Warning: This article contains spoilers from Obi-Wan Kenobi Episodes 4.
One of Star War’s most iconic scenes is during The Empire Strikes Back’s Hoth battle where we were introduced to the fearsome AT-AT. We see Luke Skywalker riding out with Wedge Antilles to grapple them with the cumbersome snowspeeder, more formerly known as the Incom T-47 air speeder. It seems that the Rebellion had been using these craft longer than we thought and even the fearsome Obi-Wan Kenobi has traveled in one.
The T-47 ” snowspeeder” is actually not a military craft at all. They were heavily modified for use by the Rebellion (and the Path as well it seems). These modifications include the two heavy blaster cannons and in some instances the tow cables.
These crafts are still limited in their uses, however, and pilots other hated using them. Poe Dameron said it best when he said “No, no, not the T-47! I can fly anything, but that doesn’t mean I want to. Piloting the T-47 is like steering a block of wood” in the book Star Wars: The Rebel Files.
The other major limitation of the T-47 “Snowspeeder” is the complete lack of a hyperdrive. Inside the Star Wars universe, the hyperdrive makes ships able to travel at faster than light speeds and is the most common mode to travel between planets. That’s why we seek Obi-Wan Kenobi and Leia returning to a hangar ship before heading out of the system.
While it may seem a bit odd that these improvised crafts were able to break through the defenses of the Fortress Inquisitorius, it demonstrates the complete arrogance of the Empire in their complete superiority. Either way, it was a blast from the past for this The Empire Strikes Back call back.
Episode 4 of Obi-Wan Kenobi is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. The next episode will premiere Wednesday, June 1. Be sure to check out all of our coverage on the series, including episode recaps, reviews, and more.