Star Wars Secrets: George Lucas’s Original Plan to Swap Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s Names

As a lifelong Star Wars enthusiast who has witnessed countless viewings of the saga and spent countless hours dissecting every detail, I find this tidbit about the almost-name swap between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon utterly fascinating. It adds another layer to the deep bond between these two Jedi Masters that has captivated fans for decades.


The Star Wars franchise, renowned as one of the largest and most acclaimed in entertainment history, has introduced us to some of the most enduringly iconic characters. Figures like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, who belong to the Jedi or Sith orders, are well-known even among those not deeply invested in the series. These characters serve as emblems of the Jedi Order and its ideals.

Intriguing insights about the creation of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, two iconic characters from the Star Wars prequels, have been revealed by renowned concept artist Iain McCaig.

Initially, George Lucas contemplated exchanging the names of the two Jedi characters in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. In an early draft of the story, the character we recognize as Qui-Gon was planned to be known as Obi-Wan, while the younger Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, would have been called Qui-Gon instead.

The concept was that the new young Jedi would adopt the name ‘Obi-Wan’ following his master’s demise. This would lend a deeper resonance to the scene in A New Hope, where Obi-Wan (played by Alec Guinness) says, “Obi-Wan? That’s a name I haven’t heard in quite some time,” implying that he had inherited the name from his deceased master.

In the realm of Star Wars, if George Lucas had chosen to intertwine our characters more closely, it would have infused Jedi traditions with an intricate blend of my personality and that of my master’s legacy as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Yet, he decided to maintain a distinct divide between our names, thereby upholding a cleaner narrative and lineage within the Star Wars universe.

For a while, there were two Jedi known as Obi-Wan (the older one) and Qui-Gon (the younger one). When the elder Obi-Wan died, the younger Qui-Gon, who had taken over his Master’s mission and was with him during his final moments, assumed not just the responsibilities but also the identity of Obi-Wan. This is why, in Star Wars: A New Hope, Alec Guinness, playing Obi-Wan, lowers his hood and says, “Obi-Wan? Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in years…” because he was originally Qui-Gon. And it was only at the end, during the filming of the original Star Wars trilogy, that George Lucas decided to change the names.

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In McCaig’s teaching, this tale served as an example illustrating how concepts may evolve throughout the creative journey. It’s intriguing to trace the evolution of the connection between Jedi apprentices and their mentors, as depicted in the initial drafts.

The bond between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon is arguably the most renowned within Star Wars. Ponder on this, the last desire of Qui-Gon and the steadfast devotion of Obi-Wan to it significantly influenced the plotline and even sparked some of the galaxy’s largest happenings.

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2024-10-31 11:13