Qui Gon Jinn didn't strictly follow Jedi code, nor council orders. For him the Jedi ways were first and foremost Force dictated and the Force devoted him to Anakin. Like, throughout The Phantom Menace, he developed attachments.
And the care that Qui Gon Jinn took, that's what would have saved Anakin, and if there were more of him, the Republic.
We saw just how wrong and mismanaged the Jedi council was. And continued to be in their handling of both the political situation and their personal relationship with Anakin.
With Qui Gon around there wouldn't even have been room for fucking Palpatine to manipulate and radicalize Anakin. Palpatine filled a void that wouldn't have been there in the first place.
No way would Qui Gon have ignored Anakin's growing fears and resentments (and its his fears that lead to his "greed" and his resentments lead to him defecting). He believed him important and would have took his nightmares seriously. Moreover, he knew Shmi and wouldn't have ignored the danger she was in. Before they left Tatouine he even asked her if she would be alright and put his hand on her shoulder. No way would he have left her to die.
Like, it's so clear that Qui Gon's death was meant to symbolise the doom of Anakin. Qui Gon would have broken the rules to make sure he was well and well guided. This characteristic was literally the reason he wasn't on the council, even tho he was a Jedi master. He went against the grain. He wasn't dogmatic like the others.
Kenobi did what a big brother could, but he was not equipped to sacrifice like a father Qui Gon Jinn would.
Kenobi: "It's not disrespect, master. It's the truth."
Jinn: "From your point of view."
Kenobi: "The boy is dangerous. They all sense it, why can't you?"
Jinn: "His fate is uncertain. He's not dangerous."
God... this is such a major statement. I love this. The way all the Jedi rally against Anakin because he experiences "fear" and then they use their own fears as an argument to deny him training, basically perpetuating the nightmare scenario they're afraid of by treating him like a pariah.
The only Jedi who wasn't afraid was fucking Qui Gon Jinn.
And Anakin hears this and he's like "Qui Gon, sir... I don't wanna be a problem". And Qui Gon, already attached to this little kid, affectionately calls him Ani, and tells him he won't be. Then he's so honest with him. Tells him he's not allowed to train him, but that he wants him to watch him and be mindful. Then he says: "Always remember.. your focus determines your reality. Stay close to me and you'll be safe." Already giving him the tools to empower himself, but not without ensuring him he'll stay with him and protect him.
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I think itās intentional that Qui Gon Jinn is our first introduction to the Jedi in the prequels. It makes the audience go: āOh, here is one of those magical peacekeepers that was fabled in the OT; itās nice to see one of them in actionā or āthereās that compassion we were told aboutā
But once the audience sees the rest of the Jedi Order, it immediately becomes obvious that Qui Gon Jinnās compassion and fortitude is not the norm of the Jedi. Instead, those on the Council truly believe a child could be intrinsically evil and would rather isolate and dismiss Ani than engage with what he has to say. Theyāre also completely dismissive to the thought of a rising threat despite Qui Gon literally meeting a sith warrior that was not supposed to exist anymore.
The contrast between Qui Gon and the Jedi showed that the Order, as an institution, was part of the problem amidst the budding dysfunction of the Republic. With his death, Anakinās development becomes completely vulnerable to their flawed teaching and outside influence.
