A Galactic Guide

By Chris Taylor

Anakin's World

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Episode I --Young slave who dreamed of becoming a Jedi. The Force is strong within him, but so is an ominous anger

SHIMI SKYWALKER Episode I --Anakin's mother, sold into slavery when he was three years old. She gives up her son so he can follow the Jedi

QUEEN AMIDALA Episode I --Elected queen of the Naboo people, thrust into war with the Trade Federation; later marries Anakin

LUKE SKYWALKER Episodes IV-VI --Tatooine farm boy and son of Anakin and Amidala; achieves his dream of becoming a Jedi; secures family's destiny, saves the galaxy

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA Episodes IV-VI --Adopted daughter of Alderaan's Prince Bail Organa; Luke's twin; goes on to lead the New Republic

Darth Vader's World

DARTH VADER Episodes IV-VI --The adult Anakin after he embraces the dark side, his half-mechanical body the result of a fall into a molten pit.

SENATOR/EMPEROR PALPATINE Episodes I, VI --Representative from Naboo who succumbs to the dark side and causes the disintegration of the Old Republic; ultimately destroyed by Darth Vader

DARTH MAUL Episode I --The double-edged-light-saber-wielding Dark Lord of Sith who pursues Queen Amidala and her allies

DARTH SIDIOUS Episode I --This Sith Lord stays in the shadows and serves as Maul's mentor; his plan is to take over the Republic

GRAND MOFF TARKIN Episode IV Palpatine's crony and chief of the first, ill-fated Death Star

Other Characters and Creatures

OBI-WAN KENOBI Episodes I-VI --Jedi mentor to both Anakin and Luke. Dies in a duel with his former protege but becomes Luke's spirit guide

QUI-GON JINN Episode I --Jedi master and mentor to Obi-Wan. Has a history of quarreling with the Jedi Council; recognizes the Force in Anakin

MACE WINDU Episode I --Jedi Master and the oldest human on the knight's governing council

YODA Episodes I, V, VI --Centuries-old de-facto leader of the Jedi Council; later retreats to swamp world of Dagobah and mentors Luke

R2-D2 Episodes I, IV-VI --Astromech droid discovered on Naboo ship. Accompanies Anakin; later bought by Luke

C-3PO Episodes I, IV-VI --Protocol droid created by Anakin; owned by Leia, then Luke; partners with R2-D2

JAR JAR BINKS Episode I --Member of the Gungans, an underwater race on Naboo; becomes the comic sidekick to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan

HAN SOLO Episodes IV-VI --Corellian-born smuggler who aids Luke, Obi-Wan and the Rebellion; becomes Princess Leia's paramour

CHEWBACCA Episodes IV-VI --Han's loyal Wookiee companion and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon

LANDO CALRISSIAN Episodes V, VI --Proprietor of Cloud City, which he won on a bet. Betrays, then saves Han, Luke and friends; later joins the Rebellion

ADMIRAL ACKBAR Episode VI --Former interpreter for Grand Moff Tarkin; defects to the Rebellion; leads attack on the second Death Star

THE EWOKS Episode VI --Tree-dwelling inhabitants of the forest moon of Endor; aid in the final defeat of the Empire

BOBA FETT Episodes V, VI --Silent bounty hunter who transports the frozen body of Han Solo from Cloud City to Jabba the Hutt's court

JABBA THE HUTT Episodes I, IV (special edition), VI --Huge wormlike clan leader from a race of gangsters (the Hutts). Doggedly pursues Solo over a smuggling debt

NUTE GUNRAY Episode I --Viceroy of the Trade Federation that blockades and invades Naboo

LOTT DOD Episode I --The Trade Federation's representative in the Senate; covers up and denies the invasion of Naboo

SAND PEOPLE Episode IV --Indigenous race on Tatooine, nomadic and violent; attacks Luke

JAWAS Episode IV --Tatooine scavengers; captured R2-D2 and C-3PO and sold them to Luke's uncle

Vehicles

Since Episode I is set 30 years before the original trilogy, in a more peaceful galaxy, the film's fighting vehicles have a quainter look and feel--but are no less explosive in battle

N-1 NABOO STARFIGHTER Designed more for diplomatic missions and royal outings than for warfare, these elegant, handcrafted fighters still pack a punch with chrome-trimmed twin blaster cannons

TRADE FEDERATION BATTLESHIP Huge space fortresses designed to look like cargo hangars actually house a battle fleet; they're the direct ancestors of the Empire's Star Destroyers

ARMORED ATTACK TANKS (AATs) These lumbering Trade Federation land ships are not exactly speeder bikes, but their heavily armored noses are strong enough to smash through walls

Light Saber

A blade of pure energy, created by a power cell and focused by crystals. The beam tends to be color-codes: Sith lords use red, Obi-Wan blue. While most light sabers emit a single blade, Darth Maul's double-bladed variation, shown, provides twice as much action in a climactic duel with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan

STAR WARS BY THE NUMBERS

16 Years since Return of the Jedi was released

2,200 Number of special-effect shots in The Phantom Menace

500 Number of special-effect shots in Titanic

65 Days it took to film The Phantom Menace

$115 million Cost of making the movie

$2 billion Amount that Pepsi paid for a Star Wars sponsorship deal

$4.5 billion Profits from Star Wars merchandising since 1977

8 Number of costume changes Queen Amidala makes

8 Number of weeks it took to design her throne-room dress

7 Number of horns on Darth Maul's head

8,000 Number of droids and Gungan warriors in the final battle scene

3 Number of humans on the Jedi Council

9 Number of nonhumans on the Jedi Council

19 The date in May when the film opens

Source: Star Wars the Visual Dictionary