You have to give something to George Lucas. He really knows how to make the climactic situation of the movie seem utterly hopeless for the heroes on multiple fronts at the same time. By this point in the movie, the droid army has conquered the Gungans, Anakin is about to get captured or worse on board the Trade Federation headquarters ship, Qui-Gon is dying, Obi-Wan is hanging on for dear life by fingers that are just about to give out, and Padmé has been captured by droids inside the palace (although we haven't shown that since there are no PCs with her).

About the only things that could make the situation any worse is if:

• the Trade Federation were actually competent and ruthless rather than simpering lackeys,
• they had an ancient artefact of unspeakable power, with which they've just blown up, say, the moon of the planet they've just invaded in a show of force designed to send shivers up the spines of every planet in this region of the Galaxy,
• one of the guys you thought was a villain all along turned out to be working for the same boss as you and you've accidentally screwed up pretty much everything he's tried to do, and
• now he's complaining about the situation being bad.

Transcript

Obi-Wan: Maybe we can work together to recover the Orb.
Darth Maul: Finally, some sense.
Obi-Wan: For the Gungans.
Darth Maul: Ah. That could be a problem.
Darth Maul: Listen, kid. I've been in this game a long time. You can't trust these idealists. Palpatine's got the moolah and the smarts to pull off this deal. The Gungans are, what? Sitting in a swamp playing with their Bongos? Ya gotta wake up, kid, or you'll be trampled in your sleep.
Obi-Wan: So it's all about the money, is it?
Darth Maul: It's a tough world, kid.
Darth Maul: Sorry I gotta leave you hanging, but I can't have you following me.
[SFX]: Riiing!
Darth Maul: Ah, sorry kid, I've got a call.
Darth Maul: Hello?
Darth Maul: {to Obi-Wan} It's my contact.
Darth Maul: {into phone} Yeah, I got held up. What's happening?
Darth Maul: The Feds have won? Ah, nuts.
Obi-Wan: Wow, it must really suck to be in your shoes.