Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan’s lack of faith in his former apprentice Darth Vader – despite Luke Skywalker’s protestations in Return of the Jedi – is one of the most secretly heartbreaking emotional beats in the entire Star Wars saga, yet Obi-Wan Kenobi has finally explained why the Jedi Master is so quick to dismiss him. As one of the last remnants of the old Jedi Order, Obi-Wan is a largely hopeful character during the prequel era, and serves as a vital guide and mentor to Luke in the original trilogy. Given this, his hopelessness around Anakin Skywalker has always seemed slightly jarring, until the events of Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 3.
In “Chapter 3”, the former Jedi knight comes face to face with his nemesis for the first time since their fateful duel on Mustafar. On this occasion, Vader easily beats Obi-Wan, defeating him with a terrifying combination of lightsaber prowess and skill with the Force. As the episode reached its harrowing climax, Vader vows his determination to make Obi-Wan “suffer” as he has suffered, dragging his stricken body over burning coals. It is only after the intervention of ex-Imperial officer Tala Durith (played by Game of Thrones‘ Indira Varma) and loader droid NED-B that Obi-Wan escapes with his life.
On the surface, Anakin’s cruelty can simply be interpreted as revenge for his defeat on Mustafar. Yet, beyond this, it also explains why Obi-Wan famously refuses to see his former friend and apprentice as anything other than “more machine now than man, twisted and evil.” By suffering under Vader first-hand, Obi-Wan is finally able to understand how far Anakin has fallen, his own pain serving as a stark reminder of the hold of the dark side. Any hope that may have lingered after Padmé’s parting words that “there’s still good in him” is extinguished by his personal exposure to Vader’s flames. Even though Obi-Wan turned out to be wrong, this encounter and his torture explain why he was no longer able to see Vader as anything other than “twisted and evil” and refused to listen to Luke about the possibility of his father finding redemption.
Obi-Wan’s wavering faith was understandably first expressed in Revenge of the Sith. After witnessing a security hologram of Anakin mercilessly slaughtering younglings, Obi-Wan was understandably distraught. Yet the emotion that he expressed during and after his battle with the new Lord Vader on Mustafar belied the emotional attachment that he still felt towards his old friend. It’s only after he personally suffers at the hands of Vader that he becomes convinced that Anakin is truly beyond saving. As a result, this moment in “Chapter 3” is singularly important in explaining Obi-Wan’s resignation about Anakin’s fate in the original trilogy.
It’s also important to consider that the prelude to Obi-Wan’s Vader defeat saw the Sith torture and murder his way through an entire innocent village. Witnessing this brutality firsthand is much more impactful than watching Anakin on a hologram – which, while shocking, still provides a degree of separation from the full extent of the violence. Vader’s rage, coupled with his direct actions against both Obi-Wan and the innocent village bystanders, means that Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 3 is perhaps the most significant development in the characters’ relationship since Anakin’s original fall in Revenge of the Sith. Without this exposure, it seems that Obi-Wan may well have been more willing to listen to Luke.
New episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi air Wednesdays on Disney+
Key Release Dates
Rogue Squadron
Release Date:2023-12-22
