Star Wars: Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary From A Certain Point Of View

It’s hard to believe that it has been 25 years since The Phantom Menace, the first of the new movies outside the original trilogy, hit theaters for the first time. Since then the merits and path it sent the Star Wars Universe down has been a hot topic among Star Wars fans and admirers. While the movie itself does have its flaws, it did open up the world and expand the mythos in multiple ways and this anniversary issue telling a new story only adds to the good parts of the film and continues to redeem the much-maligned character of Jar Jar Binks, much like Chuck Wendig’s short scenes in the Star Wars Aftermath trilogy,

Seeming to take cues from the From A Certain Point Of View anthologies, Pak tells a new story through what could be considered part Force dream of Anakin and some events that occurred off-screen in what might have been considered “deleted footage” from the original film. Pak deftly delves deeper into the relationship between Anakin and his mother along with life prior to being discovered by Qui-Jon Gin and taken before the Jedi Council.

Pak does not let the story get bogged down with events that were shown in the film but allows the artist Will Sliney to provide the important story points in full splash pages that leap off the page. He also presents a new and touching moment where the young Anakin rescues a Tusken Raider from a group of aliens attempting to cause him harm. This moment is later repaid when the Tusken Raider presents Shmi with a Black Melon as thanks for what Anakin did, all the while the reader knows how Shmi meets her fate and how Anakin takes his revenge.