Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace effort after a 22-year hiatus following "Star Wars" in 1977. "The Phantom Menace" was released in theaters on May 19, 1999, almost 16 years after the premiere of the previous "Star Wars" film, "Return of the Jedi". The film's premiere was extensively covered by media and was greatly anticipated because of the large cultural following the "Star Wars" saga had cultivated. It received mixed reviews; critics praised the visuals, action sequences, John Williams' musical score and some of the performances, but criticized the screenplay, characterization, and Ahmed Best and Jake Lloyd's performances (as Jar Jar Binks and Anakin Skywalker respectively).
The Gathering (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) The Gathering (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) "The Gathering" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series "". It aired in the United States on November 3, 2012. The episode marks the first in the series' Young Jedi arc, the entirety of which was screened at the "Star Wars" Celebration VI convention on August 25, 2012. The episode follows six Jedi Younglings, guided by Ahsoka and Yoda, as they fulfill their rite of passage in constructing their own lightsabers, the main weapon used by the mystical Jedi. The episode also discusses the lightsaber's power