What Star Wars Would Have Looked Like If Qui-Gon Had Lived
Dave Filoni once described the final duel in The Phantom Menace as the duel that determined the fate of the galaxy, and in many aspects it was. The most important of these outcomes was the death of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. His death was the catalyst for so many of the events that happened in the prequel and original trilogies. The fate of Anakin Skywalker was decided on that day as he was left in the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Young and inexperienced, the young Jedi knight tried his best to train the boy upon his late master's request. Sadly he was never the good fit for Anakin. Anakin needed a master like Qui-Gon, someone who was a maverick enough, and flexible enough to train an unconventional Jedi apprentice. Unlike other Jedi younglings, Anakin was old enough to have developed feelings for his family and his heritage. So the real questions in all of this are what if Qui-Gon had lived, and how would he change the Star Wars galaxy?
The first and most important aspect of Star Wars history if Qui-Gon had lived is of course the fate of Anakin Skywalker and his career as a Jedi Knight. There is no doubt that Anakin would have had a much more qualified father figure in his life had Qui-Gon survived. Anakin was already very old when he began his Jedi training, and he was thus not necessarily malleable to the more orthodox nature of the current Jedi Order. Qui-Gon, however, by nature was always on the unconventional side when it came to the whims of the council and his views of the Force. He had gone against the wishes of the Order many times. Anakin would have had better guidance and a better support system as he learned to deal his various emotions and feelings concerning his mother and Padme. He would have a solid father figure, and would not have turned to someone like Palpatine.
Speaking of the dark lord, Palpatine's seduction of Anakin Skywalker would have been far more difficult with Qui-Gon around. Anakin would have had a far more supportive and mature father figure in his life to guide him through the difficult transition from to Jedi. While Palpatine probably would have continued to tempt Anakin toward the Dark Side, his efforts would be far more difficult. Anakin may never have turned at all, and Darth Sidious would have failed in making the Chosen One his apprentice. As Qui-Gon was a firm believer in the prophecy, perhaps he would have guided Anakin better in fulfilling that prophecy. He might have been able to cause Sidious' downfall far earlier in the timeline than what actually happened in the saga.
Another aspect of Palpatine’s plans was the seduction of Count Dooku, who was incidentally Qui-Gon's master. While his temptation of Dooku was far easier as Dooku was already heading down the path to the Dark Side, it was the death of his apprentice that played into his descent while he formed the Separatist movement. According to The Star Wars Book (released last year), Dooku left the Order 10 years before The Phantom Menace. And of course, we know that be became the replacement for Darth Maul, who killed his apprentice. Palpatine may have not been able to get Dooku on his side if Qui-Gon had lived. He may have had to look for a different figurehead to lead the Separatist movement. Perhaps the Separatist movement would not have become fully formed as we saw it.
It really does go to show that Qui-Gon Jinn was one of the most important figures in the Star Wars saga even though he only appeared in one movie. His death was the catalyst to so many things happening further down the line, affecting the lives of Anakin, Obi-Wan, and even Padme. Had he lived, he might have changed the course of history for the better, and brought the end to the Sith by giving Anakin the support he needed in his troubled youth. However because of his death, we know how the story of Anakin Skywalker turned out. He was the hero who fell and became Darth Vader. This was all because of Qui-Gon's death in that duel of fates.