(PLOT SUMMARY PAGE 2)

...CONTINUED

Upon arrival to Mos Espa, Anakin, Padme, and R2D2 make their way to Watto's shop. When the arrive, Watto is there. He is outside his front door chasing a pit droid around. He is running on the ground and flapping his wings hard, but it unable to fly. He picks up a stick and slaps the droid in the nose, causing it to fold up and stop running around. Anakin, Padme, and R2 approach him. Anakin tells Watto who he is and that he's come for his mother. Watto tells Anakin that she is now married to Cliegg Lars and they live out on a moisture farm outside a city called Mos Eisley. Anakin gets a speeder and he, Padme, and R2 hurry towards the city Watto described.

When they arrive at the Lars moisture farm, Anakin meets Cliegg (played by Jack Thompson), Owen (played by Joel Edgerton), and Beru (played by Bonnie Piesse). His mother is not there and Anakin gets very concerned. Cliegg (who has one leg) tells him that she went out into the desert earlier in the day to fetch mushrooms that grow on moisture vaporators. She did not return at the time she usually does so Cliegg formed a search party and went out to find her. In the process, he failed and was badly injured by tusken raiders. Most of the search party was killed. Anakin jumps on Owen Lars's swoop bike and speeds out into the desert. Padme runs after him yelling "Anakin! Stop!"

After getting directions from a Jawa along the way, Anakin heads into a hilly, rocky region of the desert. When he finds his mom, she is being carried by tuskens. She is obviously badly wounded already. As Anakin approaches, a tusken suddenly turns around and slugs Shmi in the stomach with his gaffi stick. Anakin sees this and screams as he approaches. The tuskens get spooked, they drop Shmi and take off. Anakin runs to his mother and holds her in his lap. They exchange a few words and she dies in his arms. Anakin is devastated. He blames himself for her death. He sits next to her in silence for a long time. He then digs a hole in the sand and puts Shmi in it. He then covers the tomb in rocks. Anakin sits on a top of a rocky hill all night near the place where he buried his mother. He is in a meditative state, trying to calm his flurried emotions. As the twin suns of Tatooine rise over the horizon.

Anakin catches a glimpse of two Tusken children playing in the shadows below him. He watches them for a bit, then stands up. Staring at them with a blank expression on his face, he reaches for his saber, ignites it, and walks towards them.

When Anakin returns to the Lars farm, he tells Cliegg Lars that he found his mother and she was dead. Cliegg (who's still very injured) and Anakin have a conversation that goes as such:

ANAKIN: If I hadn't gone away, none of this would have happened. We'd be happy.

CLIEGG LARS: But you'd still be slaves.

ANAKIN: But at least she'd still be alive and we'd be happy.

As the conversation proceeds, they're kind of raising their voices at each other. Anakin is obviously extremely jealous of his mother's love for the Lars family. The argument stops when Padme puts a soft hand on Anakin's shoulder. She takes him into the next room and shows him C-3PO, who now has covers. (Padme, R2, and Owen added then when Anakin was in the desert.) And so follows this dialogue:

PADME: Isn't he great?

ANAKIN: He's perfect.

At or around this time, Padme and Anakin receive Obi-Wan's general distress call from Geonosis. It becomes evident that Anakin does not want to leave. Padme reminds him of their responsibilities to the republic and essentially tells him they have to go. Anakin takes Padme, R2D2, and C-3PO with him. They head for Geonosis.

Geonosis: a planet run by an alien known as Poggle the Lesser. The inhabitants of the planet specialize in making droid armies for the Trade Federation. These aliens look like a cross between Sebulba and Battle Droids. They also have four thin wings on their backs similar to a dragonfly's.

Anakin, Padme, R2D2, and C-3PO arrive on Geonosis before the Jedi army. When they land, Padme and Anakin get in an argument about what to do (Anakin doesn't want to fight, Padme reminds him of their obligations to the Republic.) C-3PO comments to R2D2, "Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior."

Anakin and Padme leave their ship with the droids and then proceed towards a large rock formation (it's basically a building made out of rock.) They are trying to find Obi-Wan. When they enter the building, they are surrounded by droids. Then Count Dooku, who is standing on a level above them, looks down at them and says "Give up. You are captured." (Not exact quote) Dooku Force-grabs Anakin's lightsaber right out of his hand and then the droids take him and Padme in separate jail cells.

In the arena, Dooku, Jango, Poggle, and a Neimodian are watching the Reek devour slaves, and decide to feed Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme to the Reek as well. (The Reek is a Chevy Suburban-sized monster with three horns - click here for a great picture by Guy Lagacé.) They bring out the three prisoners and are preparing to tie them up to poles. First, they tie down Padme... but then...

Mace Windu enters the V.I.P. box where Dooku and friends are enjoying the show. He taps Dooku on the shoulder who turns to see the Jedi Master holding his lightsaber to Jango's throat. Then thousands of Jedi Knights burst through the gates into the arena and into the stands amongst the large crowd. The stadium lights up in a rainbow of lightsabers and the action begins. But as the Jedi free Obi-Wan and Anakin from the Reek, thousands of advanced droids roll in as well and begin firing upon the Jedi. Mace Windu dodges their fire and ends up jumping into the arena floor.. he is pursued by Jango Fett.

The two men engage in battle for quite some time, with the Reek charging both of them in a fury of confusion and rage. (For a detailed description of the battle between Mace and Jango, check out the Virtual Edition.) In the end, Mace Windu decapitates Jango as little Boba Fett watches on in horror. As Jango and Mace Windu are fighting, Obi-Wan and Anakin manage to escape from the arena - Padme does not. Because they don't have lightsabers, Anakin and Obi-Wan pick up two sabers each from dead Jedi bodies. They both engage in the attack and deflect droid blaster fire with two lightsabers, one in each hand.

Meanwhile, Count Dooku has slipped out of the arena away from the action. Explosions begin in space as Republic forces begin assaulting the Droid Control ships... Obi-Wan and Anakin continue to attack the droids. They fight their way indoors and out of sight from the arena. Anakin tells Obi-Wan he wants to go back for Padme but Obi-Wan tells him to stay focused on the task at hand. The line is something like "You are my padawan and you must do as I say." Anakin stays with him Also during the Jango/Windu fight, Yoda arrives with an army of clonetroopers. It is Yoda and the clones that finally save Padme from the arena and she then joins them in the fight. She leads a squadron of clonetroopers. As the action continues, Slave 1 takes to the sky and flees. It's passengers? Only one - young Boba Fett.

As the battle on the ground rages on, the battle in the sky above Geonosis in underway as well. As you can see from this call sheet here, the battle in the sky revolves around Ki-Adi Mundi leading six Jedi in an assault on one of the two droid control ships. They fight their way through the heavily guarded ship and into the control room where Ki-Adi Mundi successfully throws the main switch that controls the droids.

There are four Nemoidians in the control center. When Ki-Adi throws the switch in attempt to deactivate the droids on the ground, nothing happens. It appears the Nemoidians have learned that lesson after the Battle of Naboo. (The reason nothing happens to the droids is because they are being controlled from the ground.) Among the Jedi who attack the Droid Control ship is Plo Koon. Somewhere in this sequence he is injured badly and almost dies. He is shot by destroyer droids.

Upon finding Dooku before he departs in his solar sailor, the Jedi ignite their lightsabres in prepration to battle the Sith Lord. Anakin charges into battle not heeding Obi-Wan's warnings. Just as the young apprentice is about to strike the first blow, Dooku calmly lifts his arm and the Jedi is lifted up and flung across the room into the opposite wall. Obi-Wan sees this and fights furiously against the droids so he can get to Anakin - he doesn't want to leave his companion alone with a Sith Lord after he lost Qui-Gon that way in Episode I. Anakin and Dooku are now alone, and Obi-Wan fears he will lose Anakin just like he lost Qui-Gon.

Anakin is in a state of mental chaos. His mother has just been slain in front of his very eyes, he can't protect his love (Padme) from the battle outside, he has been separated from his master, and he's now engaged in a battle against one of the most powerful Force-wielders in the galaxy. Dooku sees Anakin's mental instability and can sense his fear. Using this to his advantage, he bullies Anakin for his own amusement. Dooku's intent at this moment is not to turn Anakin to the dark side, rather to amuse himself by messing with Anakin's head.

{Padme, at this time, has been rescued by Mace Windu after he lops off Jango's head. She joins the battle and leads a group of clonetroopers in the attack.} Anakin basically gets his butt whooped by Dooku. Anakin somehow stops fighting with Dooku (I think he gets knocked off a ledge and they are separated) and Dooku makes his way to Obi-Wan. Dooku and Obi-Wan do battle. Dooku is obviously a better fighter than Obi-Wan, using calculated moves and expending little energy in the fight. It's not the constant fighting like in Episode 1 - they talk quite a bit while fighting (like the saber fights in the old trilogy.) Dooku speaks to Obi-Wan almost hypnotically, telling him of the instability of the Republic and how it will crumble. Addressing him as "Master Kenobi," Dooku begs Obi-Wan to just kill him, then easily deflects his saber when the frustrated Jedi Knight attacks.

At some point during this battle, Dooku says to Obi-Wan "I have spent the last ten years learning to use the power of the dark side. It gives me infinitely more power!" Finally Anakin returns to the battle and it's now a 2 on 1 situation. The battle continues and, while Obi-Wan appreciates the assistance, Dooku still overpowers both Jedi at the same time. He begins to taunt both of them now, and seems to be enjoying himself. Dooku pries into their deepest fears and regrets....

[At some point in this battle, Anakin and Obi-Wan are fighting Dooku and Obi-Wan falls down and out of the action. Anakin uses the force to call Obi-Wan's saber to his hand and he then starts wielding two sabers at Dooku.. When Obi-Wan gets back into the fight, Anakin tosses his saber back to him and the duel continues.

He begins to tell Anakin he's fighting a lost cause - he failed to protect his mother... just as he failed to protect Padme. Dooku tells Anakin she has been killed in the battle.

Anakin snaps. Out of pure rage, he swings furiously at Dooku who is a bit taken with the overwhelming power this young Jedi is displaying. Dark side emotions run through Anakin and Dooku is forced to defend himself with a little more caution.

Obi-Wan finally rejoins the battle. As the battle continues, Obi-Wan tries to control Anakin. He tells him to concentrate on the battle and not to think of Padme's death. Upon hearing what he believes in confirmation from his master, Anakin becomes so enraged he takes a swing at Obi-Wan.

Count Dooku continues to beat the bantha poodoo out of both Jedi at the same time. He force-throws things at them and they are both getting injured (similarly to Luke vs. Vader in ESB) Dooku then chops a large mechanical loading device (like a claw) and it begins to fall on Anakin and Obi-Wan. This device, however, does not land on the Jedi...... {DETAILS WITHHELD} ........ As Dooku sees Yoda enter the fight, he Force-throws objects at the two Jedi and knocks Anakin out. Dooku and Yoda then fight.

The battle ends as Yoda Force-pushes Dooku off a ledge and the badly beaten Sith Lord runs to his ship. After Dooku flees, Obi-Wan rushes over to Yoda who is extremely exhausted.

THE BATTLE, PART 3: IN THE HANGAR, there is still a big battle raging on outside between the Jedi and the droids. The Jedi are losing, but they are very ironically saved by a clone army. Where did these clones come from? The Senate did not vote on the matter so they're not Republic Clones, right? Well, it's an ironic answer - they came from Kamino. The clones that save the Jedi's butts are the secret clones that an impostor named Sido-Dyas commissioned the Kaminoans to create from Jango Fett's DNA.

After the Yoda/Dooku confrontation, Dooku gets to his ship and takes off. Yoda is extremely exhausted from the battle and near collapse. As Dooku's ship takes off, a beaten up Anakin and Obi-Wan rush over to Yoda. At the same time, Padme, a clone captain, and about ten more clones come rushing into the room. Padme runs up to Anakin and embraces him. Anakin is so tired and beaten he can barely stand.

The clone captain marches up to Yoda and tells him the resistance has come to an end. Yoda is obviously not happy about the battle being won and there is a great look of concern on his face. Back on Coruscant it is morning. Count Dooku's ship lands in a secret platform in a deserted and broken down part of the planet. He walks down the ramp and approaches Darth Sidious. The two Sith Lords have a brief discussion and are very pleased with the way things are going.

COUNT DOOKU: I bring you good news, my Lord. The war has begun.

SIDIOUS: Excellent. Everything is going as planned.

Back at the top of the temple the Jedi Council has convened. The damage this war has done to the Jedi is catastrophic. Furthermore, Mace Windu and Yoda are extremely concerned about the prophecy of the Chosen One. Mace says to him "The prophesy is true... the dark side is growing." What is implied here is that the prophesy of the chosen one states the dark side will consume the galaxy before balance is restored. As it eventually does.

Anakin and Padme have returned to Naboo to get married in secret. They return to the Lake Retreat they were at before leaving for Tatooine. They have a very small wedding, witnessed only by C-3PO, R2D2, and a holy man. Back on Coruscant, the Republic decides to take action immediately. Clone armies are being produced in masses and sent to all corner's of the galaxy. The Clone Wars are about to begin. The last line scenes of the film are in the Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan and the four remaining council members (Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Plo Koon) are discussing the battle. Yoda has the last line in the movie, and he says it to Obi-Wan:

YODA: Victory? Victory, you say? Not victory. A defeat it was, Master Obi-Wan. Begun, the Clone War has!