Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered on May 27th, 2022, and saw Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprise their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, respectively. Not only that, but Christensen will be reprising his role for the upcoming Ahsoka series as well. Meanwhile, Christensen and James Earl Jones are seriously impressing us with Darth Vader’s portrayal in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Darth Vader has always been a cruel and terrifying leader. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi is giving us a firsthand look at just how powerful and ruthless he really is.
Darth Vader is shockingly sadistic in this series, as we see him bursting into a small town and casually murdering and hurting people for no reason as he strolls down the streets. Meanwhile, in the latest episode, we see him pull an enormous ship out of the sky and pretty much rip it to shreds with the Force in mere seconds. Even though he’s obviously capable of killing, we also frequently see him playing and toying with his victims, attempting to extend their suffering.
This is really the first time that Christensen has portrayed Darth Vader, as he was almost solely Anakin in the prequel series. Now that we have him back and have seen his capabilities, we’re definitely itching to see more of him. Darth Vader has always been an intriguing character and to have the original Anakin actor portraying him (along with the voice of Jones), definitely makes it seem like the right time to give this villain a solo series.
Will there be a Darth Vader spin-off series?
While a Darth Vader spin-off series has not been officially confirmed, Christensen himself has revealed that he is down for one. This means that at least half the battle is already won. In an interview with ET Canada, when asked if he would be interested in helming a Darth Vader series, Christensen answered:
“Yeah, I mean, you know, absolutely, I think this is a character that sort of resonates in our culture and in a very kind of profound way. And there’s certainly more there to explore. There are so many other stories that have been told in these other mediums.”
Christensen’s enthusiasm definitely gives us hope for a Darth Vader spin-off. After all, it’s not extremely common for an actor to step back into a role they haven’t played since 2005. However, Christensen took up the challenge and now it seems as if he is here to stay in the Star Wars franchise. With Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka fostering interest in Darth Vader, and Christensen’s openness to helming a solo series, it wouldn’t be surprising if a Darth Vader spin-off becomes a reality in the future.
(featured image: Disney)
