In addition to bringing back icons like Obi-Wan and C-3PO, George Lucas introduced a bunch of exciting new characters in the first Star Wars prequel.
In kicking off the Star Wars prequel trilogy with The Phantom Menace, George Lucas treated fans to a bunch of familiar faces. He introduced a new actor as a padawan-aged Obi-Wan Kenobi, showed how C-3PO was created, and featured younger versions of Jabba the Hutt and Greedo as Easter eggs for eagle-eyed viewers.
But he also introduced plenty of memorable new characters into the ensemble, like Obi-Wan’s wise master Qui-Gon Jinn and the sinister, devil-faced Sith Lord Darth Maul, not to mention a couple of controversial figures, like the infamous Jar Jar Binks.
9 Boss Nass
When the droid armies are closing in, Jar Jar reluctantly takes Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to the underwater city where he lives with all the other Gungans. While most Gungans have floppy ears like Jar Jar, their leader Boss Nass has a very different appearance.
The only notable characteristic of Boss Nass is that his jowls shake when he talks, so he has about as much characterization as the “You’re fired!” guy from The Simpsons.
8 Watto
Qui-Gon first stumbles across Anakin working in Watto’s store where he plans to buy some parts for Padmé’s ship. Since the Jedi mind trick doesn’t work on Watto’s species, he has to come up with a different way to acquire the parts and ends up entering a wager that earns Anakin his freedom.
Watto is crucial to the story of The Phantom Menace — without him, Anakin would’ve never gone to Coruscant — but the character himself is essentially a collection of offensive stereotypes.
7 Shmi Skywalker
When Qui-Gon meets Anakin, he and his mother Shmi are slaves working for Watto. Shmi encourages Anakin to leave with the Jedi so he can have a better life, despite the fact she’s unable to leave with him.
Shmi is always thinking about what’s best for her son, even if that means letting him go, and that selflessness is endearing. Unfortunately, as a straightforward loving parent, Shmi doesn’t have the kind of unique offbeat quirk that usually makes Star Wars characters memorable.
6 Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is one of the most infamous characters in the Star Wars universe. But he doesn’t deserve anywhere near as much negativity as he receives. Ahmed Best brought his all to the comedic line deliveries and, for better or worse, the character is undeniably memorable.
Ultimately, Jar Jar was conceived to provide comic relief for the kids in the audience. The adult fans may not have taken to the goofy Gungan, but his target audience loved him.
5 Padmé Amidala
It’s not clear right away, but Padmé Amidala is the future mother of Luke and Leia. And based on the heroism, plucky spirit, and determination she shows in The Phantom Menace, it’s hardly surprising.
Padmé may be royalty, but she doesn’t shy away from the action in the safety of a throne room. She fights with her soldiers on the frontlines and disguises herself as a handmaiden so she can follow Qui-Gon into a wretched hive of scum and villainy on Tatooine.
4 Mace Windu
Unlike the bleak post-Great Jedi Purge setting of the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace sees the Jedi Order at the height of its powers. They have a prominent political position on Coruscant, they’re known galaxy-wide as guardians of peace, and there’s an exclusive council of all the top knights. This council is headed by the familiar Yoda, but his right-hand man is a new character: Mace Windu.
Fans wouldn’t get to see Windu in action until he brandished his purple lightsaber alongside dozens of other Jedi Knights in the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, but thanks to Samuel L. Jackson’s charisma, he was a welcome addition to the ensemble from the outset.
3 Anakin Skywalker
The man beneath the mask of Darth Vader was introduced in the tragic finale of Return of the Jedi, but the bright-eyed Jedi prodigy that would eventually become Vader was introduced in The Phantom Menace. Much like his estranged son years later, Anakin leads a mundane life on Tatooine that he dreams of leaving behind to become a hero.
Jake Lloyd’s portrayal of nine-year-old Anakin is hugely underrated. He was criticized for playing Anakin as cutesy and naive, but that worked brilliantly with the foreshadowing of his inevitable fate to become a ruthless Sith Lord.
2 Darth Maul
Since the Star Wars saga’s last villain was Darth Vader, one of the most iconic characters ever created, there was a lot riding on the villain of The Phantom Menace. Against all odds, with Darth Maul, Lucas managed to deliver a villain that lived up to expectations. Maul doesn’t have a lot to say; instead, his villainy is conveyed through his formidable appearance.
With his double-bladed lightsaber, demonic aesthetic, and unparalleled martial arts skills, Maul is one of the most intimidating Sith warriors in a galaxy far, far away. The climactic “Duel of the Fates” is arguably the greatest lightsaber sequence of all time.
1 Qui-Gon Jinn
Since the movie sets up Anakin and Obi-Wan for larger roles in the future, the true hero of The Phantom Menace is Qui-Gon Jinn. Introduced as Obi-Wan’s wise, wholesome Jedi master, Qui-Gon is the one who discovers Anakin. His determination that Anakin is the “chosen one” unwittingly ends up dooming the galaxy.
Qui-Gon is so lovable that it’s a shame he only lasted one movie, but his heartbreaking death is an important catalyst in Anakin’s journey to the dark side. Anakin needed a father figure, and with Qui-Gon out of the picture, Palpatine was free to swoop in and corrupt him.
NEXT: The 10 Best Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Characters Introduced After The Phantom Menace
Next Every MCU Phase Four Movie (So Far), Ranked By Rewatchability