“The rematch of the century.” That’s how Obi-Wan Kenobi was announced and advertised. Kenobi and Darth Vader locking sabers one more time. I don’t want to cast aspersions on people and say that this was the only thing a subset of the fans cared about when it came to the series but, two years later, the fight is pretty much all people talk about. And it’s great. A confrontation as emotional as it is thrilling, the rematch somehow managed to live up to the hype. But I feel it does a disservice to the rest of Part VI that the duel is solely focused on. The season might have been messy getting here, the good mixed with the bad, but the finale ties everything together, closing out each character and narrative arc in a way which suggests the creators knew what they were doing after all. It’s a satisfying end to the show, cleanly transitioning from the prequel trilogy to the original.
Part VI might not look any different to the preceding episodes but it sure does sound different. Some of John Williams’ classic music from the saga films is heard for the first time, mixed with composer Natalie Holt’s original work. I really want to support new ideas and talent in Star Wars, to push the franchise forward rather than relying on the same old beats, and I like the idea of holding back the Williams music until the finale, now that the show and characters are now in a more classically Star Wars position. Yet, admire the attempt as I do, there is such a gulf in quality between the original music for the show and the classic score from the films that they should have just used the classic motifs throughout. It goes such a long way to making the characters feel like the characters, and the series feel like Star Wars. It would have helped the weaker middle episodes enormously.
The episode begins with Reva on Tatooine after narrowly surviving her encounter with Vader. Why is she there? It’s not totally clear. This storyline is the weakest part of an otherwise strong finale. Her motivation for hunting Luke, I guess to get to Kenobi and therefore Vader, is confused, but, to be fair, so is she. The character is grasping at straws, fuelled by her hatred, so I’m not going to poke too many holes in her logic. While her reasons for going after Luke are cloudy, the mere idea that she is is powerful. Her anger is forcing her to become what she hates. The child who was attacked is now attacking children on a quest for vengeance. Although Reva literally seeing herself when about to strike down Luke is a bit much, we get it, but this is Star Wars where subtlety is far down the list of concerns.
I like what we get of Luke in the episode. Leia is by far the more interesting twin at this point in time (or at pretty much any time, if you ask me) so I’m glad we don’t spend too long with him. There’s just enough Luke that we understand what kind of boy he is. And that kind of boy is Anakin. Not only does he look similar to little Ani from The Phantom Menace but he acts like him, too. We even get a scene of him visiting a junk trader. It’s also cool to see Owen and Beru as parental figures, particularly Beru who is presented as much more forthright, matching her characterisation in other media.
Aboard a fleeing transport, Obi-Wan wraps up some character development before leaving to face Vader. A key part of his journey this season has been learning to trust people again, after refusing to help the Jedi in the premiere and then not believing the Path existed. It feels like Haja was reintroduced late in the season just so there was someone for Kenobi to trust and show how much he’s changed. I wish Kumail Nanjiani had a little more to do but he’s fun in his limited role. I also like O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Roken despite the limited screentime. Obi-Wan tells Roken not to stop what he’s doing and I hope we get to see the character again to add some importance to these words. As a key member of the Path, which may lead to a role in the Rebel Alliance, he could easily pop up in Andor, an animated show, or even the sequel to Jedi: Survivor.
But, okay, the fight. Yep, it’s great. It’s clearly shot on The Volume but it goes to show how directing choices and additional visual effects can really change the feel of filming on a virtual set. The tall stone pillars break up the stage and add height to stop it all feeling too flat. The gloomy location is effective and the real glow of the lightsabers on characters and the environment looks much better than in past episodes because the lighting and setting have been designed with that in mind. It’s a sequence that clearly everyone involved put their all into and was given time to plan and shoot, unlike some other scenes. The combat is fast and energetic; not quite to prequel levels but that’s fine, Vader shouldn’t move like that. If anything, it feels more like a sequel trilogy fight but with decades of emotional investment. There are some great new environmental moves, like Kenobi raising rocks to throw at Vader and Vader burying Obi-Wan. It’s a fun nod to see him create his own high ground and it works because they don’t draw attention to it; there’s no line or quip.
A great final move from Obi-Wan (I like the decision to have him unquestionably win so Vader has to again sit in the misery of defeat for another decade) sees Vader’s mask crack so the two can have one last face-to-face conversation. It’s a complete copy of what happens during the Ahsoka/Vader fight in Rebels but I don’t care. It works every time, most viewers won’t have seen that series, and seeing it in live action offers Hayden Christensen time to shine. Both actors are wonderful in the scene and you can both feel the reprise of their old dynamic and the years since their last encounter, both the characters and performers. Kenobi is able to forgive himself after seeing that Anakin/Vader is responsible for his actions, say goodbye, and overcome the sense of failure that defined him. It’s a beautiful, emotional scene. It looks incredible, too. The red and blue light sources, switching to reflect emotions, is spectacular. A phenomenal moment; one of the best scenes of modern Star Wars.
Cut from that tremendous fight to… Owen kicking plant pots! Intercutting action sequences is a classic Star Wars staple, part of the storytelling of the franchise, and I’ve defended other recent examples that fans have complained about. But it doesn’t work here. The investment I have in the Kenobi/Vader duel far outshines what is happening on Tatooine. It’s a fine fight but I think it throws the pace of the episode off. It’s not just the intercutting of the action scenes, I would have restructured the whole episode. It’s initially hard to gage when the two storylines are happening in relation to each other. Reva is suddenly on another planet and at least a day passes on Tatooine before Kenobi even leaves the transport ship. I thought that surely all the Obi-Wan scenes were happening first but were just edited alongside the other story. But then he senses Luke is in danger and arrives on Tatooine a couple of minutes later for the stories to converge. All the timings push the limit of believability, even in a space fantasy world.
I like the end of Reva’s storyline more for Kenobi than I do for Reva. I don’t dislike her character but, as I’ve previously written about, I think she was hurt by the structure of the show and keeping her past a mystery for too long. Purely from her perspective, I think Reva committing to evil and completely losing herself, with that leading to her death, could have been a satisfying, tragic end. Her redemption, or at least her beginning of one, is fine. I’m open to seeing the character again somewhere in the future or leaving it here. But it works as a closing statement for Kenobi’s arc more than her own. Not only does he understand and overcome his trauma, but he can be a selfless Jedi with that new perspective and help Reva through similar pain.
While Kenobi transcends, Vader stews. Returning to his castle on Mustafar, he receives a hologram transmission from his master. I’m always going to enjoy Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine; even if you don’t like the character’s appearance in Rise of Skywalker, McDiarmid is on top form in that movie. The Emperor looks a little weird in his brief cameo, with a CGI face, but it’s the voice I care about. It’s not an egregious cameo, it makes perfect sense, and if anything I would have taken a slightly longer scene. Palpatine serves his role, bringing Vader back under his control with a few manipulative words. His cameos on TV have been great these past few years. Palpatine’s scene in the second season of The Bad Batch, addressing the senate, is one of the character’s best in all the franchise.
This series began with Leia almost as a dual protagonist but her journey was increasingly sidelined as the season progressed. We get the end of her arc here, and it’s solid, but you’d be excused for missing some of the development. It may be slight but Vivian Lyra Blair is so great in the role and the relationship between her and Ewan as Obi-Wan is sweet. They have a charming final scene. Leia accepts her place in her adopted family and is now ready to serve her role but in her way: the warrior princess, a politician with a blaster. The one aspect I don’t think works at all is Tala being a inspiration for Leia, with her being gifted Tala’s holster. Did they have much of a relationship? And some of the dialogue between Kenobi and Leia, setting up A New Hope, comes close to feeling too knowing, too winky, but it thankfully doesn’t cross the line.
We all knew there had to be another “Hello there” at some point in this show and I think we got the best possible version. It was funny, sure, but also purposeful. Kenobi has now grown and softened and Owen recognises the journey he has been on, introducing him to Luke for the first time. It’s not just a reference but a greeting that represents Obi-Wan’s entire arc in the series. And now that he has passed this Jedi test, Obi-Wan is no longer alone, being greeted by the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn. Like the Emperor’s cameo, it’s important to the story and we get what we need from it, nothing more. It is weird seeing a ghost in the bright desert, however. Visually they suit the dark undergrowth of Dagobah more but I understand why Qui-Gon had to appear there. It’s a nice visual metaphor, master and apprentice on a new literal journey together, rather than just sat in a cave.
I don’t think Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the best Disney+ live action Star Wars shows, I’d rank it below Andor, The Acolyte, and The Mandalorian in that order, but I do think it’s a series I’ll revisit more than the others. It ties itself so well into the wider saga that a viewing of the prequels now won’t feel complete without rewatching this series. The show has its issues but I enjoy the journey and it reaches its destination with aplomb. There are problems with the execution and it has some meandering aspects but the core narrative is rock solid. The finale highlights that this was absolutely a story worthy of being told, aiding canon rather than hindering it. I remember getting to the end of The Book of Boba Fett and questioning why that series even exists. Not the case here. Obi-Wan Kenobi justifies its existence, more than just as “the rematch of the century.”
