I grew up with Star Wars and have always loved the films so jedi were not a new thing new for me. I knew what they represented, what they stood for thanks to Yoda and Ben Kenobi. I also knew that we would see more jedi in the (back then) new film.

When I first saw The Phantom Menace I was 16 years old, hyped from the build-up to the cinema release. I loved the movie and left the cinema with an enduring sense of how right Qui-Gon was.

Not so much right in regard to his actions (though I thought that too) but how right he was as a character. I felt that this jedi was everything I ever imagined a jedi should be. Wise,kind and gentlemanly and with a strong sense of justice and honour. Responsible for finding Anakin,the 'chosen one' of jedi prophecy and/or the creation of sith sorcery.

Plus he had a green lightsaber blade (which had always been my favourite) that he wielded to great affect.

I never thought of him as being maverick and unusual for a jedi. In fact it took repeated viewings for that particular aspect of his personallity to sink in and even now I have difficulty seeing why the council didn't go along with him. I would trust him completely if I was on the jedi council.

I nearly cried when Darth Maul killed him. But his legacy lives on in his Padawan to some degree. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a great man. A wise and powerful jedi who will grow to be one of my favourite characters.

Yoda said to Obi-Wan; 'Qui-Gon's defience I sense in you. Need that you do not'.

With all respect, Master Yoda, I disagree. It would have been good to see some more shades of Qui-Gon in Obi-Wan's personality, some of Jinn's teachings repeated by Kenobi to Anakin. It would have been great to see Qui-Gon in RotS, talking to Yoda as a force spirit.

Qui-Gon stands shoulder to shoulder (not literally ) with Yoda, Jango and Palpatine as my favourite characters of the Star Wars saga.

So hear's to Liam Neeson who brought life to Qui-Gon Jinn, the epitome of jedi knighthood!