Recap – Spoilers ahead –
The empire is on their tails, and the rebels soon realize they will not escape. Therefore, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) decides to leave the ship, to lead Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) away. After an emotional goodbye with Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), he leaves and meets Vader for a show down on a deserted planet. In the meantime, Reva (Moses Ingram) hunts down Luke (Grant Feely) and must decide which side she is on.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 6: Analysis
This episode is what Star Wars is about: Fighting for greater cause, sacrifice and love. The duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader is a masterpiece.
The fighting style is fitting for a fighting between “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope”. It is obvious Obi-Wan is older and Darth Vader is physically impaired. Despite this, they are at the height of their power. Ewan McGregor does a great job with graceful moves that might be less flashy than what he did in the prequels, but more effective. Obi-Wan fights aggressively and smart, but without losing focus or getting emotional. The moment he lifts several boulders gives every fan chills, as we finally see a Jedi at the height of his power.
Some fans have argued Obi-Wan should not be able to defeat Darth Vader. This is debateable, as it is not always raw power that gives someone the victory. It takes strength, control and intelligence to win.
The final dialogue during that scene was Hayden Christiansen’s moment to shine. Vader is seriously wounded, and his mask is half destroyed. He is vulnerable and tells Obi-Wan that Anakin Skywalker is dead and that he (Darth Vader) is who killed him. His natural voice overlaps with Darth Vader’s voice (James Earl Jones) and shows the struggle between both personalities.
In a way, this explains why Obi-Wan tells Luke in “A New Hope” that Vader killed his father. While many franchises struggle to fit new stories into their canon, these details help Obi-Wan Kenobi fit perfectly. Darth Vader also says he is not Obi-Wan’s failure, which you can tell is Anakin speaking, trying to absolve his friend of his guilt.
It is also interesting to note that Obi-Wan learns a lesson during the duel, as it is ultimately love (for Luke and Leia) that gives him the strength to beat Darth Vader.
The clear downside of the ending of the episode is that the duel is intercut with Reva’s scenes on Tatooine. While this story is also important, it disturbs the pacing, which takes away from her struggle, as the viewer wants to return to the duel. The set-up for Reva’s own show is almost a bit too obvious, like commercial break.
In the end, we finally get the long-awaited cameo in the form of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). It offered a point of humor, and it was great to see the character again. A second cameo is the imperator’s (Ian McDiarmid) appearance during a communication with Darth Vader.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 6: Conclusion
The episode is a worthy ending to the series, and still leaves enough open questions (e.g., What does the empire do with the Jedi frozen in amber?) if a second series is commissioned. It would have been great to see a few more known rebel leaders, e.g. Mon Mothma or Admiral Ackbar, tie that part of the story into the original trilogy.
The series has a few smaller plot holes, but that are not too significant to dim the quality of the show. The series felt like an original Star Wars story.
Have you seen the season finale yet? If yes, what are your thoughts? Don’t forget to check this place when we will be back with some more reviews. In the meantime, you can read our review for the fifth episode here.
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Maria is our resident nerd and passionate about all things fantasy and science fiction. She is Spanish and grew up in Germany, which is why she is a native speaker of both languages. Becoming a fantasy writer was only logical to combine her skills and passions. In addition, she is working on her English degree and loves to play tennis and dance Salsa. She is currently writing her first novel and will mainly be covering Star Wars, Star Trek and Shadow & Bone.
