Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Obi-Wan KenobiThe long-awaited Obi-Wan Kenobi series concluded its six-episode run on Disney+ this week, and many fans found it to be everything they wanted out of a show centered on the Jedi-master-turned-desert-dwelling-hermit. The Star Wars prequels that introduced Ewan McGregor’s version of the character may not be as universally beloved as the original trilogy was, but they have developed a strong fan base over the last twenty years, largely as a result of the continued love from those who grew up watching the films as kids. There is an entire generation who fell in love with the likes of Obi-Wan, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, and the epic story of the Clone Wars on the big screen. Though the live-action Star Wars films and shows have largely left the prequel era in the past, the love this younger generation of fans has for that story and those characters has been continually fostered by the likes of Dave Filoni with his work on animated shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in the early 2010s, the avalanche of Star Wars material that has followed is largely defined by its relationship to the original trilogy. The sequel trilogy spent much of its time relying on nostalgia for the original character trio of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, the latter of which was even given his own solo film (pun somewhat intended). Meanwhile, the likes of Rogue One and the Disney+ shows The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett are set as bookends for the original trilogy, filling in some gaps right before and after that story took place.
All of this focus on the original Star Wars of the 1970s and ’80s has left the prequels in the dust. That is, until now. The new Obi-Wan Kenobi series finally brings the prequels full circle in terms of live-action Star Wars material, and it gives fans of those films some of the same nostalgia-driven joy that original trilogy fans have had for years now.
The Return of Ewan, Hayden and More
20th Century Fox
Regardless of how anyone feels about the overall quality of the prequels, one of the most widely loved aspects of those films is the casting of McGregor as Obi-Wan. McGregor debuted in the role as a Jedi Padawan in The Phantom Menace before being upgraded to a Jedi Master and General in the Grand Army of the Republic in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The actor brought a regal, yet youthful, and wise yet occasionally sassy energy to Obi-Wan that hadn’t really been seen before. Fans immediately fell in love with McGregor’s Obi-Wan, and by returning to the character nearly 20 years later, McGregor is able to build upon what he did in the prequels while continuing to evolve the character into a mold more reminiscent of Alec Guinness’ version in the original trilogy.
McGregor’s Obi-Wan is only half of the core duo of the prequels, though, with Hayden Christensen’s Anakin embodying the more tragic side of the story. In the years following the release of the prequels, there was a lot of unwarranted hate directed toward Christensen for his performance as Anakin. For a while afterward, it felt as if the actor was understandably trying to separate himself from those films and the series as a whole. In turn, that makes Christensen’s return as Anakin/Vader in this series a much-needed healing moment for the franchise. It gives prequel fans the joy of seeing Christensen in the role again, complete with multiple flashbacks to before he suited up as Vader, while also giving Christensen a chance to prove his naysayers wrong by delivering an imposing and terrifying performance as the iconic Sith Lord.
Beyond the two leads, Obi-Wan Kenobi also seizes its opportunity to bring back several other actors that appeared in the prequels. Jimmy Smits returns as Senator Bail Organa, who now spends his time resisting the Empire’s rule from within the Galactic Senate, while also raising Princess Leia and teaching her to be the leader she will eventually become. Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse also return as Owen and Beru Lars, uncle and aunt to Luke Skywalker. The two actors had small roles in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and this show gives them more to do as it firmly establishes the key role they played in Luke’s upbringing as well. There are also numerous cameos from other stars of the prequels, including Temuera Morrison as a Clone Trooper in an early episode, Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine, and Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn in the season finale.
Building Off the Prequels
Obi-Wan Kenobi is not the first Star Wars property to be set in the years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. In fact, that time period has become one of the most developed in the galaxy far, far away, with multiple films (Solo, Rogue One), series (The Bad Batch, Rebels and the upcoming Andor) and numerous comics and books set in the two decades. However, with the sole exception of The Bad Batch, most of that material is more focused on building toward A New Hope rather than off Revenge of the Sith. Star Wars seems much more concerned with the events that lead to the original trilogy as opposed to the aftermath of the prequels. While Obi-Wan certainly has material meant to set up the original films, the core of the show is built around the fallout of the Clone Wars and the events of the prequel trilogy.
This is most apparent in how the series approaches the relationship between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. The dynamic between the two former-brothers is the center of the show, with everything else orbiting around them. The Inquisitor Reva’s entire arc in the show begins with the darkest moment of the prequels, Anakin’s killing of the younglings at the Jedi Temple. Meanwhile, the show also establishes how much of Vader’s motivation in his first decade as a Sith comes directly from his hatred for Obi-Wan and his need to prove himself more powerful than his former master. As for Obi-Wan, the series allows the viewer to experience his horror at the realization that Anakin survived his immolation on Mustafar. From there, Obi-Wan is forced to grapple with his guilt regarding his role in Anakin’s descent. When the two of them clash lightsabers in the show, the script treats them not as the Vader and Ben Kenobi of A New Hope, but rather as the Anakin and Obi-Wan of Revenge of the Sith.
Additionally, this show marks the first instance in live-action Star Wars where Luke and Leia have not been defined by their legacies with the franchise, but instead by the legacies of their parents, Anakin and Padmé. While the series is sure to show moments that tease who they will become, more so in Leia’s case than Luke’s, Obi-Wan Kenobi has a strong focus on the similarities between the twins and their parents. The first instance of this comes in the premiere episode, when Obi-Wan sees a 10-year-old Luke pretending to be a podracer, while living on the Lars moisture farm on Tatooine, effectively evoking the look and feel of the young Anakin introduced in The Phantom Menace. In Leia’s case, the show goes out of its way to establish her similarities to Padmé. There are numerous moments in which Obi-Wan and Leia talk about her parents. The most notable of which happens in the second chapter, when Obi-Wan tells Leia that “You just remind me of someone. She was fearless too. And stubborn.” When Leia asks if she was a Jedi, too, he simply replies with “No, she was a leader.”
Connective Tissue to the Overall Skywalker Saga
Disney Platform Distribution
While Obi-Wan Kenobi is thoroughly a series more tied to the prequels than it is to the original trilogy, one of the most satisfying aspects of the show is how it serves as a connective tissue between them. Unlike other shows and films set in the same time period, Obi-Wan feels like a most essential tie-in to both trilogies because it is more closely related to the Skywalker Saga. While films such as Rogue One and shows like Rebels do an excellent job of expanding the Star Wars universe and setting up the overall story of the original trilogy, Obi-Wan Kenobi is the first property set in that era that is directly tied to the Skywalker family and therefore the core of the entire franchise.
With the inclusion of Luke and Leia, and the immense antagonistic force of Anakin/Vader, this show is just as much about the Skywalkers as it is Obi-Wan. It is able to tell the story through Obi-Wan’s perspective because of his close relationship with that whole complicated family. McGregor’s Obi-Wan feels a strong connection to Luke and Leia because of the brotherhood he used to have with Anakin and the deep respect he had for Padmé. He was there for the birth of the twin Skywalkers and the death of their mother. He feels guilty not only for not being able to save Luke and Leia’s father, but their mother as well. This makes the series as effective as a sequel to the prequels as it is a prequel to the original films. It fits snuggly between the two trilogies and adds further context, character development and emotional depth to both of them.
