Although it was initially dismissed by fans and critics alike, Star Wars prequel trilogy into one of Reddit’s biggest meme communities.
While George Lucas’ script sets the stage for the Empire’s rise and establishes the Old Republic era, it’s primarily an origin story for Darth Vader. The most iconic villain in movie history is reintroduced in The Phantom Menace as a precocious nine-year-old podracer.
Introducing The Kid Who Would Be Vader As A Cutesy Nine-Year-Old Was A Delightful Surprise
The film’s portrayal of young Vader as a cutesy little kid was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. Like all the best prequels, George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy uses the inevitability of fate — in this case, Anakin’s telegraphed turn to the dark side — as a powerful dramatic tool.
Eventually, this adorable, innocent kid would be the evilest man in the galaxy — an all-powerful dictator ruling an empire with an iron fist. But in The Phantom Menace, he’s introduced as a bright-eyed young Force prodigy destined to save the Jedi.
Qui-Gon Is A Lovable Mentor
Liam Neeson made an unforgettable impression in the role of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace. In addition to sharing great chemistry with Ewan McGregor as his padawan Obi-Wan, he developed a real on-screen connection with Jake Lloyd’s young Anakin.
Despite the Jedi Council’s reservations about training him, Qui-Gon genuinely believes in Anakin. Tragically, he couldn’t be more wrong, as Anakin is on a dark path that will bring down the Jedi.
Anakin Has A False Destiny
Throughout The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon comes to believe that Anakin is the “Chosen One” from the old Jedi prophecy. But, in reality, the opposite is true.
Anakin is supposedly fated to become the Chosen One who will destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force, but thanks to the original trilogy coming first, the audience knows that this destiny is false. Anakin isn’t destined to save the Jedi; he’s destined to wipe them out.
Jake Lloyd Gave A Spot-On Performance As Young Anakin
After the release of The Phantom Menace, poor Jake Lloyd became one of the first Star Wars actors to face the fanbase’s wrath. But much like Hayden Christensen, whose performance as teenage Anakin has since been retroactively praised by fans (unlike Lloyd, sadly), Lloyd captured the character perfectly.
The tragedy of Anakin Skywalker is his fall from grace. He wasn’t a dark, brooding antihero from the beginning; he was once a sweet, ambitious kid in the mold of his son Luke Skywalker. Lloyd set up that arc brilliantly.
It Introduces Origin Stories For Obi-Wan And Palpatine Alongside Anakin’s
In addition to telling Anakin’s origin story, The Phantom Menace introduces equally satisfying origin stories for his two closest father figures: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Sheev Palpatine.
At the beginning of the movie, took center stage across the next two movies.
Yoda Sensed Anakin’s Dark Side From The Beginning
When Qui-Gon first brought Anakin before the council, Yoda initially refused to allow him to be trained as a Jedi, because he could sense dark side tendencies in Anakin’s soul.
At the end of the movie, Qui-Gon’s dying wish forces Yoda to reluctantly change his mind. Over the next two movies, Yoda’s harrowing premonitions unfortunately come true.
The Movie Is Full Of Religious Allegories
There have always been plenty of religious allegories in the Star Wars saga. Concepts like redemption, resurrection, and balance between good and evil can be seen all over the movies.
These allusions are perhaps most prevalent in The Phantom Menace, which is basically a soft retelling of the Bible. Anakin is an overt Christ figure, as Shmi claims he was a virgin birth and he’s hailed as a messiah, while Darth Maul was designed to look just like the Devil.
Anakin Blowing Up The Droid Control Ship Mirrored Luke Blowing Up The Death Star
During the final battle of The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon tells Anakin to wait in a starfighter cockpit in the Naboo hangar. However, the ship takes off and Anakin gets swept up in a space battle that he accidentally resolves by blowing up the Trade Federation’s Droid Control Ship.
Anakin blowing up the Droid Control Ship interestingly mirrors his son Luke blowing up the Death Star in the original 1977 movie. In the words of franchise creator George Lucas, "it’s like poetry, it rhymes."
The “Duel Of The Fates” Seals Anakin’s Fate
In the “Legacy” episode of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, Dave Filoni explains that the “Duel of the Fates” sequence in The Phantom Menace is one of the saga’s most crucial junctures because it seals Anakin’s tragic fate.
Qui-Gon could’ve been a father figure to Anakin, but Darth Maul killed him during the duel, leaving Obi-Wan to become his master. Obi-Wan was more of a brother than a father, so Anakin fell into Palpatine’s clutches.
It Gives New Context To Vader’s Redemption In Return Of The Jedi
Darth Vader unexpectedly achieved redemption in Return of the Jedi. He proved Luke right, that there was still good in him, by saving his son from the Emperor’s wrath, sacrificing himself to ensure the Jedi could still have a future.
When The Phantom Menace filled in Anakin’s backstory as a bright-eyed enslaved boy on Tatooine, it added a new layer of context to Vader’s ultimate redemption.
