The Legend of Qui-Gon Jinn. in The Napkin.

So, I watch a lot of geek content, that’s no secret. While I’m a Trekkie first, one or way another I am highly versed in Star Wars. (No comics or beta, only what’s on film.)

By now, you should have passing knowledge that Chancellor Palpatine is the Great PuppetMaster. The Ultimate Manipulator. Controlling everything from behind the scenes.

Okay, a criticism of Episode I is… why Naboo? What does this one little planet have to do with his grand scheme? Yes, playing the senate against itself lead to him becoming Chancellor and beyond.

My point: Palpatine wanted to kill Qui-Gon.

Spoiler alert: He succeeded.

He knew which Jedi would have been assigned to the area to deal with another brush fire. He didn’t just manipulate some foreign faction, like he does at times. He sent his apprentice to get the job done. Does it matter that Maul “dies”? Nope. He’s not needed in the grander scheme, only yet another pawn.

(Watch Clone Wars, and Maul laments how he was just used by Palpatine in a larger scheme.)

Play it forward. What happens if Qui-Gon lives?

He trains Anakin.

I love me some Obi-Wan Kenobi, but there’s a fairly good chance Qui-Gon would have done a better job as a teacher. Moreover, you can change a plot point whereby the Jedi Council refuses to train Anakin - but Qui-Gon does it anywhere. Either by doing it in secret, or publicly leaving the Jedi Order. Either way, Qui-Gon becomes a heroic rebel.

Kenobi? He’d be just some average Jedi. Even losing battles at times. Maybe even jealous that he “lost” his Master to some streetrat boy. Not really angry, just sad and neglected. He stays in contact with Anakin, giving some creedence to his later line about Anakin being like a “brother” to him.

From here you can go in one of two directions. Either Qui-Gon kills Palpatine in Episode III, or he doesn’t.

If he does kill Palpatine, Anakin would be enraged and kill him, thus killing off a heroic character. That leaves Obi-Wan to do his firedance with Anakin, and barely standing toe-to-toe against a superior opponent.

If he doesn’t, you can still have the same stand-off with Mace Windu. Anakin kills Mace, then does his firedance with Obi-Wan.

Eh, a lot of details kind of get muddled in my head after that. But, I think we can agree the saga would have been a lot different had Qui-Gon lived.

PS: Jar Jar is a sith lord.