It has come to my attention that some Star Wars fans don't like the character of Inquisitor Reva. I would like to know if we are watching the same show. Reva doesn't rule.
The backlash against Reva has less to do with her actions than she is a Black woman in the Star Wars universe. The first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi were released on May 27th. The official Star Wars social media accounts issued a statement saying that there are more than 20 million sentient species in the Star Wars universe.
If you're sending her bully messages, you're no Star Wars fan in my mind, said Obi-Wan himself. There is no place for discrimination in this world.
There is no doubt that the vocal hatred of Reva and Ingram's performance stems from racism.
The vocal hatred of Reva and Ingram's performance is due to racism. John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran are two of the cast members who have been attacked by racists in the Star Wars universe. They have turned their anger on the man. It's proof of the ugliest side of fandom, one that doesn't believe that people of color have a place in a franchise like Star Wars.
Anti-Black misogyny is a constant in fandom. Look at the reactions to the casting of DeWanda Wise in the movie "Dovern" Jeffries and Wise are deserving of better things.
Even though it can't make up for the racist attacks on Ingram or the racist history of the Star Wars fandom in general, both Reva and Ingram have received a lot of well-deserved praise. Fanart and appreciation posts celebrating the character and actor instead of tearing them down are what you'll find if you look through the Reva hashtags on social media. Reva's intensity and determination is brought to life by Ingram's performance. Reva is one of the most interesting elements of Obi-Wan.
Give me all the Inquisition drama. Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
The Third Sister is a Jedi who turned to the dark side and now hunts the Jedi herself. The core group of Inquisitors includes the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother.
I don't know much about Star Wars Rebels, so I went into Obi-Wan with no knowledge of the Inquisition. As soon as the Grand Inquisitor, Fifth Brother, and Reva appeared, I was fixated. One of the most important qualities of a Star Wars villain is their theatricality, and that's what they have.
Reva is the one who stands out from the others. While the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother are caked in gaunt, disfiguring makeup, Reva still looks human. It makes her feel more vulnerable within the organization, which is paid off by the Grand Inquisitor dismissing her as less than them. She has something to show for it.
As much as I love the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother, Reva immediately stands out from the trio.
Her clear humanity isn't the only thing that distinguishes her from the other people. Reva has a different approach to hunting Jedi than the Grand Inquisitor. She is willing to stop at nothing until she is able to capture Kenobi. The other Inquisitors have a more clinical approach. This hunt is important to them. It is personal to her. She will do anything to reach her goal. She will cut off people's hands to find a man. You know you have reached top-tier villain status when you reach a point where the Grand Inquisitor has to leave.
We don't know why, exactly, Reva is so hellbent on finding Obi-Wan herself yet, but the tension and mystery are part of the fun of Reva's character. We know that Reva was trained to be a Jedi before joining the Inquisitors. She defected and hunted her own type. I wonder if it was self-preservation in the face of Order 66. Was it due to a vendetta against a Jedi? The show's main mystery of why Obi-Wan matters so much to Reva is fascinating to play with.
The show's main relationship so far is between Reva and Obi-Wan, the dynamic between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan is something I like. Reva's singular obsession is the driving force behind all of the action.
Do not get between Reva and her goals. Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
I find myself paying more attention when Obi-Wan isn't around. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the character and the actor. The "lone wolf has to transport important child" plotline feels too similar to what we've seen in The Mandalorian.
It feels like a Star Wars nostalgia fan service tour when you see Obi-Wan. Scenes with Vader are just one example of that feeling. These characters are familiar to us. We are aware of how their stories end. Much of the show's stakes are diminished by that knowledge.
We don't know who it is. Reva's One of the few new characters introduced in Obi-Wan is Reva. I get more invested when she is around because I don't know what she will do next. She murdered the Grand Inquisitor in the second episode. It was a display of her ruthlessness that I enjoyed. Reva can be as evil as she pleases. It makes for a really bad villain.
Let Reva be as evil as she wants whenever she wants.
Reva is one of the best Star Wars villains. Her killing of her boss in The Last Jedi is reminiscent of Anakin's journey in the prequel trilogy, and her ambition and frustration with the Inquisition call to mind a scene from the movie. Reva is made her own by the man who makes her her own. She plays her with the confidence of someone who has a lightsaber and knows how to use it, but also with the vulnerability of someone who has been hurt before and has spent her entire life trying to avenge that hurt.
We don't know why Reva is dead-set on capturing Obi-Wan herself, but we do know that she has been waiting for this for a long time. Once Obi-Wan and Reva clash, we'll be in for a lot of drama. I cannot wait to see it.
There are new episodes of Obi-Wan on Wednesdays.
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