In a new behind-the-scenes clip from the show's physical release, Obi-Wan Kenobi Director Deborah Chow and Director of Photography Chung-Hoon Chung revealed that Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's heartbreaking conversation in the series finale left them both in tears.
"It's a heartbreaking scene, more emotional than I was even expecting it to be." we can all agree on that 😭
— All Things Kenobi (@allthingskenobi) May 8, 2024
An extended look at filming Vader's 'cracked mask' scene in #ObiWanKenobi pic.twitter.com/DIQFbXO48A
It takes a truly special on-set moment to leave a director and cameraman in tears while the scene is being filmed. The scene in which Obi-Wan confronts Darth Vader after his former master damages Vader's mask and breathing apparatus was a powerful moment for everyone involved in its making.
Chow details the "quiet" and "emotional" moment when Obi-Wan attempts to connect with his former best friend, only to be rejected by him. Chow admitted that she and Chung-Hoon, who was behind the camera, were completely overwhelmed by how moving the scene was.
Chung-Hoon explains his feelings about the scene where he made a point of being behind the camera for:
"For this scene, I wanted to personally shoot it myself. As I witnessed this scene, I could feel the emotions emanating between these two from the duel and dialogue, so that scene left a lasting impact on me."Chung-Hoon Chung
Adding on, Director Deborah Chow beautifully explains the significance of the moment Obi-Wan tries to reach out to his former best friend and Padawan:
"All of a sudden, it's about them again. It's about their love and it's about their fraught relationship and everything they've been through. It's not quite Vader, it's not quite Anakin. It's something in between."Deborah Chow
Hayden Christensen, the man in the suit for the unusually vulnerable Darth Vader scene, believes that Obi-Wan attempted to connect to Anakin, which he rejected. "It's a heartbreaking scene, more emotional than I was even expecting it to be," says the actor.
No one was quite prepared for how soul-crushing this scene would turn out, but the fans saw it coming a mile away. A similar scene between Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano takes place in Star Wars Rebels Season 2, Episode 22, titled "Twilight of the Apprentice Part 2," in which Ahsoka makes a similar strike at Vader's mask with her lightsaber, leaving part of his face exposed. Both scenes perfectly combine Darth Vader's voice with Anakin's. While it's Matt Lanter's voice as Anakin in Rebels, Hayden does the job in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
It's quite an achievement to re-create such an iconic moment from Star Wars animation in live-action and have it stir the same powerful emotions in both mediums. In terms of the Kenobi scene, this scene is integral to Obi-Wan as a person. If he was to move on from his past, it could only happen after he made one last try to connect with Anakin, something Ewan McGregor understands well.
"Obi-Wan can't move on with his life and he can't move forward until he accepts what happened in the past with Anakin, accepts that he did the best he could."Ewan McGregor
You can relive this heartbreaking moment between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan in Obi-Wan Kenobi, streaming now on Disney+.