How The Phantom Menace Fits Into The Star Wars Timeline

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is one of the most important movies in the entire Skywalker saga, having introduced an entirely new era in the Star Wars timeline before the original trilogy’s Galactic Civil War. Released in 1999, the advancements in digital effects allowed George Lucas to do a lot more and flesh out the galaxy far, far away in ways he couldn’t with Episodes IV-VI released between 1977 and 1983. As such, The Phantom Menace is a very important part of the Star Wars timeline, a true beginning for the Skywalker saga that hadn’t been seen before.

The Phantom Menace reveals the origins of young Anakin Skywalker who’s set on a path to becoming a powerful Jedi, years before his eventual corruption as Darth Vader. At the same time, it’s also the beginning of the Sith Lords’ emergence from the shadows, believed by many to have been extinct for hundreds of years. The Phantom Menace also features the Jedi Order before they were all but wiped out just before the rise of the Galactic Empire seen in the original trilogy. Keeping that in mind, here’s how The Phantom Menace fits into the overall Star Wars timeline.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Is Set 32 Years Before A New Hope

Before The Dark Times, Before The Empire

The events of The Phantom Menace take place in 32 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin). Just over three decades preceding A New Hope, the first movie in the Star Wars prequel trilogy turns back the clock for many of the classic characters seen in the original trilogy. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a much younger man, still a Jedi Padawan apprenticed to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

While still much older than his fellow Jedi, Yoda is leading the Jedi Order as a Grandmaster rather than living as a hermit on the swamp world of Dagobah as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. Palpatine/Darth Sidious has yet to become Galactic Emperor, though he does begin putting his sinister plans in motion as the newly elected Chancellor of the Republic. To that end, The Phantom Menace also debuts young Anakin Skywalker, a young boy from the desert world of Tatooine decades before he becomes one of the most famous villains in all cinema, Darth Vader.

The Phantom Menace Introduces A Very Different Galaxy

The Republic And The Jedi Order

Unlike the original trilogy’s galaxy caught in the grip of Imperial oppression and the Rebellion fighting for freedom, the prequel trilogy introduces the galaxy when it was still governed by a democratic system, the Galactic Republic. To that end, George Lucas wanted to show how the galaxy came to be ruled by a Galactic Empire, and the corruption of said democracy certainly begins in The Phantom Menace with Palpatine getting himself elected as Supreme Chancellor, taking advantage of the Senate’s vulnerabilities. The first prequel movie also reveals the Sith working in the shadows, confirming that “Darth” was a title (held by Palpatine’s first apprentice, Darth Maul).

Lucas also wanted to show what the Jedi were like before they had largely faded from memory as seen in the original trilogy. Living and operating out of their massive Jedi Temple on the Republic’s core world of Coruscant, the Jedi Order is led by Yoda and its leading Jedi Council. During this earlier era, the Jedi’s numbers were far greater than they were during the Dark Times of the Empire’s rule and the Galactic Civil War seen in the original trilogy.

Likewise, the concept of the prophesied Chosen One was introduced as well, the one meant to bring balance back to the Force whom Qui-Gon correctly believed was Anakin. However, it would eventually be revealed that Anakin wouldn’t fulfill the prophecy until after he’d been seduced to the dark side of the Force as Darth Vader and was later redeemed back to the light thanks to his son Luke as seen in Return of the Jedi, 36 years later in the Star Wars timeline.

Source

5 Ways Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Changed The Sith Forever

When The Phantom Menace was initially released, it introduced a great deal of information about the Sith that was previously unknown to viewers.

Attack Of The Clones Jumps Forward 10 Years From The Phantom Menace

Anakin Is An Official Jedi Padawan At The Dawn Of The Clone Wars

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.  

Release Date

May 19, 1999

Distributor(s)

20th Century

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson

Runtime

133 minutes

Budget

$115 Million