Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special! Despite the faith Qui-Gon Jinn had in him in The Phantom Menace, Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side was a predetermined inevitability following his debut as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. This is something fans have known since the start of the prequels, but one thing they didn’t know was that Qui-Gon Jinn actually predicted Anakin Skywalker’s fall to corruption even while petitioning that he become a Jedi Padawan – albeit accidentally.
In Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special by Greg Pak and Will Sliney, readers are given a more streamlined replay of Episode I, with the addition of some never-before-seen scenes. Those scenes included conversations Ani had with his mother, Shmi, one instance of Anakin freeing an enslaved Tusken Raider, and a few interactions between Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi that weren’t included in the original film.
One such interaction between Anakin and the Jedi happened immediately following Anakin winning the podrace, and Jinn congratulating him on the hope he brought to the people of Tatooine. While commending Anakin’s actions, Qui-Gon says that there are more difficult obstacles ahead if Anakin chooses to accept the responsibility of becoming a Jedi. More specifically, Qui-Gon Jinn tells him, “It’s a difficult life, Anakin. It requires discipline… and sacrifice.”, with the word ‘sacrifice’ bolded for emphasis.
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Qui-Gon Jinn Emphasized the Source of Anakin’s Corruption: Sacrifice
This issue ends just as the original Episode I ended, with the hope of Anakin’s future as a valiant Jedi Knight. However, since fans reading it know how it will all turn out for Anakin in the end, every panel is subject to analysis – and the book’s decision to emphasize ‘sacrifice’ was no coincidence. It’s confirmed in Revenge of the Sith that the main source of Anakin’s corruption comes from his unwillingness to let go of Padmé by accepting the possibility that she might die in childbirth (as his visions foretold), and there’s simply nothing he can do about it.
Anakin refuses to sacrifice Padmé for the sake of his commitment to the Jedi and the light side of the Force. He’d rather wield the power to save Padmé through the dark side than remain in the light and watch his one true love die. Skywalker was committed to the discipline of his physical training, but not in strengthening his mind and emotional control, meaning he never learned how to truly sacrifice what he loved in order to fully be a Jedi – and that was the window Palpatine needed to corrupt Anakin Skywalker into the iconic Sith Lord, Darth Vader.
Star Wars Confirms Qui-Gon Jinn was Truly the Only Person Who Could Have Saved Anakin
It is possible that Qui-Gon telling Anakin that being a Jedi would require discipline and sacrifice was simply a conversation outlining the hardships of Jedi training to someone new to the entire practice, which would make his prediction totally accidental. However, it’s also possible that Qui-Gon emphasized these points because he knew Anakin would struggle with them, and he also knew that he would be the only one able to help Anakin work through those feelings. While dying, Qui-Gon put his faith in Obi-Wan to train the boy, but Kenobi did, indeed, fail where Qui-Gon may have succeeded.
While fans will never know if Qui-Gon Jinn would have been able to save Anakin Skywalker from his descent into darkness, this Star Wars comic issue does seem to indicate that the Jedi Master was able to predict exactly what would be the cause of his corruption, even if it was purely accidental.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special by Marvel Comics is available now.
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Qui-Gon Jinn
Viewed as a maverick Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn was willing to learn from other Force traditions – and some of those lessons taught him how to retain his consciousness after death, becoming the first Force Ghost. Qui-Gon discovered Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, recognizing him as the Chosen One, and swore to train the boy. This oath was passed to Qui-Gon’s apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, after Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul. He remained influential from beyond the veil, however, teaching others how to follow in his Force Ghost footsteps.
