What would the plot of an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone movie be like?

We’ve heard plenty of rumors about an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone Star Wars movie in the works at Lucasfilm. But what would such a movie be about?

Star Wars fans are for it. Ewan McGregor, who portrayed young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel movies, is for it. There are even rumors that a Kenobi standalone movie is currently in the works at Lucasfilm.

So what would the plot of an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie be like?

If Ewan McGregor reprises his role as Kenobi, then the film would most likely take place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. This timeframe puts Kenobi in exile on Tatooine. We know three things that he does during this exile of nineteen years: He 1) learns the secret to becoming a Force ghost from the ghost of his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, 2) watches over Luke Skywalker and 3) duels his old enemy, Darth Maul and slays him.

Since Kenobi’s duel with Maul was already played out on-screen in Star Wars Rebels, that event can’t be the main focus of a Kenobi standalone movie. We have also already seen a lot of Kenobi watching over Luke in Marvel’s Star Wars comics. What hasn’t been addressed in detail in any canon is Kenobi’s training with Qui-Gon’s Force ghost.

“Watchful Guardian” by Chris Dee

To that end, I could see a future Kenobi movie working as a spiritual journey where both Kenobi and the viewers discover more about how the Force works. Because of its spiritual nature, this story would also be about Kenobi’s recovery from all the traumatic events in his life. The healing part is a necessity because cosmic revelations usually only come when the subject is at peace and ready to receive them. Ultimately, this Kenobi film would be deeply intimate and soul-searching, fitting both the Star Wars aesthetic and Kenobi’s character.

A Kenobi movie could also easily take on the Western movie genre just as author John Jackson Miller did for his Legends book, Kenobi. A Western has it all: drama, comedy, action, mystery, and even a little romance. The book Kenobi has all these things, as well. The interesting thing about that book, though, is that the story revolves around the characters Kenobi meets on Tatooine when he first arrives. The book reveals insights to Kenobi’s character through his interactions and misadventures with the gossipy folks of a small town. Only occasionally is there a chapter from his point of view, and those are first-person monologues of him trying (and failing) to communicate with Qui-Gon.

Image credit: Del Rey (via Wookieepedia)

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The novel’s unorthodox narrative structure and Western genre fit Kenobi’s character. By the time of his exile, he is a mysterious man full of secrets who carries the burdens of his past. And we all know a mysterious hero is a must-have for a typical Western movie. Lucasfilm could simply borrow the ideas Miller put into his book and they would have a compelling movie plot in their hands.

If Lucasfilm does indeed develop a Kenobi movie, they may go a route no one expects for the story. The two plot ideas above are, admittedly, the most obvious choices. But they would still work, singly or together, for a great film.

What do you think a good Kenobi movie would be about? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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