If you’re a Star Wars fan, you probably remember the quick yet iconic moment in Attack of the Clones where Obi-Wan Kenobi uses a Jedi mind trick on a guy trying to sell him death sticks.
Obi-Wan’s casual line, “You want to go home and rethink your life,” became one of those classic Star Wars quotes, but the question remains: Did the guy actually go home and rethink his life? And if so, what happened next?
Well, according to what I’ve found out after some deep dives into Star Wars comics, the answer is a surprising “yes!”
Let’s get into it.
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.