George Lucas almost made a major change to the Jedi in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace that would have changed everything.
In an interview celebrating the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, concept and storyboard artist Iain McCaig revealed that George Lucas almost made a major change to the mythology of the Jedi.
In The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), but during the development of the film, Lucas had those names switched around. Neeson’s character was named Obi-Wan, and McGregor’s was named Qui-Gon. When Obi-Wan was killed by Darth Maul, Qui-Gon would have taken his name as a tribute.
“It’s interesting how things evolve,” McCaig said. “For a time, the older Jedi was named Obi-Wan and the younger Jedi was named Qui-Gon. It was very poignant that at the end, as Obi-Wan dies and Qui-Gon defeats Darth Maul and stays with his Master as he passes away, he not only takes on his Master’s quest, but he takes on his name. Qui-Gon becomes Obi-Wan. That’s why when you see Alec Guinness in A New Hope, he puts his hood down and goes, ‘Obi-Wan? Now that’s a name I’ve not heard….’ Because he’s not Obi-Wan, he’s Qui-Gon. And right at the end, George changed it.“
It’s a very interesting concept, and part of me almost wishes Lucas had kept it in. It’s not clear if this is something all Jedi would have done or if it was unique to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Imagine if it had carried on. Would Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) have taken on the name of Obi-Wan… or Yoda?
The Phantom Menace was re-released in theaters earlier this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary (I can’t believe the film is already that old), and it’s been interesting to see how people’s opinions of it have changed. The original release was met with disappointment from some fans, but over the years, a new generation has embraced the movie. Although it’s certainly not the best in the franchise, there’s a lot to like in The Phantom Menace, including the thrilling pod race sequence and the climatic lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul.