May 27th will see the release of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ - "long awaited" is far overused in these situations, so let's go with "eagerly anticipated" instead, just for the sake of variety.
You have to wonder a bit why Disney wouldn't release the show today, it seems like such a logical move, but I recognize that there may be imperatives other than May the 4th tie-ins in their broadcasting strategy.
The series takes place ten years after The Revenge of the Sith, so presumably Obi-Wan has been either on the run or in hiding for all that time. He looks a bit lost in the trailers: tired, worn, and presumably suffering from guilt, depression and anger regarding the fall of the Empire and the destruction of the Jedi.
He may be seeking redemption by watching over and training Anakin's son, but it looks like Luke's Uncle Owen is not eager to give Obi-Wan access to his adopted nephew - after all, his last padawan's track record is hardly the best testimonial for acquiring another apprentice. This is a smart move, because it explains why Luke only knows Obi-Wan casually as a crazy old hermit who lives on the other side of the Dune Sea.
It also looks like Obi-Wan will have other things to worry about. The trailers feature the Jedi-hunting Inquisitors from the Rebels animated series, with their distinctive armour and double-bladed rotated lightsabers. (Come to think of it, Obi-Wan's presence on Tatooine as Luke's guardian has already been used as a plot point in Rebels.)
And that reveals the greatest challenge that the series faces. As we've already learned with the prequel trilogy, it can be confusing when there's a lot of future history* already in place. According to the official Star Wars timeline that's included with the announcement (see below), Obi-Wan Kenobi comes before Rebels, so anything that happens in the new series has to avoid contradicting seven movies and four streamed series worth of plot development.
Similarly, Obi-Wan Kenobi witnesses the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, which is an interesting decision - really, anyone could wear the armour, but I appreciate that it offers some opportunities for further exploration of the conflicted relationship between Vader and Kenobi as portrayed by the original actors. However, any encounter between the two is unlikely to provide closure, given that we all know what's going to happen in A New Hope.
Issues of future continuity aside, I sincerely hope that the show will address the one great mystery from Episode IV - why was everyone calling him Ben?
- Sid
* "Future history" is one of those terms that you get used to in these situations.
And now, without further ado:
THE OFFICIAL STAR WARS TIMELINE NOT INCLUDING A TON OF BELOVED LEGACY MATERIAL THAT IS NO LONGER CANON AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT.
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