I love Star Wars—I do—but I think I love Revenge of the Sith completely separate from the franchise as a whole, and it may just be one of my favorite movies of all time—fully because of nostalgia, but still, I love Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith more than some family members. So, heading into the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series, I was excited not only for the return of Ben Kenobi and Hayden Christensen with Ewan McGregor, but I was excited to see how Ben was feeling after Revenge of the Sith and just how much the film would play into the series as a whole.
And oh boy was I gifted with a series that truly just broke down whatever expectations I had and gave me the perfect amount of references to the film while still standing on its own, and I loved it very much. But the finale really pulled those comparisons in and brought us a look at how Anakin and Ben exist in each other’s lives now, and I want to talk about the parallels between Revenge of the Sith and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as their new relationship.
**Spoilers for the entire series of Obi-Wan Kenobi lie ahead.**
What I loved so much about Obi-Wan Kenobi is that the series didn’t shy away from the pain that is clearly there between Ben and Ani. They’re not okay. They’re not two men who have moved on, but instead, they’re two former brothers who are holding a grudge against each other whether or not they want to admit it.
In Vader’s eyes, he’s been betrayed by someone he used to trust, and for Ben, it’s pretty much the same, and it’s just a matter of who you agree with (obviously, I agree with Ben, but still the point stands). What I loved about the series finale, though, is that it brought back a moment that, for me, was the shift in their relationship from Revenge of the Sith.
I am but a humble millennial, meaning that I can quote the entire scene between Obi-Wan and Anakin on Mustafar from memory—yes, I am single—which means the minute that Obi-Wan Kenobi turned on his lightsaber and said, “I will do what I must,” I burst into tears.
Only made that much more painful when Vader replies, “Then you will die.” It’s a play on what Ani said in Revenge of the Sith, which was “You will try,” and it was an emotional moment.
This was the most on-the-nose portion of the series that was a direct reference to Revenge of the Sith that wasn’t footage from the film or dialogue playing in Obi-Wan’s memories. And I loved all of it. I loved that they embraced that movie and said, “Yes, this left a scar on both Anakin and Obi-Wan and neither is over it.” I loved that it completely informed their motives and why they were so hellbent on confronting each other.
I love that Anakin yet again got cocky in his power and thought that he was defeating Obi-Wan, only for the blowback to be devastating for him, and I love that yet again, Obi-Wan cannot defeat his former Padawan because he loves him too much. They’re both gluttons for punishment of their own making, and getting to see the two of them struggle with this fight and their own emotions and how it all tied into Revenge of the Sith? My perfect kind of show.
(featured image: Lucasfilm)
