Cast your mind back to the year 1999. Westlife were topping the charts, the Millennium Bug threatened to destroy everyone's computers, and anticipation for the first in a new series of Star Wars films was at fever pitch.
While Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace proved divisive when it eventually hit screens, there was no denying The Force was everywhere in the build-up to its hotly-anticipated release. And, in true Star Wars fashion, no merchandising opportunity was missed.
One of the international chains which got on board was Pizza Hut, which offered exclusive toys and cups featuring characters from the film. And now a bizarre TV advert for the tie-in has resurfaced, leaving internet users absolutely baffled.
The US commercial features a young girl who is obsessed with Queen Amidala, the character in the film played by Natalie Portman, who would in later instalments become the wife of Anakin Skywalker before his transformation into the evil Darth Vader.
The girl is seen referring to herself as Queen Amidala while answering the phone, playing with her dog, and putting on make-up to look like the character, before saying: "Queen Amidala wishes to go to Pizza Hut."
She is then shown in a branch of the restaurant, turning to her mum and saying: "The Queen loves pizza."
This is where it gets weird. Her mother replies: "You know honey, make-believe is fun and wonderful, but you gotta realise that you're not Queen Amidala. I am."
Her face then abruptly transforms into that of Queen Amidala in a spectacular display of pre-2000 special effects, leaving her daughter speechless. The iconic Star Wars theme tune then blasts out along with of scenes from the film, before a display of the merchandise available at Pizza Hut.
The commercial was posted on Instagram by Dylan, who, as phantommenace1999, regularly shares nostalgic looks back at the Star Wars prequel series. In the video description he said: "I promise nothing will prepare you for the end of this commercial. Still shocks me every time I watch."
Viewers were absolutely baffled by the clip. One said: "I wasn’t ready for that plot twist."
Another wrote: "I cannot explain how f****** funny this is, like that’s gonna be in my mind forever." And someone else said: "Society was at its height."
A different user said: "That’s some solid a** marketing… had no idea it was about pizza." And another wrote: "What the f*** this even gotta do with pizza."
Someone else just said: "I’d hate to meet that kid’s dad."
And another simply posted an image of the end credits of surreal 90s TV show Twin Peaks, which was famous for its mind-bending and surreal plot twists.
