Hello there! The «Obi-Wan Kenobi» trailer. At last
General Kenobi is no longer a general, but a Jedi in exile. At least at first. This and more can all be seen in the trailer for the «Obi-Wan Kenobi» series, which many fans have been longing for for 17 years.
The first trailer doesn’t grant an in-depth look at the upcoming «Obi-Wan Kenobi» series. It just leaves you wanting more. Then despite its brevity, it reveals a few exciting titbits.
But first, the trailer itself.
Goosebumps. Especially when the musical themes «Duel of the Fates» and «Battle of the Heroes» pop up. Penned by John Williams, the composer contributed Obi-Wan’s music to the series.
Before you read on: if you want to enjoy the series without prior knowledge, stop here. There are a few characters from the extended Star Wars canon, after all. Explaining them could carry minor spoilers – depending on how they’re used in the series.
Tatooine as a main location – or not?
Following «The Book of Boba Fett», «Obi-Wan Kenobi» will be the second Star Wars series to at least begin on the desert planet Tatooine. A place, where the sand is coarse, rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere. «We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken,» actor Ewan McGregor recently told Entertainment Weekly, which released many new images to go with the trailer.
Let’s look back: at the end of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi hides from the Empire while keeping a watchful eye on Luke Skywalker. The series picks up 10 years after that, will feature six episodes around an hour each, and will presumably end where we meet the Jedi again in «A New Hope» as the oddball hermit «Ben» Kenobi.
Source: Lucasfilm
What happens in between? If the teaser – and this Behind the Scenes footage – are anything to go by, series creator Deborah Chow must’ve had the entire Star Wars universe to play with. For example, you can see the planet Daiyu, which is remotely reminiscent of Hong Kong. Or a large, dark, imposing and imperial facility surrounded by water – most likely the headquarters of the Inquisitors.
Speaking of which.
New villains: Jedi Inquisitors
Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as Darth Vader – that’s no secret. However, Vader will now send his dreaded Brotherhood of Inquisitors to hunt down the Jedi. They’re led by their primary commander – the Grand Inquisitor. His followers usually don’t bear names, but titles such as «The Second Sister» or «The Ninth Brother», depending on their rank within the brotherhood.
They were first introduced as lightsaber-wielding assassins – not Sith – in the animated series «Star Wars: Rebels.» Importantly, it’s set after «Obi-Wan Kenobi». Most were retroactively established as fallen Jedi. This could also apply to Inquisitor Reva, played by Moses Ingram, a previously unknown character described as a force-sensitive protégé to the Grand Inquisitor.
Source: Lucasfilm
The Grand Inquisitor – that guy who talks about killing the Jedi in the trailer – on the other hand, already appeared in «Star Wars: Rebels.» In fact, the menacing, imposing Pau’an is considered to be one of the most nefarious villains in the saga. Originally voiced by actor Oscar Isaacs, the role now belongs to «Homeland» actor Rupert Friend.
Also seen in the trailer is the «Fifth Brother» – the guy with the big hat – also a character from «Star Wars: Rebels.» However, he was only introduced in the second season. Following the death of the Grand Inquisitor in season one, the Fifth Brother tried to fill the resulting power vacuum. In the end, he falls victim to a resurrected Darth Maul.
Side note: it’s quite possible that we’ll also get to see Maul in the series.
An old friend: Owen Lars
Something to end on: actor Joel Edgerton reprises his brief role from «Attack of the Clones» and «Revenge of the Sith» as Uncle Owen Lars. He can even be seen in a dispute with Inquisitor Reva. Him. Uncle Owen. The moisture farmer who refuses to let Luke join the Imperial Academy in «A New Hope». Does Owen have a much more rebellious past with the Empire than we’re aware of?
And yes, of course I noticed Darth Vader’s iconic breathing in the final seconds of the trailer. Did you?
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.»
