10 Phantom Menace Characters With a Lasting Impact on the Star Wars Universe

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was released 25 years ago this month. The opening film in a highly anticipated Star Wars trilogy introduced a slew of new characters, offered fresh perspectives on familiar faces, and finally gave fans of the franchise a lightsaber battle worthy of the Jedi/Sith rivalry. Released 16 years after Return of the Jedi, Star Wars fans were more than ready, making Phantom Menace the highest-grossing film of 1999.

The Phantom Menace is also known for introducing podracing, battle droids, new planets and species, heated debates on the taxation of intergalactic trade routes, and the concept of midi-chlorians. But what the film is best remembered for today are its characters. In 1999, expectations for the film were incredibly high, so a number of characters ended up being more controversial than George Lucas could have ever predicted. However, 25 years later, there’s no denying the continued relevance of the most important roles from the film.

With that in mind, here are our picks for the 10 characters from The Phantom Menace who have had a lasting impact on the Star Wars universe. Did your favorite character miss the cut or not rank as high as you’d like? Are there any Watto or Nute Gunray stans out there? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re looking for more Star Wars content, check out our ranking of the sassiest droids in the galaxy

1. Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson)

Qui-Gon’s impact in The Phantom Menace is felt from beginning to end. He saves Jar Jar twice (once from being run over by a droid troop carrier and a short time later from imprisonment by the Gungans), wins a daring bet for Anakin’s freedom, and defies the Jedi Council when they say Anakin’s too old to be trained. Even Qui-Gon’s death had lasting implications, with Anakin being trained by Obi-Wan per his master’s dying wish. Even though Qui-Gon was only featured in one film, he had a lasting impact on the Star Wars universe.

2. Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson)

In the Phantom Menace, we see a skeptical Mace Windu. He doesn’t believe the Sith could have returned without the Jedi knowing, and brushes aside the idea of Anakin being trained as a Jedi despite his high midi-chlorian count. These wouldn’t be the only misjudgements the Jedi Master would make. While we see a more contemplative and softer side of Windu in Clone Wars, he’s less talk and more action–regardless of the consequences–in the films. In the Battle of Geonosis, Windu beheads Jango Fett instead of taking him in for questioning like Yoda suggests early in Attack of the Clones. Then, in his duel with Darth Sidious in Revenge of the Sith, Windu wants to execute Palpatine without a trial, leading Anakin to complete his turn to the dark side when he cuts off the Jedi Master’s arm.

3. Darth Maul (Ray Park/Peter Sarafinowicz)

Despite only having three lines of dialogue in The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul would go on to become one of Star Wars’ most popular characters. After his epic battle with Obi-Wan made him half the man he used to be, Maul would return as a more prominent and impactful character in Rebels and The Clone Wars. It’s in these two animated series, and a small cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, where fans would learn all about Maul’s family, see his thirst for revenge, experience his lust for power, and watch his ultimate demise at the hands of his old foe, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

4. Yoda (Frank Oz)

While he senses much fear in Anakin and would begrudgingly let Obi-Wan train the prodigy, Yoda plays a small yet important role in The Phantom Menace. Although his place in the Star Wars universe was secure well before that. No character is more quote-worthy, humorous, or a better teacher than the 900-year-old Jedi Master. Yoda burns the sacred Jedi texts on Ahch-To to teach Luke one final lesson, has a Force lightning-absorbing battle with Palpatine in the senate chamber, and reminds everyone watching that not believing in yourself is the number one reason why you’ll fail at something, like getting your X-wing out of a swamp.

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor)

Obi-Wan Kenobi is just a braid-wearing padawan in The Phantom Menace, taking a backseat to his master until his epic duel with Darth Maul. But things were just getting started for Obi-Wan in Episode I. He goes on to fall in love with Satine Kryze, has two impressive fights with Anakin (one on Mustafar and another in the Obi-Wan TV series), gets into multiple rematches with Darth Maul, and becomes more powerful than anyone could possibly imagine in A New Hope. His final act as a living Jedi allows him to become a lifelong mentor to Luke Skywalker.

6. R2-D2 (Kenny Baker)

We first see R2-D2 as a repair droid who fixes the shields of the Naboo Royal Starship in The Phantom Menace. Everyone’s favorite astromech would then go on to quietly become one of the most important players in the Star Wars universe. He rides shotgun into battle with both Anakin and Luke Skywalker, tosses Luke his lightsaber on Jabba the Hutt’s barge, takes the Death Star plans from Leia, restores C-3PO’s memories, and fixes the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive. And that’s only a handful of R2-D2’s most impactful moments.

7. . Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best)

The clumsy Gungan is mostly comedic relief in The Phantom Menace, even when he serves as a Bombad general in the Grand Gungan Army during the Battle of Naboo. But Jar Jar’s chance encounter with the Jedi eventually leads him to taking Senator Amidala’s place in the Galactic Senate during Attack of the Clones. It’s an important role that would have serious implications. Convinced he’s making the same decision Amidala would have made, the naive Jar Jar proposes giving Palpatine emergency powers during a senate meeting. This directly leads to the Sith Lord being able to consolidate his power and ascend to emperor in Revenge of the Sith. Of course, that’s led to the age-old discussion of whether Jar Jar is actually a Sith in disguise. In reality, that wasn’t the case and, canonically, he was cast out by his own people and forced to live on the streets, entertaining children.

8. Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman)

The Queen of Naboo proves her resilience in her first scene of The Phantom Menace by refusing to give in to the Trade Federation. She soon calls for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum, which leads to Palpatine becoming the new chancellor. In later years, she shows her toughness when fighting alongside Jedi at The Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, works her adept diplomacy skills when defending Ahsoka Tano from a bogus murder charge in Clone Wars, and displays incredible bravery when standing up to Anakin when he turns to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith. However, Padme’s most lasting impact is that of a parent, as the mother of Luke and Leia.

2. Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd)

The little boy is a slave on Tatooine when we first meet him in Phantom Menace, but Anakin would go on to do much bigger things than win podraces. After becoming Obi-Wan’s padawan, Anakin would eventually have a padawan of his own (Ahsoka Tano in Clone Wars), have a forbidden relationship with Padme, become corrupted by Palpatine, and feel a lack of trust from the Jedi Council that was so significant that he’d turn his back on the Jedi Order. Anakin brings balance to the Force by saving his son Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi, but not before first becoming one cinema’s most iconic villains.

1. Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid)

Anakin may be the focal point for much of the Star Wars universe, but Palpatine is the character that drives a majority of its stories. Almost every major plot point from Star Wars stems from the actions of the franchise’s most prominent Sith. Palpatine’s subversive political machinations lead to him becoming emperor, he converts arguably the most powerful Jedi ever to be his apprentice, wipes out the Jedi with Order 66, creates Snoke to build the First Order, and “somehow” returns to again wreak havoc in Rise of the Skywalker. Every significant character in the Star Wars universe has been impacted by the actions of Palpatine.