Liam Neeson details the surprisingly simple pitch that convinced him to return as Qui-Gon Jinn in Obi-Wan Kenobi. After seemingly concluding his turn as Jedi Master Obi-Wan in 2005's Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Ewan McGregor returned to the role with Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series earlier this year. The show picks up 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, chronicling Obi-Wan's quiet new life on Tatooine when he is called away to rescue a young Princess Leia.

Obi-Wan Kenobi earned positive reviews from both audiences and critics, with many fans happy to see a number of familiar faces from past Star Wars films. In addition to Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, the show also saw the return of Neeson as Obi-Wan's former master, Qui-Gon. Neeson's character is last seen in 1999's Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, when he is slain by Darth Maul during the film's climactic battle. Although Qui-Gon's return in Obi-Wan Kenobi was brief, with the character greeting Obi-Wan as a Force ghost in the show's final moments, it was a highlight of the series for many.

Related: Qui-Gon Return Explains Why Force Ghosts Appear So Rarely In Star Wars

In the making-of documentary Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return on Disney+, Neeson reveals his fan-favorite return came about due to a relatively straightforward pitch. The actor explains that after showrunner Deborah Chow said McGregor was returning and that Obi-Wan would be at the end of a meaningful journey before then seeing Qui-Gon, he was on board. Check out Neeson's full comment below:

I spoke to Deborah a number of months ago, and she told me that Ewan [McGregor] was going to do this series. And Deborah [said] 'Just something towards the end, where Obi-Wan has gone through some journey and he's reaching out for help – and you're not there.' That's Qui-Gon Jinn. 'And then, he sees you.' And I thought, 'Yeah, I'm on board. I'm definitely on board with that.'

Obi-Wan Kenobi riding an animal through the desert in the show of the same name.

Qui-Gon's return in Obi-Wan Kenobi is foreshadowed not just in episode 1, when Obi-Wan reaches out to his old master for guidance to no avail, but at the end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. After seemingly defeating Anakin on Mustafar, Obi-Wan reunites with Yoda, who promises to teach Obi-Wan how to communicate with his former master. Despite Qui-Gon beng mentioned periodically throughout the Star Wars prequels, there was certainly no guarantee that Neeson would actually be up to reprise the role more than 20 years after last playing it, but the actor evidently didn't need much convincing.

It remains to be seen whether Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon will return in the Star Wars universe, at the very least, the first season of Obi-Wan managed to provide a heartfelt ending to two beloved characters. With the show very much leaving the door open to further adventures, however, and with McGregor already having expressed his willingness to return for Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2, there's certainly a chance fans will be treated to additional episodes. For now, Neeson's latest comment affirms that returning to the world of Star Wars in Obi-Wan Kenobi was just as exciting for him as it was for audiences.

Source: Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return/Disney+