10 Ways Qui-Gon Jinn Changed The Jedi Forever In Star Wars Canon

Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn may very well be one of the most underrated Jedi in Star Wars. While the rest of the Jedi Order decayed in their ability to use the Force, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace set Qui-Gon up as seemingly the only Jedi with enough sense to see what the Order had truly become. While the rest of the Council partook in a devious political game with the Senate, Qui-Gon actively set himself apart from the rest of his fellow Jedi Masters.

Qui-Gon’s relaxed attitude toward being a Jedi contrasted with the strict rules and practices the Order had developed over the millennia. He was quick to go with his gut in most situations, and his gut tended to be right. There are some who believe that Anakin would never have destroyed the Jedi Order if Qui-Gon hadn’t insisted he be trained, but in reality, Qui-Gon’s death and absence in Anakin’s life started him down the dark path. In his time, Qui-Gon single-handedly caused the Jedi Order to rethink their policies and procedures.

10

Reviving The Prophecy Of The Chosen One

And stressing the importance of the holocron of prophecy

When Qui-Gon first became a Jedi, he inherited his Master’s interest in ancient Jedi prophecies. Specifically, he studied the holocron of prophecy, which contained the famed Prophecy of the Chosen One. The prophecies within this holocron dated back tens of thousands of years, and most of them had been written off by the Jedi Order as old news or unimportant. Attempting to predict the future often led many Jedi down a dark path, which is why most Masters at the time disregarded the holocron of prophecy and its teachings.

Like his master before him, Qui-Gon carefully studied the prophecies foretelling events. This was what allowed him to first detect Anakin Skywalker’s true role in the galaxy. While the rest of the Jedi Council dismissed Anakin and the idea of the Chosen One, Qui-Gon insisted that the boy would one day bring balance to the Force. Qui-Gon’s actions forced the Council to reconsider the Prophecy as something serious.

9

Rejecting A Seat On The Council

And remaining with Obi-Wan

While Qui-Gon shared his master’s love of prophecies, he did not inherit Count Dooku’s lust for position. Dooku wanted nothing more than to earn a prestigious seat on the Jedi Council, but was snubbed in favor of Mace Windu. Dooku’s desire for prestige led him down the path to the dark side, which is likely why Qui-Gon chose to let go of that desire.

At one point, the Jedi Council actually offered Qui-Gon a coveted seat. But Qui-Gon rejected this offer in favor of remaining as Obi-Wan Kenobi’s mentor. Few Jedi were ever bold enough to decline such an honorable position, causing a rift between Qui-Gon and the Council to form. At the same time, Qui-Gon’s refusal allowed him to act as a free agent, and also forced the Council to take his actions seriously.

8

Redefining The Relationship Between Master And Padawan

And changing it for generations to come

Qui-Gon trained Obi-Wan in a much more relaxed manner than most other Jedi. For example, Luminara Unduli wound Barriss Offee so tightly to follow the rules that Offee snapped and turned on the Jedi Order. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon taught Obi-Wan the essential aspects of being a good Jedi, but often let him make his own decisions. Nevertheless, Obi-Wan tended to wonder why his master was so flippant with the Jedi Code and the Council’s wishes.

Qui-Gon’s laid-back style of teaching was later adopted by his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Similarly, Anakin Skywalker later repeated a similar style with his own Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. And it could be argued Ahsoka is repeating that same style with Sabine Wren, despite never having met Qui-Gon in the first place. Qui-Gon inadvertently inspired a whole new generation of Jedi to rethink their relationships with their Padawans. He showed Obi-Wan how to walk in the light side without being overbearing or manipulative.

7

Seeing The Flaws In The Order

And still sticking with them

There were several reasons why Qui-Gon acted so differently from the rest of the Jedi Order, but it all came down to his ability to see their flaws, and his own. Like Dooku before him, Qui-Gon realized the Jedi Order had fallen from what it once was. On paper, the Council did not interfere with the Senate or the galaxy’s politics. But in reality, every move the Jedi made was to save face; they ended up caring too deeply about their image as peacekeepers.

Ahsoka Tano’s trial and excommunication from the Jedi later proved Qui-Gon’s misgivings about the Order. In reality, the Order did not care if Ahsoka was innocent or guilty; she was merely a bargaining chip in their relationship with the Senate. Yet both Dooku and Qui-Gon were some of the first to see how dogmatic the Jedi had become.

6

Believing In The Jedi

And trying to show them their flaws

It may sound strange—given how he saw so many flaws within the Order—that Qui-Gon was also one who believed in the Jedi as a whole. Qui-Gon went about with his disagreements with the Order in a completely different way than his master. Dooku saw the same flaws in the Order as Qui-Gon, but this led him to reject the Jedi and leave the Order. Furthermore, he even killed Master Yaddle and created the Separatists to challenge the Order and its corruption.

On the other hand, despite the corruption and flaws he saw, Qui-Gon never once abandoned the Jedi. He chose to remain within their ranks because he believed they could one day redeem themselves and return to their former glory. Just like his belief in his Padawan, he never gave up hope that they could better themselves on their own.

5

Believing In Anakin Skywalker

And trusting him before he was the Chosen one

Qui-Gon was not just nice to Anakin because he believed he was the Chosen One, he believed in Anakin from the first moment they met. Qui-Gon agreed to the plan to enter Anakin into the Boonta Eve Podrace long before he realized Anakin was special. And even after confirming Anakin’s strange parentage and high midi-chlordan count, Qui-Gon was prepared to die on the belief Anakin would bring balance to the Force and set things right.

Without Qui-Gon there to guide him, Anakin was ultimately twisted by Palpatine and used as a player in the Order’s game against the Senate. Qui-Gon would have gently guided Anakin toward the light and encouraged him to walk in it. But the Senate and the Order saw Anakin as a spy; to them, he was a means to their own end.

4

Reintroducing The Sith To The Jedi

And not downplaying Maul

Among all of Qui-Gon’s unsung achievements for the Jedi, his reintroduction of the Sith may be his most crucial. When Qui-Gon first dueled Darth Maul on Tatooine, it was a brief encounter with only a few blows exchanged. Yet from that short duel he deduced that Maul was no rogue Jedi or acolyte. Instead, Qui-Gon insisted that Maul was a Sith Lord, and that the Sith had returned after a millennium of being extinct.

Qui-Gon’s belief that Maul was a Sith ended up alerting the Jedi Council to the real problems going on behind the scenes. And while his forewarning didn’t save them from extinction, it helped them realize who was responsible for their downfall. They may have initially thought his claim improbable, but ultimately accepted that the Sith were still at work. Had Qui-Gon lived, he may even have been able to discover Palpatine’s identity before it was too late.

3

Setting Up Anakin With Obi-Wan

And redefining the age limit for Padawans

While Qui-Gon’s final decision to set up Obi-Wan as Anakin’s master may have spelled the doom of the Jedi Order, it also led to Anakin fulfilling the Prophecy of the Chosen One. Not only did he have faith that Anakin would bring balance to the Force, but he also had faith Obi-Wan was ready to take on an apprentice. His final act changed the Jedi Order forever.

It should also be noted that Qui-Gon’s decision to have Anakin trained ended up changing the age of many Padawan learners. The Council insisted Anakin was too old, but after the fall of the Order, both Obi-Wan and Yoda began to train Luke despite his age. Ahsoka also took Sabine on as her apprentice, and Luke took on Rey despite her age. In the end, Qui-Gon proved that it’s never too late to become a Jedi.

2

Inspiring Count Dooku To Walk Away From The Order

And forcing Dooku to rethink the Jedi

One of the few bad changes Qui-Gon made to the Jedi Order happened after his death. Dooku had already been on the fence for a while about leaving the Jedi, mostly due to Palpatine’s influence on him. But the death of his former apprentice sent him over the edge. Shortly after Qui-Gon’s death, Dooku made the plunge into the dark side by killing Master Yaddle and becoming Sidious’ apprentice.

There was likely a part of Dooku that believed Qui-Gon might actually succeed in changing the Jedi Order for the better. He may have even learned something from seeing Qui-Gon reject an offer for a Council seat. But when Qui-Gon was killed, the Council moved on. His death made Dooku realize the flaws in the Order would only get worse, which is why he took his leave.

1

Discovering The Secret Of Force Ghosts

And becoming one after he died

Even in death, Qui-Gon managed to change the Jedi by teaching them how to manifest their consciousness in the afterlife. As a disembodied voice, Qui-Gon first led Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars to discover the same secrets he had. Later, he finished developing the first ever fully-fledged Force ghost and appeared to Obi-Wan in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

Qui-Gon Jinn’s contributions to the Jedi cannot be overstated. Even though he didn’t agree with them on everything, he believed they could change for the better. He believed Obi-Wan would succeed him and become a better Jedi. And he believed Anakin would truly bring balance to the Force once and for all. Even though he died, Qui-Gon became the first Force ghost in Star Wars and taught other Jedi how to maintain themselves after death.