“…the parade music at the end [of The Phantom Menace] is ‘The Emperor’s Theme’ in disguise”

“The Emperor’s Theme” shows up, you know, a couple times, so “The Emperor’s Theme” happens at the very beginning, then when he checks in during the invasion, you get “The Emperor’s Theme” again, then when he checks in after Queen Amidala has escaped, and then you get it again when you meet Darth Maul on Coruscant and they’re on the balcony talking. You know, you’re constantly getting “The Emperor’s Theme”, you’re getting it five times very clearly stated, just like it was in Return of the Jedi and then you get it at the end of the film, as well. But – and a lot of the listeners know this, but for those of you who don’t – the DNA of the Augie’s Municipal Band, the parade at the very end of the movie, the DNA of that cue comes from “The Emperor’s Theme”, and it’s very, very subtle.

He, basically, took it from a minor key and put it into a major key and it’s the same rhythmic phrasing and it’s – I mean it’s very subtle, but, basically, this giant parade on Naboo celebrating the unification of the Gungans and the Naboo and, of course, Palpatine’s big triumphant win as the new Chancellor is basically “The Emperor’s Theme” being celebrated by the galaxy. That is just pure evil.

That is about as in disguise as you can get: the innocent voices of children celebrating giant victory at the end of The Phantom Menace, but, actually, it’s the beginning of the end.

It’s just one of my favorite Easter eggs when dealing with The Phantom Menace is the fact that the parade music at the end is “The Emperor’s Theme” in disguise.

David W. Collins, Star Wars Oxygen, vol. 15 (11 March 2015) [http://www.rebelforceradio.com/shows/2015/9/30/star-wars-oxygen-vol-15]