Zayani Brin
Sabercat
Ventress. No question.
Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos
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The Least Essential Character in the Star Wars Canon?
- Thread starter Jack Sparrow
- Start date
Marcus Faust
Fracti No Ultra
I personally like Droidbait in training.
Anyway, stormtrooper #343
Anyway, stormtrooper #343
The Arch Wilder
Nute Gunray's assistant.
I'm going to give you guys my pick, but I'll tell you right now, a lot of you won't like what I have to say. For the record, "least essential" to me means, pointless, stupid, and generally not thought out. I realize I'm going to catch a lot of hate for what I'm about to say, but:
Qui-Gon Jinn.
Yes, Qui-Gon. How could anyone hate Qui-Gon, you ask? Conventional wisdom tells us that he was one of the few bright spots in the prequel trilogy because... well, because he was Liam Neeson or something. But when you really look at it, Qui-Gon Jinn was one of the most pointless characters ever.
The entire purpose of Qui-Gon was to find Anakin and then die. Literally, that's it. Basically, George Lucas created the character and then realized he had to get him out of the way as soon as possible for continuity reasons. The story as we all know is that Qui-Gon is a maverick Jedi Master who finds Anakin, the possible Chosen One, and really wants to train him. Meanwhile, his real Apprentice Obi-Wan is a more level-headed dude who is more or less pushed to the side the entire time, and ought to be rightfully kind of insulted by the fact that his Master is trying to push him through the ranks in a haphazard and unceremonial manner just so he has room to take this kid as his new Apprentice, because the rules say you can only have one Apprentice. "Yeah listen guys, Obi-Wan is ready to face the trials and be Knighted or whatever, now let me train Anakin already." That's pretty much what Qui-Gon tells the Jedi Council, without much concern for what the Council itself might have to say on the matter, because when they disagree, he more or less gives them the finger and tells them he's going to train Anakin anyway.
But then Qui-Gon dies, paving the way for an inexperienced Obi-Wan to train Anakin. But why the sudden change of heart? Qui-Gon dies, and just because of that Obi-Wan is now hellbent on training this little brat, who he seemed thoroughly irritated with the entire movie, even going so far as to call him a pathetic life-form, as well as a potentially dangerous threat? I don't buy it.
It had to happen of course, because the original movies clearly establish that it was Obi-Wan who trained Anakin. So it really begs the question, why go to all the trouble in the first place introducing a character that needs to be swept away almost as soon as he is introduced to keep with continuity? It's not like there is anything that makes Qui-Gon particularly unique, except maybe the fact that he's willing to tell his direct superiors to go eat a can of worms whenever it suits him (but Obi-Wan does the same thing too, and later so does Anakin). Qui-Gon Jinn should have never existed at all. Instead it should have simply been Obi-Wan Kenobi from the start. Obi-Wan should have been the brash, idealistic and naïve young Jedi Knight who discovers Anakin and really wants to train him despite the advice of the Council. It would have provided a nice contrast to the wise, sagely old Obi-Wan we see in the originals, giving him room for some nice character growth throughout the rest of the prequels. And it would have set the groundwork for a real friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin, which was also something the originals established, yet the prequels failed to convincingly reproduce. There was simply no need for Qui-Gon at all. Obi-Wan could have filled the entire role himself, and with better results for the series as a whole.
Qui-Gon Jinn.
Yes, Qui-Gon. How could anyone hate Qui-Gon, you ask? Conventional wisdom tells us that he was one of the few bright spots in the prequel trilogy because... well, because he was Liam Neeson or something. But when you really look at it, Qui-Gon Jinn was one of the most pointless characters ever.
The entire purpose of Qui-Gon was to find Anakin and then die. Literally, that's it. Basically, George Lucas created the character and then realized he had to get him out of the way as soon as possible for continuity reasons. The story as we all know is that Qui-Gon is a maverick Jedi Master who finds Anakin, the possible Chosen One, and really wants to train him. Meanwhile, his real Apprentice Obi-Wan is a more level-headed dude who is more or less pushed to the side the entire time, and ought to be rightfully kind of insulted by the fact that his Master is trying to push him through the ranks in a haphazard and unceremonial manner just so he has room to take this kid as his new Apprentice, because the rules say you can only have one Apprentice. "Yeah listen guys, Obi-Wan is ready to face the trials and be Knighted or whatever, now let me train Anakin already." That's pretty much what Qui-Gon tells the Jedi Council, without much concern for what the Council itself might have to say on the matter, because when they disagree, he more or less gives them the finger and tells them he's going to train Anakin anyway.
But then Qui-Gon dies, paving the way for an inexperienced Obi-Wan to train Anakin. But why the sudden change of heart? Qui-Gon dies, and just because of that Obi-Wan is now hellbent on training this little brat, who he seemed thoroughly irritated with the entire movie, even going so far as to call him a pathetic life-form, as well as a potentially dangerous threat? I don't buy it.
It had to happen of course, because the original movies clearly establish that it was Obi-Wan who trained Anakin. So it really begs the question, why go to all the trouble in the first place introducing a character that needs to be swept away almost as soon as he is introduced to keep with continuity? It's not like there is anything that makes Qui-Gon particularly unique, except maybe the fact that he's willing to tell his direct superiors to go eat a can of worms whenever it suits him (but Obi-Wan does the same thing too, and later so does Anakin). Qui-Gon Jinn should have never existed at all. Instead it should have simply been Obi-Wan Kenobi from the start. Obi-Wan should have been the brash, idealistic and naïve young Jedi Knight who discovers Anakin and really wants to train him despite the advice of the Council. It would have provided a nice contrast to the wise, sagely old Obi-Wan we see in the originals, giving him room for some nice character growth throughout the rest of the prequels. And it would have set the groundwork for a real friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin, which was also something the originals established, yet the prequels failed to convincingly reproduce. There was simply no need for Qui-Gon at all. Obi-Wan could have filled the entire role himself, and with better results for the series as a whole.
Fabula Caromed
Belle of the Brawl
"Least essential" means totally superfluous for the series to continue. Qui-Gonn was extremely essential. As was Assaj Ventress, Jar-Jar Binks, and several other characters mentioned in this thread. The series couldn't have continued without their contributions. An unessential character would be that Sullustan that flies with Lando and provides him with someone to talk to while showing that the galaxy has aliens in it, or 99% of the Ewoks.Count Aretine said:
The Arch Wilder
Am I the only one who remembers that the books are canon? Qui-Gon had a fair role in the written canon, he taught Obi-Wan a lot and it was his guidance that allowed him to appear as a force ghost and continue to teach Luke. Furthermore, your reasoning makes Obi-Wan useless in the original trilogy, since Lucas himself stated that one Obi-Wan guided Luke to the deathstar, he had no use for him, and thus he died. These people may seem little, but what little actions they did, had large concequences int he star wars universe.
That being said, my next least essential character is the whole of the Amaran race.(much to my sadness.)
That being said, my next least essential character is the whole of the Amaran race.(much to my sadness.)
But what I'm saying is that the prequels would have actually been better without his character. He was not essential or even useful to the story that needed to be told, which was that Obi-Wan trains Anakin and he eventually falls from grace. Everything he accomplished could have been given to the character of Obi-Wan with better results.Fabula Cavataio said:
I mean obviously I know that Qui-Gon "did stuff" in the movies and therefore made Episode I what it was, but I'm analyzing from a metacanonical level here so to speak. I'm questioning whether Episode I had to be that way at all.
Also Obi-Wan's purpose in the originals was way more than simply guide Luke to the Death Star. His purpose was to actually train Luke. Qui-Gon didn't train Anakin, he just found him. Obi-Wan was the one who ended up training him, so why not cut out the middle man so to speak? As for the reasoning that Qui-Gon trained Obi-Wan, therefore he is essential - I really don't think so. Do we have to know the masters of every Jedi in order for the movies and the characters to make sense? Not really, that's like saying we need to know who Yoda's master was in order for Yoda to exist as he did in the movies.
Meret Blackmoon
Well-Known Member
Mace Windu
Aronis Vilgar
Fallen Jedi
I'll say Elan Sel'Sabagno.
Hawk Solo
Well-Known Member
KItser. Anakin friend on Tatoonie.
The Arch Wilder
I must say it. Jar-Jar was fairly essential in the universe. His choice to give Palpatine emergency powers kinda started episodes 3-6. As for my next least essential, I must say... the tuskens that were ripping apart Luke's speeder.
Dris Negan
Jedi
Porkins.
Jar Jar was essential to making the prequels bad. Not essential to what they could have been.
Meret Blackmoon
Well-Known Member
Well Liam wanted too much money for the second film so George killed him off...Liam was to make spirit appearance to Obi-Wan in III and he still asked for too much denaro so he was just mentioned at the end
Zaria
The Scythe of Death
Jedi Master Kit Fisto....now here me out everyone.
In the books and even in the Clone Wars he is portrayed as a bad arse...a master of the Force and a great swordsmen. But for all his hard work and effort how does he get treated...he is b*tched out in Ep. III....I mean really, one lunge of Darth Sidious' lightsaber and good bye master swordsmen. Personally, I rather have seen Mace Windu die off early and as he died screamed, "I'm tired of these goddamn Sith in this god damn galaxy!"
but this is just my opinion and it has no true basis for support....other than the fact I hate Disney!
In the books and even in the Clone Wars he is portrayed as a bad arse...a master of the Force and a great swordsmen. But for all his hard work and effort how does he get treated...he is b*tched out in Ep. III....I mean really, one lunge of Darth Sidious' lightsaber and good bye master swordsmen. Personally, I rather have seen Mace Windu die off early and as he died screamed, "I'm tired of these goddamn Sith in this god damn galaxy!"
but this is just my opinion and it has no true basis for support....other than the fact I hate Disney!
Fabula Caromed
Belle of the Brawl
You have no soul.Zaria said:
Zaria
The Scythe of Death
LOL...you say that now until Ep. VII hits the big screen 
Meret Blackmoon
Well-Known Member
SW in in my very soul and I will accept whatever happens...I will be there opening night at the Arc Light Theatre watching people dress as characters and the 501th march down Sunset....