Qui-Gon Jinn/Legends

"Don't disobey the Council, Master! Not again!"

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Qui-Gon Jinn (92 BBY – 32 BBY) was a revered yet maverick and unconventional Jedi Master, Padawan to Count Dooku, and mentor to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Early life
Regarded a maverick by his peers, Qui-Gon Jinn was a wise and faithful - but unorthodox - member of the Jedi Order. He was a proponent of the Living Force concept, and his many attempts to help 'lesser' creatures annoyed his master, Dooku, to no end. He successfully trained several Jedi Knights in his time, until a failure with his Padawan, Xanatos, led him to obsess over the mistake. Due to this, he was reluctant to take Obi-Wan Kenobi to be his new apprentice. Dooku, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin Skywalker formed a chain of Jedi Masters and Padawans through which passed a rebellious streak, making them a difficulty in the eyes of the Jedi Council. Indeed, his Padawan Obi-Wan suggested that the Council would have invited Qui-Gon to join them, if only he would have conformed to their views.

A philosophical warrior, Qui-Gon believed heavily in what he referred to as the "Living Force", a method of focusing on the moment rather than contemplating the Force in all its degrees. For this reason, Qui-Gon could be considered one of the more 'down-to-earth' Jedi of his time, due to his concentration on the matter at hand. It has been suggested that an ability such as this would have been instrumental in stopping Palpatine's rise to power; as the Jedi focused on the Separatist threat to the future of the Galactic Republic, they failed to examine the moment more closely.

Qui-Gon was also known for his often-overwhelming compassion for all life forms. This commiseration led to his saving Jar Jar Binks from his punishment at the hands of his fellow Gungans, and contributed greatly to his freeing of Anakin, to which Obi-Wan would exasperatedly comment, "Why do I get the feeling that we’ve picked up yet another pathetic lifeform?"

The venerable Jedi Master had craggy features and a penetrating gaze. Qui-Gon possessed knowledge of the architecture and engineering of various space transports and large capital vessels. He also possessed a subtle attention to detail, seen as he wore a moisture farmer's poncho to blend with the Mos Espa locals. He brandished his lightsaber with consummate grace (apparent in his Form IV mastery: see lightsaber combat), often having sparred with Master Mace Windu. The Jedi lightsaber master who taught Qui-Gon had considered him the best lightsaber duelist he had seen in over 400 years of teaching in the Jedi Order.

The blockade of Naboo
In 32 BBY, Qui-Gon and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi were sent to the planet Naboo to resolve a crisis. The Trade Federation, in protest to recent taxation laws, had blockaded the planet with a fleet of battleships. Jinn and Kenobi were sent as ambassadors of the Supreme Chancellor to reach a peaceful settlement.

Upon arrival on a Federation battleship, their ship was destroyed and the conference chamber they were waiting in was flooded with gas. They survived the gas, and stowed away on a troop transport as the Federation moved to invade Naboo with a force of battle droids.

On Naboo, Qui-Gon met Jar Jar Binks, who took him to the underwater city of Otoh Gunga. There, he gained transport to the capital city of Theed, where he and Obi-Wan rescued the Queen and escaped Naboo on the royal starship. As they dashed through the blockade, however, the ship was hit and the hyperdrive badly damaged. The party was forced to land on Tatooine.

On Tatooine, Qui-Gon looked for parts in the settlement of Mos Espa, where he encountered the junk dealer Watto and his slave, a Force-strong young boy named Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon came to believe that Anakin may be the Chosen One of Jedi legend. Qui-Gon was able to free Anakin and get parts to fix the damaged ship. As Anakin and Qui-Gon approached the ship, they were attacked by the Sith Lord Darth Maul. Qui-Gon fought the savage warrior as the ship took off behind him. Jumping high with the Force, Qui-Gon managed to land on the boarding ramp as the ship soared away.

On Coruscant, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went before the Jedi High Council to give a report. The Council reluctantly agreed to test young Anakin for Jedi potential. They found that the boy was indeed very strong with the Force, but declined to train him on the grounds that he was too old. Qui-Gon tried to release Obi-Wan from apprenticeship, saying that the Padawan was ready for the Jedi Trials, and take Anakin as his Padawan. But the Council would not be swayed. Disappointed, Qui-Gon prepared to return to Naboo with Queen Amidala, who hoped to liberate the planet in one swift stroke.

At the Battle of Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fought Darth Maul. The duo put up a great fight, but when Maul kicked Obi-Wan over an edge, Qui-Gon and Maul moved on, and passed into the laser shields. They closed between them, separating the combatants for a moment. Unfortunately, they also separated Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. When they disappeared, Qui-Gon immediately attacked Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan rushed to help his Master. But the shields again prevented him from succoring his mentor. Although Qui-Gon was one of the best lightsaber masters in the Order, Maul had the advantage of youth and the exhausted Qui-Gon was impaled through chest by the demonic warrior.

Enraged, Obi-Wan attacked the Sith, cutting his double-bladed lightsaber in two pieces. In haste, Maul used the Force to knock Obi-Wan into a bottomless pit, but Kenobi hung onto a piece of iron. His lightsaber was lost. However, Obi-Wan was able to use the Force to jump out and wield his Master's lightsaber to cut Maul in half. He receives a hero's funeral, as his body is ceremonially burned in the manner of a Jedi before several mourners.

After falling at the hands of Darth Maul on Naboo, Qui-Gon continued to have a large impact on the future of the Jedi. Discovering a way to maintain his identity after becoming one with the Force, Qui-Gon attempted unsuccessfully to prevent Anakin's slaughter of the Sandpeople that had killed his mother. He was also known to have often communicated with Yoda through the Force, sometimes in a subtle way.

Yoda, having discovered Qui-Gon's skill, learned the secret of immortality from the Shaman of the Whills, proclaiming himself Qui-Gon's pupil. The skill was achieved through extreme compassion, a rejection of selfishness and personal attachment to the point that the physical self fades away, but the consciousness remains as one with the Force.

Yoda learned the technique, and passed this secret on to Obi-Wan Kenobi, who would also train under Qui-Gon Jinn, giving him the ability to aid Luke Skywalker where it would otherwise have been impossible. Thus even in death, Qui-Gon's rebellious nature would serve the greater good.

Behind the scenes
Qui-Gon Jinn was portrayed by Liam Neeson in The Phantom Menace. Neeson was slated to appear in Attack of the Clones, but broke his leg prior to filming. In addition, scenes with Qui-Gon were cut from Revenge of the Sith, although he is still referred to in the dialogue.

There is some confusion as to how many apprentices Qui-Gon had during the course of his career. All sources agree that he trained Xanatos and then Obi-Wan Kenobi, but there is also the occasional reference to a Padawan before Xanatos.

There is an urban legend circulated among Star Wars fans claiming that a piece of fabric seen draped across some furniture in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s hut in A New Hope is actually the gray poncho worn by Qui-Gon Jinn during his visit to Tatooine in The Phantom Menace. Whether the costume designers of Episode I intentionally fashioned Qui-Gon’s poncho to resemble this obscure piece of cloth is highly dubious and remains unconfirmed.

Appearances

 * Jedi Apprentice
 * Star Wars Republic: The Stark Hyperspace War
 * ''Jedi Council: Acts of War
 * Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express
 * Life, Death, and the Living Force
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Darth Maul
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Force-voice)
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars (flashback)
 * Jedi Trial (Force-voice)
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic adaptation
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Force-voice)
 * Star Wars Empire: Betrayal (flashbacks)