He was the perfect Jedi. That’s the problem. When we look back at Obi Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith, we aren't just watching a guy swing a glowing blue stick. We’re watching a man lose his entire world while he’s still trying to save it. It’s brutal. Honestly, if you revisit the film now, knowing where the story goes in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) or the original trilogy, the performance Ewan McGregor delivers hits differently. He isn't just a mentor anymore. He’s a survivor of a systematic collapse he didn’t see coming.
George Lucas really leaned into the "tragedy" aspect of the Prequel Trilogy here. By the time the movie starts, Obi-Wan has been fighting a war for three years. He’s tired. You can see it in the way he flies—he hates it, remember?—and the way he handles General Grievous. He’s efficient, but he’s weary.
The Negotiator Loses His Grip
By the time we get to the events of Episode III, Kenobi has earned the nickname "The Negotiator." It’s a bit ironic. Most of the movie involves him failing to negotiate anything at all. He can’t talk Anakin out of his tailspin. He can’t negotiate with the Council to trust his apprentice. He definitely can’t negotiate with Padmé once the truth comes out.
The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker is the emotional spine of the whole movie. It’s why the ending hurts. Early on, they’re basically a comedy duo. Rescuing Palpatine from the Invisible Hand feels like a classic adventure. "Elevator 3278," "Spring the trap." They have a shorthand. But look closer at McGregor’s eyes during the scene where he’s sent to Utapau. There’s a lingering look he gives Anakin. It’s a goodbye, though he doesn't know it’s that kind of goodbye yet. He’s proud of his "brother," but the distance is already growing.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Utapau Mission
A lot of fans argue that the Jedi Council intentionally sent Obi-Wan away to test Anakin. That’s only half the story. While the Council was definitely being manipulative—using Anakin to spy on the Chancellor—sending Obi-Wan to hunt Grievous was a tactical necessity. Obi-Wan was the master of Soresu.
Soresu is the third form of lightsaber combat. It’s entirely defensive. It’s meant to outlast an opponent. When you see Obi-Wan fighting Grievous on Utapau, he’s not trying to overpower a cyborg with four arms. That would be suicide. He’s waiting. He’s a wall. This specific mastery is why he was the only Jedi capable of taking down Anakin later on. Anakin’s Form V (Djem So) is all about overwhelming power. You can’t overwhelm someone who is perfectly content to let you tire yourself out.
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The Heartbreak of Order 66
When the clones turn, it isn't just a plot point. For Obi Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith, it’s a personal betrayal of the highest order. These were men he led. Commander Cody wasn't just a subordinate; they were friends. Cody literally hands him his lightsaber back minutes before ordering a stray AT-TE to blast him off a cliff.
The moment Obi-Wan climbs out of that water on Utapau, everything changes. The colors of the film shift. Everything gets darker, more sterile. When he meets up with Yoda and Jimmy Smits’ Bail Organa, the reality sinks in. The Jedi Temple is a graveyard.
The scene where Obi-Wan watches the security holograms is arguably McGregor’s best work in the franchise. He doesn't scream. He doesn't collapse. He just looks like he’s aged ten years in ten seconds. He begs Yoda not to send him to kill Anakin. "He is like my brother. I cannot do it." That line isn't just flavor text. It’s a confession of a Jedi breaking the rules of detachment. He loves Anakin. And in the Jedi Code, that’s a liability.
The Battle of Heroes: Mustafar’s Brutality
The duel on Mustafar is often criticized for being "too choreographed." I disagree. If two masters who have sparred together for over a decade fight to the death, they’re going to know every move. It’s a dance because they are perfectly synchronized.
But the dialogue at the end? That’s where the real meat is.
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"You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!"
Obi-Wan isn't shouting at a villain here. He’s shouting at his failure. He’s shouting at his best friend’s corpse-to-be. Many viewers miss the fact that Obi-Wan doesn't actually kill Anakin. He can’t bring himself to do it. He takes the legs, he takes the arm, and he watches his brother burn. It’s a horrific choice. Some call it mercy; others call it a massive mistake that allowed the Empire to thrive. Honestly, it was just a man who was too heartbroken to finish the job. He took Anakin’s lightsaber—a souvenir of a dead friendship—and walked away into the heat haze.
The Aftermath and the Weight of Failure
By the end of the film, Obi-Wan is a ghost of himself. He’s on Polis Massa, watching Padmé die, witnessing the birth of the twins. He takes on the burden of Tatooine.
Think about that transition. He goes from being a high-ranking General in a galactic capital, living in a palace of a Temple, to a hut in the desert. He does it for Luke. But he also does it as a penance. The Obi Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith arc is a straight line from peak confidence to total isolation.
Key Takeaways for Understanding the Character
If you’re looking to really grasp why this version of Kenobi is the definitive one for many fans, keep these points in mind:
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- Mastery through Patience: His victory over Grievous and Anakin wasn't about being "stronger." It was about the Soresu philosophy of resilience.
- The Flaw in the Code: Obi-Wan’s love for Anakin was his greatest human trait and his greatest failure as a traditional Jedi.
- The Burden of the Secret: He left Mustafar carrying the weight of the galaxy’s collapse, which explains his shell-shocked demeanor in later stories.
- The High Ground: It’s not just a meme. It’s a tactical metaphor for his moral and strategic positioning throughout the movie.
To truly appreciate the depth of this character, re-watch the scene where he delivers Luke to Beru and Owen Lars. He doesn't say a word. He just turns his Eopie around and rides into the sunset. It’s the end of the Republic and the beginning of a twenty-year vigil.
If you want to dig deeper into the lore, look into the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover. It adds internal monologues that show Obi-Wan was actually more terrified than he looked. He spent most of the movie feeling like he was drowning. Knowing that makes his final stand on the lava bank even more impressive. He did his duty while his heart was literally breaking in his chest.
Next Steps for Fans
To get the full picture of this era, watch the final four episodes of The Clone Wars (Season 7) alongside the movie. The events happen simultaneously. Seeing Obi-Wan’s brief hologram appearance from Ahsoka’s perspective adds a whole new layer of desperation to his mission. You can also track the evolution of his lightsaber style—from the aggressive spins of Episode I to the tight, efficient movements in Episode III—to see how his character matured into the defensive master he had to be to survive.