Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Names

The first, and often most obvious, sign of characterization in The Phantom Menace are names. With names like Darth Maul and Darth Sidious, you instantly know these guys aren't running the Sith and Sunflowers Daycare. Sidious sounds like "insidious," which means treacherous, and Maul sounds like, well, "maul," which means to beat up someone thoroughly. These are the trade names of professional bad guys.

The heroes' names aren't as obvious but still clue you in to their characters. Anakin's last name, Skywalker, hints that he has a spirit for travel and adventure. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's odd-sounding names add a sense of mysticism to the characters, which is appropriate for Jedi knights who deal in the arts of the mystical Force.

Clothing

Clothing also signals characterization as the characters each sport a selection from heroes and villains line of the Coruscant Fall Catalogue. Darth Maul wears nothing but black, which instantly tells us he's either a bad guy or owns too many My Chemical Romance albums. His master, Darth Sidious, dresses like Death only without that tacky scythe.

On the other hand, the heroes tend to wear more earthy tones. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin all wear browns and beige colors that are easier on the eyes than stark black.

Padmé Amidala wears various types of clothing depending on the social role she is embodying. As queen, she puts on her regal personality and this is displayed through her ornate robes and over-the-top prom hairstyles.

When she's pretending to be handmaiden, her clothes are simple and come in neutral dark browns and blues. At the end of the film, when Padmé has found balance in her queenly and personal roles, her robes are less ornate than the queenly ones but the rich crimson and gold coloring remains. The hairstyle is also pretty fancy—for a war zone at least.

Physical Appearance

Our final clue to characterization is physical appearance, and once again, the villain-hero distinction is pronounced. The villains look like the kind of people you wouldn't want hanging around your lakeside summer camp. Darth Maul looks like a demon. And did we mention Darth Sidious looks like Death? Because he looks like Death. Why did Nute Gunray trust this guy again?

In contrast, the heroes don't look like, you know, hell spawn. Obi-Wan looks like a handsome Ewan McGregor, while Qui-Gon's beard and long hair harkens to the old mystic on the mountain archetype. Not coincidently, Obi-Wan is the student with much to learn and Qui-Gon is the wise mentor teaching him.