Star Wars Deleted Scenes That Could’ve Changed Everything – United States KNews.MEDIA

THE SCENE: Early in “The Phantom Menace,” Qui-Gon Jinn and Anakin Skywalker were minding their own business, jauntily setting off a course of events that would result in intergalactic war and wipe out millions, when Qui-Gon suddenly turned around and sliced down a probe droid that Darth Maul set upon them. He examined it, then told Anakin they needed to hurry.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: The relevant footage in this scene runs for 22 seconds, and leaving it in would have:

1) Explained, just as Anakin yelled into the wind, why the two were sprinting back to the ship.

2) Revealed how Darth Maul was able to precisely locate the pair.

3) Visually established the Force sensory abilities of an accomplished, Temple-trained Jedi over those of a Sith trainee (this spin-and-slice of Qui-Gon’s was just stupendous).

4) Heightened tension rather than suddenly presenting a Sith Lord on a motorbike intent upon annihilating a random third-grader.

5) Potentially blunted criticism of people flummoxed by all four of these things.

This was cut, and a painstakingly CGI-rendered Jar-Jar Binks fart joke was judged worthy of inclusion. If ever you need to remember why many fans are still teeming with salt about the prequels, remember these 22 seconds.