There have been countless new installments in the Star Wars franchise in recent years. Aside from the massively successful sequel trilogy, which made over $4 billion, several television series have been released that narrow the galactic scope of the films down to singular characters. Perhaps the most noteworthy was The Mandalorian, which stars Pedro Pascal as the titular masked crusader. Additionally, Disney+ has released The Book of Boba Fett, a series set after Return of the Jedi that focuses on the bounty hunter Boba Fett, portrayed in the series by Temuera Morrison. Most recently, a series that focuses on the post-Clone Wars life of Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan was released, the aptly titled Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi featured familiar characters, much to the delight of Star Wars enthusiasts everywhere. The series also takes place on a handful of planetary set pieces that are immediately recognizable to fans of the franchise. However, one element of the series that is not entirely familiar is the emotional state of Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Here are some of the ways in which Obi-Wan Kenobi explores a new side of Ewan McGregor's legendary Jedi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi in Spiritual Straits
In the very first installment of the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) is introduced. Later, audiences saw the character as a young man in the franchise's much-maligned prequel trilogy. The original trilogy of films shows Obi-Wan Kenobi as an old, wise man. In the prequel trilogy, that character still shows all the signs of a spiritually developed Jedi. Yet, there is a certain youthfulness and spunk that characterizes his actions throughout The Clone Wars.
However, it was not until the Obi-Wan Kenobi series was released that audiences were able to see a version of Ewan McGregor's titular Jedi that is completely emotionally shattered. At the beginning of the season, Obi-Wan has lost his ability to tap into the Force. As such, he can no longer communicate with the Force ghost of his former mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). Additionally, he frequently has intense nightmares.
Focusing on the early years that Obi-Wan spent on the desert planet Tatooine, which includes him grieving over the almost unfathomable loss he had suffered during the events of the prequel films, as well as his budding relationship with Anakin Skywalker's secret children, allows audiences to better understand how the character transformed in the time period between the prequel and original trilogies. This gives Star Wars fans a more complete picture of the character and turns Ewan McGregors Obi-Wan from simply a stoic Jedi to a more complex character.
A Violent Clash Between Kenobi and Darth Vader
In the timeline of the Star Wars cinematic universe, the film's events that transpire immediately prior to the events of the Obi-Wan Kenobi is Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. At the end of Revenge of the Sith, which is widely regarded as the best film in the prequel trilogy, Obi-Wan has a battle with Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker. The two characters have a prolonged lightsaber clash over the lava seas of Mustafar, which ultimately results in Anakin losing several limbs. This battle also ends with him severely burned by the lava.
Throughout season one of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a vengeful Anakin, newly transformed into his black-clad Sith alter ego Darth Vader, is pursuing Obi-Wan Kenobi. The two characters finally have their much-anticipated reunion at the end of the season, and the epic battle that transpires between them is everything that Star Wars fans could have ever asked for.
Given the fact that Obi-Wan had assumed that his former Padawan had died on Mustafar, as well as the fact that Obi-Wan still has lingering sympathy for Anakin, his meeting with Darth Vader undoubtedly took a massive emotional toll on the character. Darth Vader, who has fully given himself over to the dark side, is even more powerful than he was as Anakin Skywalker. In all likelihood, Obi-Wan will need to deal with this powerful ally turned mortal enemy in potential future seasons of the series.
Obi-Wan Kenobi has not yet been renewed for a second season. However, the show's creators have been very clear that the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi is far from over. Additionally, given how successful the vast majority of Star Wars projects have been, it is unlikely that Disney+ would allow the series to end so quickly. If there is another season of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the talented Ewan McGregor will continue to peel back the character's emotional layers, and audiences will learn even more about the Jedi.
The first season of Obi-Wan Kenobi is now streaming on Disney+.