Key Takeaways
- Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s friendship is built on respect and a father-son bond.
- Qui-Gon’s death impacts Obi-Wan deeply, leading to his loyalty to Anakin.
- Obi-Wan’s actions throughout Star Wars are influenced by his relationship with Qui-Gon.
There are many incredible relationships within the Star Wars universe that audiences connect with, but one of the best is the friendship between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Although it might only last for one movie due to Qui-Gon’s death, it created a lasting impact on Star Wars fans.
The two Jedi spend a lot of time together during Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and they prove to have a strong relationship built on respect. Qui-Gon is the senior in this friendship, but he sees Obi-Wan as a friend after all of their years of knowing each other. Yet there is more to know about their relationship than first meets the eye.
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How Did Qui-Gon Jin & Obi-Wan Kenobi Meet Each Other?
When audiences are introduced to this friendship in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the two Jed already have a longstanding connection and evidently have an excellent working partnership. While it’s obvious that Qui-Gon is still imparting wisdom on the younger Jedi, it’s equally clear that Obi-Wan is well versed in what he is doing, from using the Force to handling a lightsaber. But that is all down to the training of Qui-Gon, who is his master. Qui-Gon meets Obi-Wan when he’s just 13 years old as a youngling.
The older Jedi chose him as an apprentice and guided him until his death, with his training being crucial in turning Obi-Wan into the person he becomes in terms of his fighting skills and how he handles others. They are close and have a playful banter when they are shown on-screen, but their relationship is showcased in more detail outside of the Star Wars movies in the comics and books. That is where it’s revealed that they did have a rocky relationship when Obi-Wan was younger and more rebellious, which is likely why he sees so much of himself in Anakin Skywalker several years later when the roles are reversed.
The Father-Son Bond Was Important
The connection between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan comes across as pure friendship, but it is far more deep-rooted than that. There is a bigger, more significant connection at play with these two characters, and that is one of a father-son bond. Qui-Gon is older, more experienced, and wiser, which leads to him guiding Obi-Wan in all aspects of his life.
It isn’t just as a Jedi that Qui-Gon helps him, and that’s clear even in the limited scenes that fans experience in the Star Wars prequel. He is always looking to guide Obi-Wan, and the fact he came back to him as a Force Ghost at the end of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series proves that he wasn’t quite finished imparting wisdom to him. It’s also clear that Obi-Wan took those lessons because he goes on to have the same type of bond with Anakin.
Obi-Wan and Anakin become much closer as friends, but he can also try to be a father figure in that aspect, which he does a slightly better job at later on in his life with Luke Skywalker. It’s a seemingly natural instinct for Obi-Wan to look after people and try to do what’s right, but that ultimately comes down to the teachings he received from Qui-Gon and the lessons he learned simply by watching him operate.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Took Qui-Gon Jinn’s Death Seriously
The death of Qui-Gon rocks the Jedi temple due to how powerful a Jedi he is, but nobody is hit harder than Obi-Wan, who essentially lost his best friend in the duel against Darth Maul. While he avenges him in the moment, that doesn’t take away from the pain he evidently feels in the aftermath of the situation.
Obi-Wan ultimately decides to become Anakin’s master because of Qui-Gon’s death, even though many of the other Jedi have their doubts about him. Obi-Wan has an almost blind allegiance to Anakin from the moment Qui-Gon dies until he embraces the dark side. It’s loyalty born out of guilt that he could not save his master even though they outnumbered Darth Maul during their fight. However, just like his own master, he manages to turn Anakin into someone incredibly talented and powerful, which makes him one of the greatest Jedi in the Star Wars franchise before he becomes Darth Vader.
The bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin is one of the biggest storylines throughout the prequel movies and informs Anakin’s decision to embrace the dark side. Situations between them ultimately became heated, but Obi-Wan was so upset by Anakin’s choices because of their connection and closeness, which dates back to Qui-Gon finding Anakin when he was just a child.
Everything Obi-Wan does throughout the Star Wars franchise is centered around the initial connection he has with Qui-Gon, making it such an important relationship to the entire saga. It’s a connection that might be overlooked at times, but it is one of the most powerful and close that takes place.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.