After watching all nine Star Wars films and the various spinoff shows, one thing is clear. Obi-Wan Kenobi is the greatest Jedi who ever lived, and here are some reasons why.
There have been a ton of amazing Jedi who have graced the big screen throughout the entire Star Wars saga. Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Rey, Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Anakin Skywalker, Ki-Adi Mundi, and of course Luke Skywalker are some of the more notable ones.
But one Jedi stands above the rest and needs to start getting recognized as the greatest Jedi who ever lived. That is none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi.
While this saga is ultimately the story of the Skywalkers, Obi-Wan is arguably the best and most pure Jedi to ever come out of it.
Here’s a list of some reasons why Obi-Wan Kenobi is the greatest Jedi who ever lived.
He’s a cunning warrior
Obi-Wan Kenobi is simply one of the greatest warriors in the history of the Jedi. His track record proves it. Obi-Wan has defeated some powerful Sith Lords in his day. He took down Darth Maul twice and defeated the newly turned Darth Vader in the epic showdown on Mustafar.
Obi-Wan also did what no other Jedi could do and defeated General Grievous in one-on-one combat. Even with six lightsabers in his arms, Grievous turned out to be no match for Kenobi. He also took down an Acklay while handcuffed in the arena in Geonosis.
Obi-Wan Kenobi often uses the lightsaber technique known as Soresu. Soresu is more of a defensive style that suits Kenobi’s more patient nature. He mastered that technique and it was detrimental in his defeat of Grievous and his success over Darth Maul in their rematch on Tatooine.
While Kenobi himself said Sith Lords are his specialty one, Sith gave him a ton of trouble. That was Count Dooku. Dooku bested Kenobi in their showdown on Geonosis and again on the separatist cruiser that was used in the capture of Chancellor Palpatine. While Dooku was an exception to the rule, Kenobi proved that time and time again, if he was battling an enemy with his lightsaber, chances are he was going to come out on top.
He’s got great one-liners
Obi-Wan Kenobi, whether it was intentional or not, has some of the best one-liners in the entire Star Wars saga. He actually has an entire library of them and the fact he has so many make him all the greater.
We have to start with the classic and the first line he ever said which as “Hello, there.” He said this to R2-D2 after he saved Luke from the Sand People. Obi-Wan also said this line to General Grievous before he battled him in Revenge of the Sith and it has taken on a life of its own. There are whole Instagram pages created just for this line. There’s a large group of fans out there who if told “Hello There” will respond with “General Kenobi”, and if you do not reply correctly, you are ridiculed heavily.
There are plenty more beyond that one line. Here’s a quick rundown:
“That’s No moon, that’s a battle station.”
“If you strike me down, I’ll become more powerful then you can ever imagine.”
“What I told you was true, from a certain point of view.”
“You’re right master, the negotiations were short.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Only the Sith deal in absolutes.”
“It’s over Anakin, I have the high ground.”
Some of these may not have grown in popularity if not for social media. Now though, when we watch a Star Wars film that Obi-Wan is in, we always brace ourselves to hear these famous lines, and they never seem to get old and continue to put a smile on our faces.
He never was seduced by the darkside despite many hardships
When one goes back and thinks about what Obi-Wan Kenobi has suffered in his life, it’s truly amazing that he didn’t succumb to his anger and despair and fall to the Dark Side.
Obi-Wan had to sit helplessly as he watched his master get killed by Darth Maul. He was too late to save him and had the only father he’d ever truly known die in his arms. While Obi-Wan bounced back after that stinging blow by defeating Darth Maul, he didn’t let his anger or rage overtake him. He kept his cool and stayed firmly on the light side of the Force.
Years later Obi-Wan would be reunited with the love of his life Satine Kryze the Dutchess of Mandalore. After spending time with her as a young Padawan, he was later reunited with her when Mandalore was accused of helping the Separatists.
After helping her deal with that issue, dealing with Death Watch, and various other conflicts, she ended up dying in his arms after being impaled by the Darksaber that was being wielded by Darth Maul. In her dying breaths, she professed her love for Obi-Wan. That would be enough to send a lesser man into an anger-fueled rage, but again Kenobi showed the strength to overcome his grief and all the negative emotions that go along with it.
Finally, Obi-Wan Kenobi had to face what was basically his little brother in Darth Vader. The young Padawan he taught from a young age, fell to the Dark Side and it was his job to confront and destroy him. Obi-Wan won the battle after failing to talk Anakin to his senses. He couldn’t deliver the fatal blow, instead opting to leave Anakin for dead, after his legless body went up in flames. It’s shocking that witnessing that event and dismembering someone he loved didn’t send him over to the Dark Side. Obi-Wan has the strongest will of any Jedi and his commitment to the Light Side is truly commendable.
He played a key role in the Fall of the Sith
The Sith would still be ruling the galaxy to this very day if it wasn’t for the sacrifices of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Not only did he destroy the first Sith to reveal himself in over a thousand years Darth Maul, but he helped train the chosen one, Anakin Skywalker, who would end up bringing balance back to the Force even if it was just for a short period of time.
Obi-Wan taught Anakin Skywalker everything he knew. That made Anakin a great strategist and fighter but watching how Obi-Wan conducted himself and the clear and obvious good that made up his soul had a part in Anakin’s overall redemption.
Let’s not forget Obi-Wan’s biggest contribution to the downfall of the Sith, and that is the watching over and caring for Luke Skywalker. Obi-Wan clearly felt guilty for how he left Anakin burning alive next to a molten lava river. He sacrificed nearly 18 years of his life living in the desolate desert wastelands of Tatooine to atone for that sin.
He made sure Luke was safe, and when the time was right, not so subtly nudged him on the path that lead him to become a Jedi. Not just a Jedi but one who would help his father earn his redemption and also carry on the legacy of the Jedi. Without Obi-Wan, Luke would’ve ended up a grumpy old moisture farmer and Darth Vader would’ve continued to live a tortured life of suffering and internal pain as he controlled the galaxy.