Obi-Wan Kenobi theory: The Grand Inquisitor, not Vader, recruited Reva

Ever since Reva’s introduction in Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans have been speculating on what her origins are, and how she became an Inquisitor. Using what has been shown already, many fans have suggested that she could be one of the younglings seen in the Jedi Temple in the first episode, but that raises the question of who could have taken her. This theory suggests that the Grand Inquisitor, and not Vader, took Reva from the Temple, and raised her as an Inquisitor.

The Order 66 flashback in Episode One of Obi Wan Kenobi introduces the audience to a group of younglings, mere moments before Darth Vader slaughters them. One of the younglings looks like Reva, and the show implies that it’s her. But it is highly unlikely that Vader himself would take her. During Order 66 he was consumed by murder, and he wouldn’t stop to save a child. Afterwards, Vader would be sent to Mustafar, not leaving him any time to shepard a scared youngling.

The clones of the 501st Legion also wouldn’t have taken a youngling. Once their inhibitor chip activated, they wouldn’t have taken any prisoners, least of all a Jedi prisoner. The chip programmed them to kill any Jedi on sight, at least until the effect wears off. They wouldn’t have been in the Temple long enough for this to happen, so this rules them out too.

However, there is another person present at the Jedi Temple at Order 66, who could’ve taken Reva. The Grand Inquisitor. Made the leader of Palpatine’s new Inquisitorius before Order 66, the Grand Inquisitor killed his fellow Temple Guardsmen before the 501st Legion marched in. This would place him in the right location to kidnap Reva.

Needing to build up the ranks of the Inquisitorius, the Grand Inquisitor would have entered the Temple, to try and find younglings. Palpatine always wanted to take force sensitives for this role, in an aptly named operation called Project Harvester. In the chaos of Order 66, Reva may have got separated from the other younglings, and ran into the Grand Inquisitor.

In Episode Two of Obi Wan Kenobi, the Grand Inquisitor states that Reva’s abilities gave her station, but she couldn’t hide the stench of where she came from. Perhaps Reva was a gifted youngling that impressed the Grand Inquisitor, and so he took her in. As Reva would be found in the burning Jedi Temple, it satisfies the reference of being found in a gutter, a place that is looked down on.

This would also explain Reva’s dislike for the Grand Inquisitor. As Jedi: Fallen Order shows, becoming an Inquisitor involves torture. Reva would likely place the blame on this on the Grand Inquisitor, developing an intense hatred for him. His constant belittling of her also wouldn’t foster a loving relationship Reva would be used to in the Temple. It’s this hatred that leads to Reva stabbing him in Episode Two.

Training a youngling takes time, and the Empire wouldn’t put a lot of effort into it, explaining why the Reva is seen as the least of the Inquisitors. Many others were Padawans when they fell to the Dark Side, or even a Jedi Knight or Master. Episode 4 of Obi Wan Kenobi also gives further clues to Reva’s past, with her explaining that she used to be like Leia too, and had her own droid. It isn’t uncommon for Jedi younglings and Padawans to have partner droids.

Reva being a youngling in the Temple also helps make other aspects of her character make sense. She has an intense hatred for Kenobi, perhaps angry at him for leaving her at the Temple and not rescuing her. Obi Wan did return to the Temple after all, but he and Yoda didn’t spend any time looking for survivors. It also explains why she knows who Vader is, it’s very possible that Reva saw Anakin slaughtering younglings, and then later hearing someone referring to him as Lord Vader.

Reva’s origins will however remain a mystery until audiences get an official answer, either in Obi Wan Kenobi or in another piece of media. However, until then, this theory helps to fill in the blanks of the Third Sister’s origins. It also adds to the conflict between her and the Grand Inquisitor, revealing why she is so desperate to gain approval.

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