The ongoing Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, is receiving tons of love from fans all around the world. But it has also received a fair share of criticism from the fan base. Yes, the show bestows some amazing adventures and nostalgic moments. But it is not without its flaws and plot holes. Check out the things that went right and wrong for the Disney+ entry below!
Things that make Obi-Wan Kenobi great
Young Leia does a hell of a job
Vivien Lyra Blair as the young princess of Alderaan, Leia Organa, has done exceptional work in the series. She flawlessly exhibits all traits that made Princess Leia a memorable character in the Star Wars franchise: smartness, rebelliousness, courage, and the ability to always do the right thing. Also, her dynamic with Obi-Wan looks cute.
Darth Vader looks more vicious
Darth Vader is no doubt one of the best Hollywood villains of all time. The original trilogy showcased not only his dark side but also his hidden goodness and care for Luke. On the flip side, the prequels functioned as the basis of Vader’s origins. However, this series brings out Vader’s brutality in the baddest and meanest way possible. He wants Obi-Wan and is ready to go to any length to capture him. Plus, he has grown strong under the guidance of Darth Sidious.
Obi-Wan has become vulnerable
Obi-Wan’s weaknesses and decline in power get constantly reflected in the show. More than 10 years have passed since Palpatine (Sidious) executed ‘Order 66’ to slaughter all the Jedis. The Jedis who survived the onslaught are being hunted down by the Galactic Empire. This scenario forces Obi-Wan to live under disguise and hide frequently from stormtroopers or other officials from the Empire. His powers have declined. This version of Kenobi has never appeared on our screens before. And it certainly adds a new flavour to the show.
The Third Sister/Reva Sevander is badass
Moses Ingram recently suffered a serious racist backlash from a lot of Star Wars fans who sent her tons of hate messages and comments filled with racial abuse. The entire cast and franchise showed their support to the actor. And she has done outstanding work as The Third Sister in the series. Her character looks compelling, ruthless, and ambitious. All these traits make Reva a complete badass.
A stable connection between the prequels and the original trilogy
Fans always wanted a Star Wars project that could connect both the prequels and the original trilogy before the arrival of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. And this show is successfully bridging the gap between these two SW movie series.
Things that are not great at all in Obi-Wan Kenobi
Restrained approach
The thing that has disappointed a majority of the SW fanbase about Obi-Wan Kenobi is the makers’ restrained approach toward the show’s storyline and its characters. This series should have received a darker treatment than what we got. For example, one of the show’s writers, Joby Harold, disclosed that the original version of Darth Vader was more terrifying in an interview with Variety:
“It was a thousand per cent the intention. From a Vader point of view, we’re all living with the memory of the end of Rogue One, and how effective that was. It was very gratifying to see Vader finally be unleashed in a sequence like that, so we wanted to try to trump it if we could. It was a lot more extreme, at one point.”
However, Lucasfilm’s interference forced the makers to tone down Vader’s barbarity.
“I got pulled back a little bit on that. It was so important to define Vader’s anger and rage. There’s an emotionality to the choices he’s making that are a little further than we’re used to seeing with Vader. He’s pushed a little more than the Vader we know. Obi-Wan isn’t the finished article before [the original Star Wars], and we can look at Vader in the same way. ”
In addition to Vader’s reduced cruelness, several ‘exciting-looking’ moments in the show ended up disappointing the viewers. Those scenes needed a better treatment from the makers.
Where the hell is Luke Skywalker?
Do you all remember the trailers? They showed young Luke Skywalker playing and acting like a rebel pilot near his uncle’s house. Many thought that they would watch Obi-Wan meeting his former padawan’s son face-to-face for the first time. Instead, the series completely focuses on Kenobi and Leia. The entire show feels like a rescue mission dedicated to saving Leia. There is no sign of Luke whatsoever. Did the makers use his footage as bait to lure more viewers? It certainly looks like that.
Lightsaber duels are disappointing
The sequel trilogy suffered from a serious lack of quality lightsaber duels. On the other hand, prequels excelled in that department. Creators promised that the fans would witness prequels-like lightsaber duels in the show. Well, they were wrong about that. Yes, the years have made Obi-Wan weak. And his struggle against Vader/Anakin was logical and believable. However, the creators wasted Episode 4 completely on rescuing Leia and showing Obi-Wan’s rusty lightsaber skills. We have only two episodes now. And more than half of the series’ plot has kept Leia’s rescue in limelight. Will the remaining episodes focus on other important elements like breathtaking lightsaber duels? Only time will tell us.
The show depends too heavily on nostalgia
One thing has become absolutely clear after watching all the four episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi. This show was made specifically to satisfy the Star Wars fanbase by nostalgia. Especially after the catastrophic critical failure of Rise of Skywalker. We can also blame The Last Jedi’s horrible public reception for this situation. It is not like the show doesn’t bestow anything new or unique at all. It’s just the makers have used nostalgia as their most powerful card in this series. And it is working on the fans.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
