A venerable if maverick Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn is a student of the living Force. Unlike other Jedi Masters, who often lose themselves in the meditation of the unifying Force, Qui-Gon Jinn lived for the moment, espousing a philosophy of "feel, don't think -- use your instincts." Were it not for Qui-Gon's unruly views, he would have undoubtedly been on the Jedi Council.

At the request of Supreme Chancellor Valorum, Qui-Gon and his Padawan apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi journeyed to Naboo to settle the trade dispute that threatened the peaceful world. Aboard a Trade Federation battleship, the Jedi were ambushed, but they managed to escape to Naboo's surface.

In the swamplands of Naboo, Qui-Gon rescued a clumsy Gungan outcast, Jar Jar Binks, who swore a life-debt to the Jedi. Qui-Gon's compassionate nature was such that he took the strange alien under his protection. With his help, they journeyed to the city of Theed. There, they freed Queen Amidala and her retinue from the clutches of the Trade Federation, and set off to deliver her safely to Coruscant.

During the trip to the capital, damaged sustained to the Royal Starship forced an unscheduled stop on the Outer Rim world of Tatooine. There, Qui-Gon discovered a young slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who was strong in the Force. Sensing the boy's potential, Qui-Gon liberated Anakin from slavery.

During their departure from Tatooine, Qui-Gon was nearly killed by a dark warrior, whom he suspected to be a Sith Lord.

The Jedi Master then traveled to Coruscant to present Anakin to the Jedi Council. The Council, however, felt Anakin's future seemed clouded and uncertain, and deemed the boy too old to begin training and dangerously full of fear and anger. They refused to allow Qui-Gon to train Anakin, but the Jedi Master nevertheless kept the boy as his ward as he returned to Naboo.

On Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan confronted the Sith Lord Darth Maul, Qui-Gon's attacker from the desert. Maul proved a deadly and fearsome opponent. Together, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fended off the Sith Lord's attacks, but as the battle progressed, Master and apprentice became separated.

Maul pressed his advantage, wearing down Qui-Gon's defenses and ultimately killing the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan then defeated Maul, but nothing could save Qui-Gon. With his last breath, the Jedi Master asked Obi-Wan to train Anakin, a request Kenobi accepted.

A short time later, the Jedi Master's body was cremated at a funeral attended by numerous mourners, including Anakin, Obi-Wan, Jar Jar, and several Jedi Council members.

Years later, when Anakin suffered great pain during a great trial as a Padawan, Yoda could feel Qui-Gon's anguish through the Force. This was very perplexing -- a dead Jedi could not retain his identity in the netherworld of the Force, as far as Yoda knew.

When Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were transported to the mysterious realm of Mortis, a place said to be a conduit and amplifier of the Force, they both experienced visions of Qui-Gon. They believed the vision to be a true manifestation of Qui-Gon's spirit.

Yoda came to discover that Qui-Gon had discovered the secret of surviving beyond the grave. In his travels, Qui-Gon had learned much from a Shaman of the Whills, who taught Qui-Gon that a path to spiritual survival required absolute selflessness. Qui-Gon taught these ways to Obi-Wan and Yoda.