TV Review | Obi-Wan Kenobi (Part 5)

The penultimate episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series hit all the right spots. Hats off to Deborah Chow. This series is the best Star Wars anything since 2005!

The penultimate episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series hit all the right spots in terms of nostalgia. One of my predictions coming true, we flashback to a time before The Clone Wars (or during) to Obi-Wan and Anakin sparring on Coruscant. The battle seems to favor Anakin’s side, as Hayden portrays him as arrogant. As we know and love, his lightsaber style is flashy and aggressive. However, Obi-Wan has a measured calm that foreshadows their fateful duel on Mustafar where Obi-Wan (while not as adept a swordsman as Anakin) used tactics and knowledge that put him ahead.

FLASHBACKS

This flashback is presented in pieces throughout the entire episode, and it is mostly Vader’s recollection. The scenes are so intense and exciting. And my only note is that Hayden Christensen is playing a 22-year-old Anakin, and you can tell by his face that he is much older. Obi-Wan looks far older too. And I wonder if Deborah Chow was not a fan of the Hollywood de-aging film technique and wanted to do something more organic and true to the actors. That we don’t know.

Roken and the Path very much feel like the proto-Rebel Alliance as they have a secret base and are willing to fight the Empire’s injustice. Due to Lola’s reprogramming, the top of the base where the opening is becomes sealed and Roken needs time to re-open it. Leia volunteers to make the process go faster as she is small enough to go into the mechanical innards of the base and try to manually open the hatch. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan does whatever he can to buy the group time and learns a startling revelation about Reva and another correct prediction for me!

REBELLIOUS ROKEN

I really like Roken as a character and hope he survives this series. He would make an excellent engineer/freedom fighter in the Rebel Alliance. Vader is truly a monster in the Force. And his abilities in this episode harken back to the now-Legends Starkiller games, where the eponymous character Starkiller used the Force on a God-like level. And this is exactly where Vader is as well. Vader is also one step ahead of Reva and more revelations occur that make this episode truly spectacular.

VERDICT

I can’t find any problems with this series. And my only true complaint is that it will soon be over. Yet one thing remains. Vader. Obi-Wan must confront Vader and confront him he will. He also needs to make sure that his larger mission is not compromised and that things remain safe for the Skywalker twins. I’ve never been this excited about the finale of any other show in my lifetime. And I hope that we get a satisfying conclusion. My favorite part of the episode that resonated with me was when Roken was speculating on a siege from Vader; Obi-Wan says “No. He won’t do it. He doesn’t have the patience.” Obi-Wan knows Anakin better than anyone and the weight of this dialogue reverberated in my very soul.

Hats off to Deborah Chow. This may be the best Star Wars anything since 2005!

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi is streaming exclusively on Disney Plus now. 

Max Nocerino

Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!