Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s fourth episode needs a content warning for violence involving children, as it might go even darker than that scene in Revenge of the Sith (2005, dir. George Lucas).
The episode opens with a stunning parallel, deep-diving into its main characters. The phenomenal editing beautifully depicts Obi-Wan’s trauma and Lord Vader’s hatred without the need for dialogue. With each instalment, the series seems to be an extension of the prequels, providing the fans with scenes showing the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith. The show can be viewed partially as a character study, depicting how the events of the saga’s Episode III affected Kenobi, Vader, and regular citizens as well.
Once again, Ewan McGregor’s acting is top-tier. A war-stricken veteran dealing with PTSD is vastly different than the Jedi Master remembered from the prequels, yet the actor manages to show that this is the exact same character, however broken and hopeless. Seeing him pick up his lightsaber again, knowing what it signifies, is a tear-jerking rollercoaster more than it is a beginning of a fantastically choreographed action sequence. Personally, I’d say watching Kenobi’s emotional journey in the series is far more interesting than the action in it.
One cannot help but compare Part IV of Kenobi to Episode IV of the saga. Without giving out any spoilers, the main plot of this instalment is almost identical to that of A New Hope (1977, dir. George Lucas). This seems to follow the pattern of Parts I, II & III being parallel to the Prequel Trilogy, each containing at least one important detail similar to its cinematic counterpart. Hence, Obi-Wan Kenobi is truly a tribute to the six original films.
As the Star Wars creator once said: “It’s like poetry, they rhyme.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part IV is now streaming on Disney+.
Featured Image Credit: Lucasfilm/Disney
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