*Obi-Wan-related spoilers.*
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master and old man in the desert, started out very firmly as an archetype, albeit a beloved one. A quintessential example of the wise old mentor, I love that the nature of Star Wars as the franchise grew and expanded meant getting to see this iconic character from new angles.
In classic Star Wars fashion, let’s begin with Episode IV, with Luke Skywalker puzzling over the name he hears on the message Leia hid inside R2: Obi-Wan Kenobi. He wonders if this mysterious figure is any relation to Ben Kenobi, locally regarded as the crazy old hermit who lives in a cave. But when Luke ventures out that way, finding out that Ben is Obi-Wan turns out to be the least of his discoveries.
Obi-Wan fought in the Clone Wars. He knew Luke’s father, which is more than Luke can say. What’s more, he’s a Jedi, a member of a special order that was thought entirely lost in this time period. Even though the Empire’s reign isn’t all that long, they practically turn the Jedi into myths in less than two decades. Obi-Wan is a relic from a past that scarcely seems real anymore.
Suddenly finding himself with a willing and eager student, Obi-Wan settles quickly back into his old ways, teaching Luke the ways of the Force and the Jedi. He leaves his seclusion to join Luke on a daring mission to rescue Leia and carry R2’s message to the Rebellion. Along the way, he imparts wisdom and gives counsel, but he also demonstrates the glint in his eye.
The only thing more archetypal than a wise old mentor is a wise dead mentor, and after Obi-Wan sacrifices himself fighting Darth Vader, his remaining appearances in the trilogy are as a Force Ghost, offering Luke guidance when he needs it most.
After decades of loving Obi-Wan in A New Hope, the notion of meeting a young Obi-Wan in the prequels was an enticing one for fans, and I’m not alone in the opinion that he’s the best thing about the prequels. The Phantom Menace was my introduction to Ewan McGregor, which didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t just McGregor’s performance. It was Obi-Wan himself.
I love seeing Obi-Wan as a young man, a fairly serious and observant padawan who’s nonetheless ready to throw down when the situation calls for it. We then follow him through Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, where he serves as Anakin’s master. We see the wry, good-natured way he scolds his padawan, maybe a little too indulgent even as he tries to cool Anakin’s recklessness and quick temper. We see him fight alongside Anakin and go on solo missions, delving into secrets that the burgeoning Separatist movement is trying to hide from the Senate and the Jedi Council. We see how it destroys him when Anakin turns to the Dark Side, the pain with which he battles his friend and former student. In the original trilogy, I felt Luke’s turmoil when he finds out that Vader is Anakin (a.k.a. his father,) but I didn’t really feel Obi-Wan’s until Revenge of the Sith.
That leads us to Obi-Wan Kenobi. A lot of fans are fairly down on this series, and I recognize that it has some issues, but I think Obi-Wan’s story is beautifully done. Even though the plot is a bit constrained by what has to come after, it’s a great exploration of his struggles after Anakin’s fall and the rise of the Empire. The Jedi are either dead or driven into hiding. For his part, Obi-Wan is hiding out on Tatooine, not just for his own sake, but to watch over Luke from afar as he grows up. His lonely life is haunted by memories of his losses, and he repeatedly tries to reach out to the Force Ghost of his former master Qui-Gon, but he feels like the Force is not with him.
The series puts Obi-Wan even more through the wringer, because he’s assumed for the last ten years that Anakin died of the injuries his master inflicted on him at Mustafar. It’s not until now that he learns Anakin survived, that Anakin has become Vader. Facing off against his old padawan again, at a time when Vader has never been stronger in the Dark Side and Obi-Wan is probably at his weakest, is grueling, both physically and mentally/emotionally.
But at the same time, this is the experience that rekindles the strength that Obi-Wan once had. When he’s called on to leave Tatooine and conduct a secret mission to rescue young Leia from kidnappers, he has to summon up his old skills again. The time he spends with Leia brings painful but lovely memories, because she reminds him so much of Padmé, and her spirit and determination help him find the hero inside himself again, aiding some proto-rebels and protecting innocent people from the Empire.
I don’t know whether we’ll get more of the series—personally, I’m happy with what we got, although I certainly wouldn’t say no to more of McGregor in the role. But either way, I’m so glad that Obi-Wan had this experience, that he met Leia during the lowest period of his life and managed to recover a little hope. It’s a nice gift to a character who spent a lot of time giving to others, but also a lot of time blaming himself for the people he couldn’t save.
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