Qui Gon buys Shmi's freedom?

[Ted C]

That brings up a question: Why could they not access Jedi funds from on-planet to acquire money for that motivator? Or even send a call and ask for help? Are interstellar communications and banking that bad in the Old Republic? I mean, alright, they say Tatooine is outside the Republic sphere, but if the planet is supposedly the headquarters of a major Hutt lord, should there not be some bank that can handle such transactions?

The Planetary Bank of Tatooine would probably be about as trustworthy and reliable as the National Bank of Somalia. The local government is in the pocket of crimelords; whatever bank the Jedi Order uses, it probably doesn't do business with the financial institutions of Tatooine.

[Bilbo]

If it was that easy, why would Nute Gunray think that it was impossible to find them? Either the TradeFed are even more of a bunch of truly momentous retards than the canon already has it, or Maul had access to some mumbo jumbo they did not, being an heir to the Sith tradition. Which explanation is more reasonable? And which one fits best with the EU depiction of the HoloNet/hyperwave networks?

Actually, that's a point. Actually, as I see it, the easiest way for Maul to find them would be for Sidious to find them for him. Namely, by being the Senator for Naboo, and thus the kind of person that the Queen might logically call if she was in trouble.

The tracking method doesn't necessarily need to be technological, after all.

That would make no sense and would make Qui Gon and Obiwan complete morons. If it is safe enough to call a Senator on Coruscant then it is safe enough to call the Jedi Temple and ask them to send a ship to pick them up. Considering how fast ships are the Temple could have another ship there in a few hours.

Unless your thinking that Padme was some teenage bimbo who spent the whole time the Jedi were gone on the phone yacking with anyone she could think to call.

[Kurgan]

If Palpatine found them, why did Maul need to go, and why send out the probe droids?

Seems he went to a lot of trouble, if Palpatine could have just given him the coordinates.

[Ted C]

Actually, that's a point. Actually, as I see it, the easiest way for Maul to find them would be for Sidious to find them for him. Namely, by being the Senator for Naboo, and thus the kind of person that the Queen might logically call if she was in trouble.

That would make no sense and would make Qui Gon and Obiwan complete morons. If it is safe enough to call a Senator on Coruscant then it is safe enough to call the Jedi Temple and ask them to send a ship to pick them up. Considering how fast ships are the Temple could have another ship there in a few hours.

Unless your thinking that Padme was some teenage bimbo who spent the whole time the Jedi were gone on the phone yacking with anyone she could think to call.

Padme went with the Jedi, so presumably someone else on the ship screwed up and sent some kind of transmission that allowed Maul to track them to Tatooine and the vicinity of Mos Espa. That, or he had some kind of Force clairvoyance that got him that close, but couldn't give him the exact location of the ship.

[Darth Hoth]

Notice the sequence: Gunray says it can't be done..... then he SETs up the tranmission, which Amidala replied to. Trace established.
Unless you believe that despite being confined to a concentration camp, they were able to just send a message to Queen Amidala without the TF knowing.

Of course not; it is clear from the context that they were baiting her for some reason. But it could be any number of other things than a suggested direct tracing; for all we know they just wanted to get her edgy before appearing before the Senate. I repeat, if he thought it was easy, why would he tell his boss, of whom he is (rightly) afraid, that it was impossible?

As for the ＥＵ depiction of the HoloNet/hyperwave, let me remind you that Obiwan Kenobi establish that not only was Anakin communicator NOT on Naboo, he was able to direct a message DIRECTLY to the Queen yahct.Clearly, there IS a way to find out where a person is from far. And Anakin was supposed to be hiding with Amidala!

And on such a long-prepared, important mission, do you not think the Jedi and government would have liked to be able to monitor them somehow? This is hardly proof that it can be done at any point with any transceiver.

That's nonsensical. Podracing is popular in the Outer Rim does not equate to it being played nowhere but there. You're just subscribing to an extreme form of miminalism.

The sport is specifically noted to be popular in the Rim, not elsewhere. The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels notes that "there are portions of the galaxy where life is filled with hardship [. . . ] Outer Rim worlds, in particular [. . . ] on these planets, excitement comes in the form of exciting and often deadly sports such as Podracing". This,along with the fact that only Outer Rim worlds are known to field podracer circuits, at least strongly implies it is limited to them. ICS supplies, "The great Boonta Eve Race on Tatooine is a legend among Podracers. It is here that racers congregate from widespread star systems to match their skills and their engines against the best, in a setting largely unrefined by civilised society and its rules."

None of this make it sound like it is at all usual in the Core.

There's a hotel in Cuba that had 4 gangster leaders staying in it over a short period during Prohibition. Does that make that hotel and Cuba a major event?

When they come specifically for a sporting event, including a Vigo of Black Sun, I would say it does make the case that it is something unusual.

Focusing on......... Anakin and Watto. And Anakin would be gone...... on the exact same day, or at worst, one day later. With Qui Gon and the Queen.......
And this would be done after the event. As opposed to how exchanging Republic credits would had been done prior to any repairs being made and their escape.

This makes no new point. Winning a Grand Prix equivalent is not keeping a low profile, compared to a simple banking transaction.

[Swindle1984]

How the fuck would the Boonta Eve race lead back to the Jedi and queen?

1) The ranting about "a unique piece of technology" aside, I've seen ZERO evidence that Anakin's pod was in any way special beyond being something he'd hot-rodded himself. Since every pod seen in the race seemed to be a one-off (no two had identical pods or engines), the only way this would stand out is that Anakin's was particularly well-built. Why this would attract attention is beyond me.

2) Qui-Gon wasn't associated with the race. He "provided" the pod to Watto, which Watto very likely knew was Anakin's old one after a make-over. That's his ONLY connection. Watto sponsored the entry into the race, and Anakin was a slave who had no associations with Jedi or the queen until literally the day before, which no one had any way of knowing. Anakin left Tattooine either the same day or the day after. So the only person the news would be interviewing is Watto. After the Jedi and queen left.

[PainRack]

Of course not; it is clear from the context that they were baiting her for some reason. But it could be any number of other things than a suggested direct tracing; for all we know they just wanted to get her edgy before appearing before the Senate. I repeat, if he thought it was easy, why would he tell his boss, of whom he is (rightly) afraid, that it was impossible?

Hang on hang on, who said it was easy? In order for them to trace Amidala position, they had to await Amidala to RESPOND to the message. If Padme hadn't responded and Qui Gon orders followed, its possible the Federation or the Sith might never had been able to trace their position.

And on such a long-prepared, important mission, do you not think the Jedi and government would have liked to be able to monitor them somehow? This is hardly proof that it can be done at any point with any transceiver.

Its PROOF positive however that your contention that holonet tracing is impossible under the　EU is wrong. That's why the villians had to await Padme response instead of Obiwan instant trace. For all we know, they could had operated on the same principles. Send a message, wait for a response. When Obiwan didn't receive a response on Naboo, he bounced the entire network, until he found Anakin transmitter responding on Tatooine.

The sport is specifically noted to be popular in the Rim, not elsewhere. The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels notes that "there are portions of the galaxy where life is filled with hardship [. . . ] Outer Rim worlds, in particular [. . . ] on these planets, excitement comes in the form of exciting and often deadly sports such as Podracing". This,along with the fact that only Outer Rim worlds are known to field podracer circuits, at least strongly implies it is limited to them. ICS supplies, "The great Boonta Eve Race on Tatooine is a legend among Podracers. It is here that racers congregate from widespread star systems to match their skills and their engines against the best, in a setting largely unrefined by civilised society and its rules."

None of this make it sound like it is at all usual in the Core.

If anything, this would make it even LESS likely that anyone from the galaxy would notice them, leaving them solely at the attention of the Hutts, who were not overtly friendly to either the Federation or the Republic. We also ignore how you can derive "its only played in the Outer Rim" from such vague sentences. The fact that there are hardship worlds even in the Core is proof positive that podracing isn't found only in the Outer Rim. And frankly, if the Boonta Eve race had been the equivalent of the F1 Prix, you think Qui Gon and the others would had been so shocked at the contention that Anakin was the SOLE human pod-racer? Such singular fame, albeit, in a niche sport would had attracted the attention of Qui Gon, who said that he knew of no other human pod-racer who had the reflexes required.

When they come specifically for a sporting event, including a Vigo of Black Sun, I would say it does make the case that it is something unusual.

Again, why? Why would them attending such an event equals to the Boonta Eve race being of galactic import?

This makes no new point. Winning a Grand Prix equivalent is not keeping a low profile, compared to a simple banking transaction.

Except you no longer need to keep a low profile once you escaped safely back to Coruscant......

[Darth Hoth]

Hang on hang on, who said it was easy? In order for them to trace Amidala position, they had to await Amidala to RESPOND to the message. If Padme hadn't responded and Qui Gon orders followed, its possible the Federation or the Sith might never had been able to trace their position.

Why did they need Maul? If the TradeFed traced them, why not simply interdict the planet and drop a division or two of 'droids on them?

Its PROOF positive however that your contention that holonet tracing is impossible under the　EU is wrong. That's why the villians had to await Padme response instead of Obiwan instant trace. For all we know, they could had operated on the same principles. Send a message, wait for a response. When Obiwan didn't receive a response on Naboo, he bounced the entire network, until he found Anakin transmitter responding on Tatooine.

Do you have proof that he tracked the transceiver, as opposed to some special transponder or similar device that the Jedi might have outfitted them with?

If anything, this would make it even LESS likely that anyone from the galaxy would notice them, leaving them solely at the attention of the Hutts, who were not overtly friendly to either the Federation or the Republic. We also ignore how you can derive "its only played in the Outer Rim" from such vague sentences. The fact that there are hardship worlds even in the Core is proof positive that podracing isn't found only in the Outer Rim. And frankly, if the Boonta Eve race had been the equivalent of the F1 Prix, you think Qui Gon and the others would had been so shocked at the contention that Anakin was the SOLE human pod-racer? Such singular fame, albeit, in a niche sport would had attracted the attention of Qui Gon, who said that he knew of no other human pod-racer who had the reflexes required.

What part of "Legend among Podracers" was it that escaped you? Boonta is the podracing event. As for Anakin, why; because he ran in the lowest-tier races on Tatooine and never once finished a run? In all the galaxy, one kid flying somewhere may not make the HoloNet News headlines. Since humans were not thought to be able to run, people might well dismiss it as a hoax; he might show up in special niche papers, but not the mainstream. A winner of the major galactic race, however, would be considerably more famous, especially a human.

Again, why? Why would them attending such an event equals to the Boonta Eve race being of galactic import?

Because these people tend to have pressed schedules and do not usually take time off to watch the equivalent of the Town Little League on Planet Random. Unless you argue that they are all raving podracer fans.

But forget this point, if you like. We have evidence from the ICS that Boonta is major and a "legend" in the sport.

Except you no longer need to keep a low profile once you escaped safely back to Coruscant......

A point equally applicable to a quick call to Coruscant and a transfer to Qui-Gon's account on Tatooine; news will spread as fast when Qui-Gon shows up on the HoloNet as Team Anakin's backer. Hence, no new point.

[PainRack]

Why did they need Maul? If the TradeFed traced them, why not simply interdict the planet and drop a division or two of 'droids on them?

Errr....... looking back over my posts, it seems that I gave the impression that this ploy was that of the Trade Federation. That was not my intention.

My take on the incident was that the Trade Federation said "It can't be done", Palpatine sends his apprentice who actually has some semblance of intelligence and comes up with the ploy of sending the message about concentration camp to Queen Naboo, waiting for her to acknowledge receipt and/or respond.

Do you have proof that he tracked the transceiver, as opposed to some special transponder or similar device that the Jedi might have outfitted them with?

Excuse me. That incident is still proof that the EU contention that holonet tracing is impossible. It is. We just don't know the full parameters that allow for such tracing.

Alternatively, if such "special" transponder or other devices exist, why the need to set up special hyperwave networks to detect ships in hyperspace?

What part of "Legend among Podracers" was it that escaped you? Boonta is the podracing event.

To split my answer up.
1. If Podracing is so rare amongst the galaxy and its so unique to the Outer Rim, then its scope for galactic attention and thus attracting the attention of the Federation become....... much more diminished.
2. In terms of attracting the Hutts attention, again, there was absolutely nothing to scream Jedi and Queen Amidala in the race transaction.

As for Anakin, why; because he ran in the lowest-tier races on Tatooine and never once finished a run? In all the galaxy, one kid flying somewhere may not make the HoloNet News headlines. Since humans were not thought to be able to run, people might well dismiss it as a hoax; he might show up in special niche papers, but not the mainstream. A winner of the major galactic race, however, would be considerably more famous, especially a human.

The fact that he survived such a run isn't noteworthy?

Because these people tend to have pressed schedules and do not usually take time off to watch the equivalent of the Town Little League on Planet Random. Unless you argue that they are all raving podracer fans.

The HUTTS set up the race........... They're certainly more than likely to be present there to let it go. It in no way means that this race is of galactic import and attraction.

A point equally applicable to a quick call to Coruscant and a transfer to Qui-Gon's account on Tatooine; news will spread as fast when Qui-Gon shows up on the HoloNet as Team Anakin's backer. Hence, no new point.

The request to Coruscant would had aroused Hutts attention from the begining of the request. The race? Only after the race has been won. The timeframe involved is infinitely shorter.

But forget this point, if you like. We have evidence from the ICS that Boonta is major and a "legend" in the sport.

You need to repeat to me again why the Boonta being a major event is somehow important. To me, that fact would only be deleterious if it attracts the Federation attention and through the news, the Federation/Sith realise the location of Qui Gon and sends a force. If its the Hutts, again, the attention aroused would had been too short as compared to a bank request. We should also point out that any contacts with Coruscant would had been highly suspicious and points to links with Republic forces, with the unpleasant affliation of police or other actions against the Hutts.