Our long wait is over. The official trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi is here. Focused on Obi-Wan’s journey in protecting Luke Skywalker, the trailer gives us plenty of Ewan McGregor but also gives us a bit more of the story we can expect to see from the highly anticipated Disney+ series.
It’s been over 20 years since we first saw McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, and this month marks 17 years since we last saw him as the Jedi. So, to have him return to the role after all these years is a momentous occasion, and the trailer seems to focus not only on Obi-Wan trying to protect Luke, but also his heartbreak over losing his brother.
It’s oddly emotional seeing Joel Edgerton as Uncle Owen defending his nephew in the trailer, looking out for his wellbeing, even if it’s a mean jab at Obi-Wan. Because when you think about it, Owen only knows that Anakin’s downfall came from Obi-Wan’s teachings and not anything in between. While I hope that dynamic continues and we get to see plenty of Obi-Wan on Tatooine, I’m also incredibly excited for how much this show seems to explore the bond that Obi-Wan and Anakin once shared and the pain there for them both.
They’re always connected
The trailer makes it very clear that Obi-Wan cannot escape Darth Vader, but the reality is that he can’t escape the pain of losing his brother, either. Anakin wasn’t just his Padawan. He was his confidant, his best friend, and his family, and all of that was lost when Anakin was lured to the dark side by Palpatine. But what’s fascinating to me is how much the show seems to be playing into that pain—not that I didn’t think it would, but more that we haven’t seen this in live action.
Anakin and Obi-Wan are tied together, whether they like it or not. They’re linked, and I like that the show is not afraid of exploring the pain that this clearly still causes Obi-Wan. Anakin’s betrayal bleeds into so much of who Obi-Wan is and who we meet in A New Hope that seeing that pain on display in the trailer means so much to me in a way I didn’t think possible. This trailer reminded me again of how much I love Star Wars, and I can’t wait to be reunited with Obi-Wan Kenobi again on May 27.
(image: Lucasfilm)
