The most in-demand piece of Star Wars content aside from the sequel trilogy is the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and it will be on Disney+ in less than two months. Revenge of the Sith was one of the best things to come out of the prequel trilogy, with its younger take on the character being one of the best things to come out of it.
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It's easy to see why there's so much nostalgia behind this return, but it will take a lot to sell fans on the stakes of Obi-Wan. The trailer from earlier this month looked promising, as it emphasized the limited series as more than just another show in Disney's rotation. Fans saw a glimpse of who would be nipping at Kenobi's heels, and the context of the series will perhaps present the greatest challenge that the revered Jedi Master has ever had to face.
The Republic, Obi-Wan, and other characters were left under the control of the Empire for the next 30 years in Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The finale of the trilogy, Obi-Wan and Anakin's battle on the volcanic planet of Mustafar, made the context for episodes IV-VI more heartbreaking.
When Obi-Wan was on Tatooine, he was lonely, but the state of the galaxy made things more difficult once the Emperor came hunting. Obi-Wan no longer has an organized and politically recognized council covering his back as the Jedi are now an extinct species. The Emperor will be throwing his Inquisitorius at Obi-Wan as well as poorly trained Stormtroopers who will be trying to get Obi-Wan with a bad blaster.
Emperor Palpatine's most skilled soldiers are some of the Dark-side and Force-sensitive villains. The best of the bunch would be fodder for someone as skilled and disciplined in the Force as Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master was arguably the best of the council from a skill and moral perspective, but without the Jedi Council as a support network backing him, the Great Jedi Purge be a thindrance as Obi-Wan tryies to survive in its wake.
Obi-Wan will have to operate without being seen in public in compromising situations. He will have to keep using the Force and his lightsaber, because attracting too much attention will spell death. Making Obi-Wan take part in a fox hunt with handicaps is an excellent way of beinglievably raising the stakes for a story most of us know the ending to.
The Disney Investor Day presentation has billed Obi-Wan as the "rematch of the century" between him and his old Jedi apprentice. If the series lives up to its promise of various compelling moving pieces in the story, Obi-Wan Kenobi versus Darth Vader could be equal parts jaw-dropping and emotionally resonant.
Obi-Wan was forced into a death match against the man who became his best friend and brother, and who he practically raised, while feeling a lot of pain. Darth Vader was born in the place of the fallen Jedi, with the pop culture villain spending the next 30 years becoming one of the most feared and mysterious figures in the universe. His name was spoken in hushed tones among regular civilians and Imperial officers alike, with Vader's rare and ominous appearances treated like a horseman of the apocalypse.
The black armor-clad Sith Lord had collected a number of epithets while in the top tier of the Imperial hierarchy. The emotional toll this will take on a veteran like him will be just as hard as the physical. Even if the Jedi Master doesn't deserve the suffering, Obi-Wan's ghosts will haunt him.
Obi-Wan will likely have to endure mind games by the Inquisitors. They intend to turn compassion into the Jedi Master's greatest weakness in order to flush him out of hiding. Given the scenes that we have seen so far, it is likely that Kenobi will have to do everything he can to bite his tongue as the Empire commits war crimes right in front of him. His moral dilemma could become the most difficult he has ever faced, as he could either strike down the Imperials or keep the child.
Some of the Inquisitorius were former Jedi themselves, which raises the question of whether a moral butting of heads between them and Obi-Wan will challenge them. The Master in exile will face a greater test than any physical harm the Empire can do to him, and that is what makes Obi-Wan Kenobi so intriguing.
Disney+ will show Obi-Wan Kenobi on May 25.
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