Legendary Rivalry Reignited

The last time viewers saw Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi was in 2005’s “Episode III–Revenge of the Sith” where he and Anakin Skywalker set up their long term relationship for the rest of Star Wars history.

Ewan McGregor comes back sixteen years later to reprise his role as Obi-Wan in “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” streaming on May 25 on Disney+. Returning with him is co-star Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.

The two will possibly face off in another lightsaber duel that will add another chapter to their long history as Jedi bound “brothers” and enemies.

Star Wars fans last saw the duo duel in “Revenge of the Sith” in a battle that left Anakin burning and limbless.

That duel was between two talented Jedi with a deep understanding of each other, trapped in a life or death situation that Anakin was bound to lose; Obi-Wan would never forget his former Padawan.

In “Episode IV–A New Hope,” Obi-Wan and Vader have their final duel on the Death Star. Obi-Wan is helping Luke, Leia and Han Solo escape on the Millennium Falcon which leads to Obi-Wan sacrificing himself.

The Disney+ series is set between these fateful duels, and it would make sense that Obi-Wan and Vader cross paths again before their final encounter in “A New Hope.”

Vader is obviously not going to be as acrobatic as his younger self after his injuries, but after his years of training with the Sith, he is the strongest force user. His dueling would be more calculated and effective, and he would never make the same mistakes that he did in their previous encounter on Mustafar.

Besides an Obi-Wan versus Vader duel, viewers may also get to better understand how Vader built this empire in just a couple of years. The show may also show how vulnerable Vader is without Padme and Obi-Wan.

The series likely explores what Obi-Wan goes through during the years that the Sith control the galaxy and he lives on Tatooine. The trailer shows Obi-Wan watching over Vader’s son Luke Skywalker from a distance, but few other details are known.

Viewers may not want to watch “Obi-Wan Kenobi” due to the disappointment of “The Book of Boba Fett” which came out in December. In the new television series, Fett is on Tatooine navigating the Galaxy’s underworld and fighting for Jabba the Hutt’s old territory.

Fans have negative opinions about the series due to the complete lack of connections to the original trilogy. Fett’s stone cold demeanor is not there as the show completely disregards his past.

However, “Obi-Wan Kenobi” is being created by different people. Deborah Chow is directing, and she is an award-winning filmmaker who directed two of the most memorable and exciting episodes of “The Mandalorian.”

She is also serving as executive producer along with a team of people very different from those who worked on “Boba Fett.”