‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ is a love letter to Kenobi and Leia’s bond

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

For a franchise that began in 1977, Star Wars has had the difficult undertaking of tying up loose ends and connecting established storylines as the galaxy expanded. Upon the revelation that Obi-Wan Kenobi would involve Kenobi’s relationship with a young Princess Leia, many wondered how this would lead to the events of A New Hope.

When the sequels were released, audiences had more insight into Leia than established in the original trilogy. Through these films, we learn she named her son Ben after Obi-Wan’s adopted name and even trained to become a Jedi herself. Leia’s lightsaber, seen for the first time in The Rise of Skywalker, draws clear comparisons to Kenobi’s own in terms of design and blade color. While this information seemed confusing at the time, as Leia’s connection to Obi-Wan was seemingly only through her father’s friendship with him, Obi-Wan Kenobi finally answered the questions left outstanding.

When Bail Organa call upon Obi-Wan to rescue his daughter Leia, Kenobi is conflicted. He not only feels obligated to remain on Tatooine to look after Luke, but he also has not been in touch with the Force for nearly ten years. When Organa reminds him, “What about your duty to his sister?” Obi-Wan’s mind changes, and he agrees to help.

He finds and rescues the young Princess Leia, but their journey back to Alderaan is not an easy one. Throughout multiple narrow brushes with death, the two rely on each other for comfort and strength. Obi-Wan’s impact on Leia is equally as meaningful. After rescuing her multiple times, she views him as a protector. When the two are parted, she is not only frustrated that he would leave her but also concerned for his safety. In the pair’s final moment together, Kenobi shares with Leia the traits she inherited from Anakin and Padmé, reminding her of where she comes from and himself that parts of his old friends are still very much alive in an ever-changing galaxy.

Obi-Wan was a knight in shining armor that she would remember in her first hour of need until she called for him through R2D2.

Although this plotline was most likely unfathomable when A New Hope was first released, it ties perfectly into the established storyline. It becomes obvious why Leia would name her son after the Jedi who showed her kindness, who told her of her parents, and who encouraged her boldness. The two found trust in each other in a deep hour of need, and although Luke was the one he helped train, Leia carries the legacy of Ben Kenobi for the rest of her life.

At times, Leia’s story tends to take a backseat to her brother, but Obi-Wan Kenobi places her importance to the future Rebel Alliance and the story of Star Wars at the forefront. Like her father Bail Organa said: “She’s as important as he is.” It is something Obi-Wan Kenobi saw until his last moment in A New Hope, when he saw the twins finally reunited, his work complete, and he was able to become one with the Force.

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