Obi-Wan Kenobi ‘Part VI’ ending explained

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Part VI.”

Perhaps the most anticipated Star Wars series yet has arrived on Disney Plus. Ewan McGregor has made his triumphant return to the franchise in Obi-Wan Kenobi, a limited series exploring the period in Obi-Wan’s life between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

“Part VI” delivered on the promises of the series in an action-packed, emotional finale that bridged the prequel and original trilogy.

Goodbye Old Friend

After sending Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), Haja (Kumail Nanjiani), Roken (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), and the rest of the crew ahead for safety, Obi-Wan faced his old padawan in a fight that echoed their battle on Mustafar ten years prior.

While Obi-Wan previously struggled to connect to the Force and utilize his powers as a Jedi, the finale saw him fully unleash his powers like never before in a mix of anguish and strength.

After Vader (Hayden Christiansen) buried Obi-Wan alive underground, Obi-Wan relied on his love for Leia and Luke–and fierce desire to protect them–to survive, using the Force to escape and nearly kill Vader.

The final moments between Vader and Obi-Wan were emotionally complex and resonant, building on forty-five years of storytelling as Obi-Wan finally processed the grief and loss of Anakin that allowed him to walk away from his brother.

A New Kind of Family

This episode provided the most time with young Luke (Grant Feely) thus far as Reva (Moses Ingram) attempted to hunt him down to avenge her fellow younglings. Owen (Joel Edgerton) and Beru (Bonnie Piesse) leapt into action to protect their nephew with all their being, a heartfelt and emblematic representation of how adoption and family transcends blood.

Ultimately, Reva failed to avenge the younglings Anakin slaughtered, but Obi-Wan comforted her by reminding her that mercy is a strength as they both let go of Vader, signaling a hopeful ending for the one-time Inquisitor (that also left room for a potential spinoff).

After an abrupt goodbye with Leia, Obi-Wan visited Alderaan to return Lola and tell her the truth–as much as he could–about her parents.

In a bittersweet exchange, Obi-Wan shared the gifts Leia received from each of her parents–Padme’s kindness and Anakin’s passion–while wishing he could tell her more, but Leia insisted that she had enough, another affirming piece of writing for found families.

The Great Beyond

The final moments of Kenobi saw the Jedi pack up his cave on Tatooine and journey off into parts unknown as he was greeted by the presence he was reaching out to since the beginning of the series–his dearly departed Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neesen).

The reunion was bittersweet and heartfelt as Obi-Wan expressed relief and surprise at seeing his old Master while Qui-Gon told him he was there and waiting all along before leading his padawan to his next journey.

The themes of Obi-Wan Kenobi are rich, layered, and will reward rewatching. It’s clear the story wanted to communicate the importance and love of unconventional family structures as well as the long-lasting effects of trauma and grief.

It’s safe to say by journey’s end, Obi-Wan’s healing came as a result of living with his past, rather than letting it die, and learning to love and fight for the future, a message that is timeless and more relevant than ever.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is available to stream on Disney Plus.

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