Key Takeaways
- Early drafts of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace almost had significant Jedi role reversals.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were planned to switch names in a major twist ending.
- The idea of the name-switch was scrapped, raising questions on how it would’ve changed the saga.
The plot of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace has become so iconic that it’s hard to imagine a time when it didn’t captivate fans. However, it’s surprising that the film almost featured a game-changing twist that could’ve completely redefined the Star Wars mythology forever!
The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy was a groundbreaking cinematic journey that reshaped the saga’s narrative, setting the stage for Anakin Skywalker’s tragic descent into darkness. The opening film, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, introduced audiences to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) as they unravel a political conspiracy — one that reveals ominous shifts in the Force, the return of the Sith, and the discovery of a young “chosen one” with the potential to alter the galaxy’s fate. While the plot of The Phantom Menace has since become deeply embedded in Star Wars lore, it’s truly astonishing to learn, 25 years later, that there was originally a major twist ending that could have forever changed Star Wars lore.
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In a recent interview with Star Wars‘ official site, artist Iain McCaig delved into some fascinating “what-ifs” from the early drafts of 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. As one of the film’s key character designers, McCaig delved into an intriguing idea that almost made it into the final cut. According to McCaig, early story drafts featured a significant shake-up of the Jedi roles: Obi-Wan was originally written as the seasoned Jedi, while Qui-Gon was to be his younger Padawan. “It’s interesting how things evolve,” McCaig noted. “For a time, the older Jedi was named Obi-Wan, and the younger Jedi was named Qui-Gon.” But the surprises didn’t stop there. According to McCaig, George Lucas initially toyed with a powerful twist ending, where Obi-Wan’s heroic sacrifice against Darth Maul would lead to Qui-Gon adopting not just his master’s mission but also his name. In that version, after Obi-Wan’s death, Qui-Gon defeats Maul and takes up his fallen master’s name, effectively becoming the Obi-Wan we know.
This surprising name change couldn’t have been just thrown in for shock value; George Lucas intended it to completely alter our perception of Alec Guinness’s portrayal of Obi-Wan in Star Wars: A New Hope. As concept artist Iain McCaig explained, “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.” However, Lucas decided to scrap this idea at the last minute. It’s a fascinating twist, and fans can’t help but wonder how different the saga would’ve been if he stuck with it. Would this name-switch have been a tradition among Jedi, or was it a unique bond between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon? Imagine if Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had to adopt a name like Obi-Wan—or even Yoda—what a game-changer that would’ve been!
Star Wars has a long-standing tradition of characters reinventing themselves with new names or identities—whether it’s the iconic reveal of Darth Vader as Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano taking on the codename “Fulcrum” for her undercover missions, or Caleb Dume transforming into “Kanan Jarrus.” However, a twist where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon switched roles might have been too much for fans to handle. This likely pushed George Lucas to rework their dynamic into the classic Jedi Master-Padawan bond, which not only shaped Obi-Wan’s journey but also laid the groundwork for his profound connection with Anakin Skywalker.
After portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005), Ewan McGregor returned to the role for Disney+’s 2022 limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which takes place a decade after the events of the prequels. Now, Disney and Lucasfilm are reportedly “exploring” ideas for a potential second season. Given the gap between the end of McGregor’s series and Alec Guinness’s portrayal in A New Hope, there’s clearly room for more untold stories—though whether those will come to light is still up in the air.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is streaming on Disney+.
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Source: StarWars.com