Jin-Woo's sharp eyes half-lidded, his lips curving into a smirk.
"If I am," he murmured coolly, "what would you ask?"
Qui-Gon's mouth twitched into the faintest smile, his calm gaze unwavering.
"Where is your armor… that high-tech suit?"
Jin-Woo leaned back slightly in his chair, one hand lifting in a relaxed gesture.
"If I have it…" he said smoothly, a hint of teasing slipping into his tone, "probably I sold it. I'm a merchant, after all — and I do like a good fight."
Morgan crossed her arms, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she leaned back slightly. At least my husband can be a good liar when he wants to, she thought with amusement, even if he doesn't like doing it.
Jin-Woo gave a relaxed shrug, his sharp eyes glinting with playfulness.
"Qui-Gon, how did you come to think I'm fit to be this… Armored Man?" he asked smoothly.
Qui-Gon's expression quiet reflection with half lie .
"I only heard about him from Master Plo Koon and Master Tyvokka," he admitted with deception of his own .
"They described his technology — how impossibly advanced it seemed — but they never saw his true strength. I… theorized his power." Qui-Gon's gaze sharpened slightly.
"He managed to defeat my own master, Dooku, nine years ago. The Armored Man protected the True Mandalorian group from being wrongly targeted, and… burdened my master's heart with questions on that duel."
For a moment, a rare flicker of emotion crossed Qui-Gon's face — a quiet respect, and perhaps even a sliver of regret.
"And if possible…" Qui-Gon added quietly, "I would ask the Armored Man to release whatever restraint or weight he placed on Dooku that day."
Jin-Woo gave a almost wistful smile.
"That's a noble goal," he said lightly. "I hope you can find this Armored Man — wherever he's been hiding these past nine years."
Obi-Wan , shaking his head slightly.
"… Except for that one moment," he added casually, "during the Yinchorri raid, when a bulky, futuristic armor appeared — the Force Buster Mark I, they called it — before Master Yoda dismantled it with, almost no effort."
Qui-Gon let out a thoughtful breath, his hands folded calmly on the table as his gaze sharpened.
"I still want to know," he mused quietly, "why the Armored Man ever worked alongside Joever Bideney… the most horrifying criminal we've seen in years. The man who destroyed the planet Troiken with his infamous Bideney Blast. If the Armored Man were here, I wonder — what would he say?"
Jin-Woo's lips curved into the a hint of a smirk, though his sharp eyes remained cool, unreadable. Yoda didn't tell them, he thought calmly. The Jedi still don't know that the Shadow Monarch and Joever Bideney are… the same person. That's good news.
Inside, his thoughts stirred with quiet amusement. It means Yoda still fears the Jedi Order might fracture, that they'll turn rabid if they learn the truth. And why? Because even they feel it — the severed connection to the Force, ever since I claimed Tython… and turned it into Shadow Tython.
Jin-Woo's smirk deepened just slightly, his gaze flicking with a glint of subtle amusement.
"In theory or what, Qui-Gon?" he said smoothly. "That's a hard question — I wouldn't know what the Armored Man would say."
Qui-Gon gave a quiet, knowing nod.
"In theory, yes. Like a prediction."
Jin-Woo leaned back, eyes half-lidded, voice calm.
"He was quiet… didn't speak much. But inside, I think he knew — he lost something. And to restore it… just maybe, he was willing to make a deal with the bad guy."
Qui-Gon's eyes sharpened slightly, approving smile.
"Let's shift topics," he said, his tone lighter. "Your political skill is sharp, I see."
Jin-Woo gave a chuckle, gesturing lazily with one hand.
"Then shoot the question."
Qui-Gon's expression turned thoughtful, his voice quiet but firm.
"Does power bring peace… or just more chains?"
Jin-Woo's smirk , his gaze sharpening with a sudden clarity.
"Now that's a harsh reality," he murmured, his voice edged with something deeper, older. "Let me put it in words you can understand…"
Jin-Woo closed his eyes for a moment, a smile playing on his lips — but it wasn't the carefree grin they were used to. It was something quieter, heavier.
Obi-Wan leaned in slightly, murmuring under his breath,
"Master… I think this question burdens Jin-Woo."
But Qui-Gon gently lifted a hand, his calm eyes fixed on Jin-Woo.
"No," he said softly. "I think… he wants to make his statement."
As if on cue, Jin-Woo opened his eyes — and for the briefest moment, they weren't their usual sharp, cold gaze.
They glowed, a flicker of deep purple washing across his irises .
Padmé's breath hitched , eyes widening just a fraction.
Qui-Gon's calm composure flickered, his brow lifting in quiet surprise.
Even Obi-Wan straightened slightly, his drink lowering in his hand as his gaze sharpened.
Jin-Woo's voice came out low, calm — but edged with that ancient weight.
"You still believe the good guys win over the bad… like a fairy tale from the holostories."
Qui-Gon with blank expression said .
"I see… it seems I nudged your personal feelings."
Jin-Woo's lips twitched into a half-smirk.
"No… not at all. The stories people tell… they're always about one of two things. Either a nice, neat fairy tale… or propaganda dressed as hope. Therefore… they're too simple for a man like me."
Jin-Woo's half-smirk lingered, his sharp gaze flicking across the table, sweeping over Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Padmé. His voice stayed calm, almost conversational — but every word carried weight .
"After all," Jin-Woo continued smoothly, "those stories… they aren't really about friendship. Or hard work. Or even victory."
He leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow on the table, his tone dipping lower.
"It's those with power… who win at the end. That's the pinnacle of cruel reality."
Jin-Woo's eyes glinted, sharp and unyielding.
"You can have friends and lovers… if you have power.
You can work hard… if you have power.
You can be victorious… if you have power."
He gave a quiet, almost sardonic laugh, shaking his head once.
"And that's an inescapable reality — one enforced on every living being, whether they admit it or not."
His gaze turned directly to Qui-Gon, then swept over Obi-Wan with a flicker of amused sharpness.
"Isn't it nice, for all of you — the Jedi, the hopeful, the naive — that you've never quite graduated from the idea that the Force will always side with the good?"
Qui-Gon leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful, his voice calm but probing.
"Do you believe balance is even possible?" he asked quietly.
"And… can someone with power still be good?" He offered a faint, apologetic smile. "Forgive me — that's two questions."
Jin-Woo gave a low chuckle, his arms folding loosely across his chest as he leaned back.
"I think no," he said smoothly. "Peace… it's there, sure. You Jedi win almost every battle. You defeated the old Sith — at least from the stories I've read. And yes, peace did happen."
His eyes flicked sharply across the table.
"But the scale tipped your way because you have many Jedi scattered across the galaxy… while the Sith are outcast, hunted. As for the second answer…" Jin-Woo's smirk curled slightly, a cool glint in his eye.
"That depends on the point of view of the people. No one can win everyone's heart."
Obi-Wan, his brow furrowed slightly, raised his glass halfway.
"Then why trust anyone," he asked carefully, "if you think only power matters?"
Jin-Woo exhaled lightly, a small smile touching his lips.
"That's just the cruel reality I explained to Qui-Gon," he murmured. "As for me… I want peace. Maybe… just a quiet life."
Obi-Wan leaned forward slightly, his brow furrowed.
"Isn't balance without the Sith itself?" he asked, his voice thoughtful but edged with uncertainty.
Jin-Woo's sharp gaze slid toward Qui-Gon, a glimmer of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Qui-Gon… you're aware of the prophecy you've read, right?" he asked.
Qui-Gon gave a small, knowing smile.
"I'm surprised you'd bring that up," he said calmly . "Yes… I know it well. You've probably seen part of it, but I've seen the whole -- The chosen one prophecy ."
His voice lowered slightly, his tone carrying the weight of something ancient, half-believed, half-doubted.
'A Jedi will come… to destroy the Sith… and bring balance to the Force.'
Qui-Gon exhaled softly, his eyes thoughtful.
"I believe it means… that balance will come once the Sith are vanquished."
Jin-Woo's lips curved into a smirk, his head tilting slightly.
"Ever ask yourself," he murmured, "how exactly this 'Chosen One' is supposed to bring balance… when your numbers are already pretty big?"
Jin-Woo's eyes glinted with a cool sharpness as he leaned slightly forward, his voice dropping to a low, almost melodic murmur.
"If it's too dark, it's impossible to see," he said smoothly.
"But if there's too much light… it's blinding."
His gaze swept slowly across the table, letting the weight of his words settle.
"So be very careful, … because when one chess piece goes down… everyone can die with it. And your faction — numbered in thousands — faces opponents that are already extinct… or hiding in the shadows."
Qui-Gon gave a thoughtful nod, his brow furrowed as he absorbed the words.
"Then… what would you suggest we do, Jin-Woo?" he asked quietly.
Before Jin-Woo could answer,
Obi-Wan raised a hand slightly .
"Master, this man…" he said, half-exasperated, half-impressed.
"I know you're a good man, Jin-Woo — and you've delivered plenty of… reality checks today. But your mind is like a storm — too much out of the box for most of us to catch up."
Qui-Gon gave a amused smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
" Obi-Wan… until now, the Jedi have been like the Senate's quiet servants, rather than the true peacekeepers they claim to be. Even though we were given the mandate to act as guardians of the galaxy under Chancellor Valorum, I can't help but feel… maybe we need a few mavericks in our ranks."
Jin-Woo's fingers moved with deliberate calm, placing two small objects on the table — one a blue capsule, the other a red one.
He leaned back slightly, his sharp eyes glinting with quiet amusement.
"Before you misunderstand," Jin-Woo said , "I'm not asking you to actually take these."
"They're just… representation."
He folded his hands calmly on the table, meeting Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's gazes in turn.
"Now — you can take the blue pill," Jin-Woo continued, his lips curving into a smirk,
"and you can go on believing whatever you want to believe. Wake up tomorrow, and see the results — whether they're good or bad, it's yours to witness."
He let the words hang for a moment, then gently tapped the red pill.
"Or you can take the red pill — not literally — and I'll show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes. How much you don't know. But," Jin-Woo added smoothly,
"the most important part… is that you won't answer that question now."
"That answer… you'll have to find and give yourself."
Qui-Gon's eyes glimmered with intrigue, a knowing smile pulling at his lips.
Obi-Wan, arms folded, gave a slow, thoughtful exhale, brow furrowing slightly as he regarded Jin-Woo with the look of a man still trying to catch the threads of a puzzle just out of reach.
Qui-Gon's eyes crinkled with quiet amusement as he reached forward, his fingers closing around the red pill.
"I'll take the red pill," he said calmly, lifting it slightly between two fingers.
Jin-Woo leaning his chin into one hand.
"Don't eat it," he murmured dryly.
"Unless you want a stomach ache — I have no idea what's inside."