Obi-Wan Kenobi is a welcome return from a beloved Star Wars character, as well as a spotlight for new foes and an entertaining story.
A fairly tired trope that Lucasfilm has been using for years now is filling the gaps in and around the prequel and original Star Wars trilogies. That being said, aside from a new trilogy set beyond Return of the Jedi, an Ewan McGregor-led Obi-Wan Kenobi project has still arguably been the most in-demand Star Wars project for over a decade. The prequels may have been a mostly rocky endeavor, but if nothing else, Revenge of the Sith stuck the landing and proved to be a suitably grandiose Shakespearean-like tragedy that fits the “sci-fi space opera” subgenre that the franchise coined. In the first two episodes reviewed by Digital Trends, Lucasfilm and Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series begins with a somber, melancholic look at the Star Wars universe struggling in a post-Order 66 galaxy, showing fans the last iteration of McGregor’s revered Jedi Master, who deserves one final hurrah. With a new kind of threat forced upon him and a charming supporting character that is sure to please die-hard fans, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a triumphant return of a beloved character thanks to a compelling story and outstanding performances from the cast. Note: The rest of this story contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. The galaxy is in one of the worst states it’s ever been, with the opening moments of the first episode showing a well-choreographed fight scene featuring a Jedi Master fending off clone troopers from her younglings. A decade later, we see a weary and half-defeated Obi-Wan Kenobi in exile and still blaming himself for failing his former protégé by not preventing him from crossing over to the Dark Side. Ever since the concept of Ewan McGregor portraying a tired and battle-hardened Obi-Wan was revealed years ago, most fans had a good idea of what he would look and act like. It’s safe to say, after two episodes in, that McGregor hasn’t missed a beat since his days in the Clone Wars and he lifts that perfect vision of the franchise icon out of the collective fan consciousness. The way these episodes, namely Part I, are written and directed also feel somewhat reminiscent of James Mangold’s noir rendition of Wolverine in the exceptional Logan: A prominent hero that was once part of a group of “knights in shining armor” that upheld a noble cause is now reduced to being a battered recluse, hunted and on the run.
