Imagine a world where Qui-Gon was Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan was Qui-Gon. That’s almost what happened in the final minutes of The Phantom Menace until George Lucas made a change at the last moment, opting to keep what we saw on screen exactly as we remember it rather than a last-minute twist that would have been similar to the Sabé / Padmé ‘swap’ we saw in the Sacred Place on Naboo. Speaking with StarWars.com, Iain McCaig remembers the original intention Lucas had.
“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.”
What do you think of this idea? We’ve had what we had for a quarter of a century, but understanding the reason McCaig lays down here regarding Obi-Wan not remembering that name when Luke addresses him, do you think this could have worked? Let us know on Fantha Tracks socials or via email on news@fanthatracks.com and we’ll discuss your thoughts on next weeks episode of Making Tracks.
