In the recent interview with Iain McCaig at StarWars.com, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the concept and storyboard artist revealed how George Lucas made a cut that saw Qui-Gon Jinn take on the name of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
From the Queen, McCaig turned to the Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who together experienced a fairly significant story change. “It’s interesting how things evolve,” McCaig notes. “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.”
Read the article in full at StarWars.com.
