“Hello There”: A Jedi’s Legacy
On May 25, 1977, award-winning Shakespearean actor, Sir Alec Guinness, brought Obi-Wan Kenobi to life. “Hello there,” his unassuming first line, established this legendary character in Star Wars history.
Despite the wild success of Star Wars, Guinness was less than enthused about his role. Many times, he complained in his diary of the movie’s bad dialogue and over-dramatics, irritated that his fame from Star Wars followed him around for decades after its initial release. Guinness even gave credit to the rumor that he asked George Lucas to kill him off in the very first movie.
His character, however, seems to have been despised only by Guinness himself. Reappearing as a Force Ghost in the sequel movies to guide Luke, Obi-Wan Kenobi has rapidly become one of the most memorable sci-fi characters of all time.
It was in 1999 that the legendary Jedi Master became more than simply an aged mentor figure—portrayed by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi returned to the world of Star Wars as a young apprentice in the ways of the Force. In this film, Kenobi meets a young child named Anakin Skywalker who he takes under his wing to train. Skywalker’s original actor, Jake Lloyd, is recast in favor of Hayden Christensen in the following movies as his character grows, but McGregor remains as Anakin’s caring but exasperated father figure and friend.
The bond between Anakin and Obi-Wan is best seen in the 2008 animated series “The Clone Wars.” Set between the second and third movies of the prequel trilogy, this TV show follows the Jedi Knights as they fight in a galaxy-wide war to restore freedom and peace. Unknown to them, however, is the fact that a higher power is manipulating the war in his favor, slowly turning Anakin against Obi-Wan. The former Jedi is ultimately transformed into the terrifying figure Darth Vader, leaving a broken-hearted Obi-Wan behind to mourn his friend’s loss.
Obi-Wan Kenobi fights multiple battles across the movies, defeating dangerous enemies such as Darth Maul and General Grievous. However, when he faces Vader in A New Hope, he lets Vader defeat him and passes on into the Force. From a certain point of view, Obi-Wan has been dead ever since his first movie appearance, but his presence is felt strongly across every single movie and TV show the franchise has ever released.
Star Wars fans across the world are eagerly anticipating May 25, 2022—on this date, McGregor will return to his iconic role in the long-awaited Disney+ miniseries “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” This six-episode event will be focused on the Jedi after the events of his apprentice’s fall to the Dark Side, having hidden on the desert planet of Tatooine to watch over Luke Skywalker. It has been 45 years since Obi-Wan’s debut on the big screen, but the thrill and excitement over his character have never lessened once.
Guinness may have disliked Star Wars’ immense popularity, but he is the reason his character is so beloved today. With his powerful delivery and indelible performance left in our minds, he truly made Obi-Wan Kenobi worthy of remembrance and awe, paving the way for a legacy that would inspire millions for decades to come.