Joel Watts recently posed an interesting question regarding Qui-Gon and Jar-Jar, and I wanted to take a moment to address it further.

Why does Qui-Gon take Jar-Jar along for the adventure to Naboo? Clearly, he and Obi-Wan don't really need a navigator. On the surface, it seems to be an excuse to get JJ away from the clutches of Boss Nass. But I think the issue runs deeper.

Qui-Gon is attuned to the Living Force. He understands that the Will of the Force can sometimes manifest itself in the beings of the galaxy. Their lives, their motivations, and their feelings can be an instrument of dramatic change.

Obi-Wan can't see this. He understands the Force as a Padawan might-- as a powerful energy, somewhere out there. He can't yet see past the floppy-ears and goofy antics of Mr. Binks.

But Jar-Jar ends up being the catalyst for change between the Naboo and Gungans. And that leads Queen Amidala back home, and changes her from a passive participant to an active one. This change will eventually bring her into close contact with Anakin Skywalker. And we all know what happens there.

In a sense, Qui-Gon understands that, beyond the scope of immediate events, Jar-Jar is going to "navigate" them to some greater conclusion. Qui-Gon would make a great writer.

So if Jar-Jar is the small and somewhat trivial example of the Living Force-- then Anakin is the galaxy-rending dramatic example of it.

And Obi-Wan, who never equals his master in his sensitivity, fails to see past Anakin's arrogance and brash nature, and fails to fully comprehend the consequences.

There are many elements in the saga intended to echo each other. Often they come in the form of a small or quiet event, which then gets echoed in the form of a major event. For example, Anakin's destruction of the Trade Fed battleship. In the context of the entire saga, it's a fairly minor event. But it gets echoed in Luke's destruction of the Death Star, which is a fairly major event, with galactic consequences.

Qui-Gon is one of the few characters within the story who is aware of these echoes, and acts on them. Thus... Jar-Jar gets saved to navigate the bongo.