Star Wars: 10 Exact Moments We Knew These Characters Were Doomed

While many are quick to poke holes in much of what George Lucas brought to the party in his first Star Wars feature of the Prequel era, the jaw-dropping Duel of the Fates still sits as one of the most masterful and skilfully crafted climaxes the series has to offer.

Highlighting the sheer size and power of the opposition now standing in their way in the form of Darth Maul, both Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi find themselves pushed to their limits by the dual-bladed Sith early on.

And with the pair already struggling to best this seemingly indomitable Sith as a unit, the introduction of some frustrating laser gates in the thick of the drama acted as a rather unnerving hint at what was to come.

Qui-Gon had already struggled to see off Maul on his own whilst colliding with the mysterious Dark Sider on Tatooine. So, despite it acting as one of the most savage and soul-crushing acts of the entire saga, his impaling at the hands of Maul as a helpless Obi-Wan watched on felt depressingly inevitable from the second the gates appeared.

In the end, Maul's defiance would get the better of him as Kenobi eventually dealt a seemingly fatal blow to avenge his master's death. But the fate-sealing damage had already been done.