Qui-Gon Jinn was a wise, faithful, powerful but unorthodox and rebellious Jedi Master who was the Padawan of Dooku and Master of Obi-wan Kenobi. Regarded as a formidable warrior and a wise man Qui-Gon would certainly have gotten a place on the Jedi Council if not for his rebellious nature. Qui-Gon perished during the blockade of Naboo crisis at the hands of the deadly Sith lord Darth Maul.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Qui-Gon Jinn was discovered by an unknown Jedi at an early age and brought to Coruscant to be raised as a Jedi. Qui-Gon was one of the Jedi Temple's most promising students and eventually became the padawan of Dooku. He befriended fellow Jedi Youngling Tahl during his training at the Temple.
Together, Dooku and Qui-Gon went on numerous missions across the galaxy. On one notable mission, the two were sent to accompany Senator Blix Annon on a diplomatic assignment. However, space pirates infiltrated their ship. Their leader turned out to be Lorian Nod, a failed Jedi with whom Dooku was once close friends. The two battled and Dooku let his anger get the best of him. When it seemed that he would give the deathblow to a helpless Nod, it was Qui-Gon's words that stopped him from doing so. Eventually Qui-Gon was promoted to Jedi Knight. As his final words for Qui-Gon as a student, Dooku told him that he had one weakness and that it was his compassion for all life. Dooku warned him that it is an inevitability that betrayal would come from a friend.
Xanatos[]
Eventually, both Qui-Gon and Tahl became Jedi Knights. When the Jedi Council suggested that he take a Padawan learner, Qui-Gon chose not to. He felt that he was not ready and over the next few years took on solo missions for the Order. During this time Qui-Gon discovered a young boy from Telos IV named Xanatos who exhibited a strong connection to the Force. Qui-Gon took Xanatos to the Jedi Temple for training, despite the fact that the child was quite older than the accepted age for training. Over the next two years as Xanatos was trained at the Temple, Qui-Gon took a unidentified Padawan, whose training was almost complete. After successfully guiding the Padawan to Knighthood, Qui-Gon Jinn became a Jedi Master and soon Xanatos became his newest apprentice.
Over the years many members of the Council, including Yoda, expressed their concerns about Xanatos, and decided to give one final test before granting him the title of Jedi Knight. Qui-Gon and Xanatos were sent to Telos, Xanatos's homeworld, where the boy's father, Crion, had become a tyrant, controlling the planet with an iron grip. Xanatos was tempted by his father's wealth and power, and joined Crion, hoping to rule together. Leading the planet into a civil war, Crion was confronted by Qui-Gon, who was forced to kill the governor. Upon doing so, Xanatos became enraged and took a ring from his father's finger, searing hot from Qui-Gon's blade. He branded it into his cheek, creating a broken-circle scar. Swearing his revenge, Xanatos fled.
Upon returning to the Temple, Qui-Gon blamed himself for Xanatos's failure, and even went so far as to renounce his success in training his first Padawan. He planned not to take another Padawan for the rest of his life though he later changed his mind. Tahl tried to comfort Qui-Gon by accompanying him to the training world of Ragoon VI to hopefully relax and take his mind off Xanatos. However, this dark chapter in Qui-Gon's life would be very hard to erase.
For the next few years, Qui-Gon returned to solo missions, yet would occasionally work with others on various assignments. Qui-Gon and Tahl were credited for accomplishing many missions, including successfully overseeing the first democratic elections of New Apsolon.
Taking another apprentice[]
Initially, Qui-Gon was worried about taking another apprentice, as his last apprentice fell to the dark side. Nine years since Xanatos' betrayal, Yoda encouraged Qui-Gon to take another apprentice. Though Qui-Gon had already made up his mind to remain alone, he agreed to at least observe a fighting tournament among a group of the Temple's older students, which included Bruck Chun and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He took notice of Obi-Wan's skills, but shortly following the tournament, he left heading for Bandomeer, by orders of the Supreme Chancellor.
On the transport ship to Bandomeer, Qui-Gon was reunited with Obi-Wan, who was also being sent to Bandomeer to begin his life in the Agricultural Corps. On the transport, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan helped defend a group of Arcona from the criminal organization, Offworld Corporation. After putting an end to the tense situation, the two arrived on Bandomeer, where Qui-Gon received a letter signed by Xanatos. It turned out that Bandomeer was not in need of Jedi assistance, it had all been organized by Xanatos, who was revealed to be the leader of Offworld, whose mining operations terrorized all on the planet.
Qui-Gon duels his former apprentice, Xanatos.
Qui-Gon sent Obi-Wan off to his Agri-Corps duties, while he planned to meet with Xanatos, not as old adversaries, but as ambassadors, working to find an agreement between Offworld and Bandomeer. However, Xanatos planned to sabotage their meeting and kill Qui-Gon. Once again with the help of Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon attempted to end Xanatos's acts of terror. Qui-Gon dueled with his former apprentice, and though they ended Offworld's business on Bandomeer, Xanatos was able to escape. During their situation with Xanatos, Qui-Gon discovered Obi-Wan's true potential, and took him as his new Padawan learner.
As master and apprentice, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were sent on various missions across the galaxy, to worlds such as Gala and Phindar. One mission, in which the two rescued a blinded Tahl from the war-torn world of Melida/Daan, led to Obi-Wan's temporary resignation from the Jedi Order. Also over this time, the two Jedi had more encounters with Xanatos, who, with the help of the bitter Padawan, Bruck Chun, nearly assassinated Yoda within the Jedi Temple itself. After dueling with the Dark Jedi and chasing him to Telos, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's final confrontation with Xanatos resulted in his suicide, jumping into a pool of acid instead of surrendering. Though a major threat to the Jedi Order was now eliminated, it was a disturbing ending to a dark chapter in Qui-Gon's life.
Other missions[]
Along with other Jedi such as Tyvokka, Plo Koon, Tholme and his Padawan Quinlan Vos, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fought in one of the largest galactic conflicts prior to the Clone Wars—the Stark Hyperspace War. It was the first of many times that the two would encounter the Trade Federation, though it would be one of the few times that they were defending them.
As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's apprenticeship matured, they formed a close father-and-son like bond with each other. Three decades after first meeting Lorian Nod with his former master, Dooku, Qui-Gon once again faced off with the failed Jedi on Junction 5, and once again he was incarcerated for his crimes. Qui-Gon continually passed on as much knowledge as he could to Obi-Wan.
As time went on, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan accomplished various other missions across the galaxy. On Kegan, they discovered the Force-sensitivity of the future Jedi Knight, Olana Chion. In the Rutan system, the two Jedi acted as ambassadors to settle a conflict between the world of Rutan and its moon of Senali.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan investigated strange murders in which the bodies of the victims were drained entirely of their blood. This investigation led them to meet the famed scientist Jenna Zan Arbor. Eventually, they discovered that the bounty hunter Ona Nobis was behind the murders, but they still did not know who her client was. Upon confronting Nobis, Qui-Gon managed to get aboard her ship and was immediately hit with her blasterfire. Qui-Gon was captured and taken to Jenna Zan Arbor. Zan Arbor, who was studying the genetic traits of Force-sensitives (possibly to discover a way to genetically engineer Force-sensitivity into normal beings), began further experiments on Qui-Gon, draining his blood and torturing him to test his limits. Obi-Wan, with the help of Tahl, Adi Gallia, and Siri Tachi, managed to infiltrate Zan Arbor's labs and free Qui-Gon. It wasn't long before Zan Arbor was caught. The deranged scientist was imprisoned and the bounty hunter, Ona Nobis, was presumed to be dead after a fight with Obi-Wan.
Forbidden love[]
There is no help for me now. There is only revenge.
—Qui-Gon directly after Tahl's death
Approximately three years after the Stark Hyperspace War, tensions began to rise in Qui-Gon's friendship with Tahl. Tahl had recently taken Bant Eerin, one of Obi-Wan's closest friends, as her Padawan, and Qui-Gon tried to press his advice onto her. The tension started to make the two realize that they had more than just friendly feelings toward each other. However, they put the teachings of the Jedi Code first, and did their best to ignore them.
While training with Obi-Wan on Ragoon VI, Qui-Gon began to suffer from visions of Tahl in grave danger. Upon returning to Coruscant, Qui-Gon requested to the Council that he be sent with her on her next mission, to New Apsolon. Tahl, however, declined his offer and went on alone, even leaving Bant behind at the Temple. Three weeks passed and Tahl had not been heard from. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went to New Apsolon (against the orders of the Council) to discover what may have happened to Tahl. After a lengthy search, they found her, safe and in perfect health. Upon seeing each other again, Qui-Gon and Tahl openly admitted their forbidden love for each other. They promised to each other that they would deal with their emotions more after the mission was over.
However, it wasn't long before Tahl was missing again, only this time she was truly in danger, captured by a New Apsolon rebel named Balog. When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan finally found Balog, he had already drugged Tahl. The Jedi managed to rescue her, but despite Qui-Gon's attempts to heal her through the Force, Tahl passed away.
Qui-Gon is brought dangerously close to the dark side after Tahl's death.
The death of Tahl drove Qui-Gon into a terrible state of depression and a rise in strong dark side emotions. He blamed himself for Tahl's death and recalled his past failure with Xanatos. He swore revenge on Balog and made it his top priority to track him down. Obi-Wan, who was worried about his master, tried to assure him that there was nothing that he could have done to save her, but Qui-Gon wouldn't hear it. Qui-Gon soon cornered Balog and was about to slaughter the man when he heard a voice utter two words:
"No, Qui-Gon."
The warning made Qui-Gon realize the dark path he was following and he abruptly deactivated his lightsaber, snapping out of his own anger, horrified at the dark path he was about to go down. After taking Balog into custody, Qui-Gon thanked Obi-Wan for stopping him, only to hear from his apprentice that it was not him who said those words. It was then that Qui-Gon realized that it was the voice of Tahl. The Jedi returned to Coruscant and gave Tahl a proper funeral.
Qui-Gon and his apprentice would also help Attichitcuk and Chewbacca establish a colony on the Kashyyyk moon of Alaris Prime, and would later help drive the Trade Federation off it.
Despite being saved from falling over to the dark side, Qui-Gon still was a changed man following Tahl's death, and a great deal of change also occurred around him following her loss. Jocasta Nu, another of Qui-Gon's friends, succeeded Tahl as the head archivist of the Jedi Archives, and the Nautolan Jedi, Kit Fisto took Tahl's place as Bant's master. A number of new missions continued to strengthen Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's bond with each other.
On a mission to protect a young boy named Talesan Fry, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were paired with Adi Gallia and Siri Tachi. The mission, which resulted in Qui-Gon and Adi being separated from Obi-Wan and Siri, led to the discovery of romantic feelings between the two Padawans. Qui-Gon detected these emotions and warned Obi-Wan of his own example with Tahl, and the consequences of losing a loved one.
Naboo crisis[]
Ambassadors[]
Eventually Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were sent to the planet Naboo onboard the Radiant VII to resolve a crisis. The Trade Federation, in protest to recent taxation laws, had assembled a blockade of the planet with a fleet of battleships. The two Jedi were sent as ambassadors of Supreme Chancellor Valorum to reach a peaceful settlement.
Shortly after their arrival on the Federation battleship Saak'ak, the Radiant VII was destroyed and the conference chamber they were waiting in was flooded with dioxis gas. They survived the gas, and easily defeated the battle droids assigned to reinforce the chamber entrance. Qui-Gon tried to cut through the bridge's blast doors, but the arrival of Federation droidekas forced them to flee. The two Jedi then stowed away on a troop transport as the Federation moved to invade Naboo with a force of battle droids.
On Naboo, Qui-Gon met Jar Jar Binks, saving him from possible death and earning his life debt. Binks reluctantly took him to the underwater city of Otoh Gunga, where Boss Rugor Nass (with the pursuasion of Qui-Gon's mind tricks) agreed to give them a transport and allowed Binks to go with the offworlders as a guide. After he gained transport to the capital city of Theed, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar journeyed through the planet's core, evading several sea monsters, to Theed. Once in the capital city, he and Obi-Wan rescued the Queen and escaped Naboo on the royal starship. As they dashed through the blockade, however, the ship was hit by laser fire and the hyperdrive was badly damaged. The party was forced to land on Tatooine.
Discovery of the Chosen One[]
Qui-Gon with Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine.
On Tatooine, Qui-Gon looked for parts in the settlement of Mos Espa, where he encountered the junk dealer Watto and his slave, a Force-strong young boy named Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon came to believe that Anakin may be the Chosen One of Jedi legend.
Qui-Gon, agreeing to help Anakin who was secretly building a podracer, acquired necessary machine parts for the racing vehicle. Never forgetting his Jedi duties while in Mos Espa, Qui-Gon was able to free a young Ithorian named Tomo from bondage of one Captain Neg and even dissuade the assassin Jym Lang from committing a murder. Later, Qui-Gon was able to release Anakin from slavery, as well, when he bet Watto on the boy's victory during the Boonta Eve Classic podrace. The wager also resulted in obtaining parts to fix the damaged Naboo ship. With their means to return to Coruscant secured, Qui-Gon and his new charge sojourned to the outskirts of Mos Espa to meet up with their companions. However, their progress was watched by a DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droid. Qui-Gon sensed the intrusive presence and struck the probe down, yet the damage was already done.
The Sith Lord Darth Maul had been trailing the Jedi and recovered his destroyed droid, thinking that his quarry had stowed aboard the smuggling ship Dusty Duck. Maul boarded the light freighter and struck down the pilot, Aneesa Dym, believing her to be harboring his enemy. Once he learned the
Qui-Gon duels Darth Maul on Tatooine.
truth, the Sith assassin doubled his efforts to reach Qui-Gon before he escaped. As Qui-Gon and Anakin approached the Queen's ship, they were intercepted by Darth Maul who nearly knocked down Anakin with his speeder. Qui-Gon fought the Sith in a brief but vicious lightsaber duel as the ship took off behind him. Jumping high with the Force, the Jedi Master managed to land on the boarding ramp as the ship soared away, leaving the angry Sith Lord behind on the desert planet.
On Coruscant, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan appeared before the Jedi High Council to give a report. The Council reluctantly agreed to test young Anakin for Jedi potential. They found that the boy was indeed very strong with the Force, having the greatest potential ever recorded, but declined to train him on the grounds that he was too old. Yoda sensed that the boy's future was "clouded". Qui-Gon tried to release Obi-Wan from apprenticeship, saying that Obi-Wan was ready for the Jedi Trials, in order to take Anakin as his Padawan. But the Council would not be swayed. Disappointed, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan prepared to return to Naboo with Queen Amidala, who hoped to liberate the planet in one swift stroke.
Death[]
- "Obi-Wan...promise...promise me you will train the boy."
- "Yes Master"
- "He...is the Chosen One...he...will bring balance...train him..."
- —Qui-Gon's dying request to Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face Darth Maul on Naboo.
During the Second Battle of Theed, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan started out aiding Amidala and her sortie, fighting in the streets. However, when the battle moved into the palace hangar, they encountered Darth Maul, wielding a double-bladed lightsaber.
While the Queen and her guards went to reclaim the throne room, the two Jedi engaged the Sith Lord. The lightsaber duel was frenzied and brutal, moving through the hangar and into the Theed Generator Complex, where they fought on the precarious catwalks. When Maul kicked Obi-Wan over the edge of the catwalk they were fighting on, Qui-Gon was forced to continue the duel alone. While his Padawan rushed to catch up, Qui-Gon and Maul moved on, passing through an impenetrable laser shield security system to one of the cooling pits. The shields closed between them, separating the combatants momentarily, but also separated Obi-Wan from Qui-Gon, over ten shields apart. Qui-Gon took advantage of the break in the duel to crouch down and meditate, bringing himself in full tune with the Force. When the shields deactivated, Qui-Gon immediately attacked Maul while Obi-Wan rushed to help his Master.
Qui-Gon is fatally wounded by Darth Maul.
However, the shields closed again, preventing the Jedi Padawan from aiding his mentor. Although Qui-Gon was one of the best lightsaber duelists in the Order Maul had the advantage of youth and pure strength. The Jedi Master put up a valliant fight but eventually Maul managed to hit him in the face with the hilt of his staff and stab him in the stomach.
Obi-Wan, seething with rage, hurled himself at Darth Maul as soon as the laser field went down, managing to slice Maul's lightsaber in half. Despite this Maul Force pushed the Padawan over the edge of the pit they were fighting over. Obi-wan managed to grab a nozzle on the edge of the pit but Maul kicked his lightsaber down. Arrogantly sure of his victory, Maul slashed the edge of the pit with his lightsaber. However his arrogance cost him his life when Obi-Wan leapt out of the pit, summoning his Masters lightsaber at the same time and swiped it straight through Maul's torso, bisecting him in half. Maul's two halves tumbled into the pit and Obi-Wan rushed to Qui-Gon's side. With his last breaths, Qui-Gon requested Obi-Wan to train Anakin before dying. Qui-Gon was later cremated in the Theed Funeral Temple.
Legacy[]
After falling at the hands of Darth Maul on Naboo, Qui-Gon continued to have a large impact on the future of the Jedi. Qui-Gon's death also is known to have troubled his former master so much that Dooku, who had touched the dark side even as a young boy, became even more disillusioned with the Jedi Order. This led him to further rationalize the philosophy of the dark side, contributing to his eventual fall. He left the Jedi Order and became Darth Tyranus, replacing Maul as Darth Sidious's Sith apprentice.
At some point Qui-Gon discovered a way to maintain his identity after death. Qui-Gon attempted unsuccessfully to prevent Anakin's slaughter of the Sandpeople that had killed his mother. Back on Coruscant Yoda heard him calling out to Anakin through the Force.
During Anakin's first duel with Asajj Ventress, he caught glimpses of Qui-Gon, Yoda and Obi-Wan as he attacked in a fit of rage. Qui-Gon also appeared in a Force Vision to Yoda, as him, sending Anakin into a tree, implying that it was time for Anakin to face his Trials and be Knighted. When Anakin was summoned back to the Temple to what he thought was another "scolding", he said that Obi-Wan was not Qui-Gon, which put a sad face on his master. He tried to apologize, but Obi-Wan assured him that he also missed his former master. Obi-Wan also mentioned Qui-Gon from time to time to his second Padawan Tom Norton. Obi-Wan also met Qui-Gon's Force Ghost on Mortis and so did Anakin.
The Jedi Archives Library had a Bronzium sculpture of Qui-Gon Jinn on the first floor. Many Jedi would look at this statue including Tom Norton and Ahsoka Tano who wanted to become great Jedi just like Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon's relationship with Tahl also influenced his close friend Plo Koon who grew to believe that love was not the weakness most Jedi thought it was. This caused Plo to accept Tom Norton and Ahsoka Tano's relationship and he reassured Ahsoka that it was not wrong to fall in love.
Personality and traits[]
Qui-Gon Jinn is perhaps the greatest Jedi alive, a commanding presence at Council, a strong and brave warrior who refuses to be intimidated by even the most daunting challenge, and a good and kind man.
—Obi-Wan Kenobi
Qui-Gon Jinn was a wise, kind and selfless Jedi but also headstrong and rebellious. Qui-Gon was devoted to the Living Force, preferring to concentrate on the matter at hand though he was perfectly capable of looking to the future or the past. He was very compassionate, willing to help any life form that needed help though this trait could annoy his Master, Dooku. Qui-Gon disliked killing but he would kill when he had to. Despite his kind soul, his fighting style was more aggressive than his personality because he preferred to finish a fight quickly. If not for his rebellious nature Qui-Gon would certainly have gotten a seat on the Jedi Council.
Qui-Gon was the wisest Jedi of his time, even wiser than Yoda. For one thing Qui-Gon understood love, which Yoda didn't, and it was partially because of his love for Tahl that he was able to become a Force Ghost. He also focused on the here and now which might have allowed the Jedi to detect Darth Sidious working right under their noses if they had done the same.
The Jedi Master appeared much younger than his age and had a penetrating gaze. He had a subtle attention to detail, seen as he could sense mood changes in the people around him and was quite adept at hiding his emotions from other individuals, even other Jedi. His master was often perplexed by his ability to do this even when Qui-Gon was a Padawan.
Qui-Gon was a great teacher and Obi-Wan did his best to pass on Qui-Gon's teachings to Anakin and later Tom. A distinguished and adept Jedi warrior, Qui-Gon reflected strength and wisdom.
Powers and abilities[]
Lightsaber training[]
Qui-Gon Jinn was a highly skilled lightsaber duellist, being the only Jedi besides Yoda, Dooku and Sora Bulq who could defeat Mace Windu in sparring. He was trained as a Jedi Guardian and was a master of Ataru and Djem So. Having been trained by Dooku, he also had a considerable amount of skill in Makashi.
In his youth, Qui-Gon liked to use the acrobatic swordplay of Ataru, combined with the accurate bladework of Makashi but as he grew older, he started focusing mostly on Djem So since Ataru acrobatics would tire him and he never mastered Makashi to the same degree as his former Master. During his final duel with Darth Maul, Qui-Gon used mainly Djem So, forcing Maul onto the defensive, but also kept the Sith unsure of his next move by utilizing a combination of Ataru and Makashi techniques along with his powerful Djem So strikes. Because of this, Qui-Gon showed more grace and precision than would be expected from a typical Form V practitioner and was unhindered by Djem So's usual lack of mobility. What did hinder him however was his age. If he had been younger, Qui-Gon might have been able to defeat Maul but he was nearly sixty years old and therefore wasn't as energetic as he once was. Qui-Gon tired more quickly than the young Sith lord and perished after a difficult duel.
Force powers[]
Qui-Gon possessed a strong connection to the Force and was strongly devoted to the Living Force though he had the ability to see into the future when he wanted to. He was also a master of Jedi Mind Tricks which he taught to Obi-Wan and possibly had some training in Force Healing as he tried to use it to save Tahl's life. Unfortunately he failed.
Qui-Gon was also able to retain his consciousness after death, becoming a Force Ghost. However he rarely actually physically appeared before people instead preferring to simply speak to them through the Force, although he made an exception when he visited Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mortis. Having discovered the secret of eternal life, Qui-Gon continued to try and help the Jedi Order even though he was dead. The secret to this ability was love so it is likely that Qui-Gon's love for Tahl contributed to him learning the power.
Other abilities[]
Qui-Gon had a vast knowledge of the architecture of many capital ships and large transports, and understood their abilities and vulnerable points, including the engineering and structure of the Trade Federation's landing craft. Because of this knowledge, both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were able to sneak onto separate ships and stow away until they reached the swamps of Naboo.
Qui-Gon was also skilled at speaking alien languages including Nelvaanese, Cerean, Gran and Shyriiwook.