Huge change George Lucas made to ‘Star Wars: Phantom Menace’ revealed
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(Credits: Far Out / YouTube Still)
It has come to light that there were different plans in place for Obi-Wan Kenobi’s origin story in Star Wars, which George Lucas scrapped at the last minute. The character was played by Ewan McGregor in the prequel series, while Alec Guinness portrayed an older version of Obi-Wan in the original trilogy.
Obi-Wan is one of the most beloved and iconic in the franchise, known for his unassuming wit, wiseness, and diplomacy. His origin story sees him train under Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn as a Padawan, rising to become a Jedi Master. However, Iain McCaig, Star Wars concept and storyboard artist, has shared an alternative plan for Obi-Wan’s backstory that might surprise you.
He explained to StarWars.com, “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.”
While fans might be shocked to discover this twist, they have come to expect new pieces of Star Wars lore rolled out on a frequent basis, expanding the canon wider than what is seen on-screen.
“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,” McCaig explained.
It seems as though Lucas simplified Obi-Wan’s backstory, in turn robbing fans of an interesting plot twist. Still, fans have still been given their fair share of Obi-Wan content. McGregor reprised the character in a spin-off miniseries on Disney+ in 2022, aptly titled Obi-Wan Kenobi, which scooped up various accolades.
Ironically, McGregor was not initially set on playing Obi-Wan, since he hadn’t been in any major blockbusters before. He once told Variety that it “wasn’t a done deal for me.” He explained that he just “didn’t think it was at all who I was,” adding, “I believed, at that point, I was a Danny Boyle actor. The Beach was more important and I meant it, it wasn’t flippant. I did ask a lot of people for advice.”
Eventually, he accepted the role, which saw him appear alongside actors like Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Christopher Lee.
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