Prior to the premiere of Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, many of us had no idea what we were going to get ourselves into with the series. In Star Wars: Rebels, we got a look into what Obi-Wan was doing between the Star Wars prequels and the original trilogy but, for the most part, we knew that Old Ben was hiding away on Tatooine and looking after Luke Skywalker. But throughout the franchise as a whole, we could see places where more of Ben’s story could fit into the larger universe.
And that’s exactly what Obi-Wan Kenobi is giving us, just in a way we never expected. It was one thing to have Vader be a part of the story, but it is another to make Vader searching for his old master the central focus of the series. And that all boils down to Reva.
The Third Sister (played by the incredible Moses Ingram) joined sides with the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) and despite being constantly told to leave the idea of finding Obi-Wan Kenobi behind, she continues her quest to find him. And as the series goes on, we learn that she was right to do so because she wasn’t answering to the Grand Inquisitor but to Vader himself. What Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn’t know is that Anakin survived and is now Lord Vader.
The dramatic flair of a Skywalker
The reason I think I have taken to Reva so quickly is because of her turn to the dramatics to get things done. It’s probably what Anakin saw in her and why he entrusted this journey to her. There are also theories that Reva has a personal stake in this, as we see a young Jedi in the beginning of the first episode that could have easily been Reva as a child when Order 66 was issued. So she has a connection to this, whether it is through her hatred of the Jedi or her own dedication to Vader. But she’s determined to find Obi-Wan for Vader and is willing to do whatever it takes.
And that leads to her dramatics that seem to constantly annoy the Grand Inquisitor but would definitely be something that Anakin would appreciate. And her reveal to Obi-Wan that Anakin is still alive? That’s someone who knows how to use emotional baggage to hurt you, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that Anakin would have done. It just worked so well in getting Ben involved in this search for Leia/whatever is coming, now that he knows Anakin alive, and it’s all down to Reva knowing exactly how the Jedi think.
The Third Sister on a mission
The series brings us Reva deep in her search for Obi-Wan. It means she’s willing to kill, maim, and torture to get the answers that she wants, and she’s not afraid to push back against those who outrank her to do so. And that’s the kind of antagonist we need in a show like Obi-Wan Kenobi. A passive member of the Empire would never get Ben out of hiding. Someone who is willing to force him out and put others in danger to get to Ben? That’s the kind of pushback he needs, and that the show needs to make it move forward.
It will be interesting to see how Reva’s relationship and dynamic with both Ben and Anakin changes throughout the series, but right now, I’m obsessed with her tactics and her way of getting the answers she needs.
(featured image: Lucasfilm)
