Disney+ released the new Star Wars series early, at 11pm CT on May 26th, a Thursday night. Initially they had scheduled the release for Friday, May 27th, but somehow bumped up the time slot. The new series is centered around Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, set 10 years after Order 66 and the ending of the movie, Return of the Sith. The character of Kenobi debuted in the original 1977 Star Wars movie, then played by Sir Alec Guinness. When the 2nd trilogy appeared, more than 20 years ago, the younger Obi-Wan was played by McGregor.
Most people who have watched the Star Wars movies know the timeline: the original movie, which at first was titled Star Wars, then later renamed as A New Hope (aka Episode IV), started the trilogy. In 1999 came the prequels, another trilogy exploring the rise of Darth Vader (episodes I-III). Ignoring the most recent trilogy, as neither Vader nor Kenobi appear there, the only concern here is those six movies, plus the animated Clone Wars shows. The Disney+ series is set ten years after the end of Return of the Sith. Much has happened in the galaxy during those ten years, but there is also much ignorance in the outer rim. Obi-Wan has abandoned the way of the Jedi. He believe his former apprentice dead. Kenobi cares not about the Empire, nor does he concern himself with other Jedi, or even other people. He now lives a life of obscurity, watching over young Luke Skywalker on the desert planet of Tatooine. He has buried his lightsaber, suppressed the force and the ways of the Jedi.
The planet Tatooine is probably the most famous planet in all of Star Wars. Maybe it’s not the best place to hide young Skywalker, considered that his father is the feared Darth Vader, formerly Annakin Skywalker and Kenobi’s apprentice. Still, as far as Annakin/Vader is concerned (and the rest of the galaxy save a handful of people), Annakin’s unborn child died with Padme. So, he has no idea that the child survived (although there are two children). Still, he knows Kenobi is alive, and likely has been hunting him these past 10 years (and probably others, like his own former apprentice).
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series, scheduled for a mere six episodes, will somehow try to fill in some of Kenobi’s life between Return of the Sith and A New Hope (the latter being the original Star Wars movie). The first episode introduces Kenobi to the Inquisitors, former Jedi or dark force adepts who hunt Jedi. He ignores them until begged by his former friend Bail Organa to help rescue his kidnapped daughter. This girl is really Annakin/Vader’s daughter, the twin of Luke Skywalker. Few people know this fact, but it introduces us to Leia’s backstory. Few people would know that kindapping young Leia would bring Kenobi out of hiding, a strange plot device, but that’s what it does.
One of the inquisitors is gunning for Kenobi, and does everything and anything to lure him out, which happens in episode two. Here, Kenobi learns his apprentice is not dead, and it sends him into an emptional tailspin. What will happen in the next four episodes remains to be seen. This seems almost too short a time to tell a decent story.
The young Leia is a fiery, spunky character. At one point Kenobi tells her that she reminds him of someone. Many might see this as Padme, Leia’s mother, but I think he’s remembering Satine Kryze, from the Clone Wars. It might be too much to ask for live action flashbacks here.
At some point Vader will emerge from the shadows. How they resolve this and Kenobi returns to Tatooine to hide remains to be seen.
