Star Wars Fans Are Convinced an Underutilized Prequel Character Could’ve Saved the Galaxy

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Star Wars revolves around discovering heroes even when you least expect them. For instance, Luke Skywalker, a simple farmer residing on the desert planet Tatooine, encounters Ben Kenobi, a Jedi Knight destined to safeguard Princess Leia from the Empire’s grasp. As Luke develops his Force talents, he plays a crucial role in dismantling not one but two Death Stars before reaching his twenties. This is quite an achievement, yet it pales in comparison to what his father, Anakin Skywalker, achieved. At just nine years old, Anakin demonstrated his prowess by destroying a Trade Federation cruiser in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace following his rescue from slavery by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. Despite the hardships of life on Tatooine, Anakin found solace in podracing.

As an expert craftsman, Anakin constructs his personal racer for the Boonta Eve Classic. Not all spectators are thrilled about his involvement, as Sebulba aggressively attempts to eliminate the young competitor. Yet, there’s a character in the podrace from The Phantom Menace that has recently caught the eye of Star Wars enthusiasts. In fact, many believe he could have prevented the galaxy‘s downfall.

Ben Quadinaros Doesn’t Get to Show Off His Skills in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

By participating in the Boonta Eve Classic, Anakin aims to secure his liberation. However, it’s a challenging task given that the Hutts are organizing the event and they bring racers from across the galaxy to participate. Notably, Sebulba, a former slave, is also part of this competition, eager to maintain his freedom. To keep others from threatening his liberty, Sebulba often undermines his rivals. Interestingly, he doesn’t need to tamper with Ben Quadinaros before the race begins, as the Toong racer unfortunately experiences an engine failure just as the event commences. Consequently, Ben is forced to watch as Sebulba and Anakin battle it out for the victory. In the end, Anakin emerges victorious, but spectators can’t help but ponder what might have transpired if Ben had a chance to race.

In a majority of social media posts, humor is prevalent; however, it’s worth considering an alternate perspective: If someone else had won the Boonta Eve Classic instead of Anakin, the galaxy might have been spared Palpatine’s manipulation at a younger age, possibly hindering his ambition to control the galaxy. This is because Darth Vader, who was once Anakin, wouldn’t have been available to execute Palpatine’s malevolent deeds. Sadly, Ben’s podrace performance fell short, but his defeat ignited a spark of heroism within him, showcasing this side after the most significant race of his life.

Star Wars Gives Ben Quadinaros a Second Chance

In the novel “Padawan’s Pride” written by Bryan Q. Miller, a few years after the events of “The Phantom Menace,” Anakin finds himself infiltrating an illegal podracing ring on the moons of Varl. His mission is to find a missing Republic spy, and during this operation, he encounters someone familiar – Ben. Initially, Ben works for the Pykes, but things become suspicious when racers who lose begin to disappear. Anakin eventually reveals his true identity to Ben, who is upset at being deceived. However, as Ben recognizes the danger he’s in, he forgives Anakin and they join forces to survive the races. With some assistance from Anakin, Ben manages to escape the races along with other racers.

Following their separation from the Pykes, Ben develops a competitive relationship with Sebulba, possibly due to his admiration for Anakin. During the Clone Wars, they engage in numerous races, oblivious to the world around them since Anakin was engaged in a distant conflict and couldn’t defeat them. Ben’s subsequent fate remains unknown, but he reappears on posters in “Star Wars Rebels,” suggesting his racing career persists under the Empire’s rule. Despite where life takes him, he will undoubtedly cherish memories of Anakin. It’s regrettable that they didn’t have a chance to race against each other in “The Phantom Menace” and determine who the superior racer truly was.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is streaming on Disney+.

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2025-07-13 02:11