Why is qui-gon jinn forgoten?

Qui-Gon is far "cooler" than Maul is on his best day and is mysterious to an extent whereas Maul is a tool in every meaning of the word.

I don't know, the double-bladed was cool when it first came out but now it's really just so overused that it's lost any sort of rarity.

 

For the importance of Qui Gon's role, I suggest you read Omasi_Upad's thesis on TPM in the thread: 'The Phantom Masterpeice'. I enjoy his points and they really sum it up for me.

 

PPOR.

 

Firstly, that is my opinion and that of many fans, based on the scripts and overviews Lucas has written over the years. We know for a fact that Qui Gon was not in any early versions of the saga that Lucas wrote. It was supposed to be Anakin and Obi-Wan only.

Secondly, according to http://www.theforce.net/timeline/njo.asp, George Lucas says:

"The first trilogy is about the young Ben Kenobi and the early life of Luke's father when Luke was a little boy. This trilogy takes place some twenty years before the second trilogy which includes Star Wars and Empire. About a year or two passes between each story of the trilogy and about twenty years pass between the trilogies. The entire saga spans about fifty-five years."

My, how things have changed.

So, from all accounts, Qui Gon doesn't show up until Lucas starts writing the screenplay for TPM. Even so, according to the Official Site:

"In the earlier drafts of the screenplay for The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon did not join Obi-Wan until much later in the film, meaning that much of the early action (such as the aborted negotiations aboard the Trade Federation flagship) was solely handled by Kenobi. The final screenplay described Qui-Gon in his 60s, far older than actor Liam Neeson."

So, clearly, Lucas went from having a story without Qui Gon to having Qui Gon partially in the film to making Qui Gon a major character in the film. Nothing new in the way Lucas has written the SW saga. As we all know, the story has undergone major changes since its' inception. Qui Gon-Jinn is one of those major changes. Obviously, GL did not want to risk the success of one of the most expensive films in history on the shoulders of three young actors, Ewan, Natalie, and Jake so the older Liam was added.

 

Yes... Who cares...

 

I care.

He's an essential character - an example of what a Jedi Knight should be, in tune with the Force's will and able to put his own feelings aside to make sure the will of the Force is done. I remember his early actions, plunging his lightsaber into that door and I thought - now that is a Jedi!

Wise, strong, stubborn, compassionate, rebellious - a perfect foil to Obi-Wan's own rule-following stubborness - and an example that Anakin could remember as he grew up, the absent father figure that Obi-Wan could never replace. The dynamics of the relationships set a lot of things in motion including the downfall of Anakin.


As for why Qui-Gon is forgotten, Lucas didn't think he needed to be in any of the other movies. I would disagree - he really needed to have Jinn communing with Yoda in Ep. 3 to explain how the whole blue ghosty thing came about. <shrugs> Just hope that someday he puts it in the Special, special, special edition.

 

I thought he was a brilliant and well written character. He was in my mind a perfect example of what a Jedi should be. I think he gets overlooked because (at least as far as I can tell) TPM is generally less liked and well regarded than 2 and 3 and so gets less discussion and attention, and obviously 1 is where he was. I also thin that when TPM does get remembered it is often in the context of discussions focusing on Jar Jar or what not, and not the good points of the movie, of which I feel Qui Gonn is the strongest.

I for one think that while his death was powerul and dramatically appropriate, it should have occured maybe in the second movie. I wanted Qui Gonn to join Dooku and be slain by Anakin, or perhaps to discover the truth of Dooku and Palps, and turn against him. Just more with his character would have been good I think. But I am glad that we got to see a more mature and wise Obi Wan in 2, and perhaps that would not have gone as well if Qui Gonn was not killed.

 

I know all that. But I was refering to your comments that he was a throw-away character and added at the last minute. He was there from the early writings of TPM, but from the sound of your post, it sounded like he didn't add him until the shooting script.

Except it is explained in a few words from Yoda. He learned how to do this and is teaching it to them. But let us not forget that it was Qui-gon's error was taking Anakin away from his mother, knowing full well he was attached and that this would be a danger. His mistake nearly cost all of them.

 

Sorry, I should have made my point more clear.

What I meant to say is that Qui Gon was obviously not part of the saga until GL sat down to write the screenplay for TPM. Qui's death in the first film is evidence that he was not needed for the following films. I think there was concern that a well-established actor, like Alec Guiness in ANH, had to be attached to the project in order to give it a boost among audiences. There was obvious concern that Ewan and Jake couldn't carry off a film of this magnitude. I think that TPM would have been just fine with Ewan and Jake only at the helm.

 

I apologise for my ignorance. I am not as learned in the ways of The Force as you. What is "PPOR?"

I have a thought for those who want to compare the rebellious Qui-Gonn with the obedient Obi-Wan. In the OT, Obi-Wan is not portrayed as a rule-follower at all. In fact, I was surprised to see how he was portrayed in TPM and assumed we'd see him become more rebellious throughout the OT, which never really happens. I think it would have made more sense to have a very talented, but rebellious, Obi-Wan find Anakin and decide to train him. "I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought I could train him just as well as Yoda." Does this sound like someone who polishes his teacher's apple???

 

It means Post Proof Or Retract.


I think the additions of Qui-Gon makes Obi-Wan a more well rounded character. He goes through a similiar journey to Anakin, but he chooses the right path. Since his Master was killed in front of him, their lives run parallel and intertwined until their deaths, really. Qui-Gon's death serves a huge purpose, it effect both Obi-Wan and Anakin's futures dramatically. That's what is important, almost more so than his actual life, or that which we see in TPM.

 

Qui-gon Jinn is not, nor will ever be, forgotten. I've seen many lists of fans favorite Jedi and he usually is at the top of the list. He is definitely not a throw away character.

 

I thought I did a pretty good job of explaining that term. Would you please read back a couple of my posts so you'll see what I mean by that? Again, Qui Gon was never part of the overall saga when GL designed it and his purpose was fulfilled in TPM, just like Darth Maul. They were "transitional" characters that could have been left out of the film and yet the saga would not have suffered for the loss.