Released 20 years apart, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace and Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker have a lot in common. They are the bookends of what is now called the Skywalker Saga, the beginning and end of a legend, as highlighted in each film's marketing campaigns. Both films were highly anticipated but ultimately met with mixed to negative reactions. The Phantom Menace and The Rise of Skywalker films are often regarded as the weakest entries in their respective Star Wars trilogies and have left a lasting impression on the series' legacy, for better or worse.