I always thought the whole “You want to go home and rethink your life” moment in Attack of the Clones was just a funny little gag. You know, Jedi mind tricks at their best. But what if I told you that guy actually did rethink his life? And not just in a small way.
After getting into some Star Wars comics, I found out the truth – and it’s wilder than I imagined.
The Man Behind the Death Sticks: Elan Sleazebaggano
The guy trying to sell Obi-Wan death sticks was named Elan Sleazebaggano – yeah, it’s a pretty on-the-nose name, but that’s part of the fun.
Elan was a small-time criminal, making a living by selling death sticks (an addictive and harmful drug) in the underbelly of Coruscant.
When Obi-Wan meets him at the Outlander Club, Elan’s just trying to make a quick buck
But things take a turn when Obi-Wan pulls out a Jedi mind trick and suggests that Elan “go home and rethink his life.”
Here’s the twist: this moment actually changes Elan’s life. After Obi-Wan’s mind trick, Elan does go home, and he really does rethink his life.
He decides to give up selling death sticks and turns toward a more honest way of living. By the time of the Empire, Elan even has a child and seems to have settled into a better life.
In fact, in the Star Wars Adventures comic issue #25 (2017), there’s a small but important scene where Elan with his son, now living during the Imperial Era, passes by a conversation between Leia Organa and Forzaa on Coruscant.
This is proof that he did, indeed, turn his life around and found redemption.
A Small but Powerful Redemption
Elan Sleazebaggano’s story is a surprisingly touching redemption arc.
For a character who could have easily been forgotten, his transformation from a death stick dealer to a responsible father is a rare example of a positive outcome for a background player in the Star Wars saga.
Many have embraced this, even jokingly calling his journey “Recovery: A New Hope.”
But Obi-Wan’s Jedi mind trick that set this all in motion raises some interesting ethical questions.
Was it right for Obi-Wan to manipulate Elan’s thoughts, even for a good cause?
While some might see it as crossing a line, Obi-Wan didn’t force Elan’s decisions, he only planted the seed for self-reflection.
Elan ultimately made the choice to change, proving that sometimes all it takes is a little push in the right direction.