The original Star Wars films made Obi-Wan Kenobi into an iconic character, but the prequel trilogy expanded his story and had some of his best moments in the saga. From overly-serious Padawan to kind and compassionate Jedi Master, Obi-Wan’s vivid transformation throughout the Star Wars movies is second only to Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader. The prequels challenged Obi-Wan as a man and Jedi, each trial shaping him into the wise master who set Luke Skywalker on his Jedi path.
Obi-Wan had several exciting moments throughout the prequels, including lightsaber duels, space battles, and the most gripping emotional confrontations of the Star Wars franchise. While each moment was fantastic, many built off each other to create a thoroughly satisfying narrative. 10 specific moments in the prequel trilogy were the most entertaining and heartfelt, defining one of the greatest Jedi Masters in Star Wars.
10 Obi-Wan’s Final Heart To Heart With Qui-Gon
Obi-Wan may not have taken center stage in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but his master/apprentice relationship with Qui-Gon Jinn was a highlight of the prequel trilogy. After countless disagreements over Jedi orthodoxy, it was heartwarming when they had one last conversation to express their gratitude for each other as they prepared to move on from their roles as teacher and student. It’s a satisfying conclusion to their respective arcs throughout the movie and makes Qui-Gon’s death more tragic in the finale.
9 Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Maul
Obi-Wan’s newfound ferocity made his fight with Darth Maul one of the most intense lightsaber duels of the prequel trilogy. Ewan McGregor and Ray Park displayed remarkable athleticism and aggression that allowed them to lose themselves in their respective characters. Obi-Wan leaping out of the shaft and cutting Maul in half with Qui-Gon’s lightsaber became an iconic Star Wars moment and set up the Sith Lord’s eventual return in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
8 Obi-Wan Defies The Jedi Council
Obi-Wan’s final scene with Master Yoda in The Phantom Menace illustrated how the film had changed the newly knighted Jedi. Obi-Wan was a much more traditional Jedi than Qui-Gon, arguing that his master should adhere to the code and not defy the Jedi Council. However, because of his final heart-to-heart with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan revealed that deep down, loyalty was what mattered most to him. He proved this when he was willing to defy Yoda and the Council to honor Qui-Gon’s dying wish. It’s a compelling moment that marked the beginning of Obi-Wan’s development throughout the prequel trilogy.
7 Obi-Wan Uses A Jedi Mind Trick On A Drug Dealer
Obi-Wan had wonderfully comedic timing throughout the prequels, with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones having the best example. When a drug dealer approached Obi-Wan to buy “Death Sticks,” he casually used a Jedi mind trick to change the man’s mind and send him home to rethink his life. It’s one of the funniest moments in the Star Wars movies and is consistent with Obi-Wan’s Jedi beliefs, encouraging someone to choose a better path rather than forcing them to.
6 Obi-Wan Vs. Jango Fett
Maul was an expert swordsman, but Jango Fett challenged every aspect of Obi-Wan’s combat skills. The Mandalorian bounty hunter forced Obi-Wan to block blaster bolts, fight hand-to-hand, and get dragged through the rain. Obi-Wan nearly falling to the watery depths below was made more tense by Jango struggling not to slide off the slick metal platform, barely escaping before Obi-Wan could return to the ship.
5 Obi-Wan Outsmarts Jango By Faking His Death
If a hand-to-hand fight between Obi-Wan and Jango wasn’t enough for the audience, Lucas had them face off in an asteroid field above Geonosis. Jango’s relentless attacks and insane firepower constantly had Obi-Wan on the run, at least until the Jedi Master cleverly jettisoned his spare parts in front of the missiles and then hid behind an asteroid until Jango was gone. Of course, no one could have guessed that Boba Fett knew Han Solo’s trick because of Obi-Wan in The Empire Strikes Back.
4 Obi-Wan Vs. Count Dooku
Obi-Wan had one more impressive fight in Attack of the Clones, which unfortunately didn’t end as well as his duel with Maul in The Phantom Menace. While he blocked Dooku’s Force Lightning and displayed expert skill, he was no match for the former Jedi Master, taking nasty blows to the arm and leg. Even so, Obi-Wan summoned his lightsaber and threw it to Anakin despite being unable to stand.
3 Obi-Wan’s Final Heart To Heart With Anakin
In a touching parallel to Obi-Wan’s final heart-to-heart with Qui-Gon, his last goodbye to Anakin marked the last time they would see each other as friends in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. McGregor’s subtle eyebrow raise showed that Obi-Wan recalled his apology to Qui-Gon in The Phantom Menace, and his pride in Anakin beautifully mirrored his late master’s words. However, Palpatine’s influence had driven a wedge between them, so the scene illustrated how far Obi-Wan had come while highlighting the different paths each character had chosen.
2 Obi-Wan Vs. General Grievous
Obi-Wan’s first duel of the prequel trilogy was against an opponent with a double-bladed lightsaber, which could only be topped by a villain who wielded four weapons at once. Before General Grievous ignited a single lightsaber, Obi-Wan demonstrated quick thinking by crushing most of the MagnaGuards, casually decapitating the last one. Obi-Wan’s ability to quickly disarm an enemy who killed so many Jedi showed his growth as a swordsman, and it subsequently made his next opponent even stronger by comparison.
1 Obi-Wan Vs. Anakin
The most epic and tragic moment of the entire prequel trilogy was Obi-Wan’s final confrontation with Anakin. McGregor and Hayden Christensen trained for months to perfect every aspect of their fight down to the last detail, resulting in one of the best lightsaber duels of the saga. Anakin remained on the offensive and gave in to his rage, but Obi-Wan used strategy and quick thinking to survive, a beacon of light amidst a hellish landscape. His last words to Anakin, elevated by a breathtaking performance from McGregor, made this duel Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s best moment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
