The Phantom Menace: The 5 Funniest (& 5 Saddest) Scenes
Although it was initially rejected by the Star Wars fanbase and critics in general, The Phantom Menace has since been vindicated as a cult classic. It’s obviously an imperfect movie, but it has a lot going for it: Darth Maul, podracing, Qui-Gon, John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” — there are plenty of great things about this movie.
As with any big-screen Star Wars outing, The Phantom Menace has both scenes that are laugh-out-loud funny (though, admittedly, not all the comedic moments land) and scenes that tug on fans’ heartstrings. These are the funniest and saddest scenes in the movie.
10 Funniest: “The Negotiations Were Short.”
In the opening scene of The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrive on a Trade Federation ship to negotiate their Naboo trade routes. Qui-Gon expects that the negotiations won’t take long. Then, the Trade Federation sends some droids to kill the Jedi.
Obi-Wan cracks, “You were right about one thing, Master. The negotiations were short.” The young apprentice’s joke isn’t funny, but the fact that it’s a really bad joke makes it ironically funny.
9 Saddest: Yoda Defines Fear For Anakin
When Qui-Gon first introduces Anakin to Yoda, the Jedi Council’s head honcho senses fear in his heart and explains, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
Yoda is spot-on, because Anakin is going to turn to the dark side and he will be feared as the most ruthless Sith Lord in the galaxy, but only the audience knows that.
8 Funniest: “There’s Always A Bigger Fish.”
After Jar Jar brings Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to his underwater city and secures them a transport, Boss Nass threatens to have the goofy Gungan executed. Qui-Gon steps in and saves his life, so Jar Jar joins them on the transport.
During the journey, they’re attacked by a gigantic fish, who is then attacked by an even more gigantic fish. Qui-Gon jokes, “There’s always a bigger fish.”
7 Saddest: Yoda Reluctantly Allows Obi-Wan To Train Anakin
When Qui-Gon first brings Anakin in front of the Jedi Council in the hope of getting him trained in the ways of the Force, Yoda senses darkness in his soul and refuses to accept him. However, later in the movie, Qui-Gon’s dying wish that Obi-Wan train Anakin forces Yoda’s hand and seals the boy’s tragic fate.
Like all great prequels, The Phantom Menace uses the inevitability of fate — in this case, Anakin’s telegraphed turn to the dark side — as a powerful dramatic tool.
6 Funniest: “Are You An Angel?”
The nine-year-old Anakin that Star Wars fans meet in The Phantom Menace is certainly a confident young man. When teenage Padmé comes into Watto’s junk store, Anakin wastes no time flirting with the disguised monarch.
He asks her, “Are you an angel? I’ve heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They’re the most beautiful creatures in the universe.”
5 Saddest: Anakin Leaves Tatooine
After determining that Anakin has a historic midi-chlorian count and assuming him to be the prophesized “Chosen One” of Jedi lore, Qui-Gon invites Anakin to come back to Coruscant with him. However, since he couldn’t negotiate his mother’s freedom with Watto, Shmi will have to stay behind.
When Anakin leaves Tatooine, he says a heartbreaking farewell to his mother in which he promises to one day return to the desert planet and save her from her life of slavery (which, tragically, he fails to do).
4 Funniest: Darth Maul Tries To Run Over Anakin
On the walk back to Padmé’s ship, Qui-Gon turns back and sees Darth Maul racing up behind Anakin on a speeder. He tells Anakin to duck at the last second and engages Maul in a duel.
What’s so darkly funny about this scene is that Maul didn’t know who Anakin was — he just saw a kid on his way to kill the Jedi and decided to try to run him over.
3 Saddest: Qui-Gon’s Death
Qui-Gon’s death in the climactic lightsaber duel in The Phantom Menace is one of the most heartbreaking death scenes in the entire saga. Qui-Gon takes on Darth Maul in collaboration with his apprentice, but they get separated by a laser barrier midway through the fight.
Obi-Wan has to watch helplessly as his master is stabbed in the torso and killed. He ends up gloriously avenging his fallen mentor with his own lightsaber.
2 Funniest: R2-D2 Goes Out On The Wing Of A Starship
While The Phantom Menace’s revelation that Anakin created C-3PO was deemed unnecessary, R2-D2’s reintroduction is perfect. He’s introduced simply as one of Queen Amidala’s many astro droids.
Right in the middle of a space battle, Artoo is sent out onto the wing of the ship to fix it. As he fiddles around with the wing’s tech, blasts hit the ship all around him, narrowly avoiding him.
1 Saddest: Qui-Gon’s Funeral
At the end of The Phantom Menace, after Obi-Wan has avenged Qui-Gon, his fallen master is cremated at a respectful, heartfelt ceremony that marks the beginning of Anakin’s long journey toward becoming a Jedi.
Qui-Gon’s body being burned on a pyre has parallels with Darth Vader’s own funeral on Endor at the end of Return of the Jedi, which is fitting as Qui-Gon unwittingly started Anakin on his transformation into Vader.
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