Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney+ on May 27, 2022, bringing us the long-awaited aftermath of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are both returning to reprise their iconic roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, respectively. Unfortunately, there isn’t going to be any happy reunion for these characters. Though former friends and Jedi “brothers,” the two became sworn enemies when Skywalker turned to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith.
As a result, we expect the series to be pretty heartbreaking. Anakin and Obi-Wan had a special bond, considering that Anakin was his Jedi apprentice. Star Wars: The Clone Wars really captures the extent of their journey together. Obi-Wan took Anakin under his wing when Anakin was just a boy and trained him in the way of the Jedi. The two went on missions together, rescued each other, and bickered with each other in a brotherly way countless times. All of that faded when Anakin switched to the dark side and Obi-Wan was forced to take him down, leaving him for dead on Mustafar.
However, Darth Vader survived Mustafar and, in Obi-Wan Kenobi, he is now utilizing the Inquisitors to hunt any remaining Jedi who survived Order 66. Following his failure to defeat Vader, Obi-Wan is self-exiling on Tattooine and watching over Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely). Likely, these Inquisitors will force him out of his exile and he’ll have to confront Vader and the Galactic Empire. Even though 10-years have passed, the memories of a young Anakin are likely still fresh in Obi-Wan’s mind. Especially as he watches Vader’s son, Luke, grow to be the same age as Anakin was when Obi-Wan first met him. When the show opens, Obi-Wan is under the impression that Anakin is dead.
Will Obi-Wan Kenobi have Anakin flashbacks?
Obi-Wan and Anakin’s history together makes us wonder if the series will feature some Anakin flashbacks. After all, Vader’s past as Anakin is an important part of his identity (and holds the answer of why he turned to the dark side). Rumors have persisted for quite some time that the series will feature Anakin flashbacks from the Clone Wars period. Meanwhile, these flashbacks could potential show never-before-seen stories or moments of Anakin’s life.
Disney+’s Star Wars series have had a reputation for utilizing de-aging technology. With de-aging technology and the importance of Anakin’s past, flashbacks would certainly be possible and would complement the series. However, the creators of Obi-Wan Kenobi have dodged questions about such flashbacks. They did not confirmed if we actually would see Anakin Skywalker in the series, rather than just Vader.
Now that the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi have aired, we see that Anakin flashbacks (from the prequel movie scenes) are already playing a role in the series. Particularly, Obi-Wan is haunted by the past and his sleep is interrupted with flashbacks of Anakin. The flashbacks range from when Anakin was a boy, to when he was a young man, and all the way to Mustafar.
It is clear that Obi-Wan is struggling to deal with the trauma and it is the reason why he is living hermit-like on Tatooine. These flashbacks seem vital to explaining who Obi-Wan is during this period in his life and how he is no longer the Jedi he once was. There is plenty of footage from the Star Wars prequel series to serve as these heartbreaking flashbacks. Perhaps, we might yet see some new memories surface as well with the help of de-aging technology.
(featured image: Disney)
