The Mandalorian is the only live-action Star Wars show on Disney+ at the moment, but that’s going to change when the Obi-Wan Kenobi series hits the streamer. The limited series will feature the return of Ewan McGregor’s titular Jedi and will explore a new chapter in his life. Since it was first announced back in 2019, the show has experienced a few setbacks, some related to the global health crisis and some not. Thankfully, it now looks like things are moving forward, as production is set to begin in the spring of 2021. McGregor has even reunited with his famous Jedi robes ahead of filming. Specifics on the show are limited, yet we do have enough to consider the classic characters that could pop up.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series takes place eight years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. It’s during this time that Obi-Wan was in exile and watching over young Luke Skywalker on the planet Tatooine. The desert landscape is filled with danger and unknown territory but is also one of the most recognizable locations in all of Star Wars canon. This could allow for some familiar faces to show up during Obi-Wan’s latest adventure – even a few who aren’t native to the planet. So let’s dive in and discuss the characters who would be perfect for the show:
Owen Lars
Most fans probably know him as “Uncle Owen” – the stepbrother of Anakin Skywalker and a moisture farmer from Tatooine who becomes the surrogate father of Luke Skywalker. Owen’s role in the original Star Wars is relatively small, given that he dies at the end of the first act. But years later, a younger iteration of the character was introduced in Attack of the Clones, where he was played by Joel Edgerton. And interestingly, while Edgerton hasn’t confirmed if he’ll reprise his role in the near future, he also didn’t shoot down the idea when asked.
Having Uncle Owen appear in the Obi-Wan series just makes too much sense. As Luke’s guardian he would certainly be around. And those who’ve read recent Star Wars comics likely know that he was aware of Obi-Wan’s presence and angrily advised him to stay away from the boy. This kind of conflict would be interesting to see in the show, and it could help to add layers to a character that’s been pretty thin thus far.
Beru Lars
But of course, how can you have Uncle Owen without Aunt Beru? Like her husband, she was first introduced in A New Hope and was tragically murdered by stormtroopers alongside her husband. And like her husband, she was also re-introduced in the prequel trilogy, meaning Bonnie Piesse could reprise the role.
Beru also suffers from a lack of true character development, and the Disney+ series could provide an opportunity to show that she’s more than the soft-spoken maternal figure she’s been portrayed as. Don’t get me wrong, he genuine kindness and sincerity are well loved and serve as a counter to her husband’s gruff demeanor. But still, you have to wonder if she completely agreed with her husband’s sentiments about Obi-Wan. I mean did she and Kenobi ever discuss Luke’s future? These are questions the show can answer.
Luke Skywalker
So I know what you’re thinking and, no, Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker couldn’t actually appear in the series, as Luke is only 8 years old at this point. However, this still leaves open the possibility that we could see a younger iteration of Luke that we’ve never seen before. Comic books have revealed that Luke got himself into a few sticky situations as a child, and seeing one or two of them here could be fun.
It would make sense to actually feature the person that Obi-Wan is meant to watch at some point in the show. Luke’s misadventures would give us a better idea of what his childhood was like, filling in a previously unexplored time in his life in the process. And of course, having him on the show would also give us a better idea of how his formative years were secretly shaped by the hermit soon to be known as Ben Kenobi.
Jabba The Hutt
As I mentioned before, Tatooine is a very dangerous place filled with thugs and mercenaries for hire, and many of them are there because of Jabba the Hutt. The infamous crime lord rules with an iron (or slug-like) fist and has proven to be quite ruthless wherever his criminal empire is concerned. The character plays a big role in the Original Trilogy and comes into conflict with Luke and his allies when he takes possession of the carbonite frozen Han Solo. But during the prequels and the years leading up to A New Hope, he was running his business as usual.
Obi-Wan is never one to walk away if he sees injustice, and Star Wars comics revealed that he once came into conflict with Jabba and his thugs during his exile on Tatooine. Seeing this conflict continue into the live-action medium could be exciting and establish more history between the Jedi and the big-time gangster.
Boba Fett
Before he was lurking in the shadows in The Mandalorian and long after he was living on Kamino with his father Jango, Boba Fett had dealings with Jabba the Hutt. He most famously delivered Han Solo to Hutt after the smuggler was frozen in carbonite at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. In the 1997 Special Edition of the original Star Wars, Fett was superimposed into a key scene, proving that he had dealings with Jabba prior to Empire. So who’s to say Jabba didn’t ever consider calling upon Fett to eliminate a pesky Jedi?
This may sound like just a fan’s crazy dream, but I would love to see Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett face off. Such a fight sequence could be thoroughly entertaining and also poetic given that Kenobi also briefly battled Jango Fett in Episode II as a young Boba watched on. Temuera Morrison is back in the Star Wars fold as Boba Fett, and this would be another great way to utilize him.
Qui-Gon Jinn
Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn’t only watching over young Luke Skywalker during his exile in Tatooine, he was also getting in tune with the Force. Near the end of Revenge of the Sith, Master Yoda revealed to Kenobi that a Jedi had learned the path to immortality – Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan’s deceased former master. Yoda promised to teach Obi-Wan to communicate with him. Now, we have an opportunity to learn more about his possible schooling in this area of the Force.
Obi-Wan is virtually alone during his time on Tatooine, though he likely finds solace in the Force, which could include occasional chats with his late mentor. Qui-Gon is such an integral part of Obi-Wan’s story that it's only natural he would factor into the story somehow. And even if he doesn’t show up as a Force ghost, he could still appear in flashbacks or dream sequences. Liam Neeson has played coy regarding whether he would return to play Qui-Gon, but I can say it would be a joy to see both him and Ewan McGregor together on screen again for a sentimental scene or two.
Yoda
Qui-Gon may not be the only Jedi that Obi-Wan could speak with during his Tatooine years. He could also communicate with friend and Jedi Master Yoda. At this point in time, Yoda is serving an exile of his own on Dagobah but, through other forms of Star Wars media (particularly Rebels), we learn that Yoda continued to use the Force to watch over surviving Jedi scattered across the galaxy. And this is how he can come into play on the Obi-Wan show.
Like Qui-Gon, Yoda could serve as a source of guidance and support for Obi-Wan, who is likely weary from spending years of isolation in the desert. The two Jedi became closer as the Prequel Trilogy progressed, and having them connect through the Force would be a natural extension of that. Any potential appearance from the character wouldn’t need to be, as even a brief cameo would go a long way.
Anakin Skywalker
As he enters this new show, Obi-Wan is bringing in some serious baggage. It’s fair to say that he’ll be haunted by a few things like the Great Jedi Purge. But the one thing (or person) that’s likely haunting him the most is his fallen apprentice – Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi views Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side as one of his greatest failures, and those feelings of failure and regret don’t fade overnight.
There have been rumors that the Obi-Wan show could bring back Hayden Christensen to reprise the role of Anakin Skywalker and, if this is true, he could be used to great effect. The obvious way to incorporate him into the story would be through flashbacks. However, it would be interesting if Obi-Wan were suffering frequent hallucinations of Anakin, who even taunts him about his efforts to keep Luke safe. This leans into some serious psychological territory, but it would serve as a nice mental obstacle for Kenobi to face when we see him again. Let’s hope Christensen gets the chance to play the role once more.
So would you like to see any of these classic Star Wars characters return for Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi show? Are there any that you think should have been on this list? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to keep it tuned to CInemaBlend for updates on the show’s status and for more TV and movie news.
