At SPACECON San Antonio, Hayden Christensen revealed why he thinks Anakin Skywalker lost to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and it connects to another iconic duel inStar Wars. The Mustafar battle is one of thebest lightsaber duelsin allStar Warsmovies and TV shows, and it remains one of the most important events intheStar Warstimeline. The epic duel isn’t perfect, though, and Obi-Wan’s quip about having"the high ground"remains a controversial one. Christensen’s explanation at SPACECON finally makes this moment make perfect sense.
After joking that Anakin made his fateful jump inRevenge of the Sithdue to"the arrogance of youth,“Hayden Christensen suggested thatit was really Anakin’s knowledge of how Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated Darth Maul inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menacethat led him to believe he was capable of beating Obi-Wan even when Obi-Wan had the high ground. In a video posted bythelegacyofnerdon TikTok, Christensen explained that, in his view, Anakin would have grown up hearing this"lore,“and that was why he believed he could beat Obi-Wan.
This would also explain why Obi-Wan told Anakin not to try it—he knew how he had defeated Maul when Maul had the high ground, so he must have known how to prevent Anakin from doing the same thing.
What Hayden Christensen’s Explanation Would Mean For Star Wars
Hayden Christensen’s explanation makes this moment and this line so much more profound. In his description, this would mean that Obi-Wan’s"don’t try it"was an acknowledgment that they were both thinking about this story. As Christensen said, from his perspective, Obi-Wan’s triumph over Darth Maul would have been something of a legend among the Jedi. If that were the case, it would make sense that it would come to mind for Anakin at that moment and that Obi-Wan would anticipate his next move (and know how to stop him).
This would also make Anakin’s attempt all the more painful as, even when he was clearly so filled with hatred for his former Jedi Master, he was still trying to emulate him. It’s already evident that Anakin had very complex feelings about Obi-Wan, wherein he both resented and idolized him. This explanation makes that even more poignant and further reflects how close the two really were, in that Obi-Wan would have known the specific memory Anakin would have called to mind during their fight.
Our Take On The “High Ground” In Star Wars
Like many,I view the battle on Mustafar as one of the most emotional and most important moments in all ofStar Wars. It was brutal to watch Obi-Wan and Anakin, who really had been like brothers, fight nearly to the death, and although Obi-Wan’s actions were justified, knowing he had truly lost faith in Anakin and was leaving him for dead was genuinely painful. This explanation by Christensen is a reminder of the extent of that loss, so I find it to be a brilliant one.
This commentary from Christensen also further solidifies that he truly is the authority on Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Christensen understands Anakin on a level that perhaps no one else could, and that shines through in his analysis of the character. I fully buy into Hayden Christensen’s explanation of thisStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithmoment and its implications for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s largerStar Warsstories.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Cast
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
