For as long as one can remember, one of the constants of the entertainment industry has been Star Wars. Popular culture loves referencing Star Wars. Fans all over the world love Star Wars. And perhaps more than most, Sheldon Cooper loves Star Wars. But I digress. The George Lucas mega-franchise that started with the original trilogy — Episodes IV, V, and VI — has divulged a canon of successive films and series. But now, after 45 years of his first appearance on the big screen, a beloved character finally gets his own series. McGregor returns as Obi-Wan Kenobi on television 17 years after his appearance in the Star Wars prequel. The series starts streaming on Disney+ on May 27.
Hello there! – The Return of Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi
The very first time we heard of the man who is a legend was from another legend herself. Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia in need of help for her rebel alliance against the Empire calls for help. And who better to take down Darth Vader than the man who trained him after all?
In a lot of ways, the Obi-Wan Kenobi series is going to be a call back to the era of the original films. The series begins with Obi-Wan resuming his story as a Jedi in exile on the desert world of Tatooine while he keeps a watchful eye over young Luke Skywalker. However, the dark lord still hunts him. A dark side Inquisitor by the name of Reva who is armed with a double-bladed lightsaber hunts the lands. Played by Moses Ingram, Reva is a fearsome exterminator of the Jedi. Additionally, with Hayden Christensen resuming his role as Darth Vader, we will really be in for a treat.
Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. The Mandalorian
The helmeted warrior played by Pedro Pascal became a global phenomenon the moment it launched. However, soon the fanbase skittered to opposite ends of the spectrum. They either loved it as a series or hated it for ruining the Star Wars storytelling. The Mandalorian traversed each episode like levels in a video game. Every episode would find him tackling a different expedition-like scenario, almost with a setting of NPCs in the background.
However, Obi-Wan Kenobi instead focuses on a crucial timeline with much more higher stakes at play. The series takes place a decade after Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) and 9 years before Episode IV (A New Hope). The era spanning the missing 19 years in the middle of the two major events had been left untouched — until now.
Even though fans claim they would love it even if Obi-Wan donned the Jedi robes and did nothing else except roam the desert lands of Tatooine for 6 episodes, the series is playing to its roots by using the vast canvas of those blank-slate 19 years. It remains to be seen how much of Lucas’ epic narration style is invoked in the series as McGregor and Christensen reunite again after 2002’s Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Also read: Obi-Wan and Darth Vader Reunion
Obi-Wan Kenobi is now streaming on Disney+.
