#I think about that all the time from notoriously unfunny Qui-Gon Jinn

[charmwasjess]

I actually love the characterization that while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan truly do love each other very much and end up having a successful working partnership, they are SUCH different people, and actually, really find each other fucking annoying when you get right down to it, while still caring deeply about each other. Qui-Gon is having a stratosphere-level theoretical philosophical conversation in his head while Obi-Wan is so present and practical and funny, and then Qui-Gon's reply when he snaps out of it is like "....stay in the moment, Obi-Wan." Live Obi-Wan Reaction Face: >:o

I think about two scenes I love in Phantom Menace where the film is establishing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's dynamic. Obi-Wan's great moment after the, uh, first attempt on their lives "you were right about one thing, Master - the negotiations were short" which is like, actually a genuinely funny observation? Qui-Gon's reaction to this? Nonexistent. We do not get a shot of Qui-Gon's expression, not even an off-camera Liam Neeson dry reluctant chuckle. NOTHING. Cut scene. Sure, this could be the fault of the scene transition, but I don't think anyone watching the scene was under the impression that Qui-Gon bellylaughed and said "good one, Padawan!" The mood is much more of Qui-Gon shaking his head, not dignifying the line with a response.

The other is Qui-Gon's "there's always a bigger fish" line after they've nearly died in another horrific way under the Naboo planet core, a scene that gives me a powerful new kind of combination of fatal levels of thalassophobia-claustrophobia. It could have easily been a "business on Cato Neimoidia" callback reference to some offscreen history together, but no. Qui-Gon just says it, incomprehensibly, while Obi-Wan scowls silently at the controls. And yet, Qui-Gon sounds contentedly amused. It's so fucking hilarious to me. He said that line for the benefit of one person in that ship: him, and he likes it.

They don't get each other's jokes, and yet, I think it's telling that they're both still making them after what, 12 years of Master Padawan partnership. They are both constantly thinking like “what are you TALKING about?” about the other one's core qualities. They both think their miscommunications are the other’s fault. It's incredibly good characterization to me, and it makes them so realistic.