I still can’t believe it took me 25 years to realize how important one scene from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace set up every secret of the Sith. I had the pleasure of rewatching The Phantom Menace on the big screen last year, as part of the movie’s anniversary celebrations.
It was an experience that will always stick with me. I was only 16 years old when The Phantom Menace came out; I enjoyed it, but I’ve now come to understand so much more about Lucas’ vision. I’ve watched the movie countless times since, but there was nothing like rewatching it on the big screen.
Surprisingly, one scene stood out to me above all the others. It’s a moment I’d previously overlooked, but it came to take on fresh meaning.
The Dark Side Has Already Taken Over The Republic
Coruscant Is The Heart Of The Darkness
The Phantom Menace opens with the Trade Federation conducting “aggressive negotiations” in a trade dispute, and soon Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn is ᴀssembling an unlikely entourage to take them to Coruscant – the galactic capital. What is striking, though, is how the city-planet is presented; it’s a world steeped in shadow.
Coruscant’s light has already been eclipsed.
This is the heart of the Republic. It’s supposed to be a world of radiant light shining bright across the galaxy, but that light has already been eclipsed. As I watched this at the theater, I realized how much this meant; it’s Lucas’ way of showing that the dark side is already ascendant, the Sith have already won.
Palpatine Is Living In The Shadows
He Comes To Greet The Queen
Sheev Palpatine has come to greet Queen Padmé Amidala. He is shown standing in the shadows of Coruscant, entirely comfortable with the darkness, as though dwelling within it – just as you’d expect for a Sith Lord. For a thousand generations, the Sith have worked hard to corrupt the Republic, and Darth Sidious is the beneficiary.
Look at Palpatine’s words to Padmé. “There is a question of procedure,” he informs her, “but I’m confident we can overcome it.” The Republic has become paralyzed by procedure, and Palpatine is already portraying himself as the one who can “overcome” the obstacles presented by bureacracy and even democracy. It’s positively prophetic.
George Lucas is easily one of the most creative filmmakers of all time. When it came to the prequels, he wove his political message into every scene in an incredibly clever way. I’d previously been something of a critic of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but I’ve come to love it far more after that rewatch.
