If you only watch the movies, the jump from The Phantom Menace to Attack of the Clones feels like whiplash. One minute Anakin Skywalker is a "yippee" shouting kid with a bowl cut, and the next he’s a moody, skilled, but deeply frustrated teenager who looks like he hasn't slept in three weeks. We missed the middle. We missed the part where the bond actually formed—or struggled to form. That’s exactly why the Obi Wan and Anakin comic (the five-issue miniseries by Charles Soule and Marco Checchetto) is so vital for anyone who actually wants to understand why the Jedi Order failed them both.
Honestly, it’s a weirdly beautiful book. Checchetto’s art gives the Star Wars universe this sharp, dusty, almost steampunk aesthetic that we don't usually see in the high-gloss Prequel era. But the real meat is the relationship. It's awkward.
The Jedi Training Nobody Tells You About
The story kicks off about three years after the Battle of Naboo. Anakin is twelve. He's gifted, sure, but he’s also miserable. He’s thinking about quitting. Can you imagine that? The Chosen One just packing his bags and heading back to Tatooine because he’s bored and lonely.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is struggling too. He’s a young Master who was thrust into this role because his own master, Qui-Gon Jinn, died in front of him. He’s teaching a kid he wasn't ready for, following a promise he’s terrified of breaking. The Obi Wan and Anakin comic doesn't shy away from the fact that Obi-Wan was kind of a stiff teacher early on. He relied too much on the Code because he didn't have his own experience to draw from yet.
They end up on a planet called Carnelion IV. It’s a "dead" world, or so they think, covered in a toxic shroud of chemicals and wreckage. They respond to a distress call and find themselves caught in a civil war between two factions: the Open and the Closed. It’s a classic Star Wars setup, but Soule uses it to mirror the internal conflict brewing in Anakin.
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Palpatine Was Already Playing the Long Game
While the main plot happens on this foggy, war-torn planet, the flashbacks are what really change how you view the Prequels. We see Sheev Palpatine—chancellor by day, Sith Lord by night—grooming Anakin right under the Jedi’s noses.
There’s this one specific scene where Palpatine takes Anakin to the lower levels of Coruscant. Not the shiny towers, but the grimy, neon-lit underworld where people are desperate. He shows Anakin the "real" galaxy. He plants the seed that the Jedi are too detached, too cold, and too caught up in their own rules to actually help people. It’s chilling. You see Anakin looking at Palpatine as the only adult who actually listens to his frustrations without reciting a Zen proverb.
- Anakin’s doubt: He builds a sophisticated holoprojector just to show he can, but he feels the Jedi suppress his creativity.
- The Mace Windu factor: We see the Council's hesitation. They aren't villains, but they are bureaucrats. They see a "problem child" instead of a traumatized boy.
- The Lightsaber test: Anakin is already so far ahead of his peers that it’s isolating. He doesn't have friends; he has competitors.
Why Carnelion IV Matters for the Duo
On the planet, Obi-Wan and Anakin have to work together without the backup of the Republic. This isn't a grand war; it’s a survival mission. They meet scavengers and pilots who have forgotten what "Jedi" even means.
It’s the first time Anakin sees Obi-Wan as a man, not just a teacher. He sees his master’s resourcefulness and his genuine desire to save even the most stubborn enemies. There's a moment involving a massive "kite-dragon" creature and some ancient airships that really hammers home how much they rely on each other’s specific strengths. Anakin brings the raw power and mechanical genius; Obi-Wan brings the tactical mind and the calm.
By the end of the Obi Wan and Anakin comic, the boy decides to stay with the Order. But he doesn't stay because he believes in the Jedi Code. He stays because he believes in Obi-Wan. That's the tragedy. Their bond is built on personal loyalty, which is exactly what the Jedi warn against. It’s the "attachment" that eventually leads to everything falling apart in Revenge of the Sith.
Addressing the "Power Level" Debate
A lot of fans get annoyed with how powerful Anakin is portrayed in comics compared to the movies. In this series, he’s fixing complex machinery and using the Force with startling precision for a twelve-year-old. Is it "overpowered"? Maybe. But it fits the narrative. If he wasn't a prodigy, Palpatine wouldn't have spent so much time on him. The comic justifies the hype. It shows us why Anakin was the star pupil, making his eventual fall feel like a much bigger loss for the galaxy.
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The dialogue is also much more natural than the stiff prose of the early 2000s films. You hear the affection. You hear the "kinda" and "sorta" in their interactions that make them feel like real people rather than archetypes.
How to Use This Knowledge
If you’re a lore hunter or a casual fan, don't just read the summary. Grab the trade paperback or find it on Marvel Unlimited. Look at the way Checchetto draws the characters' eyes—Anakin’s are full of wonder and fear, while Obi-Wan’s are heavy with a responsibility he’s still learning to carry.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Read the Flashbacks First: If you’re short on time, flip through to the Coruscant scenes. They provide the best connective tissue between Episodes I and II.
- Compare to "Brotherhood": If you enjoy this, read the novel Brotherhood by Mike Chen. It covers the transition between Episodes II and III, acting as a perfect bookend to the themes started in this comic.
- Watch for the Airships: The technology on Carnelion IV is some of the most unique "used future" design in modern Star Wars. It's a great reference for RPG players or artists.
The Obi Wan and Anakin comic isn't just a side story. It is the missing foundation of the most important relationship in the franchise. It explains the resentment, the loyalty, and the tragic misunderstanding that defined the Skywalker saga. Without it, you're only getting half the story.
To fully grasp the arc, pay attention to the final conversation between Obi-Wan and Yoda regarding Anakin’s future. It clarifies that the Jedi knew the risks but were too arrogant to change their teaching methods. They thought they could train the "fire" out of him. They were wrong.