Qui Gon's Mind Tricks on Watto unnecessary

"Republic Credits Will Do Fine."

"Nooooo. They WON'T."

"Ok, Watto. Let me let you in on something. I'm a well respected jedi on Corusant. We gotta get off this rathole of a planet ASAFP. If you help us fix our ship, I'll be able to send you millions in cash within 1-2 weeks. Would you like to live in a mansion on Corusant or stay here and pan parts the rest of your life?"



Why would Qui-Gon have to "find another solution"??? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

He would have to find another solution to raise the cash. If he told Watto who he was, he (Watto) would turn around and sell the information to Jabba, who would come down on them. Or at the very least, contact the Trade Federation to discuss a deal. This is why it's called going undercover. Why Qui-gon removed his cloak and put on a poncho to blend in.

 

that's a good point. But Qui-Gon still has funding WAY beyond that of the Trade Federation and certainly Jabba.

 

All Qui-gon had was Republic credits, which does no good on Tatooine. No one to exchange it with. Start flashing Republic credits around, looking to exchange for Tatooine currency and you might as well paint a bulls-eye on your forehead. Besides, Qui-gon didn't have that much money. He only had what little is given to a Jedi to use as an emergency, while in the feild.

 

I understand, but he could have promised Watto a fortune. The Jedi are obviously LOADED.

 

No, they're not. They recieve donations from the various banking organizations and from the government. They don't have a private stash of money. And Qui-gon would not lie about something that is not true. A Jedi will tell a point of view or withhold information for a later date, but they don't outright lie. Especially about something like that.

 

Why would Watto go to the Hutts? As Qui-gon said, the Hutts weren't looking for the Queen, they have no interest in her, so there would be no need to go before an impatient and tempermental slug with information he doesn't care about. And how would Watto go about contacting the Federation.

Even then, why bother? The Federation is an upstart movement at the time of Phantom Menace while the Republic is an established government spanning the majority of the Galaxy. The Jedi may not be loaded, but the Republic has material assets that Watto would find of value. Ships, speeders, fine garments: those would be a miniscule expense to the Republic, hardly noticeable, but would be a life changing deal for Watto. It would serve Watto's best interest to deal with the Republic as they are known to be rule-abiding goodie-goodies. As a rat himself, Watto would know he can't trust the Federation, and know they'd probably try and swindle him. The Republic would be in the junk dealer's best interest.

 

No, they're not. They recieve donations from the various banking organizations and from the government. They don't have a private stash of money.

OK, forget the deadbeat Jedi. They still had the Queen of Naboo with them. And shes as rich as Nazis.

LUKE (Qui-Gon): She's rich.


HAN(Watto): Rich?

LUKE(Qui-Gon): Yes. Rich, powerful! Listen, if you were to rescue her, the
reward would be...

HAN(Watto): What?

LUKE(Qui-Gon): Well more wealth that you can imagine.

HAN(Watto): I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit!

LUKE(Qui-Gon): You'll get it!

 

yah, that temple really looks like they're living right at the poverty line

 

How do we know that Qui-Gon had any credits at all? He is never seen paying for anything. He could have been lying to Watto and then take the money from the queen later on. I really don't think Jedi carry any money at all. He was bluffin, in my opinion.

 

Hahah, I can so imagine Liam saying that.

 

Qui-Gon could have promised to reimburse Watto if he helped him, but Qui-Gon didn't know how widely they were wanted yet. He knew the Trade Federation was looking for them, and that they were stranded on a planet run by organized criminals. The Trade Federation is obviously incredibly rich, so if they even suspected that Amidala was on Tatooine, they could broadcast some simple WANTED messages, and the place would light up with bounty hunters. Watto comes off as kind of a shady guy, and Qui-Gon didn't know what he knew, so I'd keep a low profile around him.

 

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No, not because of Padme. But because a Jedi is running around on a Hutt planet. They wouldn't like that. And if Watto can get money from Jabba selling the knowledge of a Jedi Knight being on Tatooine, then Watto would be sitting pretty. Watto wouldn't be contacting the Trade Federation himself. No, what would happen is that Jabba with this newly purchased information would try and capture Qui-gon, as well as find his ship. And then try and take control. Which would lead to him interrogating, demanding to know why they're there. And if he didn't go for that, he'd search the Holonet, wanting to know why a Jedi in a Nubian ship would be on his homeworld. Which would then lead him to learn of everything else.

The Trade Federation controls the free trade routes. Coruscant may have fine expenses, but so does the Trade Federation, based on the fact that they have a monopoly going on. And they're more willing to negotiate than the Republic.

Why wouldn't Qui-gon have any credits? Why bluff about that? Jedi have to pay for food, lodging, etc.

 

And Qui-Gon would not lie about something that was not true...

Are you sure? Qui-Gon was a defiant character, trained by Dooku. He used a mind trick on Watto because it was the easiest solution to the problem.

I don't believe he's rich, and the Jedi don't just throw credits around like cups of water either. Qui-Gon used gambling against a very greedy being, (although I think he enjoys a bit of gambling himself) and it comes back to bite him.

What's insane is how much confidence he places in Anakin. If he had lost the Boonta Eve race, he would've screwed everyone following him.

 

What do you mean the jedi just don't throw credits around? Look at their temple! The thing is immaculate. It's not like they're living humbly on Corusant. They're living like kings. The republic obviously recognizes their value and funds them so that they can keep the galaxy safe. To think that they couldn't reimburse Watto a million times over is insane.

 

Why would Jabba care if a Jedi is running around on Tatooine? He's just another outlander with business of his own. The altercation that happened aboard the Federation's ship and escaping the blockade is unknown to the public, so how would Jabba know the Federation is even looking for a Jedi? Valorum sent the Jedi in secret, so there wouldn't be anything on the Holonet about it. The Hutts may be gangsters, but as Qui-gon said, they weren't looking for the Queen, they weren't aware of Jedi being sent to Naboo.

As it is, Qui-gon didn't seem too nervous about going before the Hutts anyway. If anything, it seemed Watto was scared of the idea rather than the one who's got the mission. If Watto feared disturbing them, why would he go before them? That would have been his opportunity to sell Qui-gon out to the Hutts, but he didn't. And if the Hutts were liable to go to the Feds, why would Jinn suggest it? To scare Watto in honoring the deal? I thought this mission was sensitive and requiring the utmost secracy. How did Qui-gon know Watto wouldn't go to the Hutts? If he knew Watto wouldn't go, why should he be nervous about other conditions?

The Trade Federation is not a full bodied entity like the Republic, that's why it had to join the Confederacy to match the government in war. They didn't even hold control of a single planet, but they're a better prospect than an entity with thousands upon thousands of systems at its disposal? Watto's greed would let him see which of the two could easily repay him. He's not concerned with "trade routes" or anything like that.

 

The Trade Federation is rich, and the Hutts are organized criminals. If the Trade Federation were to find out that Queen Amidala was shopping for ship parts on Tatooine, the Hutts would have no problem finding her for Nute Gunray.

 

So why did Qui-gon casually bring up the prospect of going before the Hutts? How did he know Watto would back down? What if Watto didn't back down, what then? If he were as eager as we are expected to believe, he would have jumped at the chance to sell out Qui-gon.

 

Perhaps he's a better bluffer than Watto? Essentially Qui-Gon and Watto are playing a high stake's poker game throughout their meetings. A case of bluff and double bluff. But Watto blinks first. And yes it is a pretty dangerous and reckless strategy, which I think is supposed to be the point. Qui-Gon is a reckless character, but because he has loosened his inhibitions he is also far more in tune with the force than any other Jedi at that point

 

Why would the Hutts have no problem finding her? Darth Maul is a skilled jedi, and he had to have clues ripped off in order to find her.

 

Qui-Gon was trying to maintain as low profile as possible. Telling Watto he was a Jedi would not exactly be keeping a low profile. Telling Watto that they had a Queen with them would not be keeping a low profile either.

 

But why would Watto go before the Hutts if it was made clear that he wouldn't? To rat out on a Jedi? Qui-gon gave him a chance and he didn't take it. Watto would not go to the Hutts, even if presented with an opportunity.

 

1. If this were the case, Qui-Gon wouldn't have used the mind trick on Watto. Watto even says "What do you think, your some type of jedi?" Only jedis use mind tricks.

2. Watto knows something is not right with Qui-Gon.

3. Watto doesn't rat on Qui-Gon after he loses the bets. He doesn't go to the Hutts and say "This guy tricked me. He's a jedi." Why would he go to the Hutts? The Hutts would be like "So". They're not gonna mix it up with jedis. They know they can't beat the jedi order.

 

Not only that but he goes around flashing a hologram of a Royal Naboo cruiser to someone who MIGHT go to the Hutts.

 

Yep, I think Watto knew Qui-Gon was a Jedi,
"WATTO : (subtitled) Ootmians! Tinka me chasa hopoe ma booty na nolia.
(Outlanders! They think because we live so far from the center, we don't
know nothing.)"

Even a nine year old kid figured out Qui-Gon was a Jedi, even never meeting a Jedi before.

But like I noted before, the Naboo are as rich as nazis. Qui-Gon had a bargaining chip right there. As for Watto ratting Qui-Gon out, mind tricks may not work on him but I bet the old Force choke sure would. All he had to do was keep an eye on Watto.