S01.E06: Part VI

[Kel Varnsen]

Finally watched the last episode. It was a pretty good ending to an overall entertaining series. I mean there were parts that were kind of dumb. But I think with more often than not things are kind of dumb. I liked that it was a pretty simple store, since I think Star Wars works better when they don't let stories get overly complicated.

On 6/22/2022 at 11:53 AM, storyskip said:

If S2 centered around Obi-Wan learning from Force Ghost Qui-Gon, while simultaneously helping to establish other canon Force Users like Corran Horn, and possibly following the rise/growth of the Rebellion, I would be a happy fangirl.

If they do have a season 2 I say bring I. Yoda. Maybe allow him to redeem himself a bit after screwing over the Galaxy and then completely bailing on the people who are trying to fix it.

On 6/24/2022 at 7:00 PM, Ottis said:

Also, if these Jedi spent less time throwing rocks at each other, and put more time into, you know, stabbing with light sabers, these fights would be shorter.

Or just use your force powers to pull our your opponents eyeballs or something.

[Quark]

I was very entertained by this show. Was great seeing Obi-Wan again.

The fight scenes were great, especially the final battle between Vader/Anakin and Obi-Wan.

The acting was mostly good, but the actress playing Reva wasn't great. She had great presence though.

[conquistador]

I can only agree with everybody else regarding the battle between Vader and Kenobi, it was the peak of this series.

However, I was annoyed by Leia’s outfit. Just seems too cute and quaint to me that this ten tear old girl would dress and style herself so alike how we know her as adult.

[paramitch]

I enjoyed this, and it as always really made my inner ten year-old really happy. It wasn't perfect, and we got some pretty clunky writing that was a little too visibly moving all the pieces where they needed to be from moment to moment and that got frustrating, especially when some stuff happened -- like Vader not killing Reva, or Obi-Wan not killing Vader -- because "it has to happen that way."

But there was also a lot of really fun stuff, some great characters, actors, and moments, and as always I just think Ewan MacGregor is so damn good, and really brought so much heart and emotion to the role.

Which brings me to my biggest complaint/request with the show: Why not, next time, give us some actual time with Obi-Wan? Not running from setpiece to setpiece, but as a person? He seems like this incredibly fascinating, lovely, complex, and deeply empathetic person.

But I still feel like we barely know him. After four feature films and this series? I still know the Mandalorian better than I know Obi-Wan. Because everything we've seen has tended to be about what Kenobi does, not who he is. I mean, yes, plot is character, to quote CS Lewis, but time and again here I found myself just craving moments when the show would stop, and let people talk. Let us learn about Obi-Wan -- how is he feeling now, what does he want from life? Has he given up? (And he's so young here to do so -- it's tragic.)

The Mandalorian did this so beautifully that I can't help but compare the two. I knew and cared about him deeply within a handful of episodes, and each one taught us more of who he was and what he believed.

So that's my wish for this show -- if they bring it back, for once why don't we actually focus on Obi-Wan? Not just have him as a living plot device who exists to support other characters (Help Luke! Support Gwi-Gon! Save Anakin/Leia!, etc.), but as someone who has his own journey and inner life. If that makes sense?

I just really love Ewan's portrayal and I would like to see Obi-Wan dealing with his OWN life, navigating his own demons or questions, etc.

On 6/22/2022 at 2:20 AM, paigow said:

Everyone that died from Rogue One onwards can blame Kenobi... twice  

THIS. I laughed but I also winced because it was so painfully true. Billions of people die because Obi-Wan doesn't finish Vader off here. I mean, I get that they couldn't have him kill Vader there, but I would rather an outside element have interfered with the killing blow. 

(Sorry)

On 6/22/2022 at 7:14 AM, mrc12671 said:

Happy Liam came back for the cameo.  That he did it for this and for The Dark Knight Rises tells me he's a good dude. 

I was so tickled to see him! And honestly, it made me happy, simply because it means Obi-Wan won't be so alone.

On 6/22/2022 at 8:53 AM, storyskip said:

If S2 centered around Obi-Wan learning from Force Ghost Qui-Gon, while simultaneously helping to establish other canon Force Users like Corran Horn, and possibly following the rise/growth of the Rebellion, I would be a happy fangirl.

If S2 doesn't happen, just those couple of lines from Qui-Gon and getting to see Obi-Wan is not alone, is as happy an ending as I could have hoped for, given events to come in ANH.

Me too on both of these!

On 6/22/2022 at 11:16 AM, thuganomics85 said:

The moment when Vader lost half of his helmet and we not only saw half his face but heard both James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen's voices at the same time was a great moment as well.

Wasn't expecting a Force Ghost Qui-Gon though, so that was great!  Especially since Liam Neeson had way more energy in those few moments compared to the last ten or so generic action films I've seen him in.

I do think Hayden showed here that he is capable of much more when the material is stronger.  Glad he's getting some love now.  I'll certainly be down for a second season and I wouldn't mind seeing everyone again on one of the other shows if that is in the cards as well.

I snipped some stuff here just to say how much I agree with it. 100% (Especially Neeson).

On 6/22/2022 at 1:35 PM, bunnyblue said:

More tears from me when Obi-Wan told Leia about her "exceptional" parents and how she is a combination of both of them. 😭 Obi-Wan's love for Leia, Luke, Anakin, and Padme was on full display during the show and it saddens me that he'll now go back to keeping his distance from the twins and won't be a part of their lives when clearly he would die for them. I loved that it was his love for Luke & Leia that gave him the extra strength to break out of the rubble and defeat Vader. Also love that Obi-Wan sensing Luke was in danger was a callback to when Leia sensed Luke in ESB (the whispered "Luke" had to be intentional, right?). Seriously, I want an alternative timeline where Uncle Obi-Wan raises Luke and Leia himself. 

This. It's so painful to me that Obi-Wan has so much love and care for Luke, Leia, and many others, and yet as far as we know he's just going to live this incredibly isolated life for many more decades.

On 6/22/2022 at 2:10 PM, magdalene said:

In particular I was also really turned off by the hating on the Reva actress and by unfortunately coming across some websites that are yikes! (Star Wars nazis, run by nasty white men).  Slowly backs away. To be fair there also have been some lovely Star Wars centric places like "Star Wars Explained", "Kyle Katarn", "Star Wars News Net" and the "ForceCenter Podcast" -all highly recommended.

EM is a great actor and young Leia was adorable throughout. I am also glad for HC who, from what I heard used to get lots of nastiness thrown at him.

I was sorry to hear that about fan treatment of Moses Ingram. I thought she was great in the role -- not terribly subtle, but she has a great presence and incredible charisma. I was just as sorry for the way the fandom treated poor HC, as well. They're just people doing jobs as best they can, and the way fans can't seem to separate actor from role is really disturbing. (See also the fandom's horrid treatment of poor Kelly Marie Tran -- and I will never forgive JJ Abrams for validating that behavior in TLS).

On 6/22/2022 at 5:44 AM, raven said:

I admit to wearing Ewan McGregor colored glasses and he is incredibly hot in this show *fans self*

Wish we could have had a few more episodes, as some things were resolved awfully quickly.  Too much time was spent with Reva for a totally predictable ending.  Waste of an interesting character in Tala.  Needed more Obi-Wan alone; more Obi-Wan and Anakin together pre-Vader.  I did enjoy young Leia. I could watch Owen being grumpy and Beru being practical and badass while taking care of a young PITA Luke.  

I'm totally with you on much of what you mentioned, but especially on Ewan's hotness as Obi-Wan (I will see your oof and raise you a woof). Seriously, it's the hottest he can be, as far as I'm concerned.

I also wrote a wall of text about this above, but let's just say I agree so much on us needing more Obi-Wan time. We end the show knowing very little more about him or his inner journey, beyond his sadness over Anakin and his care for Leia, Luke, etc. (which we already knew).

Basically -- I really hope we get a season 2. I think this show could be so much better.

[Llywela]

1 hour ago, paramitch said:

This. It's so painful to me that Obi-Wan has so much love and care for Luke, Leia, and many others, and yet as far as we know he's just going to live this incredibly isolated life for many more decades

If it makes you feel any better, Obi-Wan in fact only has another decade to live after this series. Less than that, even. Leia and Luke are ten years old here - when we meet Luke in A New Hope he is 19, and Obi-Wan is dead by the end of that first film. So...still a horribly isolated life, but only for another 9 years rather than many decades.

[andromeda331]

21 hours ago, paramitch said:

I enjoyed this, and it as always really made my inner ten year-old really happy. It wasn't perfect, and we got some pretty clunky writing that was a little too visibly moving all the pieces where they needed to be from moment to moment and that got frustrating,

But there was also a lot of really fun stuff, some great characters, actors, and moments, and as always I just think Ewan MacGregor is so damn good, and really brought so much heart and emotion to the role.

Which brings me to my biggest complaint/request with the show: Why not, next time, give us some actual time with Obi-Wan? Not running from setpiece to setpiece, but as a person? He seems like this incredibly fascinating, lovely, complex, and deeply empathetic person.

But I still feel like we barely know him. After four feature films and this series? I still know the Mandalorian better than I know Obi-Wan. Because everything we've seen has tended to be about what Kenobi does, not who he is. I mean, yes, plot is character, to quote CS Lewis, but time and again here I found myself just craving moments when the show would stop, and let people talk. Let us learn about Obi-Wan -- how is he feeling now, what does he want from life? Has he given up? (And he's so young here to do so -- it's tragic.)

The Mandalorian did this so beautifully that I can't help but compare the two. I knew and cared about him deeply within a handful of episodes, and each one taught us more of who he was and what he believed.

So that's my wish for this show -- if they bring it back, for once why don't we actually focus on Obi-Wan? Not just have him as a living plot device who exists to support other characters (Help Luke! Support Gwi-Gon! Save Anakin/Leia!, etc.), but as someone who has his own journey and inner life. If that makes sense?

This is a very good point. It's surprising that by now we still don't know much about him. He only know revealed he had a brother. Did he ever think about him or his parents growing up? After he started training Anakin?  He's still all Jedi until the last episode of the series when he tells Owen that it should be Luke's decision. It's easy to link that to Anakin but does he ever think about it towards his own life? Obi Wan never decided to join the Jedi. That was made by the Jedi and his parents when he was a baby. He never had the chance to make the decision on his own. No matter what situation he ends up in he always remains a Jedi. Why? Does he truly believe or because it's all he knows?  He had a master and apprentice that often went against the Jedi Orders. He also never had a chance to go off as a Jedi on his own. He lost his master and gained an apprentice a day or two later. There's more to explore with him. 

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This. It's so painful to me that Obi-Wan has so much love and care for Luke, Leia, and many others, and yet as far as we know he's just going to live this incredibly isolated life for many more decades.

Does he ever regret his decisions? Does ever look at Luke and Leia and wonder what happened if he left for Satine? He could have been a father too or just had months or years with Satine. 

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especially when some stuff happened -- like Vader not killing Reva, or Obi-Wan not killing Vader -- because "it has to happen that way."

I hate when it happens for that reason. If Reva's not going to die then find a way for it to happen that makes sense. Vader would never leave her alive because there's no reason for it. For Obi Wan I really thought he would end up getting a vision or find out that Luke's in danger forcing him to make a choice kill Vader or save Luke. 

[Sandman]

On 6/22/2022 at 8:44 AM, raven said:

I just knew they were going to redeem Reva - we wouldn't have had all of the flashbacks to her as a terrified child if they weren't- but the dark side of the Force in me really wanted Owen and Beru to take her out. I haven't disliked the Reva character, but she was obviously seriously injured and in pain, so it made sense that O & B could kill her; they had a plan to defend against an attack. I didn't like Luke surviving only because of Reva's mercy. I would rather have more confirmation that Luke was protected in certain situations even if Obi-Wan wasn't there. 

Looking back on it, I'm sure you're right about her redemption being inevitable. It made sense to me, and I found it worked, given that the character had to have some purpose, since we know she wasn't going to kill Luke. Prequels (and fanfic) are already written into corners, pretty much by definition. But the actress did a better than decent job with it, I thought. A little more development of her character along that line wouldn't have gone amiss, though.

(The Grand Inquisitor, by contrast, I found unthreatening and almost entirely useless, in that overweening yet mingy way -- a badly written character, played without noticeable conviction by Rupert Friend. A real misstep for the series.)

I had put off watching the end of Part VI, but I'm glad I saw it through. The first half of the episode dragged a bit, I thought, getting everyone in place for the denouement. Up to the first section of the climactic lightsaber duel I just wasn't feeling it -- I know Obi-Wan was supposed to be obviously holding back, but the fight choreography itself struck me as grindingly slow and full of holes in tactics or technique that seemed to sap the thing of any real risk. The second stanza, as it were, after Obi-Wan un-buries himself and seems to remember, Oh, right; I taught this little pisher everything he knows, and I was trained by the greatest was far more coherent and engaging.

I felt absolutely everything after that. Reva's heel-face turn, the power of mercy, the goodbye scene with Leia (and her holster!), the reconciliation with Owen, meeting Luke, and the return of (:: snif ::) Qui-Gon -- I knew it had to be coming, but it still worked! I found it all quite moving. A lovely end to a mostly satisfying series.

Edited September 26, 2022 by Sandman