Summary
Star Wars: The Clone WarschangedObi-Wan Kenobi’s story and character for the better. ThoughtheStar Warsprequel trilogydepicted the bare-bones tragedy of Anakin Skywalker,Star Wars: The Clone Warswas responsible for filling in the gaps betweenStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the ClonesandStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. As such,The Clone Warscemented itself as a vital piece ofStar Warsstorytelling, not just for Anakin’s character but for those who surrounded him as well – namely, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The Clone Wars’ galaxy-wide conflict tainted everything, from the Separatist alliance to innocent, resource-rich worlds, and perhaps most importantly, the Jedi Order. By allowing themselves to get swept up in the conflict and the galaxy’s political turmoil, the Jedi lost sight of who they were and what they stood for. The violence, deception, and heightened emotional state ofthe Clone Wars affected everyone, and even a Jedi as noble, well-respected, and thoughtful as Obi-Wan Kenobi was changed by it, providing audiences with a better understanding of his ethics as a Jedi, a man, and as a friend.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi has been an important character in Star Wars from the beginning, but not everything about him is well-known, including these 10 facts.
8Obi-Wan’s Rivalry With Darth Maul Became A Cornerstone Of His Story
It made their duel in The Phantom Menace so much more important
Famously, of course,Obi-Wan Kenobi’s duel with Darth MaulinStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menaceproved that Obi-Wan was a Jedi to be reckoned with. He defeated a Sith apprentice when he was still just a Padawan himself, avenging his master’s death – though he would never describe it that way – and changing the fate of the galaxy forever. Though many, including Obi-Wan, believed that would be the last time anyone saw Maul, the former Sith apprentice survived through sheer force of will and anger.
As a result, Maul became obsessed with defeating Obi-Wan. They met many times during the Clone Wars – sometimes Obi-Wan had the upper hand, other times Maul did, but in the end, Maul seemed to get the last laugh (beforeStar Wars Rebels, anyway) by killing someone that Obi-Wan was incredibly close to. Above all, what Obi-Wan and Maul’s rivalry proved was exactly why Obi-Wan managed to defeat Maul that very first time: Maul was consumed with hate and arrogance, while Obi-Wan kept himself centered, even while he was grieving.Obi-Wan became a better Jedi because of Maul.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
The Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi became a Jedi Knight after his master’s death. Obi-Wan trained Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi, with his own apprentice knighted after the Battle of Geonosis. The Jedi Master became a key player in the Jedi during the Clone Wars, and was heartbroken when Anakin turned to the dark side; Obi-Wan critically wounded Anakin before taking to the shadows, watching over the young Luke and Leia for years. He sacrificed himself for his two charges, becoming a Force Ghost and continuing to mentor them.
7Obi-Wan’s Friendships With The Clones Makes Order 66 Much More Impactful
Obi-Wan wasn’t just grieving for the Jedi but the clones he worked with, too
This is true for all the Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars, but it’s especially true for Obi-Wan, too. Though many viewed Obi-Wan as the model Jedi – collected, calm, thoughtful, and rational – Obi-Wan still had a hard time leaving his attachments behind him. He became friends with the clones he worked with – he respected them, joked with them, fought alongside them, and protected them, and all of that is depicted inStar Wars: The Clone Wars.
As such, when Order 66 is implemented by Palpatine, the shock of the ambush against Obi-Wan as seen inRevenge of the Sithis all the more harrowing. This wasn’t just a surprise attack, this was a surprise attack by people he trusted – Commander Cody perhaps most of all – andObi-Wan never got a chance to grieve his clone trooper friends before he was forced to confront one of his other closest friends, as well.
6The Clone Wars Showed Off Obi-Wan’s Greatest Skills
Obi-Wan wasn’t just an excellent duelist
Obi-Wan has always been viewed as a great duelist and a calm, thoughtful, and friendly Jedi. Butthere’s more to Obi-Wan than meets the eye, andThe Clone Warsallowed him to flex his other skills whenever necessary.Obi-Wan was a skilled liar and actor – for instance, he went undercover as a hardened criminal inStar Wars: The Clone Warsseason 4, episodes 15-18. He was willing to fake his death to convince the other bounty hunters and criminals that he was one of them, changing his appearance to become unrecognizable.
He also gets to show off his detective skills again, as first glimpsed inAttack of the Clones, inThe Clone Warsseason 6, episode 10, as he once again chases the trail of Master Sifo-Dyas after his lightsaber is found during a Jedi mission. These skills and more made Obi-Wan invaluable to the Jedi, andThe Clone Warsrecognized his true potential.
5The Clone Wars Tested Obi-Wan’s Loyalty To The Jedi And The Force
Obi-Wan’s adventures during the Clone Wars changed him
Though Obi-Wan managed to deal with the heartache and violence of the Clone Wars better than some other Jedi, he wasn’t entirely unaffected. The Jedi’s role in the conflict tested his loyalty to both the Jedi Order as a whole and his relationship with the Force. For instance, in the “Slaves of Zygerria” arc inThe Clone Warsseason 4 (episodes 11-13), Obi-Wan is confronted with the limits of the Jedi Order’s reach and feels helpless to stop it, even as he’s kidnapped and used as a slave himself.
During the Mortis arc inThe Clone Warsseason 3, (episodes 15-17), everything Obi-Wan thought he knew about the Force is turned on its head. He sees Anakin struggling with the dark side, watches as Ahsoka loses her life and is resurrected, and has a vision of Qui-Gon Jinn as well, one which almost changes his entire point of view.The Clone Wars was a harrowing time for all the Jedi, but Obi-Wan, who was so principled and reasonable, was often left to question his entire philosophy and life choices because of it.
4The Clone Wars Depicted Obi-Wan And Anakin’s Friendship Better Than The Prequels
The Clone Wars allowed the audience to understand why they consider themselves brothers
The final duel inRevenge of the Sithbetween Obi-Wan and Anakin is supposed to be the emotional climax of the film. Two Jedi, two friends, brothers, even, are forced to fight each other in a duel to the death. It’s a tragedy, it’s Shakespearean, and yet, it wasn’t untilStar Wars: The Clone Warsshowed us just how close Anakin and Obi-Wan truly were that the actual horror of this final duel became clear.
InThe Clone Wars, audiences get to see Anakin and Obi-Wan joking around with each other, confiding in one another, fighting side-by-side as equals rather than as a teacher and a pupil. Obi-Wan tells Anakin some of his deepest regrets and secrets, and Anakin, in turn, talks to Obi-Wan about his worries.InThe Clone Wars, they truly were brothers, and it makes their relationship inRevenge of the Sithand the originalStar Warsmovie, later retitledA New Hope, all the more poignant.
Clone Wars Timeline Explained: When Each Season Takes Place (Including The Bad Batch)
All seven non-chronological seasons of The Clone Wars take place within a three-year period, but where does one year end and the next begin?
3Obi-Wan’s Fatal Flaw Wasn’t Pride – It Was His Relationship With Anakin
ThoughStar Wars: The Clone Warsfurther proved that the Jedi Order’s greatest flaw was, in fact, pride – they refused to acknowledge their role in the Republic’s political conflict, they ignored the warning signs of the coming darkness, and so on – Obi-Wan’s fatal flaw was proven to be his relationship with Anakin.The Jedi aren’t supposed to have attachments, and yet Obi-Wan was clearly attached to Anakin, and vice versa.
What if Obi-Wan had been more objective when it came to Anakin? Would he have been able to sense Anakin’s desperation? His growing loyalty to Palpatine? Would he have been in a better position to stop it? Would he have wanted to? There was nothing Obi-Wan wouldn’t do for Anakin – he even lied to the Jedi Council for him – not until it was already too late.
2Obi-Wan Knew About Anakin & Padmé All Along
Obi-Wan wasn’t always the model Jedi everyone thought he was
Though it was never explicitly confirmed that Obi-Wan knew about Anakin and Padmé’s secret relationship, it was heavily implied, especially in the final season ofThe Clone Wars. In one scene, Anakin calls Padmé while away on a mission, hidden in a closet with Captain Rex guarding the door. Obi-Wan approaches, hoping to speak to Anakin, but Rex gets him to leave just as Anakin exits the room. Obi-Wan, however, says“I hope you at least told Padmé I said hello,”indicating that Obi-Wan knew, on some level, that Anakin and Padmé were still involved (though perhaps he didn’t know they were married).
Obi-Wan’s knowledge of Anakin and Padmé’s relationship is also implied in Mike Chen’s novelStar Wars: Brotherhood.
Once again, this is a prime example of how highly Obi-Wan thought of Anakin, and how much he valued their friendship.He wanted his former Padawan to be happy, no matter the cost, and no matter the lies he would need to tell the Jedi Order.This is especially notable since Obi-Wan never got the chance to experience that kind of happiness for himself – or at the very least, he denied himself that chance.
Perhaps the biggest reveal in the entirety ofStar Wars: The Clone Warswas that Obi-Wan Kenobi had once fallen in love too. InThe Clone Warsseason 2, viewers are introduced to Satine Kryze, the Duchess of Mandalore, and it quickly becomes clear that she and Obi-Wan share a past. It is later revealed thatthey loved each other so much that Obi-Wan would have considered leaving the Jedi Order to be with her, and Satine loved him so much that she never allowed herself to ask him to stay with her.
Not only doesObi-Wan’s love storyconfirm that he was, in fact, one of the noblest Jedi in the Order – he did what Anakin could not by giving up his chance at happiness for the sake of the galaxy’s safety – but it adds a completely different dimension to his character, too. Obi-Wan loved, lost, grieved, and persevered. TheStar Warsprequel trilogy was made better byThe Clone Wars, and so was Obi-Wan’s character.Star Wars: The Clone Warsproved thatObi-Wan Kenobiwasn’t just a mentor; he was a lover, a confidante, a leader, and above all, a friend.
All episodes ofStar Wars: The Clone Warsare now available to stream on Disney+.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Cast
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated series that explores the intense conflict between the Republic and the Separatists. Featuring a mix of loyalty shifts and alliances, it delves into complex mysteries of the Force and showcases pivotal moments for characters like Anakin Skywalker and Master Yoda.
