Warning: This Article Contains Spoilers For Obi-Wan Kenobi
Though fan opinions have varied widely on the Disney+ series Star Wars fans everywhere were anxious to see how the series would end. Now that Part VI has premiered, fans are buzzing about the connective tissues between the show and the original films.
That tissue is strengthened greatly by the number of characters from the original trilogy that have significant roles in the show. Kenobi chose to focus on a balance between new characters and fan-favorite classics, but the familiar characters the show does include heavily impact the narrative.
R3-T2
R3-T2 was first seen patrolling the streets of Mos Eisley in A New Hope, as Luke and Obi-Wan speed past to find age off Tatooine. In one of Kenobi's best original trilogy callbacks, in Part I of the show fans spot him again, still patrolling the streets as a ship of Sith Inquisitors land, hunting for Jedi.
R3's inclusion is more of an Easter egg than a cameo since it sadly doesn't get any lines, but it's a fun reference to the original trilogy by the writers nonetheless. R3 may be just a lowly droid in a galactic backwater, but it has (knowingly or unknowingly) been in very close proximity to hugely important figures in the history of galactic events.
Beru Lars
Aunt Beru is first introduced in A New Hope as Luke's kindly mother figure. She understands Luke's frustrations at feeling stuck, but as audiences find out in Part VI of Kenobi, she knows first-hand the dangers that await the son of Anakin Skywalker.
Beru is staunchly opposed to fleeing when she finds out that Reva is coming for Luke. She insists on standing and fighting, showing how fiercely dedicated she is to her nephew/adopted son. It's brave, but it's also a dark echo of future events. If Beru and Owen were that fiercely determined to protect Luke when stormtroopers came to their home years later, it would explain the savage treatment they received at the hands of the Empire.
Leia Organa
One of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars galaxy, Leia Organa is the young princess of Alderaan during the events of Kenobi. Kidnapped in a convoluted attempt to draw Kenobi out of hiding, she displays even as a child many of the crucial traits that later aid her as a leader.
The use of Leia as such a central character in Kenobi's narrative surprised many fans, and the marketing did an excellent job of hiding their true intentions. It adds a layer of suspense for the audience throughout the series, as Kenobi must not only save the girl but keep her true past, and his role in it, a secret. It also allows fans to know more about Leia's early life, as most stories in the Legends universe about the Skywalker twins were more heavily focused on Luke. Actress Lyra Blair is perfect, nailing many of Carrie Fisher's recognizable Leia mannerisms.
Luke Skywalker
The boy that started it all, Luke's role is relatively minor in Kenobi's larger plot. He is still under the old Jedi's watchful eye but has no inkling of his true identity or his family legacy. The show's final episode does put Luke in some danger, but the repentance of the Third Sister spares him and allows him to grow up and fulfill his destiny.
As most of the promotional material for the show featured Obi-Wan on Tatooine, it was assumed a young Luke would have a major role in the show. The writers turned from that convention, instead leaving Tatooine behind for a majority of episodes and exploring more of the Star Wars galaxy. Luke does have a crucial part in the redemption of Reva from the Dark Side: as she's poised to strike him down, she re the fear and pain of such violence, and decides to break the cycle rather than repeat it.
Darth Vader
No longer left with any trace of Anakin Skywalker, Lord Vader has spent many years as the Emperor's closed fist when fans are re-introduced to him in the show. Hearing of the re-emergence of his old master, Vader becomes obsessed with revenge, and will stop at nothing to destroy Kenobi once and for all.
Kenobi delivers a long-awaited rematch between the characters, though it required a bit of a retcon to Star Wars canon to make it happen. Hayden Christiansen's return to the role was one of the buzziest items of news about the show for a long time, and the show's final episode completes Christiansen's redemption as it cements Vader's fall. "You didn't kill Anakin Skywalker. I did," a damaged Vader tells Kenobi, with a heartbreaking finality that proves Kenobi can't bring Anakin back.
Emperor Palpatine
Set nine years after his ultimate triumph over the Jedi, Palpatine is at the height of his power during the events of Kenobi. Concerned about keeping Vader focused, he chides his apprentice, telling him not to be overcome by his feelings for his former master and his lust for revenge.
Palpatine has good reason to be concerned. The show makes a point of reminding the audience via flashbacks just how single-minded he can be, an important detail about Vader because it has led to his downfall before. Vader's duel with Kenobi in Part VI is the second time Palpatine nearly loses him to Obi-Wan's hand, and he needs Vader to keep the galaxy in line.
Ben Kenobi
The show is set in a dark time for Kenobi. Forced to disavow his Jedi past simply to remain alive, Kenobi must face the traumas of his old life in order to rescue Leia Organa at the behest of his old friend Bail. He learns how to face and process those traumas, which allows him to commune with his old master Qui-Gon and prepare for his future as well.
The show serves as a true transitional piece for Obi-Wan, giving audiences a glimpse into how he turns from a powerful Jedi Master into Ben, who seems little more than a kindly hermit that Luke has a vague knowledge of. His confrontation with Vader in Part VI finally gives him closure and teaches him he cannot follow the same path with Luke as he did with Anakin. But his training with Qui-Gon allows him to continue to reach out to Luke, imparting lessons after his physical body is gone.