6 things we loved about the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale

Hello there!

Well, here we are. After VI (that’s 6, folks) dramatic episodes of the live action series, we finally say a fond farewell to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

To mark the end of the series (or possibly just the season), let’s take a look at VI things we loved about the final episode.

1. “You didn’t kill Anakin Skywalker. I did”

Vader has been truly terrifying throughout the series. Never has there been such weight to the character. His brutal use of the force has rarely been visualized so effectively on screen. It strikes a wonderful balance between the ultra-powered war machine that Vader is in comics or games, and the eerie cyborg samurai in black of the original trilogy.

This makes his vulnerability, if such a thing can be said, all the more impactful in this final episode. When we finally see the face of the man he once was, the utter lack of humanity in his manic gaze only multiplies the anguish and hatred that makes Vader what he is. Yet beyond the terror of this moment is its deep sadness. Not just in the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker but also in the failure that Obi-Wan feels upon meeting the eye of his fallen padawan for the first time in a decade.

We’ve seen Vader without his mask numerous times, but witnessing Hayden Christensen as a fully-realized Sith Lord is something very special to behold. The impeccable use of lighting and broken voice of James Earl Jones in conjunction with Christensen’s own makes it feel as though an array of elements have finally come together and that the pieces of the character are all in one place at last.

2. The legacy lives on

The mark of any good follow up story, no matter the medium, is if it enhances and makes more meaningful what came before. In this regard Obi-Wan Kenobi delivers in spades, with this finale episode being the best example. The relationship between Obi-Wan and Leia gives greater meaning to the events of A New Hope and makes the moment Obi-Wan sacrifices himself to save the Skywalker twins all the more meaningful.

Furthermore, the “certain point of view” that Obi-Wan presents to Luke about what happened to his father is now reinforced by Vader’s own words. Obi-Wan didn’t kill Anakin Skywalker. Vader did. The man he once was is truly dead.

3. #berucrew

It’s never been a better time to be a prequels fan. For those of us fond of Attack of the Clones it’s been a particular treat with no less than 7 returning actors from that movie that just celebrated its 20th anniversary. In the final episode we at last see the return of Bonnie Piesse as Beru Whitesun Lars, or simply “Aunt Beru” after having portrayed her in episodes II and III.

But Beru isn’t just here to serve blue milk. She’s armed to the teeth and ready to take on a trained force user to defend her nephew. This new side to the character who’s been around since the very beginning gives us a clue about what frontier living on a dangerous world is all about.

4. Reva’s choice

Redemption is a hard thing to come by. By letting Luke live, Reva did something that Vader could not and as a result has beaten him in a way a Sith can never understand.

Blinded by hatred at the man who destroyed her life, Reva survived the only way she could and made it her mission to hunt down and return the favour to the man who all but wiped out the order that had been the Third Sisters home before the time of the Empire.

By rejecting the path of revenge and violence, Reva has made an important choice and taken her first step back towards the light. But she still has a long way to go.

Moses Ingram has been a standout performance throughout the series and the open ending for her character’s arc means there might be more to come from the fallen Inquisitor.

5. “An old friend has learned the path to immortality”

Qui-Gon Jinn finally graces us with his presence at the very end of the series, even delivering the final lines of dialogue in iconic maverick Jedi wit. Liam Neeson has lent his voice to Star Wars roles a handful of times over the years but this was his first live action return to the galaxy after 23 years when he first played the Jedi master in The Phantom Menace all the way back in 1999.

Qui-Gon was mentioned numerous times by Obi-Wan throughout the series as he attempts to contact him but was finally able to make it through to his long dead master in the final scene. As Jinn himself said: “I was always here, Obi-Wan. You just were not ready to see.”

This connects some wonderful dots for lore watchers. In Obi-Wan’s final meeting with Yoda after the fall of the Jedi order, he is given training to undertake in his solitude on Tatooine. His old master who has “learned the path to immortality” will be his teacher once again. After 17 years of waiting, we get to see this come to fruition. As for the training in question, let’s just say it made old Ben more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

6. “Hello there”

What more needs to be said than those two words?

It felt earned. It wasn’t just a nod to the audience. It was for Luke. Famous first words that have been ever-so-slightly ‘meme-ified’ over the years but still carry the weight of a classic yet simple catchphrase. Being able to witness the first meeting between Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker is a pretty magical thing to witness. It’s a good thing he got model T-16 cleaned up too.

All six episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi are available exclusively on Disney+.

What was your favorite moment from the final episode? Let us know in the comments below! For all things Obi-Wan Kenobi and everything Star Wars, head on over to Dork Side of the Force.