TheBoost said:
The miniscule point of the plot is that there's a blockade because of taxes of trade routes (as cover for an impending invasion). Other than that... it actually DOESN'T MATTER. What matters is that it's NOT about a simple tax dispute. Going into the details of a tax dispute the details of which has no bearing on the plot would not make great cinema.
Start of "Star Wars:" Princess Leia is on a diplomatic mission (apparently as cover for being part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor). Whatever it is, the specifics of it actually DON'T MATTER. What matters is she's NOT on a Diplomatic Mercy Mission.
I agree with what you say about Episode IV. The mercy mission is just a pretext. It is never revisited, because it doesn't need to be: it's just an excuse, and - yes - it doesn't actually matter.
In Episode I, you can't say the blockade over taxation of trade doesn't matter, and is never revisited. It causes a crisis on Naboo. Whatever it is that is being kept out of Naboo is obviously serious. What is it? Why is Naboo so severely affected by the lack of trade? Are we supposed to believe that any organisation called a "Trade Federation" does not really care about taxation of trade and it is just a pretext? If they are not after trade, what is their motivation for being there? They risk an invasion based on what? To get their hands on what?
The characters have to deal with the blockade later when escaping. The whole situation is debated in the Senate and leads to the Chancellor being deposed. The blockade has to be dealt with at the end: all right, it's been mysteriously replaced with one ship to give Lucas his usual save-the-day-with-one-big-bang ending, but nonetheless it's there. The "pretext" and its consequences are part of the story throughout. The same cannot be said for Leia's "mercy mission" excuse.
In Episode IV, after Leia's scene at the beginning, we go on to learn:
What the rebel alliance is;
Something about Alderaan to give us a good enough idea of what it is and why it would be plausible cover-story destination for Leia - no weapons, peaceful, part of the Old Republic, her home planet etc;
Why Leia is really going to Tatooine;
Why that big ship is chasing that little ship at the start;
The nature of the Empire.
It's a plausible start. The princess is on the run because she has vital plans that must be kept out of imperial hands and needs help from someone on Tatooine. Knowing all this makes the beginning meaningful.
In Episode I, after the initial scene, we never learn:
What the Trade federation is;
Why it is interested in Naboo;
How Palpatine came to be involved with those funny-faced people and why;
Why a blockade would benefit a Trade Federation, and if it's an excuse for invasion, why the invasion;
Why a blockade instantly causes a crisis on Naboo.
It's an implausible start that does affect the rest of the film and is never explained by it. Not knowing all this makes the beginning meaningless.
