Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi (tv series)

[Wolfsburg]

I am 31, and though I really enjoyed the prequels as a kid, the older I got, the more I enjoyed the OT. Even in 2005, I would still claim ANH as my preferred film.

But now, several years later, I will still have the urge to watch one of the PT films just to remember how excited I was about them. Or to recall how much my grandma enjoyed the podrace and seeing Theed, or my grandpa taking me to see ROTS at midnight (and then going to Walmart where we saw a guy selling hotdogs at 3am). For me, it’s become more of the experience and memories than the stories or execution.

I was born between the OT and the PT. I loved the OT and really delved into the 90s era novels and video games. My SW fandom really hit a fever pitch just in time for the build up to the PT. In the early days of the internet, I remember watching for every morsel of info I could find for these movies and ever hoping that the next movie would be better than the last. I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Whatever faults the PT had in execution, and there were many in my book, I don't think it can be argued that George isn't a visionary and his imagination (among other things) was something sorely lacking in the ST and much of the Disney era efforts. For me, ship designs and locations in particular have all been rather milquetoast and forgettable. Also, it goes without saying that John Williams' soundtracks from the PT were incredible as well. Duel of the Fates in particular is immortal and up there with the work he did in the OT as far as I'm concerned (and I adore the OT soundtracks). It's such an odd thing. For me so much of the PT was good except the movies themselves. What a bipolar outlook I have in their regards. lol!

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

When my son (28 year old former Marine) & I sat down to watch the first episode, I asked if he wanted to skip the recap. He said "nah". When the actual show started, he had tears in his eyes. He looks up & said, "Yeah... That brings back the memories.".

 

[ghostryder]

 

[kalkamel]

 

[Psab keel]

 

[HMSwolfe]

Does anyone remember the Imperial officer Bill Burr killed in S2 of The Mandalorian? He was a little hammy but he felt evil/intimidating in a real world way. If they had gone that route for the Inquisitors (from the beginning, not just for this show) I wouldn’t mind them at all. Instead they’re incompetent cartoons helicoptering around from one disaster to the next.

 

[Psab keel]

That episode of Mando was the best of all the Disney Era content. I'm still very impressed with it. It reminded us how sinister the Empire truly is and made them a credible threat.

 

[joberg]

As a fellow writer I can explain.

My name is Ben, your father sent me to save you.

What’s the code word?

Snuggle bunny.

Ok, let’s go.

23 second scene, no action.

Shenanigans

7:30 minute scene, lots of action.

They did a "Spielberg" scene with that one. Many of his movies involve children and their ways of getting into trouble with the adults

 

[Kylash]

How did Ben expect to train Luke "when the time comes" if he's not even training himself and losing his connection to The Force? For that matter, if hes not training, what makes him think he can reach out to Qui-Gon? Theres a lot there that doesnt seem thought out, especially if Yoda specifically had training for him.

I get they want to tell a "Obi Wan Gets His Groove Back" story, but they could have done it another way that makes more sense.

 

[MattWinchell]

How did Ben expect to train Luke "when the time comes" if he's not even training himself and losing his connection to The Force? For that matter, if hes not training, what makes him think he can reach out to Qui-Gon? Theres a lot there that doesnt seem thought out, especially if Yoda specifically had training for him.

I get they want to tell a "Obi Wan Gets His Groove Back" story, but they could have done it another way that makes more sense.

I think they could have made this clearer, but I interpreted that Obi-Wan stopped using the more apparent abilities like force levitation until the second episode. I think the other aspects of the force like communication with qui-gon was still being sought by kenobi. But I agree, it does feel a bit contradictory.

 

[Ron]

How did Ben expect to train Luke "when the time comes" if he's not even training himself and losing his connection to The Force? For that matter, if hes not training, what makes him think he can reach out to Qui-Gon? Theres a lot there that doesnt seem thought out, especially if Yoda specifically had training for him.

I get they want to tell a "Obi Wan Gets His Groove Back" story, but they could have done it another way that makes more sense.

Exactly. That's why it was odd for him to tell Nari that the fight is over, forget being a Jedi and just go live a peaceful life when he himself expects there'll be a time to fight again. What he should've told Nari is something along the lines of "Now is not the time to fight but it will be one day. Just lay low for now and be ready for when the time comes."

 

[Kylash]

It makes even less sense when you think back to Yoda teaching Luke. It's not a strength thing, its a believing in yourself thing. So seeing Obi struggling like he just has to try harder kind of flies in the face of that. Again, seems like Disney just doesnt understand Star Wars. We just had a depressed Jedi story with Luke... don't do it again.

 

[Picard102]

That's why it was odd for him to tell Nari that the fight is over, forget being a Jedi and just go live a peaceful life when he himself expects there'll be a time to fight again.

The Jedi are over, but a single Jedi, child of the chosen one, could still bring balance. No need for others to die needlessly for a fight they'll never be involved with.

 

[Ron]

The Jedi are over, but a single Jedi, child of the chosen one, could still bring balance. No need for others to die needlessly for a fight they'll never be involved with.

By the time we get to ANH and the rebellion is in full swing, you don't think Nari or other Jedi Knights that are in hiding would've been an asset despite not being the chosen one? Also, should they survive the Civil War, they could eventually help Luke rebuild the Jedi order.

 

[Picard102]

I don't know that the rebellion really figured into his plan. In the years between now and Luke being trained, being a Jedi would only be a negative.

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

In my personal opinion, after Anakin, I'm not sure if Obi Wan was ever even planning on training Luke himself. He said in EpIII that he would watch over the boy, not that he would train him.

It's entirely possible that he was planning on taking Luke to Yoda when the time came. When Owen made the comment about how Ben trained Anakin, he just didn't want to reveal Yoda was in hiding as well. If Ben was afraid to do ANYTHING that resembled using the Force, then I'm not sure he'd plan on training Luke in the same place. He'd go somewhere secluded, like Dagobah.

I'm thinking the plan was to take Luke to Dagobah, & maybe the 2 of them training him together, but with one of the last things that Obi Wan said to Anakin being "I HAVE failed you.", & then Ben seeing Luke pretend to Pod Race, just like his dad, he'd be afraid of attempting it again. That's why Owen's comment hit so hard... It's EXACTLY how Ben feels himself.

 

[Ron]

I don't know that the rebellion really figured into his plan. In the years between now and Luke being trained, being a Jedi would only be a negative.

Right, but whether a rebellion or not, Obi-Wan believes a time to fight will come so having some Jedi Knights around for it, even 'lower powered' ones would be good I would think. Sure, lay low in the meantime but be ready.

This is why I prefer the notion that there really were only two Jedi left (Obi-Wan and Yoda). I realize that isn't plausible considering the numerous amounts of Jedi there would have been prior to Order 66 but it raises the question of why those hiding Jedi, Ahsoka for example, didn't aid in the rebellion (I know she was in the Rebels show but I'm mainly talking about the movies). They would have been a target for Vader, yes, and they would have surely died at his hands had he discovered them, but I would argue that a Jedi's honor would compel them to fight the Empire and help the rebellion rather than sit back and watch others do it. Again, when the time was right for it.

In my personal opinion, after Anakin, I'm not sure if Obi Wan was ever even planning on training Luke himself. He said in EpIII that he would watch over the boy, not that he would train him.

It's entirely possible that he was planning on taking Luke to Yoda when the time came. When Owen made the comment about how Ben trained Anakin, he just didn't want to reveal Yoda was in hiding as well. If Ben was afraid to do ANYTHING that resembled using the Force, then I'm not sure he'd plan on training Luke in the same place. He'd go somewhere secluded, like Dagobah.

I'm thinking the plan was to take Luke to Dagobah, & maybe the 2 of them training him together, but with one of the last things that Obi Wan said to Anakin being "I HAVE failed you.", & then Ben seeing Luke pretend to Pod Race, just like his dad, he'd be afraid of attempting it again. That's why Owen's comment hit so hard... It's EXACTLY how Ben feels himself.

I agree, and I'll add (perhaps you'll disagree with this) that I don't think, like you said, that Obi-Wan's mission was to wait for the day to train Luke, but rather should Luke's fate lead him to Obi-Wan, then he'll take him under his wing. Imagine if the droids never landed on Tatooine and the message never got to Obi-Wan, and Owen & Beru were still alive. Would Obi-Wan have actively intervened in Luke's life and persuaded him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Jedi Knight? I feel like he would not have. I also believe that robs Luke of his agency. Even gifting him the T-16 model was too much.

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

I agree, and I'll add (perhaps you'll disagree with this) that I don't think, like you said, that Obi-Wan's mission was to wait for the day to train Luke, but rather should Luke's fate lead him to Obi-Wan, then he'll take him under his wing. Imagine if the droids never landed on Tatooine and the message never got to Obi-Wan, and Owen & Beru were still alive. Would Obi-Wan have actively intervened in Luke's life and persuaded him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Jedi Knight? I feel like he would not have. I also believe that robs Luke of his agency.

See, I'm not completely sure how I feel about that, because there's arguments out there (& I'm not sure I disagree) that Obi Wan & Yoda never cared about Luke or Leia at ALL, but actually just looked at them as 'tools' to use in the fight against the Sith.

We don't like to think that way, because we like the character of Obi Wan, & we like the actors that portray him, but from the get-go, he manipulated Luke & played him like a fiddle.

He knows Luke wants to leave & feels held back by Owen, so he makes Owen the bad guy by saying that "his uncle wouldn't allow" Ben to have contact. Then tells him that lie about Vader & his father, & sweetens it by saying that Anakin was "a good friend" to plant the idea that hanging with Ben is what Luke's dad would've done. THEN, we get to Dagobah, & they mentally tag-team Luke by talking about him like he's not even there, 'discussing' whether Luke is worthy of Yoda's time, with Ben playing 'good cop' until Luke practically BEGS Yoda to train him while Ben stays silent. And finally, when Luke decides to leave & face Vader, what they believe will be suicide, Ben doesn't really show concern for Luke's safety, but instead bemoans that Luke is THEIR only hope, to which Yoda replies that basically there's another one out there that they can use.

It's not a favorable light in which to look at these beloved characters, but it adds to Luke's redemption of Vader, to me, because he did what Anakin's 'friends' thought was impossible, he brought him back instead of destroying him. All of which would've been the first step on the way to destroy Palatine, which was the end goal of their understanding-"Destroy the Sith=Bring balance to the Force".

I guess in saying all that, I believe Ben would've manipulated whatever he could to get Luke where he wanted him.

EDIT: I need to clarify that I'm not saying that Ben & Yoda are horrible individuals that are just throwing lives away. In their defence, they'd been raised in the Jedi Order almost their entire existences, so one of their first rules were going to be "NO ATTACHMENTS". Using Luke the way they did seems cruel, but as old school Jedi, it was all they knew.

 

[CopperRevan]

It makes even less sense when you think back to Yoda teaching Luke. It's not a strength thing, its a believing in yourself thing. So seeing Obi struggling like he just has to try harder kind of flies in the face of that. Again, seems like Disney just doesnt understand Star Wars. We just had a depressed Jedi story with Luke... don't do it again.

Great point!!! And no one wants to talk about the fact that Yoda was in seclusion for how long? And thankfully, had the power to ressurrect an Xwing out of a swamp on his first "try". Do...or do not...remember? Yoda is a Master, Obi-wan is a Master, Luke was not by this point and was still a learner. No matter how hard i "try" to wrap my head around losing force abilities or getting rusty from unuse, i cannot "do" it. lol. I get the fact when you don't practice things like baseball etc. you can get rusty. But this The Force we are talking about and if the same concept applies then that means the Jedi have to consistently be at war in order to stay sharp or they are just showing off during peace time to stay sharp. The whole "cutting yourself off" i do not get. The minute Obi-Wan used the Jedi Mind trick in ANH, based on the Kenobi show so far, he would have alerted how many Inquistitors, force users etc. including Vader himself. Maybe i'm missing something. I'm open to learn something i may be blind too at the moment.

 

[Lightning]

Imagine if the droids never landed on Tatooine and the message never got to Obi-Wan, and Owen & Beru were still alive. Would Obi-Wan have actively intervened in Luke's life and persuaded him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Jedi Knight? I feel like he would not have. I also believe that robs Luke of his agency. Even gifting him the T-16 model was too much.

I've pondered that was well. Suppose Owen's excuses finally run out and Luke leaves to go to the Academy (EU ever explain what that was? It's not the Imperial Academy). Obi-Wan must follow him offworld, correct? Perhaps "accidentally" bumping into him when they are "coincidentally" on the same transport out? Then what happens?