In news that has galvanised the fanbase after the somewhat lacklustre Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi confirmed it was launching on May 25th – in a move that would delight George Lucas as it is 45 years to the day after A New Hope first debuted in cinemas.

Please note this is (educated) speculation based on the trailer’s content and not an official synopsis.

The series has dropped its first trailer, and it gives us our first glimpses into the continuing adventures of our favourite negotiator/general/mentor. We open with a voice-over from the man himself, saying simply “The fight is over. We lost.” We see him taking his first steps into the version we see in A New Hope, as he watches over a young Luke Skywalker.

However, his vigil is short-lived. It looks as though he is approached by a fellow Jedi, and asked to aid him in some mission. The Jedi is not alone, and it looks as though the Inquisitors have been tracking him – that is what I’m assuming the feet hanging over the crowd is about, as a kind of warning to those who would help shelter the Jedi who are on the run.

Inquisitors

Speaking of the Inquisitors, they enjoy almost as much if not more screen time than the titular protagonist. For those who haven’t seen the animated extensions of the story, their presence may be a bit confusing, given the Sith “rule of two”.

Essentially, the Inquisitors are minor Dark side users who are under the command of Darth Vader. They are not Sith per se, but they are able to wield the force. Their primary purpose is to aid Vader in his quest to rid the galaxy of the Jedi order entirely, by either hunting them down themselves or reporting their locations to Vader if they’re more powerful.

Seeing them in live-action is a bit strange, and I’m not sure how well they’ll translate to this medium, particularly given the extremes of their character designs. But from what I have seen they look pretty good. I do have one major complaint about these characters, and we do see a bit of it – the circular lightsabers. I don’t have much of an issue in their use for combat, but when they use them like helicopter blades to fly in the animated series, the result is pretty unintentionally comedic – something I hope the live-action series foregoes.

Tatooine and Vader

Despite starting on Tatooine, it’s pretty clear Kenobi will need to go planet-hopping – perhaps set on this path by the previously mentioned former comrade, to complete his mission? We’re shown glimpses of a built-up city-planet, which could mean a return to Coruscant – although his presence on the Imperial homeworld would be a huge risk. Could it be a new location?

We also see a shootout between Kenobi and some assailants. Those who know the character understand why he probably hates this – after all, it’s so uncivilised. But given the context and he’s probably trying to hide his Jedi-ness, it makes sense for him to not use the weapon that would be an instant and obvious giveaway.

Of course, what we’re really here to see is the reunion/round 3 of Obi-Wan vs Vader. The trailer plays its cards very close to the chest here. Vader’s distinct breathing closes the trailer out, the solitary hint towards his presence. But given Christensen is confirmed as returning – and McGregor waxing lyrical about getting to work with him again – we may see some flashbacks pertinent to their relationship, in addition to what will hopefully be an epic duel.

The Hype Is Strong In This One

Whatever the case may be, this is a hotly anticipated series and will definitely be worth checking out when it debuts on May 25th on Disney Plus. FIB will do a full review once the series has aired. Until then, here’s the brand new trailer:

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