Onboard the Federation flagship, the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray receives a holographic transmission from Sidious: "Kill them immediately." The Viceroy tries to gas the Jedi, but they escape and fight through droid forces. They commandeer a landing craft and flee to the swampy planet Naboo.
Meanwhile, Queen Amidala (the real one, revealed to be the handmaiden Padmé all along) addresses the Senate. But she sees the bureaucracy is paralyzed by corruption. The Supreme Chancellor’s puppet, Senator Palpatine (secretly Darth Sidious), manipulates her: "Vote for a vote of no confidence in Valorum. Then they will elect a new chancellor… a strong chancellor." She does so, and Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor. Star Wars- Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin flee Tatooine. But Qui-Gon is forced to leave Anakin's mother behind, promising to return. Anakin leaves with the Jedi, beginning his tragic path. Onboard the Federation flagship, the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute
On Coruscant, Qui-Gon reports to the Jedi Council (led by Yoda and Mace Windu) that a Sith Lord—believed extinct for a millennium—has reappeared. He asks to train Anakin. The Council is troubled: Anakin is too old, too fearful, and attached to his mother. Yoda senses "much fear" in the boy. They refuse to train him but allow Qui-Gon to keep Anakin close. But she sees the bureaucracy is paralyzed by corruption
Upon landing, Qui-Gon saves a bumbling, clumsy, but well-meaning Gungan outcast named Jar Jar Binks from a transport vehicle. Jar Jar, indebted by Gungan life-debt, leads the Jedi to the underwater Gungan city of Otoh Gunga. There, Qui-Gon tries to persuade Boss Nass to help the Naboo, but the Gungans refuse, distrusting the surface dwellers. The Jedi depart in a bongo submarine, traveling through the planet's core to the capital city, Theed.
Opening Crawl: Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute.