Star Wars: The Saga Begins

Darth Maul is from a nightmare, but it's George Lucas' nightmare, which means millions of Star Wars fans will line up on May 19 to greet the horned Dark Lord of the Sith and his deadly double light saber (below). Episode I: The Phantom Menace takes place a generation before Star Wars. Darth Vader has yet to choose the Dark Side, or don his familiar bug helmet. Instead, he's a nine-year-old boy named Anakin Sky-walker, who, with the proper training, has the power to become a Jedi Knight. Luke and Leia aren't even thoughts, though R2-D2 has a role, as does C-3PO. The galaxy is in turmoil—what else is new?—and the greedy Trade Federation has laid siege to the small planet of Naboo, cutting off all shipping with a blockade of warships. Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his Jedi pupil, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), are sent to put things right. They meet with Queen Amidala, who hopes to end the federation's stranglehold and save her people from starvation. Darth Maul is in hot pursuit of the Jedi Knights and the queen, ordered by his master, Darth Sidious, to destroy them. All this leads to starfighter dogfights, a perilous pod race, encounters with strange (computer-generated) creatures, light saber duels and raps about the Force. If you're hoping to see how the story plays out on opening weekend, you'd better be reading this in line. Diehard fans have already staked their claims outside theaters, and some are flying in from overseas (the film doesn't open in Europe until later this summer). That Phantom Menace will be the highest-grossing film ever is a given—it's by how much that has everyone guessing.

The Wit and Wisdom of Darth Vader

Anakin Skywalker grew to embrace evil, then found redemption. He also got the best lines.

"Your powers are weak, old man."—taunting Obi-Wan, in Star Wars

"Apology accepted, Captain Needa."—after strangling him, in The Empire Strikes Back

"I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."—to Lando, in The Empire Strikes Back

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."—choking Admiral Motti, in Star Wars

"I am your father."—to Luke, in The Empire Strikes Back

The Babes

Much to Carrie Fisher's embarrassment, her Princess Leia slave-girl costume kept slipping off while filming the barge scenes for "Return of the Jedi." Twi'lek dancer Oola (Femi Taylor) did lose her top in the film as she fell into the Rancor pit. That may explain why, despite appearing on-screen all of a minute, she has her own Kenner action figure. (Those head tentacles are called lekku.) Queen Amidala (below), portrayed in "Phantom Menace" by Natalie Portman, is the mother whom Leia can recall only vaguely and Luke doesn't remember at all. Anakin Skywalker and Amidala will marry in "Episode II," which begins shooting next year. According to one spoiler site, after the young queen dismisses Anakin in "Episode I" as "just a boy," he retorts, "I won't always be."

Star Wars Is My Life

The movie of the century opened May 25, 1977. The next day, "The New York Times" called it the most beautiful movie serial ever made. • Designers modeled the "Millennium Falcon" after the shape of a hamburger sitting next to an olive. • "Do ... or do not. There is no try."—Yoda • George Lucas didn't want the finale of "The Empire Strikes Back" to leak out, so the actor playing Vader was given a false line during filming—some say it was "Obi-Wan killed your father." • All this leads to Ewoks? • Watch in "Star Wars" for the trilogy's most famous blooper: a stormtrooper rushing into a control room bumps his head on a low beam. • Choose one? "Empire." • "Never tell me the odds!"—Han • The sound made by the Tie fighters was created by combining an elephant's scream with the noise of a car driving on wet pavement. • Other films released in May 1977: "The Car," "Day of the Animals," "Smokey and the Bandit." • Sissy Spacek auditioned for the part of Leia; Christopher Walken and Robby Benson read for Han. • Best spoiler site: jedinet.com. • The title of an early draft of the "Star Wars" screenplay was "The Adventures of the Starkiller." • "I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee."—Leia • Phone the official "Star Wars" fan club and hear the song "Yoda" (sung to the tune of the Kinks' "Lola") while you're on hold. • Best rumor: When Natalie Portman sprained her ankle during the filming of "Episode I," Lucasfilm corrected her limp digitally. • The Bill Clinton Award for Fudging the Truth goes to Obi-Wan, who tells Luke, "Darth Vader ... betrayed and murdered your father." When Luke finds out differently, Obi-Wan explains, "What I told you was true, from a certain point of view." • Get in line: "Episode II" (2002); "Episode III" (2005).