I said I would not be doing this… but it is Star Wars and I can’t help myself!!!
If you have followed me for quite some time now, you may know that I am a huge fan of Star Wars. Anything Star Wars goes, from the Originals to the Prequels to the Sequels. From the comic books, to the books to the manga. Well, if you are a fan too, you know the new Star Wars Series: Obi-Wan Kenobi is on now, on Disney+. I wanted to do a review of this week’s episode as it was simply breathtaking! So be warned, there will be SPOILERS! THIS IS THE WAY!!!
The Obi-Wan – Darth Vader duel
I’ll just jump to that as that was the bloody highlight of the episode! (And of the week! And year!)
The series might have its awesome moments of cinematography, some are… meh! But the fighting scene in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 3 gave me the chills! It can be counted now amongst the classic scenes of the Star Wars Universe. We have waited for a confrontation between these 2 and we were gifted a masterpiece performance by both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen.
Obi-Wan and Leia reach Mapuzo (mining planet) after escaping the Inquisitors, only to be tracked down by the Empire again. Vader learns that Obi is there and goes down himself to “finish the job”. We awaited for a long time to see the confrontation between Master and Apprentice and, by God!, we got it!
You can sense the anger swelling, like a river whose dams were broken, when he says: “I am what you made me”… and then launches himself brutally/bestially/feral towards Obi. He wants Obi-Wan to experience pain and suffer like he did. He will take it slow.
I especially loved the sadistic touch when Vader throws Obi-Wan into a pile of burning sand (that he ignites, masterfully with his saber). He replicates his feeling and his torture on Mustafar. Obi-Wan thankfully escapes with the help of a new characther (which grows on me fast!): Tala.
Look who called blasters “uncivilised”
Throughout the 3 episodes of Obi-Wan that we had until now, there would have been countless opportunities for him to draw out his lightsaber… instead… Obi fights with a blaster! Like he is afraid of using the lightsaber, like it does not feel comfortable in his hand anymore.
The Obi-Wan we knew was proud of being one with the Force and using the lightsaber elegantly. The battered Owi-Wan reaches to the gun and blasts Troopers off, probably never once thinking of pulling out the sword. This is how far he has dropped from the grace of the Force. He struggles to find its (and his) Balance (and we can see that clearly in Episode 2, when she stops Little Leia from falling to her doom). He struggles to find connection…
James Earl Jones is back!
James Earl Jones reprises his role as Darth Vader – voice only, as Hayden Christensen is doing all the dirty work 😉 – and he is fabulous as he was 40 years ago! His voice does not age and he delivers each line impecably. I am so happy to have him back, alongside Ewan and Hayden!
Vader is ruthless!
Now, I really need to come back to the duel.. It is just so well acted by James Earl Jones & embodied by Hayden. His anger and rage reminded me of the ending of Rogue One – hallway scene. The Vader-Obi scenes are intense and downright scary. The burning scene may be part of a horror movie. But this pretty much may setup Obi-Wans later on battered look and pre-mature aging… I think it may work! I also enjoyed the way the scenes were light up: blue vs red. James’s voice really gets deep and you will have goosebumps!
Little Leia is a miracle
I say no to bullying and treating actors bad! And I have seen a fair share of Star Wars fans that picked on Little Leia. I, for one, think she does a marvellous job and she embodies Leia’s feistyness very well! I think Carrie Fisher would have been so bloody proud of her and taken her under her wing.
In today’s episode I really loved her interactions with Obi-Wan when she asks about The Force and how it works. Also when she realises that Obi-Wan knew her mother. When she asks Ben if he is her father… and he comes back and says he wishes he would have been (THAT! WAS! HEARTBREAKING!!!).
Also, watching Obi-Wan made me want to re-read the manga Leia – Princess of Alderaan. I think the directors and producers were certainly reading that.
Obi-Wan had a brother!!!
Well… Ben remembers that he had a brother… glipses of his past life, before he was taken in to become a Jedi. Well… I know I am not the only one whose mind went straight to: Owen Kenobi!!!
Anyway, my Star Wars rant/net for the day is over and now I am left to ponder what Episode 4 will bring!
Yours in The Force,
The Twisted Red LadyBug
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