STAR WARS: OUR GUIDE TO THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS OF GEORGE LUCAS' GALAXY LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY ...

Byline: Mike Mayo Special to the Daily News

Can't tell a Jedi from a Wookie? Confused because Episode I is coming out after Episode IV? Can't remember who's the father of whom.

To help you answer those question, here's you're guide to ``Star Wars.'' If you want more, check out one of those Web sites devoted to all things Lucas that seem to go on forever.

Two warnings: First, George Lucas is notoriously secretive about his ongoing saga and its characters. The information presented here has been gathered from a variety of official and unofficial sources. As such, it represents a ``best guess'' about what may happen in Episodes II and III, which are to be released early next millennium.

Second, we are giving away some of the plot elements in Episode I. So, for those of you who don't want them spoiled, see the movie and read this later to sort out what you don't know.

Anakin Skywalker a k a Darth Vader: the central figure of the Saga. We've already met him as the Jedi-gone-bad of the first trilogy, while the second trilogy goes back in time to show what made him that way. In Episode I he's introduced as a young slave on Tatooine, whose latent abilities with the Force are recognized by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. The rest of the Jedi council recognizes those abilities, but also sees that the Dark Side of the Force is almost as strong, and doesn't want him trained as a Jedi. Despite his size and age, Anakin's piloting abilities help save the day in Episode I, but the council's initial decision may be part of the reason Anakin ultimately turns against them. Episode II will focus heavily on the friendship between Anakin and Ben. Sources say that in Episode II, Anakin will again be the key in winning a critical battle, but that the victory will open him to the influence of the Dark Side. Supposedly, the episode will end with the marriage of Amidala to Anakin. Lucas has said that the battle between Kenobi and Skywalker, which ended with Skywalker nearly being killed in a molten pit, will take place in Episode III, with Skywalker putting on his Darth Vader armor for the first time.

Qui-Gon Jinn: This Jedi Master sets into motion the events that spread over all six episodes of the ``Star Wars'' saga when he discovers young slave Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and believes him to be the prophesied one who can restore the balance to the Force, which is being affected by the Dark Lords of the Sith. It has already been revealed that Jinn will not appear as a major character in Episode II, but may make a brief cameo.

Ben ``Obi-Wan'' Kenobi: Another core figure. The first trilogy showed him as one of the only survivors of the Jedi genocide engineered by Darth Vader. He is the one who gives Luke his first lightsaber and Jedi training, echoing Jinn's training of Anakin Skywalker, and perhaps playing the hunch that the son will be able to bring the fallen father back to the good side. In Episode I, Ben is an apprentice Jedi to Qui-Gon Jinn. In Episode II, it is likely that Ben will be the master and Anakin his apprentice, perhaps to be set during the Clone Wars. Episode III will see the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Empire, and the final battle between Ben and Anakin, which gives rise to Darth Vader.

Queen Amidala: Despite the age difference (Anakin looks about 9, while Amidala is about 14), she is fated to become the wife of Anakin and mother to Luke and Leia. In Episode I, she's the young queen of the planet Naboo, which here is under attack both by the robot troops of the Federation and secretly by the dark forces of the Sith, led by Darth Sideous and his apprentice, the devil-faced Darth Maul. She is forced to flee with Qui-Gon Jinn and Kenobi to escape death and try to reach the Galactic Senate on Coruscant to persuade them to offer military help against the Federation. Since Amidala does not appear in the original trilogy, it may be that events concerning her death or disappearance will be what finally tips Anakin to the Dark Side.

Darth Sideous: Little is known about Darth Sideous, although it is widely believed he is ``The Phantom Menace'' of the title since most of the characters aren't even aware of his existence. Unlike the Jedi, only two Sith Lords exist at any one time, a master and his apprentice. One tantalizing resemblance that's been noted since the release of the second trailer is that while Senator Palpatine eventually rises to become the corrupt Emperor of the second trilogy, his visage and voice is that of Darth Sideous. This has led to speculation of a connection or possibly even possession of a Palpatine clone by Sideous' spirit.

Darth Maul: The hands-down, early fan favorite of ``The Phantom Menace,'' Darth Maul is the charismatic villain with Bruce Lee moves, a face that looks like it's been run over by a hot rod, and a two-bladed lightsaber that makes him nearly impossible to defeat in a battle. Sources say Maul is Khameir Sarin, a Zabrak from Iridonia who killed seven Jedi Knights in a trap when he was just 12 years old. By doing so, he was changed into a Sith Lord. Maul is Sideous' apprentice, eager to destroy the Jedi and avenge an earlier defeat at their hands. His death in Episode I leaves Sideous looking for a new apprentice and brings Anakin to his attention.

Boba Fett: Another fan favorite: The galaxy's most feared bounty hunter (even Darth Vader treats him carefully) wears battered Mandalorian battle armor decorated with Wookie scalps and actually made his first appearance in a ``Star Wars'' holiday special'' after the first movie. Though he's actually received little screen time, he's been a central character of several of the continuing comic series and novels that spun off from the trilogy. Lucas himself has recognized the fan interest in the mysterious Mandalorian, and revealed that Boba Fett and the Mandalorian Warriors will be major characters in Episode I's plot (one of the few bits of information Lucas has released). One intriguing rumor is that Hong Kong action star Jet Li has been asked to play Fett when Episode II begins shooting sometime next year.

Yoda: Before taking up residence on Dagobah to hide from Vader and the Empire, he was one of the Jedi's ruling council on Coruscant and had been training Jedi for more than 800 years. He senses the power of the Force in Anakin, but also the great anger and hate from his servitude and is instrumental in rejecting Jinn's petition to train Anakin in the ways of the Force. When the Jedi genocide begins, Yoda goes into hiding on the swamp planet Dagobah and is able to evade the Imperial Forces bent on wiping out the Jedi. Later, he will train Luke Skywalker as a Jedi and help bring about the fall of the Empire.

Nute Gunray and Rune Hako: Federation leaders who are secretly allied with Darth Sideous. They are supposed to kill Jinn and Kenobi and capture Queen Amidala for Sideous. Their failure makes Sideous decide to send Maul to capture her and reveals the Sith Lord's involvement to Qui-Gon Jinn and Ben Kenobi.

Battle droids: The forerunners of Imperial Stormtroopers. Easily manufactured, they were the preferred ``muscle'' of the Trade Federation.

Senator Palpatine: Seen only as the shadowy, utterly evil emperor of the first trilogy, Episode I takes us back to show Palpatine as a more ambiguous character, a not-necessarily evil collaborator who believes that only cooperation with the invading Federation can save Naboo and its population from total destruction. He is first seen as Naboo's representative to the Galactic Senate on Coruscant and later rises to power by using corporate money and power to buy off nearly all opposition to him.

Captain Panaka: Amidala's personal bodyguard.

Watto: The owner of a Tatooine junk shop where Jinn discovers Watto's young slave, Anakin Skywalker, is powerfully gifted with the Force.

Shmi Skywalker: Anakin's mother, who foresees that one day she must lose her son to his larger destiny.

Sebulba: A lizardlike being and Anakin's main rival in the pod race, he tries to win by sabotaging Anakin's racer but fails to stop him.

Chancellor Valorum: The Chancellor of the Galactic Senate who apparently falls from power because of the crisis that paves the way for Palpatine's rise.

Bail Organa: Alderaan's representative in the Galactic Senate who will later hide and raise Anakin's baby daughter Leia as his own. Organa is one of the few senators who realizes what Palpatine is up to and tries to block his rise to power.

Boss Nass: The underwater king of Otoh Gunga who initially resists helping Jinn and Kenobi, but eventually relents and gives them the means to reach Queen Amidala.

Jar Jar Binks: This trilogy's Chewbacca, the floppy-eared comic relief and sidekick to Jinn and Kenobi. Jar Jar is a Gungan who has been exiled by his people and must help Jinn and Kenobi to return.

C-3PO: Everyone's favorite fussbudget is, according to sources, revealed to have been built by ... Anakin Skywalker as a copy of the standard protocol droid.

R2-D2: Industrial Automation R2-series Astromech droid R2-D2 meets his saga-long mate, C-3PO, in Episode I.

Jabba the Hutt: Jabba Desilijic Tiure, better known as Jabba the Hutt, is a sluglike crime lord who first appeared in ``Return of the Jedi. A slimmer, younger Jabba will be seen in Episode I as the organizer of the illegal pod races on Tatooine.

Han Solo: Everyone's favorite rogue plays no real role in the new trilogy, but Lucas has said he will reveal something of his early origins, reportedly with an orphan Solo being raised by space gypsies. Other sources reveal that a young Han Solo was a talented pilot who went to the Imperial Space Academy and graduated with honors. He looked destined for a stellar career with the Imperial Fleet until he saw a Wookie being mistreated by a slaver and saved the furry creature. Drummed out of the Imperial Fleet, Solo turned his considerable talents to smuggling and was doing well until his illicit spice supplier double-crossed him by informing the Imperial Fleet of Solo's cargo. Solo had to jettison the spice cargo, which put them into Jabba the Hutt's debt and forced them to accept an offer to take an old man, a boy and two droids to Alderaan - no questions asked.

Leia Organa-Solo (Leia Skywalker): Daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Queen Amidala, Leia and her brother Luke were taken by Amidala and Obi-Wan Kenobi and hidden when their father turned to the Dark Side of the Force, becoming the Sith Lord, Darth Vader. While Luke was hidden on the desert world, Tatooine, as a moisture farmer, Leia was placed with the family of Galactic Senator Bail Organa. She became the youngest senator in history and was soon working covertly with her adopted father to aid the growing rebellion against the increasingly harsh rule of Emperor Palpatine. Her life changed again when she was attempting to transport the plans of the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance. She was able to get the plans into a robot that escaped but was captured by Vader, only to be rescued by Luke Skywalker, who she would later discover was her brother, and a Corellian pirate, Han Solo, whom she would fall in love with.

Luke Skywalker: Like Han, Luke will play no real part in the early triology, but Lucas has said that the hero of Episodes IV, V and VI will appear along with his sister in Episode III.

Owen and Beru Lars: The short-lived characters only appear in ``A New Hope'' (``Star Wars IV''), but may appear later in Episode III as the brother and sister-in-law of Ben Kenobi, who brings them Anakin Skywalker's infant son, Luke, who they raise as their own. Their violent death at the hands of Imperial Stormtroopers constitutes one of the most shocking moments of the entire saga, but provides the impetus for Luke to leave his old life and pursue his destiny as a child of the Force.

Chewbacca: The turning point of Han Solo's life was when, as a young Imperial officer, he saw a Wookie being mistreated in a hard labor camp and rescued him. Drummed out of the military, Solo discovered that saving Chewbacca had earned him the Wookie's lifelong allegiance. Together, they would form a crack smuggling team until that fateful day on Tatooine when they would cross paths with Ben Kenobi and Luke Skywalker.

Ewoks: With any luck, we'll never see these cat cough-ups in any of the three episodes of the new trilogy.

Episode guide

Spoiler alert: The following article contains information you may not want to know in advance of seeing ``The Phantom Menace.''

I - ``The Phantom Menace.'' The events of Episode I take place roughly 30 years before the events of Episode IV - ``A New Hope,'' the original ``Star Wars.'' Anakin Skywalker is about 6 to 9 years old; his future wife, Queen Amidala, is about 14. Anakin Skywalker builds C-3PO, who meets R2-D2. The fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire begins with the invasion of the planet Naboo by the Trade Federation forces. Qui-Gon Jinn and Ben Kenobi meet the Gungun Jar Jar Binks, who help them escape. Queen Amidala is forced to flee with Jinn and Kenobi. Jinn and Kenobi meet Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, where he eventually leaves his mother, Shmi Skywalker, and joins their ragtag group. Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn killed by Darth Maul. Darth Maul killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin Skywalker becomes Jedi apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

II - ``Balance of the Force.'' Lucas has said this film will be set 10 years after the events of Episode I. Anakin, who was made Obi-wan's apprentice at the end of Episode I, will be a teen-ager in this film. His powers and skills will be sharpened and tested in the Clone Wars. Anakin will win the hand of Queen Amidala and marry her at the end of the film, but his war victories will create a hunger for more power and start his turn to the Dark Side. Boba Fett will also play a major role, probably as one of the leaders of the Mandalorian Warriors defeated by the Jedi in the Clone Wars.

III - ``Rise of the Empire.'' Only the sketchiest details are available about the possible plot line for the film. Lucas has said this is the film where Anakin will become Darth Vader and appear for the first time in his black armor after nearly being killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and that the infants Luke and Leia will appear. The likeliest time period for this is sometime within a year or two of the events of Episode II. It will probably show Palpatine's rise to the emperorship and the events that turn Skywalker to the Dark Side of the Force. It may possibly show the near-extermination of the Jedi Knights and the establishment of the Rebel Alliance by Leia's foster father, Bail Organa. There have also been reports that a young Han Solo may appear, along with further appearances by Jabba the Hutt.

IV - ``A New Hope.'' What we know as the original ``Star Wars.'' Luke and Leia were hidden by Obi-Wan Kenobi after Anakin Skywalker's rebirth as Darth Vader to protect the children from being raised into the Dark Side. Luke and Leia are both in late adolescence by now. Leia is the youngest member of the Galactic Senate and aids the Rebel Alliance. She is caught trying to smuggle plans of the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance. R2-D2 and C-3PO crash-land on Tatooine and find Anakin Skywalker's son, Luke, and contact Obi-Wan Kenobi. They leave Tatooine with smuggler Han Solo and the Wookie Chewbacca after imperial forces slaughter Luke's foster parents. Solo, Kenobi and Skywalker rescue Leia from the Death Star and are able to destroy it, though not before the Death Star has destroyed the planet Alderaan and Obi-Wan Kenobi has died dueling with Darth Vader.

V - ``The Empire Strikes Back.'' Set roughly one to two years after the events of Episode IV. The Rebel Alliance is forced to flee their base on the ice planet Hoth. Luke goes to Dagobah, is tutored in the Force by Yoda. Discovers Ben still exists as a spirit. Han and Leia go to the Cloud City of Bespin, run by Han's old friend, Lando Calrissian. Calrissian betrays Han to Vader, who carbon-freezes him and turns him over to Boba Fett for delivery to Jabba the Hutt. Leia confesses her love to Han. Luke comes to Bespin to fight Vader, discovers he's actually his son. Calrissian betrays Vader, escapes Bespin with the robots, Chewbacca, Luke and Leia.

VI - ``Return of the Jedi.'' Set roughly a year after Episode V. Luke, Leia and Lando make a bold rescue of Han, killing Jabba the Hutt in the process. (Boba Fett appears to be killed, but of course Fett would never be killed by just a Sarlac.) The discovery of a second Death Star under construction around the jungle moon of Endor forces an attack on the moon to knock out the force field generation station protecting Death Star II from attack. Luke allows himself to be captured by Vader to try and bring him back from the Dark Side. Han and Leia knock out the generator with the help of midgets in fake fur suits. Death Star II destroyed by Lando Calrissian as Vader is brought back to the Jedi side of things and kills Emperor Palpatine.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Drawing, Box

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) IN A THEATER NOT SO FAR, FAR AWAY

`Phantom Menace' has arrived - and so has our indispensable guide to all things `Star Wars'

Photo illustration by Aaron Atencio / San Bernardino County Sun

(2) Gazing out of the galactic capital Coruscant, a disconsolate Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) is comforted by Jar Jar Binks.

Drawing: (Color) Queen Amidala

Jar Jar Binks

Jabba the Hutt

Oui-Gon Jinn

Anakin Skywalker's pod racer

Oui-Gon Jinn

Darth Maul

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader

Ben ``Obi-Wan'' Kenobi

(younger, above, and older)

Watto

C-3PO

Darth Maul

Yoda

Graphics by Jon Gerung/Daily News

Box: Episode Guide (See text)