Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi | |
---|---|
Star Wars character | |
First appearance | Star Wars (1977) |
Created by | George Lucas |
Portrayed by | |
Voiced by | Various [b] |
In-universe information | |
Alias | Ben Kenobi |
Species | Human |
Gender | Male |
Occupation |
|
Affiliation | |
Masters | Qui-Gon Jinn Yoda |
Apprentices |
Obi-Wan Kenobi (
Creation and development
Various claims have been made about the origins of the character Obi-Wan Kenobi. In his book about the Star Wars franchise, Chris Taylor asserts that Obi-Wan was inspired by the J.R.R. Tolkien character Gandalf.[1] Ben Sherlock of ScreenRant, meanwhile, claims that the Jedi Master was based on General Makabe Rokurōta, a character from the 1958 Akira Kurosawa film The Hidden Fortress.[2]
Lucas created Obi-Wan Kenobi as a mentor for Luke, and originally planned for him to continue training Luke in the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Although Obi-Wan's death was not in the final version of the Star Wars script, Lucas decided during filming that Obi-Wan would die in the film.[3] According to Alec Guinness, he begged Lucas to kill off his character because he hated Obi-Wan's dialogue.[4] Lucas, however, claims he killed off Obi-Wan's because the character served no purpose after his duel with Vader.[5][6] Lucas later reflected: "It would be much more powerful, satisfying and interesting if Darth Vader were to kill him and he were to go on to a different form."[7]
In outlining
Portrayals
When casting Star Wars, Lucas sought an established star for the role of Obi-Wan. He considered Peter Cushing for the part, but decided the actor's lean features would be better employed as the villainous Grand Moff Tarkin.[9] The film's producer, Gary Kurtz, felt a strong character actor was required to convey the "stability and gravitas" of Obi-Wan.[10] Before Guinness was cast, the Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune—who plays Makabe Rokurōta in The Hidden Fortress—was considered for the role.[11][12] Mifune's daughter, Mika Kitagawa, said her father "had a lot of samurai pride" and turned down the roles of both Obi-Wan and Darth Vader because he thought Star Wars would employ cheap special effects and would therefore "cheapen the image of samurai".[13] Once Guinness was selected and production was underway, Lucas credited the English actor with inspiring the cast and crew to work harder, which contributed significantly to the completion of filming.[14] Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo in the film, said he admired Guinness's preparation, professionalism and kindness towards the other actors.[10]
Appearances in the official canon
Original trilogy
Obi-Wan is introduced in Star Wars (1977) as an aging hermit living on
At the settlement of
In
Prequel trilogy
In
When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan return to Naboo to defeat the Trade Federation, they are met again by Maul, who engages them both in lightsaber combat. When Maul mortally wounds Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan storms in to duel the Sith Lord, who nearly kills him. However, Obi-Wan manages to turn the tables and defeat Maul, cutting him in half. He promises to fulfill Qui-Gon's dying wish to train Anakin as a Jedi, with or without the council's blessing. Yoda proclaims Obi-Wan a Jedi Knight and reluctantly allows him to take Anakin on as his own Padawan.[17]
In
On Geonosis, Obi-Wan discovers that a
In
After finding the Separatist encampment, Obi-Wan fights Grievous and kills him with Grievous' own blaster. When the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who is revealed to be Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the mastermind of the war—issues
Obi-Wan visits Padmé to question of Anakin's whereabouts, and realizes that Anakin is her husband and the father of her unborn child. When Padmé sets out to the volcanic planet
Obi-Wan takes Padmé to the
Sequel trilogy
In
Other films
A standalone film centered on Obi-Wan was previously in pre-production before being cancelled in favor of the live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the project was voted as the most wanted standalone film in a poll by The Hollywood Reporter,[20] it was instead developed as a limited streaming series following the box office disappointment of Solo: A Star Wars Story.[21][22] The film was to be directed and co-written by Stephen Daldry.[23][24] According to TMZ, the movie would take place a few years after Revenge of the Sith, featuring marauding Tusken Raiders and an evil warlord, who bring Obi-Wan out of hiding to protect Luke.[25]
Television
Clone Wars (2003) and The Clone Wars (2008–2014; 2020)
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a main character in the animated micro-series
Rebels (2014–2018)
In Star Wars Rebels, set five years before A New Hope, Obi-Wan appears as a hologram in the pilot episode, "Spark of Rebellion". In the Season 3 episode "Visions and Voices", protagonist Ezra Bridger (voiced by Taylor Gray) discovers that Obi-Wan is alive on Tatooine; Obi-Wan's old nemesis Darth Maul finds him as well.[28] In the episode "Twin Suns", Obi-Wan finds Ezra while he is lost in the desert while letting him know Maul was intending to use him. At that moment, Maul attacks them, and Obi-Wan ushers Ezra to retreat. Obi-Wan mortally wounds Maul during a final lightsaber duel; with his dying breath, Maul asks Obi-Wan if he is protecting the "Chosen One", and Obi-Wan replies that he is. After Maul's death, Obi-Wan is seen watching over Luke Skywalker from a distance.[29]
In Rebels, Obi-Wan was voiced by Stephen Stanton, who replaced James Arnold Taylor.[30][31] Rebels creator Dave Filoni, who worked with the character during the full duration of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, said he considered asking McGregor to reprise and voice the role.[32] However, a voice recording of the late Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi was used in a 2018 episode.[33]
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Ewan McGregor reprised his role as a Jedi master in
Novels and comics
Obi-Wan Kenobi appears briefly in the novel
The five-issue Marvel Comics mini-series Obi-Wan and Anakin focuses on the title characters between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.[41] In the 2015 Star Wars comic series, Luke Skywalker goes to Obi-Wan's abandoned house on Tatooine and finds his diary, from which stories of Obi-Wan's past are recounted.[41][42]
Obi-Wan appears as a main character in the novel Master and Apprentice (2019) by
Appearances in Star Wars Legends
In 2014, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since 1977 were rebranded by Lucasfilm as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise. The Legends works comprise a separate narrative universe.[46][47][48][49]
Novels
Obi-Wan's life prior to The Phantom Menace is portrayed mostly in
Obi-Wan's heroism just before and during the Clone Wars is portrayed in novels such as
Obi-Wan's life between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope is portrayed mostly in
Obi-Wan appears in the final chapter of Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, set just after the events in Revenge of the Sith, in which he learns with alarm that Vader survived their duel on Mustafar. Qui-Gon reassures him that Vader would not set foot on Tatooine – out of fear of reawakening Anakin Skywalker. He advises Obi-Wan not to reveal to Luke his true parentage until the time is right.
Obi-Wan appears as a Force ghost in many novels set after Return of the Jedi. In
Kenobi is a
Comics
Issue #24 of Marvel's 1977 Star Wars comic depicts Obi-Wan during the time of the Republic.
Various Dark Horse Comics works utilize Kenobi, including several set during the Clone Wars. In Star Wars: Republic (1998–2006), Obi-Wan fights the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Among other notable storylines, he is kidnapped and tortured by Asajj Ventress before being rescued by Anakin ("Hate & Fear"), and apprehends corrupted Jedi Master Quinlan Vos ("The Dreadnaughts of Rendili"). Throughout the series, he grows increasingly wary of Palpatine's designs on the Republic and his influence on Anakin.
In the non-canon story "Old Wounds", published in Star Wars: Visionaries (2005) and set a few years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan confronts Darth Maul on Tatooine to protect Luke. The duel ends when Owen Lars shoots and kills Maul; he then warns Obi-Wan to stay away from his nephew. Through the Force, Obi-Wan reassures Luke that he will be there for him when needed.
Notes
- ^ Star Wars (1977)
- ^ In addition to Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor, voice performers include Bernard Behrens, Scott Cleverdon, David Ian Davies, Michael Donovan, Roy Dotrice, Mark Hamill, Nick Jameson, Jonathan Love, Lewis Macleod, Daran Norris, Timothy Omundson, David Scott, Stephen Stanton, James Arnold Taylor and Sam Vincent.
- ^ The film was later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope.
- ^ The series had previously been reported to be set seven or eight years after the events of Revenge of the Sith.[39]
- Owen Larsin the prequel trilogy
- Beru Larsin the prequel trilogy
References
Citations
- ISBN 9780465097517. Archivedfrom the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Sherlock, Ben (July 5, 2021). "Star Wars: 7 Things The 1977 Movie Borrowed From Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress". ScreenRant. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
- ^ "Unscripted With Hayden Christensen and George Lucas". Moviefone. May 19, 2005. Event occurs at 5:22. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Burr, Ty (August 9, 2000). "Sir Alec Guinness hated being remembered as "Star Wars"' Jedi Knight". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Scanlon, Paul (May 25, 1977). "The Force Behind Star Wars". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 19, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
- ^ Star Wars Definitive Edition laserdisc interview with George Lucas, 1993. "I decided that Ben Kenobi really didn't serve any useful function after the point he fights with Darth Vader."
- ISBN 978-1-302-51957-5. Archivedfrom the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ Rinzler 2010, pp. 22, 34.
- ^ Sietz, Dan (April 18, 2013). "'Peter Cushing: A Life In Film' Is A Genre Geek's Dream". Uproxx. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
- ^ a b Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. 2004.
- ^ Russo, Tom. "The Force Wasn't With Them". Premiere. Archived from the original on May 8, 2006. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
- Yahoo.com. Archived from the originalon July 14, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Lee, Benjamin (December 4, 2015). "Toshiro Mifune turned down Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader roles". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 6, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ Guinness 1986, p. 214.
- ^ "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Script at IMSDb". Imsdb.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
- ^ "The Phantom Menace Script". Blueharvest.net. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
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- ^ "Exclusive: Ewan McGregor Confirms Kenobi Was Originally One Film". ComingSoon.net. October 27, 2019. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ Kit, Borys (August 17, 2017). "Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi Film in the Works (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- Msn.com. Archivedfrom the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ "Obi-Wan Kenobi 'Star Wars Story' Movie Has Its Plot and Director". TMZ. May 17, 2018. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Windham, Ryder (2015). Ultimate Star Wars: Characters, Creatures, Locations, Technology, Vehicles. USA: DK. p. 20.
- ^ Windham, Ryder (2015). Ultimate Star Wars: Characters, Creatures, Locations, Technology, Vehicles. USA: DK. p. 15.
- ^ Goldman, Eric (December 11, 2016). "Star Wars Rebels: "Visions and Voices" Review". IGN. San Francisco, California: J2 Global. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ Goldman, Eric (March 18, 2017). "Star Wars Rebels: "Twin Suns" Review". IGN. San Francisco, California: J2 Global. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ "Rebels Recon #3.20: Inside Twin Suns – Star Wars Rebels". YouTube. March 18, 2017. Archived from the original on March 20, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- Hearst Magazines UK. Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ Tveit, Elaine (May 21, 2016). "Dave Filoni Wants Ewan McGregor To Voice Obi Wan On Star Wars Rebels". Dorkoftheforce.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
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- ^ Schmidt, JK (August 21, 2020). "Star Wars: Lucasfilm Exec Confirms Obi-Wan Kenobi Is a Limited Series on Disney+". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
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- ^ a b c "The Playlist: A Guide to Obi-Wan Kenobi's Biggest Moments". StarWars.com. September 27, 2016. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
- ^ Campbell, Evan (September 19, 2016). "Yoda's Pre-Phantom Menace History Will Be Revealed in Marvel's Star Wars Comic". IGN. San Francisco, California: J2 Global. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
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- ^ "Obi-Wan Kenobi Meets Asajj Ventress in Star Wars: Brotherhood - Exclusive Excerpt". StarWars.com. March 31, 2022. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
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Works Cited
- Guinness, Alec (1986). Blessings in Disguise. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0-394-55237-7.
- Rinzler, J.W. (2010). The Making of the Empire Strikes Back (eBook v3.1 ed.). London: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345543363.
External links
- Obi-Wan Kenobi in the StarWars.com Databank
- Obi-Wan Kenobi on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
- Obi-Wan Kenobi on IMDb