After getting swept up in the mysteries of Kamino in Revenge of the Sith. But, as compelling as Hayden Christensen’s portrayal of Anakin Skywalker’s dark journey is, Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is the undeniable star of the movie.
Ian McDiarmid’s Palpatine gives Obi-Wan a run for his money, but as the wholesome, heroic counterpoint to Anakin’s villainous rage, the future Ben Kenobi is the most interesting, likable, and iconic part of the movie.
Obi-Wan Becomes The Story’s Hero As Anakin Becomes Its Villain
In Episodes I and II, Anakin is presented as a Hamlet-esque antihero. The benefit of a prequel is the ability to use the characters’ inevitable fate as a dramatic tool. Since Star Wars fans knew that Anakin was destined to become a faceless symbol of evil, Lucas could frame him as a tragic hero led down a dark path.
But in Revenge of the Sith, Anakin becomes a full-blown villain. By the middle of the movie, he’s slaughtering children. He’s no longer a tragic hero; he’s the bad guy. As Anakin becomes the story’s villain, Obi-Wan shifts into being its main hero (as opposed to a ing mentor figure).
Ewan McGregor Is More Comfortable Than Ever In The Role
One of the greatest acting challenges faced by the stars of the franchise age is playing the younger version of a character that was made iconic by another actor. The younger actor has to recapture the spirit of their predecessor’s performance while simultaneously making the role their own and not doing a shallow imitation of another performance.
Ewan McGregor’s take on Obi-Wan was the gold standard from the very beginning. McGregor’s performance both recaptured Alec Guinness’ warmth and wisdom and gave the younger version of Kenobi a youthful makeover with naivety and unbridled wholesomeness.
The Movie’s Funniest Moments Involve Obi-Wan
While the Star Wars saga is traditionally a tragedy, Lucas finds plenty of opportunities for humor in each episode. On top of unintentionally comedic quotes that have been turned into memes, Obi-Wan has some of Revenge of the Sith’s most hilarious moments.
From dryly commenting, “Not to worry, we’re still flying half a ship,” in the face of death to waking up on Anakin’s back and realizing he’s dangling in a seemingly bottomless elevator shaft, McGregor nails every comedic beat in Revenge of the Sith.
Obi-Wan’s Back-And-Forth With General Grievous Is Priceless
After Anakin executes Count Dooku, Palpatine takes on General Grievous as his last apprentice before turning the young Jedi padawan to the Sith. Grievous has a biting encounter with Anakin early in the film, but his main adversary is Obi-Wan.
Their back-and-forth throughout the movie is priceless, especially the most iconic part of it: Obi-Wan dropping down behind the four-limbed killer robot and his legions of droid soldiers and casually saying, “Hello there.”
He Has The Most Memeable Quotes
The Star Wars prequels have been reappraised as cult classics in the years since almost every line of dialogue from the movies was turned into a meme template by a popular subreddit. Just about every quote from this entire trilogy has been turned into a meme at this point, but Obi-Wan’s quotes have proven to be particularly meme-worthy.
From his casual “Hello there” to his brag about “the high ground,” a ton of Obi-Wan’s Revenge of the Sith quotes have stood the test of time beyond the ironic meme stage.
Obi-Wan Embodies The Best Of The Jedi
Through the story of Anakin’s downfall, Revenge of the Sith is the ultimate examination of the dichotomy of the Jedi and the Sith. Anakin turns to the dark side because he feels underappreciated by the Jedi Council. Mace Windu’s unwavering mistrust of Anakin represents the worst of the Jedi, and the reason why Anakin seeks tutelage from Emperor Palpatine.
Obi-Wan offers a sharp contrast to this by demonstrating the best of the Jedi. He’s a noble warrior who leads a life of peace but springs into action to do what’s right. Throughout Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan reminds audiences why they root for the Jedi, despite the order’s many flaws.
Anakin’s Climactic Duel With Obi-Wan Is The Ultimate Showdown
The entire prequel trilogy built up to the climactic showdown between Obi-Wan and his fallen apprentice, and when it finally rolled around in the third act of Revenge of the Sith, it didn’t disappoint. The volcanic landscapes of Mustafar created the perfect backdrop for the master and padawan’s explosive emotions.
McGregor and Hayden Christensen nail their characters’ gut-wrenching emotional turns, as they instantly snap from brotherly love to philosophical hatred. Crucially, Obi-Wan tells Anakin, “I loved you,” and Anakin spits back, “I hate you!”
Obi-Wan Sets The Stage For The Original Trilogy
The final minutes of Revenge of the Sith are dedicated to getting all the characters in their starting places for the original trilogy: the Organas settle down on Alderaan with baby Leia, Vader and Palpatine oversee the construction of the Death Star, etc.
Obi-Wan is featured in the final pre-original trilogy sequence, as he delivers baby Luke to Owen and Beru Lars’ moisture farm on Tatooine and fades into the distance to live in hiding until the Rebellion calls upon him.
