What ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ has to show Star Wars followers

Followers of the primary two Star Wars trilogies already know the essential story of Obi-Wan Kenobi — the character, that’s, not the Disney+ collection of the identical identify that premieres on Could 27. Whereas Lucasfilm has Obi-Wan Kenobi beneath its ordinary blanket of secrecy, there’s sufficient content material — six motion pictures, two TV reveals, plus a couple of trailers — to recommend very strongly the place the story will focus its consideration. 

Let’s again up for a second with a refresher of that wider narrative. The fugitive Jedi’s tragic story begins, chronologically, within the prequel motion pictures (Episodes I to III). Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), an apprentice to Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), takes on former Tatooine slave Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd/Hayden Christensen) as an apprentice of his personal. They’re comrades within the Clone Wars (as seen within the 7-season animated present of the identical identify), then struggle one another after Anakin turns into a mass-murderer dubbed Darth Vader by Emperor Palpatine. A badly wounded Vader turns into extra machine than man. Obi-Wan hides Luke, the son Vader did not know he had, on Tatooine. 

Some 19 Star Wars years later, in Episode IV, Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) leads Luke on a mission to ship Dying Star plans to the Riot, fights Vader once more and vanishes in the meanwhile of dying, changing into Luke’s considerably unreliable advisor from past the grave in Episodes V and VI. After so many encounters with the exhausting Skywalker clan, no marvel he was drained.

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There’s extra to Obi-Wan’s story, in fact. We have overlooked Darth Maul, Qui-Gon’s killer and Vader’s predecessor, who finally ends up dying at Obi-Wan’s arms twice (the primary time in Phantom Menace, the second time, post-Clone Wars resurrection, within the sands of Tatooine throughout the animated collection Rebels). However there’s not that way more. The lacking 19 years of Obi-Wan’s story is an space Lucasfilm has largely left alone, intentionally, till now.  

And which means Obi-Wan Kenobi has loads of questions it might reply, a few of which we have been dying to know for years, and a few which, like many Star Wars questions, ought to stay unanswered. The latter would come with the identify of the planet Obi-Wan calls dwelling. “Stewjohn” is the official canon reply in Lucasfilm’s database, as a result of George Lucas stated so throughout a Jon Stewart interview. In all probability greatest to keep away from that one. 

However listed here are seven main questions that longtime Star Wars watchers would like to see the brand new present reply: 

1. Did Obi-Wan see Qui-Gon Jinn once more?

On the finish of Revenge of the Sith, Yoda tells Obi-Wan he is made contact with Qui-Gon’s ghost. This encounter came about in a scene that was deleted from the capturing script, since Neeson was unavailable. As an alternative, Yoda tells Obi-Wan his former grasp will practice him to “return from the netherworld of the Power” — grow to be a ghost after dying, mainly — whereas Obi-Wan is in hiding on Tatooine.

Presumably that is simply what Qui-Gon did, since Obi-Wan seems assured in his capacity to resurrect in phantom type throughout his duel with Vader on the Dying Star. “Strike me down,” because the immortal line goes, “and I shall develop extra highly effective than you can probably think about.” 

So does that imply we get to see a tear-jerking reunion of the late grasp and his beloved apprentice?

That is attainable, however followers should put together themselves to solely hear Qui-Gon in voice-over. That was the plan for Revenge of the Sith, and Neeson solely appeared once more as a voice and a few twinkly lights to Yoda in Clone Wars season 6. (Extra on that assembly in a minute.) 

Plus, the one Power ghosts we have seen seem like the age they have been at dying (Anakin’s Power ghost on the finish of Return of the Jedi was performed, in its particular version type, by Christensen, the argument being that is what Anakin appeared like when the great in him died.) Neeson has aged nicely, however not so nicely that he seems to be precisely as he did throughout his character’s dying scene 23 years in the past. 

Then once more, Lucasfilm is pleased with the ever-improving de-aging CGI expertise that produced a younger Mark Hamill in The Mandalorian and E-book of Boba Fett, so something is feasible if Neeson is on board (he is been denying an look, but additionally stated he is open to reprising the position normally).

One nerdy deep lower the present does not must deliver up: The truth that Obi-Wan already noticed a ghostly model of Qui-Gon on the Power-filled planet of Mortis, throughout one of many weirdest arcs of Clone Wars. Obi-Wan dismissed that imaginative and prescient as a “thoughts trick” … even when it wasn’t. (Lengthy story.) 

2. What is the secret of Power ghosting?

So this life-after-death trick Obi-Wan realized: How’s it executed, precisely? If Qui-Gon could not manifest bodily, how might Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin? And why was Qui-Gon the primary Jedi to find the idea, stunning even Yoda? 

Revenge of the Sith provided a imprecise reply in that deleted scene: Qui-Gon was to say “a state acquired by compassion”. Okay, so simply … be extra Buddhist? Nothing fallacious with that, in fact — George Lucas has described his private spirituality as a “Methodist Buddhist” hybrid once in a while — however we’ll want a little bit extra element there to clarify why each extremely compassionate Jedi within the galaxy is not returning as a Power ghost. 

In Clone Wars, Qui-Gon’s twinkly lights led Yoda on a visit to Dagobah. Sounding like he was operating some type of 9 Excellent Strangers retreat, Qui-Gon advised his small inexperienced buddy “[Y]ou will study to protect your life pressure, and so manifest a consciousness which is able to will let you commune with the residing after dying.” When Yoda requested, fairly fairly, “How?”, the ghostly voice modified the topic. We’re nonetheless ready for the reply, Qui-Gon!

Maybe the connective tissue is to be present in some of the philosophical traces of Star Wars: “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter,” Yoda says in Empire Strikes Again. “That may very well be a clue,” says Bryan Younger, a journalist, podcaster and contributor to starwars.com. In different phrases, maybe totally recognizing your self as a type of vitality, a completely selfless one, is what turns you right into a log-sitting ghost?

Regardless of the precise clarification, Obi-Wan Kenobi should do what all Star Wars does – stroll a positive line between explaining an excessive amount of (please, no extra midichlorians!) and too little (there is a restrict to what number of baffling Zen koans this story can stand). 

3.What’s with the dumb alias?

“Obi-Wan Kenobi. I believed [R2-D2] meant outdated Ben?” With that crack detective work within the unique Star Wars, 19-year-old Luke launched us to what’s fairly probably essentially the most ineffective alias within the historical past of cinema. Later, Obi-Wan tells us his first identify is one he is not heard in a “lengthy, very long time.” Like a decade, maybe (the time distinction between the Disney+ collection and the primary film)? In that case, how did he purchase the identify “Ben” — and why would a Jedi in hiding from the Empire suppose he might keep hidden by simply altering considered one of his names? 

In contrast to the origin of the “Solo” identify revealed in Solo, here’s a renaming backstory that issues, one we have really puzzled about for many years. One reply was provided in the 2014 spin-off novel Kenobi: “Ben” was a geographic function on Tatooine, and Obi-Wan revealed his final identify to a pleasant native by chance. Kenobi is not Star Wars canon, nonetheless — it was the final ebook to be formally retconned out of existence in a “Star Wars Legends” rebranding. 

Which implies Obi-Wan Kenobi is free to make use of that model of the story, or one thing utterly unique. Younger suspects, based mostly on the period of time Owen Lars seems within the Obi-Wan trailers, that the present goes to concentrate on the pure dramatic rigidity between Luke’s uncle Owen and Luke’s would-be mentor Obi-Wan. “They’ve by no means shared a scene, however have a lot historical past,” Younger says. (A few of that historical past is off-screen; the pair have been stated to be brothers in an early Return of the Jedi draft script, and this utterly non-canon rumor persists in fandom right this moment.) 

By which case, maybe it is Owen who bestows the “Ben” nickname – driving dwelling the truth that Obi-Wan is not a elaborate Jedi. He is simply Ben, a loopy outdated wizard residing out past the dune sea. 

4.How come Obi-Wan appeared to age so quick?

Sir Alec Guinness on the set of ‘Star Wars’ in 1976. Credit score: Sundown Boulevard/Corbis through Getty Photos

Within the lower than a decade that lies between Obi-Wan Kenobi and A New Hope, Ewan McGregor (throughout capturing, a really youthful brown-haired 50) turns into Alec Guinness (then 62 and looking out a lot older, as actors tended to do within the 1970s, with a shock of white hair). That is throughout the bounds of perception, in fact – however the present may have a line or two about what made Obi-Wan age prematurely. The stress of his off-world adventuring? The brutal twin suns of Tatooine? The desert so dry that Luke’s household actually farmed moisture? Possibly smooth-skinned younger Anakin had good causes to “hate sand.” 

And talking of Anakin … 

5. Did Obi-Wan and Darth Vader really meet once more? 

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lucasfilm has stated up entrance, accommodates a beforehand unseen showdown between Obi-Wan and his outdated frenemy Vader. This might nicely be some type of Power projection battle within the type of Luke and Kylo Ren in The Final Jedi, however that may be far much less satisfying than an precise duel.

Apart from, nothing within the dialogue of A New Hope precludes the chance that they met in particular person. “We meet once more eventually,” is all Vader says in the beginning of their closing duel on the Dying Star. On that event, Obi-Wan does not appear significantly stunned to see Anakin/Vader on this type, and chooses to shorten his identify to “Darth” (the Sith equal of claiming “Mister.”) Ideally, this may make extra sense after the present airs. 

An interstitial duel would additionally permit the present to discover one large burning (pun meant) query in regards to the pair’s earlier encounter in Revenge of the Sith, once they duked it out on the volcanic planet of Mustafar and Obi-Wan had the excessive floor. Particularly: Why did Obi-Wan abandon the person he cherished “like a brother” to die? Positive, Anakin had misplaced his thoughts to the Sith and slaughtered a temple stuffed with Jedi youngsters — however in that extra “civilized age,” should not he have stood trial for these crimes? 

Even when Obi-Wan had simply thought to deliver his former buddy’s supposed corpse again with him, Palpatine would by no means have been capable of create his Frankenstein’s monster with the smoldering remnant. It could be acceptable, and dramatically attention-grabbing, for Obi-Wan to understand he bears much more accountability for the galaxy’s nightmare than he knew. To not point out simply how a lot peril he has positioned Luke in.   

6. Critically, why ‘cover’ a child along with his dad’s household? 

To be truthful to Obi-Wan, it wasn’t his determination to place Luke on Tatooine. “To his household, ship him,” Yoda instructed on the finish of Revenge of the Sith. And to be truthful to each Yoda and Obi-Wan, neither of them knew Vader had survived the Mustafar duel. However nonetheless, they did know they have been coping with Palpatine — a massively Power-sensitive, vastly lengthy game-playing being who was utilizing his limitless energy to slaughter Jedi in all places. The Skywalker youngsters needed to be saved secure from him, absolutely. And whereas Leia was beneath the watchful eye of Alderaan’s strongest home, Luke went to reside with Anakin’s precise household on his precise dwelling planet? What sort of genius witness safety program is that this?  

Given the suitable context, in fact, this blunder — extra a results of George Lucas writing himself right into a nook between 1976 and 2005 than the rest – can grow to be the primary driver of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s plot. We all know Obi-Wan goes off-planet and encounters not less than one of many Inquisitors, an order of Imperial Jedi hunters launched in Rebels. Maybe he’s doing so to attract the Inquisitors’ consideration away from Tatooine and the Power-sensitive child that waits there. 

Honest sufficient. However then why, even after the collection is over and Obi-Wan is aware of that Vader lives, does he proceed to permit Luke to cover proper beneath Vader’s genealogical nostril till the occasions of A New Hope? This query ties into an identical plot gap: Why was Vader so surprisingly incurious about Tatooine within the unique film, when the insurgent ship previously containing stolen Dying Star plans was passing proper overhead — particularly now we all know it is his dwelling? 

Nicely, anybody who relives outdated trauma when remembering their hometown will perceive one purpose. Anakin, who noticed his slave mom killed on Tatooine by Tusken raiders (whom he then slaughtered wholesale in revenge), has extra hometown trauma than most. Some type of psychological block towards ever setting foot on that nasty sandy planet once more would make sense. 

And talking of trauma, what sort of sense wouldn’t it make to tear Luke away from his household age 10 — particularly if you need him to be the true “Chosen One” who grows as much as save your entire galaxy? In any case, it’s only Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s homicide by the hands of the Empire that convinces Luke to affix Obi-Wan on his mission to Alderaan. 

However Obi-Wan Kenobi can add a Power-based safety issue. Here is what we all know from Obi-Wan’s look in Rebels, set round seven years after Obi-Wan Kenobi: Darth Maul had a really onerous time discovering his outdated foe on Tatooine, a lot in order that he needed to manipulate younger Jedi apprentice Ezra Bridger’s thoughts with a view to draw Obi-Wan out. “He obscured himself within the Power in some way, and possibly Qui-Gon helped,” Younger suggests. 

7. Did Obi-Wan see Ahsoka Tano – and different rebels?

If there’s one factor we learn about this new period of Star Wars leisure on Disney+, it is that the reveals like to tie into one another — as we noticed when The Mandalorian and E-book of Boba Fett grew to become, to all intents and functions, the identical story. On Lucasfilm’s slate is Ahsoka, which coincidentally simply began filming. The previous Jedi padawan at its middle — Ahsoka Tano, star of Clone Wars — has already proven up twice within the Mandalorian-Boba Fett narrative. She additionally has a historical past with Obi-Wan, who failed to face up for her when she was falsely accused of against the law, so the dramatic potentialities are too scrumptious to disregard. (Ahsoka actor Rosario Dawson would have to be de-aged by about 20 years, however as we have already famous, that presents much less of an issue for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Mild and Magic as of late.) 

If Ahsoka reveals up in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and one clue within the trailer suggests her presence, it will come at a pivot level in her personal life. A decade earlier than this present, Ahsoka stop the Jedi Order in disgust, simply earlier than the Jedi have been annihilated by the Emperor. 4 years after this present, in Rebels, she reappears as a key determine within the rising insurrection towards the Empire. Maybe Obi-Wan can be given the chance to make up for his failed mentorship of Anakin by inspiring Anakin’s former mentee. 

So, Obi-Wan Kenobi is already borrowing the Inquisitors, and probably Ahsoka, from Rebels. What about potential live-action appearances from the opposite stars of that animated present, set a mere 4 years later? Ezra is unlikely – he is caught on his homeworld at this level, as younger as Luke. However Kanan Jarrus, a fugitive Jedi identical to Obi-Wan, is a attainable cameo, as is Kanan’s buddy and insurgent cell chief Hera Syndulla.    

Then there’s Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) the Rogue One character who’s additionally getting his personal Disney+ collection, which has wrapped and is probably going releasing this fall. He is additionally energetic within the insurrection presently. Curiously, each Cassian and Ahsoka have used the insurrection codename “Fulcrum” at one time or one other in current Star Wars media. Placing them collectively would not simply make Star Wars nerds’ heads explode, there is a legit long-term narrative purpose to take action. 

And there is extra. Within the canon novel Ahsoka, the previous Jedi padawan is an agent of Alderaan’s strongest determine, Senator Bail Organa (Leia’s adopted father, performed by Jimmy Smits in Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One). Smits is rumored to be reappearing in Obi-Wan Kenobi too, which might permit Obi-Wan to really go to Alderaan a decade earlier than it was destroyed by the Dying Star. Together with younger Leia in addition to younger Luke within the collection would absolutely double the quantity of completely happy fan crying. 

And given R2-D2 is within the service of the Organas, maybe Obi-Wan Kenobi can add one other query that has bedeviled followers for years: Why, if Obi-Wan knew this droid so nicely within the prequels, did he clean Artoo (“Can not seem to recall ever proudly owning a droid”) once they met within the unique film? 

Many of the solutions to all of those questions can be on our screens very quickly — nicely, “quickly” from a sure viewpoint.