If you strike me down I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

[glunark]

But did he, really?

Was Obi Wan more powerful dead than alive?

Because it seems like he did little more than be a sat nav for Luke now and again.

Run Luke, use the force, you must go to Dagoba, handy instructions to be sure, but when you consider some of the things he accomplished when he was alive, I really don't think his boast to Vader really played out.

 

[dascoyne]

Obi was getting his ass whooped so he wanted to save face by acting the tough Jedi.

 

[SmilingOtter]

I'd like to think that Kenobi dropped in on Vader from time to time, making his life absolute hell - especially if no one else could see him.

 

[Bigdaddy]

He was full of crap, but it's an awesome line and I use it in judo class to an annoying degree.

 

[Probe Droid]

It's a symbolic statement.

 

[Apollo]

Depends on what your certain point of view is...

 

[batguy]

" . . . and if you don't strike me down, then I will strike you down, again. My new Padawan will lack motivation for the coming assault on this place. I will spend the entire assault standing around the rebel base like a dork. So pretty please, with sugar on top - strike me down right now."

 

[Vivek]

Use the Force, Luke.
Let go, Luke.
Luke, trust me.

Those words are not mere handy instructions, those are powerful words that became life changing for Luke. (And it was a goosebumps inducing moment for the audience). And it resonated with him mainly cause it was the spirit of Obi-Wan uttering those words of wisdom. If Obi-Wan said those lines while being alive and Luke heard them through his ear piece, it just may not have made the same impact, leading him to switch off his targeting computer at that point of crisis. One can argue Luke would have still made through the tremendous tricky procedure of shooting the torpedoes into the Death Star, but I would still say it was the presence of the Force and that moment of boosted confidence that allowed him to pull it off.

Maybe Obi-Wan wasn't powerful directly but his death allowed his spirit to influence Luke in ways Vader couldn't imagine. So yes, he did really become more powerful after his death.

It's similar to how some words and actions from someone after their death will echo and is able to influence people more, but it wouldn't be the case when they were alive. Sometimes it's someone close to you and sometimes it's even people who you didn't know on a personal level.

"Remember, the Force will be with you, always."

 

[CessnaDriver]

Use the Force, Luke.
Let go, Luke.
Luke, trust me.

Those words are not mere handy instructions, those are powerful words that became life changing for Luke. (And it was a goosebumps inducing moment for the audience). And it resonated with him mainly cause it was the spirit of Obi-Wan uttering those words of wisdom. If Obi-Wan said those lines while being alive and Luke heard them through his ear piece, it just may not have made the same impact, leading him to switch off his targeting computer at that point of crisis. One can argue Luke would have still made through the tremendous tricky procedure of shooting the torpedoes into the Death Star, but I would still say it was the presence of the Force and that moment of boosted confidence that allowed him to pull it off.

Maybe Obi-Wan wasn't powerful directly but his death allowed his spirit to influence Luke in ways Vader couldn't imagine. So yes, he did really become more powerful after his death.

It's similar to how some words and actions from someone after their death will echo and is able to influence people more, but it wouldn't be the case when they were alive. Sometimes it's someone close to you and sometimes it's even people who you didn't know on a personal level.

"Remember, the Force will be with you, always."

What he said!
Luke wasn't going to pop that death star without that spiritual help. Something Obi-Wan could not do while living.
In a way one could say Obi-Wan destroyed the death star.

 

[Treadwell]

Note that Vader didn't notice "the Force is strong with this one" until after Obi-Wan started speaking to him.

 

[Wes R]

Depends on what your certain point of view is...

That's true because he reached a form of immortality that the dark side hadn't yet discovered.

 

[Monkey67]

I'll take Old Ben..X wing gets the square!

Obi died so Han can kinda look cool. He didn't want everyone thinking he was just a cocky pilot who has a fuzzy smelly dog. Also Han needed cool points since he left his old lady at the bar to hit on a princess. Plus he Didn't want to take the glory away from Luke blowing up the Death Star. He even allowed a step dad and son reunite. Thus have a quality father son moment. Obi wan is really Lukes & leia father. Padme couldn't help herself and it was Obi duty to please that booty. He just used Jedi mind trick on anakin to make him think they were his. That's just how Obi rolls...he is a righteous dude.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Obi-Wan didn't die. He became one with the Force and his physical body dissolved into the Force.

I think the power to go anywhere in the galaxy and talk to anyone, even taking a visible form is much more powerful than having an old, human body.

 

[Apollo]

....and "in the force you will see old friends long gone." :thumbsup

"Remember, the Force will be with you, always."

 

[AJTaliesen]

Oddly, Albus Dumbledore of all people explains this better than I will, in the last HP book, but...


If you notice, right before he makes that choice, Obi notices Luke watching. He's not just dying, He's being killed by Vader in front of Luke.

See, eventually Luke is going to find out that Vader didn't kill his father, Obi lied, and that he IS his father. At that point, the idea of deposing the Emperor and ruling the galaxy as father and son is going to be awfully tempting for an ambitious kid from the sticks. MUCH more attractive bait than the Emperor had with Anakin, and Obi wan couldn't stop that either.

But the tempting lure of power has a much harder time overcoming the memory of watching him murder his friend right in front of him. Father or not, he'll always be someone Luke doesn't want to become.

Obi tries to protect Luke, but he knows he's already lost that struggle with a padawan once before and that was WITHOUT the lure of a reunion with a famous and powerful father. His death is what gives Luke the ability to resist the lure that Anakin fell into.

 

[CessnaDriver]

Sometimes it's fun to just think about the first film stand alone, none of the father/sister stuff.
Which is what we had to do of course for three years.

 

[Halliwax]

Obi-Wan didn't die. He became one with the Force and his physical body dissolved into the Force.

I think the power to go anywhere in the galaxy and talk to anyone, even taking a visible form is much more powerful than having an old, human body.

thats what i always thought. may not be physically stronger then vader, but being able to be everywhere and anywhere when ever you want is pretty powerful

 

[Bryancd]

Without his sacrifice, Luke would never become the Jedi he would become and redeem Anakin, all of which was directly influenced by Ben.

 

[cboath]

Oddly, Albus Dumbledore of all people explains this better than I will, in the last HP book, but...


If you notice, right before he makes that choice, Obi notices Luke watching. He's not just dying, He's being killed by Vader in front of Luke.

See, eventually Luke is going to find out that Vader didn't kill his father, Obi lied, and that he IS his father. At that point, the idea of deposing the Emperor and ruling the galaxy as father and son is going to be awfully tempting for an ambitious kid from the sticks. MUCH more attractive bait than the Emperor had with Anakin, and Obi wan couldn't stop that either.

But the tempting lure of power has a much harder time overcoming the memory of watching him murder his friend right in front of him. Father or not, he'll always be someone Luke doesn't want to become.

Obi tries to protect Luke, but he knows he's already lost that struggle with a padawan once before and that was WITHOUT the lure of a reunion with a famous and powerful father. His death is what gives Luke the ability to resist the lure that Anakin fell into.

When i first saw this thread title and the OP I had thought the same thing. Perhaps it was just serendipitous, but, it wasn't technically possible for this to be a shooting intent, really, because vader wasn't dad at the time.

I tend to think of it as very similar though. He'd become more powerful, because he would be able to guide luke no matter what - and who are you going to believe? The big powerful bad guy whom you know is bad seeing as he willfully killed a guy who essentially surrendered in front of him? Or a guy who basically came back from the dead just to see you?

Also, i'm not sure he has the ability to appear 'anywhere'. The only ghosts that have shown to my knowlege have appear to just Luke. The 3 ghosts who have appeared to Luke all died right in front of him. Perhaps you need to attach yourself to someone? I don't know. But it sure seems to be a possibility.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

His death allowed Luke the opportunity to rise and not be in the shadow/follow Obi Wan. So while Obi himself didn't become stronger it allowed Luke to.

So it's true, from a certain point of view.