Qui-Gon Jinn’s “Bigger fish” line in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is more significant to the Skywalker saga as a whole than it might seem at first hearing. Though he only appears in one of the franchise’s most hated films, Qui-Gon is a crucial piece of Star Wars’ overarching thematic narrative, planting numerous clues in The Phantom Menace to the larger story of the saga. That significance even extends to sillier moments, like Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jar Jar Binks’ journey through the aquatic core of Naboo.
In the grand scheme of the Star Wars universe, Qui-Gon Jinn doesn’t get all that much screen time, but in the time he does get, he makes some major lasting impressions. He finds Anakin and decides to bring him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He opts to train Anakin when the council forbids his admittance to the order. He plants the seed in both Anakin and Obi-Wan that just because someone fights for the light side, it doesn’t always make them right. And, almost incidentally, he drops a passing line that foreshadows the entire Skywalker saga.
While navigating through the planet core of Naboo in a borrowed Gungan submarine, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar are pursued by a giant, carnivorous fish monster. Throughout the chase, Qui-Gon remains calm, urging his comrades not to panic. Eventually, an even bigger creature emerges from the depths to devour the first one, freeing the Jedi and their Gungan companion. “There’s always a bigger fish,” Qui-Gon says in response, as if he knew exactly how the scenario would play out. Thematically, the line foreshadows the end of The Phantom Menace, where the Sith finally emerge from the shadows in the form of Sith Lord Darth Maul, the apprentice of the then-unknown Darth Sidious. While the lesser evil is defeated, the main threat remains secretly active.
Truthfully, the significance of Qui-Gon’s line extends beyond the bounds of The Phantom Menace to all corners of the Skywalker saga. Star Wars is a franchise built around layered conflicts, masters and apprentices, and secret factions. Dooku gives way to Palpatine, as does Darth Vader. Kylo Ren gives way to Snoke, who gives way to Palpatine once again. Looked at from the right angle, the entire Star Wars Skywalker saga is an assemblage of progressively bigger fish lurking in the shadowy depths.
Perhaps if Qui-Gon survived his duel with Darth Maul, he could have provided the vision and wisdom necessary for the Jedi to avoid Palpatine’s attack. Maybe his survival would have poked a hole through the haze the Sith leveled over Yoda’s future sight. Ultimately, Qui-Gon’s death precluded Star Wars from exploring those possibilities, but the Jedi Master was undeniably right in The Phantom Menace – there is always, inevitably, a bigger fish.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3H6SvkO
0 Comments