Star Wars: Brotherhood excerpt teases Obi-Wan and Anakin’s awkward transition from master and apprentice to brothers in arms

If only Qui-Gon Jinn could see them now. That’s an overarching theme in a new excerpt from Star Wars: Brotherhood, the Clone Wars-set novel from Mike Chen releasing on May 10.

Brotherhood chiefly follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, former master and apprentice turned Master Jedi and Jedi Knight. It’s some of the earliest days of the Clone Wars — Anakin has just secretly wed Senator Padme Amidala and cut off his Padawan braid, and Obi-Wan has found himself in a seat on the Jedi Council.

Both Jedi have become military generals virtually overnight, now in command of thousands of clone troopers created for this war. Uneasiness is the vibe post-Attack of the Clones and the Battle of Geonosis — for the Jedi’s relationship with the Republic and with each other.

Chen told Polygon that the prequel era of Star Wars is his favorite, “so to document the transition between Anakin and Obi-Wan as prickly master/apprentice to the brotherly team you see in the Clone Wars movie, it makes Brotherhood a true dream project.”

In the new excerpt shared by Polygon, Obi-Wan goes to find Anakin to tell him about a very challenging, emotionally taxing mission the new Jedi Knight is being called to: meeting the younglings and answering ALL of their questions.

Their conversation happens in the Jedi refectory (basically a cafeteria/rec room), where Anakin is eating vegetable soup and reconfigured some holodisplays to show podracing instead of the news.

"“Master,” Anakin said, standing up so fast that his knees banged the table, the soup in his bowl sloshing in reaction. Obi-­Wan noticed the subtle gesture Anakin made behind his back, cutting power to the holodisplay with the flip of a finger. “I was just catching up on the Cato Neimoidia news and—­”“It’s all right,” Obi-­Wan said, waving his hand as if he was doing a mind trick, though in this case it simply calmed the soup from spilling farther out. “Perhaps peace could be negotiated if we all watched sports and drank ale together. Actually, I’ve come to talk with you about your next assignment tomorrow.”"

Their conversation is a bit awkward. They bounce between casual and formal, between their upcoming missions and unsaid things about their new relationship. Obi-Wan even mentions Padme in a way that feels like a test of Anakin’s feelings before talking more about his unorthodox upcoming trip to investigate the disaster on Cato Neimoidia.

"“You know I should be there with you.” Obi-­Wan had heard variations on that statement before, and in some cases it came with the intimation that Anakin considered himself more powerful, more capable, the obvious solution. In this case, though, his voice, his posture, the concern on his face, all came across as authentic, an unexpected maturity. What an interesting change in attitude."

And before Obi-Wan finally reveals the nature of Anakin’s mystery assignment — teaching the younglings the wisdom he’s learned in his journey from Padawan to Knight — he tells him that his late Master Qui-Gon would be proud of him.

"“He would be proud of you,” Obi-­Wan said, a pure sincerity in his voice. Qui-­Gon, with such belief that Anakin was the Chosen One—­whether or not that was true, it was hard to argue with Anakin’s accomplishments. “His faith would be rewarded.”"

Read the full excerpt here.

Star Wars: Brotherhood releases on May 10 and is available to preorder.

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