Gon is perhaps one of the greatest living Jedi, but will never be on the Jedi Council as he continually disobeys their wishes in all types of matters. Qui-Gon tells him to have patience as Jar Jar may have a future use as yet unseen. He should never stray from a secret that needs to be revealed. Inside the core, they are attacked by numerous creatures that eventually disable their ship. Once power is restored, the Jedi are beset upon be even more creatures.

In their next transmission, Sidious chastises the Neimoidians over the missing Jedi and says he will handle them.

Watto sends Anakin out to trade with the local Jawas for parts. As he heads out, Anakin thinks about the secret podracer he’s been building and decides he’ll take his protocol droid, C-3PO, along with him. Anakin successfully barters for many droids as well as a damaged hyperdrive system. On their way back to town, Anakin spots an injured Tuskan Raider who is trapped under a boulder. Rather than leave him there to die, he uses the droids and a speeder to pull the boulder off the raider and help set its broken leg.  The raider awakens, but Anakin is not afraid of anything, except perhaps harm coming to his mother.  As night falls, Anakin sleeps and dreams of being a Jedi and a star pilot. When he wakes up, he is surrounded by raiders, but the injured one tells the others to leave him alone.

After the invasion, the Neimoidians capture the Naboo Queen, and they are surprised at her youth considering she was actually elected and not simply given the Queen position by right of family. Gunray suggests they sign a treaty, but she flatly refuses and is taken into custody. As they head towards the detention camp, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan intercept the group and free them. They find the Queen’s personal transport and Qui-Gon convinces the Queen to head to Coruscant and plead her case to the Senate directly.

In space, they take heavy fire from the Trade Federation ships that knock out their deflector shields. The captain sends several astromech droids out to repair the ship. All but one are destroyed, a blue unit that gets the shields back up and running. Their hyperdrive, however, is damaged and they decide to head to Tatooine for repairs despite protests from the Queen’s men that the planet is controlled by the Hutt gangsters.

Sidious receives the news that the Queen escaped with the help of the Jedi. Incensed, he tells Gunray his apprentice, Darth Maul, will pick up the pursuit from here on.

Captain Panaka commends the blue droid, R2-D2, to the Queen and she thanks it for saving the ship. Later on, Jar Jar finds Padme, a handmaiden that is cleaning R2, and the two talk briefly.

After arriving on Tatooine, Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan to remain with the ship as he senses something is not quite right. He takes R2 and Jar Jar into town. The Queen sends Padme with them to the protest of the Jedi. They quickly find a dealer whose owner, Watto, is eager to sell to them. He tells his slave, Anakin, to mind the store while he and Qui-Gon go look for parts. Anakin stares dreamily at Padme and says he’ll marry her someday, but Padme tells him she doesn’t think that’s possible. Outside, Qui-Gon offers Republic credits for the part, but Watto says credits are no good and kicks them all out of the shop.

As they enter the streets, Jar Jar disrupts Sebulba’s lunch and the creature attacks him. Anakin arrives and convinces Sebulba to leave him alone. They catch up the others just as a sandstorm flares up and Anakin invites them to wait it out at his home.

Back on the ship, the governor from Naboo makes a desperate plea to the Queen to sign the treaty, but Obi-Wan tells them it’s a trap and to hold off on all replies so as not give away their location.

Anakin’s mother, Shmi, is taken aback by the motley crew her son brings home for dinner, but she warms to them quickly especially when Qui-Gon tells her that Anakin is indeed a very special boy. Anakin shows Padme his droid C-3PO and introduces the droid to R2-D2.

As they sit down to eat, Anakin musters the courage to ask if Qui-Gon is a Jedi and tells them about the dream he had of becoming a Jedi himself. They explain their situation to Shmi and Anakin reveals that he has been secretly building a podracer that is capable of winning the upcoming Boonta Eve Classic. The winnings will more than pay for the parts they need. Shmi is reluctant, but believes that perhaps her son is meant to help them and agrees.