STAR WARS: George Lucas Scrapped Plans For A Bombshell Obi-Wan And Qui-Gon Twist In THE PHANTOM MENACE

STAR WARS: George Lucas Scrapped Plans For A Bombshell Obi-Wan And Qui-Gon Twist In THE PHANTOM MENACE

A longtime Star Wars concept artist has revealed that filmmaker George Lucas had some pretty wild plans for an Obi-Wan Kenobi/Qui-Gon Jinn twist in The Phantom Menace which would have changed everything...

By JoshWilding - Nov 01, 2024 11:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: StarWars.com (via SFFGazette.com)

While Lucasfilm has been criticised for not having a proper plan in place for its divisive Star Wars sequels, it's no secret that George Lucas essentially made up the original trilogy as he went along. 

The same was also the case for his prequels, three movies that continuously evolved as they were being developed. Ultimately, The Phantom Menace introduced us to younger versions of many characters, including an Obi-Wan Kenobi who was still a Jedi Padawan to his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

In a StarWars.com feature about the 1999 movie, Star Wars concept and storyboard artist Iain McCaig revealed (via SFFGazette.com) that Lucas once had a bombshell twist in mind for Episode I.

"For a time, the older Jedi was named Obi-Wan and the younger Jedi was named Qui-Gon," McCaig explained. "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…'" the artist added. "Because he’s not Obi-Wan, he’s Qui-Gon. And right at the end, George changed it."

It would have been one heck of a twist, but not one that was overly necessary when you look at what such a revelation meant for Obi-Wan's role in the original trilogy (little to nothing, aside from adding a little context to the line McCaig mentions)

Elsewhere in this feature, McGaig reflected on his career and the possibility of reuniting with Lucas. "When I joined Lucasfilm, I also began a 30-year career as a screenwriter. Now I'm writing novels and short stories and a musical too, believe it or not. I love having an audience that I can actually see and hear. I think it's the antidote to 40 years of Non-Disclosure Agreements."

"I believe George has retired and, if he's following through on his dream, he's happily making films just for himself. But yes, absolutely. He would only have to clap his hands twice and I would be there. I think we all would."

While there's nothing to suggest Lucas will return to the Star Wars franchise, Ewan McGregor did reprise his role as Obi-Wan in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series. Even Liam Neeson showed up in that, playing a Force Ghost version of Qui-Gon who reunited with his former pupil in the finale.

Let us know your thoughts on this scrapped Star Wars twist in the comments section below. 

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Dotanuki
Dotanuki - 11/1/2024, 11:10 AM
I mean, okay, that’s a twist. But the entire movie you know it’s going to happen in some way.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/1/2024, 11:14 AM
OT

?si=IDAI9z0YKtc6S26i

I'm liking the vibe.

Getting ET, Stanger things and Goonies vibes here. Hopefully this one hits right.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 11/1/2024, 12:24 PM
@Conquistador - I like the vibe too. Not sure about the Stranger Things comparison, but it's definitely Goonies is space.
Itwasme
Itwasme - 11/1/2024, 11:15 AM
People love when characters take on another's name.
Forthas
Forthas - 11/1/2024, 11:19 AM
Not sure what that would do to make the film better or worse. It was a non-consequential narrative choice!
ThorArms
ThorArms - 11/1/2024, 11:19 AM
So, like what happened at the end of ROS - and people hated it
Gambito
Gambito - 11/1/2024, 11:19 AM
Too complicated and hokey I see why he changed his mind
IronGenesis
IronGenesis - 11/1/2024, 11:36 AM
And before that it was just Obi-Wan on the mission to Naboo by himself.

And Qui-Gon didn’t appear until the Jedi Council Meeting with Anakin.

Qui-Gon then accompanied them to Naboo, only to be killed by Maul.


I think this is my favorite version. That Obi-Wan would of been a little older and discovered Anakin himself.
tluciotti74
tluciotti74 - 11/1/2024, 11:57 AM
I always took the line from New Hope as him just saying he has not been heard Obi-Wan because everyone just calls him Old Ben, just like Luke's family did. I guess that could be a different twist on it
HermanM
HermanM - 11/1/2024, 12:07 PM
@tluciotti74 - exactly, I took it to mean he hasn't been called it in a while
Pampero
Pampero - 11/1/2024, 12:37 PM
A good plot twist would be that, after the death of his master, young Qui-Gon adopts the name... Rey Skywalker
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 11/1/2024, 12:42 PM
If he took his name at that young age, then people would have been calling him that the rest of his life. It wouldn’t have been a long time since he heard the name.

He says he hasn’t heard that name in a long time because when he goes into hiding he starts going by Ben.

Seems like a twist that ultimately wouldn’t make a lick of sense.
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 11/1/2024, 12:54 PM
I kinda dig the idea, but the more you think on it, it kinda doesn't make any sense. The entire Jedi Order know the 2 men, they wouldn't just go along with the name swap for no reason. Plus, what actual reasoning does he have for wanting to take his Masters name? Is it a rule? Is it a gambit to fool the Sith? What in universe reason is there, because I assume not every Padawan gets the name of their murdered master, so what's the actual reasoning? It just doesn't really add up when you look at it logically in universe.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 11/1/2024, 1:00 PM
"it's no secret that George Lucas essentially made up the original trilogy as he went along"

Josh says this like it's a negative to cope for Disney, as if every creator of anything ever isn't creating as they go along. Does he think all of the Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings were perfectly packaged in Tolkien's brain? Or Rowling just pooped out 19 Harry Potter books over night?

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