Warning: This article contains spoilers for Episode 4 of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Even though Phase I of the High Republic takes place hundreds of years before the events of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a character from that era–Tera Sinube–managed to appear in the latest episode of the live-action of the series.
Who is Tera Sinube?
First introduced during The Clone Wars, Tera Sinube was an experienced Jedi Knight and investigator. His unique skills and his knowledge of Coruscant’s criminal underworld led to him helping Ahsoka Tano recover her stolen lightsaber during The Clone Wars season 2 episode “Lightsaber Lost.”
He appeared in several other episodes of The Clone Wars, including when he is training younglings during the season 5 episode “The Wrong Jedi.” He can be seen protecting them from harm as Anakin Skywalker duels Barriss Offee.
Tera Sinube has also appeared in stories such as the audio drama Dooku: Jedi Lost and in flashbacks to when he was on the Jedi Council in the comic Jedi Fallen Order – Dark Temple.
By the time of the prequel era, Tera Sinube was already hundreds of years old as during Phase I of the High Republic, he is a Jedi Master and marshal of a Jedi Temple outpost on the planet Derra.
How and why Tera Sinube appears in Obi-Wan Kenobi
Tera Sinube is the first preserved Jedi corpse that Obi-Wan comes face-to-face with inside of Fortress Inquisitorius. It is currently unknown if Tera Sinube was killed during or after Order 66. Either way, he and many other Jedi corpses are disturbingly being preserved in Fortress Inquisitorious as trophies for the Inquisitors.
Showing Tera Sinube first made the horrifying revelation much more personal for Obi-Wan and for the audience. Showing a familiar face deepens the tragedy and sickening nature of what the Inquisitors are doing.
While it is still powerful and disturbing to see all of the other Jedi corpses–including a Jedi youngling–seeing the familiar face of fan-favorite Tera Sinube makes the moment hit much harder. It raises the stakes further for Obi-Wan as he sees that the Inquisitors he is up against have even been able to kill some of the wisest and most experienced Jedi who lived for hundreds of years.
Obi-Wan is there to save Leia no matter what, but there is something to be said about him being there to protect a child, just as Tera Sinube once taught and protected younglings at the Jedi Temple.
Could Tera Sinube appear again in live-action?
This is just speculation, but it is possible that Tera Sinube could appear again in live-action. The most likely live-action story for him to appear in next is The Acolyte. The story will be set during the end of the High Republic era, about a hundred years after Phase I of the High Republic and about a hundreds years before The Phantom Menace.
Not only is Tera Sinube alive and still part of the Jedi Order during this time period, but his unique knowledge and skills are a natural fit for the story of The Acolyte. With the story being described as a mystery thriller, Jedi investigator and criminal underworld expert Tera Sinube is the perfect Jedi to investigate the mysterious events surrounding the dark side users in the show.
Now that he has made the jump from animation to live-action, it is more feasible for him to appear in future live-action content.
Regardless, seeing Tera Sinube in Kenobi was a fun nod to The Clone Wars, a great way to see a character from the High Republic era in live-action, and it was heartbreaking to see him displayed as a trophy for the Inquisitors.
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