After six heart-pounding episodes to keep Star Wars fans satiated until their next return to a galaxy far, far away, Obi-Wan Kenobi has brought its first season to an explosive finale, bringing each of its many lingering plot threads to a satisfying resolution.
Although the latest series set in the Star Wars universe takes place over ten years before the events of The Mandalorian, the two streaming series share several hidden connections. As such, there are certain scattered details throughout Obi-Wan Kenobi that could hint at the future of The Mandalorian.
Order 66
The series opens with a scene depicting Order 66 at the Jedi Temple as a group of younglings seek to escape the carnage that left even most of the members of the High Jedi Council wiped out. As Chancellor Palpatine’s voice rings out the order to kill all Jedi over the loudspeakers, Jedi masters are shot down all around the younglings by the very clones they had once fought alongside.
Though this opening sequence is clearly an allusion to Revenge of the Sith‘s infamous scene, it could also hint at what is to come regarding The Mandalorian season 3, primarily regarding the origin of Grogu. Fans know that he was rescued from the Jedi Temple that very night by an unknown Jedi Master, yet little else. If anything, Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s Order 66 scene reminds fans that the franchise isn’t done with the Great Jedi Purge, and another flashback to that night is very likely for the future of The Mandalorian.
Tatooine Origins
The first episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi reveals what the eponymous character’s daily life has been for the past ten years, depicting him working at a meat gathering facility. Obi-Wan, along with his coworkers, gathers and cuts meat from the carcass of what appears to be some type of aquatic creature sprawled in the middle of the Dune Sea.
While no explanation is given regarding this creature, its inclusion could be a subtle indication of Tatooine’s history, which has been alluded to in Din Djarin’s recent journeys, especially those seen in The Book of Boba Fett. Tatooine, now covered in sand and dust, was once a lush planet with expansive oceans, perhaps once home to this very creature.
R5-D4
Some eagle-eyed fans spotted a familiar droid in the background of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s third episode in the form of R5-D4, an astromech with a long history in Star Wars. R5 first appeared in A New Hope, where he was purchased by Owen Lars before busting a motivator and being replaced by R2-D2.
While R5 is most known for his brief but memorable role in the original Star Wars film, many fans know that he has recently resurfaced on The Mandalorian, where he is owned by Amy Sedaris’s Peli Motto. The astromech droid has appeared alongside Motto on a number of occasions, including several run-ins with Mando himself.
A More Complex Galaxy
During the course of their travels on Jabiim, Obi-Wan and Leia come across a local named Freck, who is voiced by Zach Braff. Though he initially seems friendly, the character quickly asserts himself as a staunch supporter of the Empire, explaining why he believes the new galactic government is better than its predecessor.
This exchange in Obi-Wan Kenobi speaks to a larger theme in recent Star Wars titles, primarily The Mandalorian, which explore the morally grey area in the galactic conflicts that previously seemed so black-and-white. While the Empire is undoubtedly corrupt, many of its supporters, like Freck of Hunter Mayfield (Bill Burr) are merely citizens seeking some semblance of stability in a galaxy that is so often torn apart by war.
Project Harvester
Much of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s plot hinges on Kenobi and Leia escaping from the Empire using the Path. During their travels, Roken (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) explains that the Path has been used to smuggle several Force-sensitive children to safety in the years since the Empire took over the galaxy.
Roken’s distress over the Empire’s search for Force-sensitive children brings memories of Emperor Palpatine’s Project Harvester to light. Project Harvester attempted to gather Force-sensitive children for some unknown purpose, as depicted in The Clone Wars. While the plot was foiled, it may be that Palpatine revitalized his efforts after the fall of the Jedi, which may extend even beyond the Empire, and could potentially explain Moff Gideon’s obsession with capturing Grogu.
Quinlan Vos
The third episode of Obi-Wan’s spinoff series introduced the Jedi Master to the Path, which smuggled Imperial refugees, including surviving Jedi, to safety. Among a gathering of carvings made by those who had been helped by the Path, Obi-Wan finds the name “Quinlan Vos” etched into the wall, remarking in surprise that “Quinlan was here.”
Many Star Wars fans will recognize Quinlan Vos as a powerful Jedi Master from the Clone Wars who had always been rumored to have survived Order 66. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, he is implied to have undertaken an operation to save Jedi younglings from Imperial clutches. If this is the case, he could potentially be revealed as the mysterious Jedi Master who resued Grogu from the Purge and could even show up in future Star Wars content, like The Bad Batch season 2 or The Mandalorian season 3.
The Way
Episode 3 truly gets the plot rolling in this series, as Kenobi meets some of the series’ best new characters. However, the slower parts of the episode include one of the best exchanges in the series. While explaining the Force to Leia, he describes it as the best way to focus and find “the Way.”
While Obi-Wan may have simply been using a term to denote the proper manner of life for a Jedi, his terminology is certainly reminiscent of the infamous Mandalorian creed, “This is the Way.” The series’ choice to capitalize “Way” in both instances as a proper noun could indicate that Obi-Wan and Din Djarin have a closer connection than one would initially realize.
Sacrificial Droid
Episode 3 of Obi-Wan Kenobi introduced fans to Tala Durith, a keeper of the Path and traitor to the Empire, alongside her trusty reprogrammed mining droid NED-B, a mute and loyal defender of Tala’s exploits. However, only two episodes later, this droid would sacrifice himself in the line of Stormtrooper fire to keep Tala alive just long enough to arm a thermal detonator to take out the oncoming enemy.
NED-B’s sacrifice is eerily reminiscent of a certain other brave and selfless droid from the first season of The Mandalorian. After being reprogrammed to take care of Grogu, Taika Waititi’s IG-11, a bounty hunter droid, sacrificed himself on Navarro to help the child and his companions escape from the oncoming forces of Moff Gideon.
Surviving Stomach Wounds
The second episode of the series picks up the action as the Inquisitors prove their formidability in battle. Amidst the chaos, Reva drives her lightsaber through the Grand Inquisitor’s stomach, appearing to kill her immediate superior. However, the final two episodes revealed that he had survived the attack, though little explanation is given as to how. Similarly, Reva survives the exact same wound that very episode, the second time she has accomplished such a feat.
This strange triple occurrence in Star Wars’ latest venture picks up a trend that began in The Mandalorian with Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand, who survived being shot in the stomach thanks to artificially recreated body parts. The same is also hinted at with Timothy Olyphant’s Cobb Vanth in the final episode of The Book of Boba Fett.
An Involuntary Father
Much of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s plot revolves around the aging Obi-Wan unexpectedly taking care of a young Princess Leia Organa, who relies on him to save her life after nefarious forces set their sights on her. While Obi-Wan is initially somewhat cold to the child, knowing more about her past than he lets on, he eventually comes to love her like a daughter, forging a bond with the daughter of his one-time friend.
This plot thread closely resembles the general story of The Mandalorian, which revolves around Din Djarin’s care for the foundling Grogu. After two seasons with the Force-sensitive child, Din has come to see himself as a father to his companion, generating an emotional and compelling relationship between the show’s two main characters in a way that should feel very familiar to Star Wars fans in recent years.
