Obi-Wan Kenobi Season Finale Review
Whoever coined the phrase “save the best for last” clearly knew what they meant. After petering out a little past the halfway point, Obi-Wan Kenobi bounced back stronger than ever in its penultimate episode. Obi-Wan’s attempted sacrifice; the not-so-surprising revelation about Reva’s past. Most importantly, though, fans saw Darth Vader as the beast that gives kids nightmares. As it turns out, though, Deborah Chow truly saved the best for the finale, with the true rematch fans wanted finally taking place.
Jedi Bring Hope to All…Except the Sith
What about the Jedi keeps the public so fascinated with them? Despite Disney’s refusal to let them rebuild, Star Wars fans usually enjoy seeing a Jedi. Whether intentional or not, the finale episode serves as a reminder of what the Jedi stand for: hope in impossible situations.
With the Empire closing in and the Path’s shuttle unable to flee to hyperspace, things look bleak for the heroes. The only way they’ll survive is if someone can lure them away from the others. And Obi-Wan knows it has to be him. So, he does what he must.
Every scene with Obi-Wan in this episode is incredibly powerful for several reasons. Firstly, his decision to distract Vader serves as a call-forward to his ultimate fate: sacrificing himself to help Luke, Leia, and the others escape the Death Star. Secondly, his decision to confront Vader on a darkened, isolated moon sends a clear message: he’s done running from his past.
The resulting lightsaber duel is one of the best in the entire franchise. While it doesn’t reach the adrenaline-pumping acrobatics of the Prequels, it doesn’t have to. It combines the best of the Prequels with the elegance of the Classic Trilogy to deliver an emotionally charged rematch. In addition, unlike many lightsaber duels, Kenobi and Vader make extensive use of the Force to help them fight. Seeing Obi-Wan lift those rocks is something one could only see in video games before!
In the end, Obi-Wan ultimately wins the fight, leaving Vader battered, bruised, and half his helmet missing. The tear-jerking scene that follows sees Vader absolve his former master of his mistakes, saying that he wasn’t responsible. However, Vader also openly declares that Anakin Skywalker is dead by his hands, leaving Obi-Wan to accept that he cannot save Anakin, and walks away. It’s a heartbreaking moment, but one that Obi-Wan needed to experience to let go of his trauma.
Reva Chooses a New Path
Speaking of letting go of trauma, the subplot sees Reva undergo the same thing. Having learned of Luke’s existence, the former Inquisitor decides to kill the boy in vengeance for his father’s sins. In a moment that actually made me respect Owen Lars, he and Beru put up a ferocious fight to protect their nephew. Owen may not love the Jedi, but he will do anything to protect his family. Respect, Owen.
In the end, though, Reva has the chance to kill Luke. However, she realizes that doing so will make her no better than Vader, and cannot bring herself to do it. While everyone knew Luke would survive, the series ends with the astonishing reveal that Reva lives as well. To date, every Inquisitor will eventually die before A New Hope. The fact that she survives and has a chance at redemption (which Obi-Wan encourages) leaves the door open for further appearances in the franchise.
A New Chapter for Obi-Wan Begins
Thus, life goes on in the Galaxy, even one dominated by the Empire. Vader recovers from his injuries and prepares to keep hunting Kenobi. However, at this point, even Sidious is like, “Lord Vader, let it go already. It’s a waste of time.”
Leia returns home to Alderaan, but not the same girl she once was. This miniseries functionally serves as her origin story. By the end, she’s wearing an early version of what will become her iconic outfit, much to the approval of her parents and Obi-Wan. And Obi-Wan tells her as much as he can about her birth parents to inspire her to become the leader the Galaxy will know her as.
As for Obi-Wan, he moves out of that cave and prepares to head to the home seen in the film. He’s content to let Luke decide his destiny, and he and Owen part on better terms. Oh, and Obi-Wan meets Luke.
Once again, Obi-Wan’s on his own; but this time, he’s not alone. For the first time in twenty years, an old friend returns to accompany him. That’s right, Liam Neeson comes back as Qui-Gon, finally!
A Must-Watch For Any Star Wars Fan
So, Obi-Wan Kenobi may not have been everything fans hoped it would be. It stumbled in the middle, but once it got its footing back, it became one of the best stories in the entire franchise. Ewan MacGregor got to play his iconic role to perfection, Hayden Christensen owned it as Anakin/Vader, and fans got to see the origins of Princess Leia. The show ended up being everything the fans wanted, and then some. Thanks for giving us Obi-Wan Kenobi once more, Deborah.
I Give “Part VI” a 4.9/5
May the Force Be With You.
