“Kenobi” continues the story of Obi-Wan for avid Star-Wars fans

By Liam Klein, Opinions Editor

More than 15 years after the release of “Revenge of the Sith,” Ewan McGregor is once again reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the new “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series on Disney Plus. The series follows Obi-Wan, now named Ben, ten years after the events of “Revenge of the Sith.” Kenobi is now on Tatooine watching over Anakin’s son Luke after were destroyed by Order 66 and Obi-Wan’s apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, became the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Hiding on Tatooine, Kenobi lives life in exile while Darth Vader has set up the Sith Inquisitors program to hunt down any Jedi who survived Order 66. Kenobi is forced out of hiding when he is called on a mission to rescue Anakin’s daughter, Leia, after she is kidnapped by the Galactic Empire’s Jedi-hunting Inquisitors in a plot to draw Kenobi out. This leads to Obi-Wan crossing paths with his old apprentice. 

The series puts a great deal of emphasis on the psychological struggles Obi-Wan endures as a result of his past. Ewan McGregor does an outstanding job portraying the guilt that Obi-Wan carries and how the events of Order 66 have scarred him. 

From a story standpoint, the show hits the ground running. Every episode is action-packed and filled with meaningful stories and dialogue. The action sequences are some of the best in Star Wars with stellar visual effects and choreography. The series shows off characters in a way that simply wasn’t possible in previous movies due to technological advancements. However, one thing that the show does better than the previous is that nothing feels forced, all of the action sequences have a genuine purpose and aren’t just a tool for the plot. 

Along with this, the series introduces many new characters for the first time or for the first time in live action. However, it also sees the return of many old characters. 

Some characters who are making their first appearance on the small screen are the Fifth Brother played by Fast and Furious star Sung Kang, as well as Inquisitor Reva played by Moses Ingram. Vivien Lyra Blair plays a young Leia, putting a fresh face on a familiar character.

One underrated aspect of the show that often goes unnoticed is the score. Legendary composer John Williams who created the scores for the original, sequel and prequel trilogies returns to compose the score for the show. Williams samples character themes from previous movies throughout the show giving it an even more nostalgic feel. 

The series is without a doubt one of the best on Disney Plus and is arguably the best live-action Star Wars content that has been released since the conclusion of the original trilogy. With even more new shows and movies to be released in the near future like “Andor” starring Diego Luna, “Ahsoka” starring Rosario Dawson and even new seasons of “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett”, “Kenobi” is a must watch for any Star Wars fan. But even for those who aren’t, the show is still a great viewing experience that anyone could get into over the summer.