Darth Maul's death in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was George Lucas' biggest mistake with the prequels, and he was personally responsible for putting it right. It's hard for modern Star Wars viewers to imagine the excitement ahead of The Phantom Menace's release back in 1999. I well watching the first trailer, which teased the introduction of a new Dark Lord of the Sith - Darth Maul. We knew so little about the Sith back then, but Maul's fearsome visage and ominous presence suggested he would play a major role in the prequels. 44hv

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Andor season 2!Andorseason 2 just brought Pé Amidala's home planet of Naboo back to the Star Wars screen 26 years after Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and it was done for the perfect reason. Andor season 2 has solidified Andor's spot as one of Star Wars' best TV shows, and, in just 12 episodes, it has arguably provided a path forward for Star Wars movies and TV shows. In part, that is because Andor season 2 did not pull any of its punches in depicting the real ramifications of fascist oppression on everyday people.

One of Star Wars’ most controversial characters also represented one of Hollywood’s most revolutionary technological advancements. When Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was first released, critics and older audiences widely panned the inclusion of Ahmed Best’s character, Jar Jar Binks, resorting to calling the character goofy, unintelligible, and unnecessary. The criticism soon snowballed, however, attacking Best personally, to the point that it became detrimental to his mental health.

26 years after Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars fans are beginning to figure they may well owe George Lucas an apology. George Lucas always insisted Star Wars is for kids, but let's face it; that makes some of his decisions absolutely weird. I'll never forget doing a double-take when I first watched the opening scroll of The Phantom Menace, which starts by talking about tariffs and trade wars - hardly the most exciting thing kids want to watch.

Nearly a decade after the release of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: The Clone Wars depicted the “angels” of Iego that Anakin Skywalker refers to in his first words to Pé Amidala. When Anakin meets Pé in Mos Espa, he asks her if she is an angel, then explains that there are creatures in the Star Wars galaxy referred to as such, with these beings allegedly residing on the moons of Iego.

Back in 1999, manga artist Akira Toriyama was at the top of his game. His manga series—including Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, and Dragon Ball Z—had sold millions of copies and were massive hits when adapted into anime. Dragon Ball and its sequel had recently broken through to the West via airings on American TV. At the same time, another legend was dominating pop culture. In the summer of 1999, Star Wars returned after a 16-year absence with a brand-new film: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Former Industrial Light & Magic matte painter Caroleen “Jett” Green has revealed a new George Lucas Easter egg in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Last year was the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace, and Lucasfilm released the movie at cinemas (we're getting a similar rerelease of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith this year). I was delighted at the chance to rewatch The Phantom Menace, and I thought I knew most (if not all) of the many Easter eggs and references in the movie. It turns out I missed one - and I don't think this has ever been discussed before.

The Sith are some of the most central figures in Star Wars, but there’s little known about their time in canon before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Most of what we know about the Sith comes from Palpatine’s many appearances onscreen, along with other Sith Lords and apprentices like Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and, most famously, Darth Vader. While these characters have given audiences some vital information when it comes to the Sith, there’s not much known about their origin and history.

26 years after his debut in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul continues to prove his staying power and influence by kicking off a viral editing trend on TikTok. Video editing within fandoms has been ongoing for many years, though with social media apps such as Vine in the 2010s and now TikTok, it has become even more customary to edit clips of movies, shows, and characters to music - with Star Wars being one of the most popular subjects. Darth Maul, however, has recently managed to begin an entire editing style trend.

The death of Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menaceis no doubt one of the most pivotal moments in the Skywalker saga, but I still think it was a big mistake for Star Wars. Qui-Gon's death is perhaps one of the most analyzed moments in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, due to how influential this event was on Anakin Skywalker - particularly his eventual fall to the dark side. The Duel of the Fates is named for this reason, as it's a duel over the fate of Anakin's destiny - one that Qui-Gon, unfortunately, loses.