Qui-Gon Jinn

Qui-Gon Jinn (/ˈkwaɪɡɒn/) is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, played by Liam Neeson. He is a main character in the prequel film trilogy, serving as one of the protagonists of The Phantom Menace (1999). He appears briefly as a Force ghost in the 2008 animated series The Clone Wars, the season finale of the 2022 live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with Attack of the Clones and The Rise of Skywalker as a disembodied voice, with Neeson reprising his role in all of the above. Qui-Gon also appears in two episodes of Tales of the Jedi, which depicts some scenes from his life before the events of The Phantom Menace; Neeson voices adult Qui-Gon in the series, while his son Micheál Richardson voices Qui-Gon as a padawan.

Within the fictional Star Wars universe, Qui-Gon mentors Obi-Wan Kenobi, and is a powerful and wise, yet maverick and controversial Jedi Master, who has many uncommon beliefs regarding The Force. In The Phantom Menace, his and Obi-Wan's mission to protect Queen Padmé Amidala leads him to encounter the young slave Anakin Skywalker, whom he believes to be the prophesied "Chosen One" who will bring balance to the Force and insists upon his training as a Jedi against the wishes of the Jedi High Council, who believe Skywalker to be too old for training. Qui-Gon is fatally wounded in a lightsaber duel by the Sith Lord Darth Maul; in his final moments, he makes Obi-Wan promise that he will train Skywalker. Attack of the Clones, introduces his former Jedi mentor Count Dooku, who fell to the dark side of the Force and became a Sith Lord. At the end of Revenge of the Sith, it is revealed that Qui-Gon has learned how to become a Force spirit after death, teaching the idea to Yoda during the Clone Wars and later to Obi-Wan.

Outside of the films, the character appears in various canon and non-canon Star Wars media, such as books, comics, and video games. Since the release of The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon has become one of the most popular Star Wars characters, gaining a cult status. Neeson's portrayal of Qui-Gon has been met with positive reviews, with some critics saying he helped hold the film together significantly. For his role in The Phantom Menace, Neeson was nominated for a 2000 Saturn Award for Best Actor.