Lucasfilm and Disney are working on the biggest project so far with the Star Wars franchise. Longtime fans have been clamoring for the return of the Jedi Master, and after years of rumors and misdirection, Obi-Wan is set to present the character with one of his most difficult trials yet. The limited series will be a landmark for some of the villains that Obi-Wan will face.
The Emperor's Inquisitorius has appeared in a number of things, including Dave Filoni's animated Star Wars series. It will be their first live-action appearance in the franchise, which will bring these cold, calculating villains to a whole new audience. The Star Wars franchise is dense with plot and lore, but newcomers only need to know the following before Obi-Wan Kenobi's summer premiere on Disney+.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is the most exception to the rule that veteran Star Wars fans are burnt out over the post-Revenge of the Sith and pre-A New Hope content. The context of the show's premise and setting is likely to be part of the reason for this.
Revenge of the Sith was a high note for the controversial trilogy, with the story delivering on its emotional and tragic promises. Senator Sheev Palpatine was installed as the new head of the Galactic Empire after he executed a coup on the Republic. The Republic's former Clone Troopers were turned against their Jedi bosses with the famous Order 66.
The Dark Times of the Star Wars canon is where the Jedi were turned into the extinction-level species, and it will last over 30 years. Darth Vader is the Emperor's right hand, but the newly christened Sith Lord is only one man. The Great Jedi Purge was a time when Emperor Palpatine needed a highly trained unit to hunt down the Jedi.
The Inquisitorius were a group of dark side agents who were hired by Palpatine to flush out any Jedi hiding in exile. Inquisitors were skilled in lightsaber combat. Darth Vader trained the Inquisitors and they were more directly governed by him. In terms of in-unit leadership, that villain was given the title/rank of Grand Inquisitor and is played by the man in the trailer.
The Imperial Inquisitors did not come out of thin air. Some of the members of this group were once associated with the light side of the Force. The identity of the Grand Inquisitor is a mystery, but it is known that he used to be a Jedi Knight and a Jedi Temple Guard. The dark side agents were broken down by the Emperor to be refashioned into dangerous lapdogs in order to snuff out any remnants of the overthrown Republic.
The number of members in the Inquisitorius was kept secret, but there have been at least 12. The Grand Inquisitor includes the Second Sister, Third Sister, Fourth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Sister, Eight Brother, Ninth Sister, and Tenth Brother.
The Second Sister was the main villain in Fallen Order, but several members have been featured in the animated Star Wars Rebels series. The show will be the first to feature the Third Sister, who is played by the man who plays Obi-Wan.
Even though they wouldn't match Obi-Wan's skill and discipline, having these rogues nipping at his heels should make for a compelling dynamic. They will be looking to put his moral conflict to the test to see if he is truly committed to remaining in the shadows.
The real reason Obi-Wan is hiding is the secondary objective of the Inquisitorius.
The Inquisitorius were tasked with kidnapping any Force-sensitive children they found, as well as hunting down any Jedi that survived the initial wave of Order 66. They weren't above anything if it meant quelling a potential Jedi uprising and giving the Emperor more fodder to torture into becoming Inquisitors.
The crux of Obi-Wan's dilemma is brought to us by that. The Emperor and Darth Vader were assured that the next prophetic hero and future fire of the Rebellion was kept from them. The mission that Obi-Wan is on is far more than just self-preservation. This premise is so much more thrilling and anxiety-inducing because of the handicap that he has to carry during this grim fox hunt.
If the hype is to be believed, director Deborah Chow and the show's creator Joby Harold will nail the execution.
The first two episodes of Obi-Wan will be on Disney+.
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