Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 4 review, thorough analysis and breakdown of memorable moments, easter eggs, important references and secrets I found!
One more week is gone and with it, a new episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi. This one didn’t have as much action as the previous one, but it certainly had intense emotional moments. Despite this, I might even say that this was a little underwhelming.
I really didn’t like that this episode only lasted thirty minutes (approximately). It might make sense when it comes to the storytelling, but considering that there are only two episodes left I expected it to last longer.
Before getting into the review, I must remember you that it contains a lot of spoilers, if you haven’t watched it I’d recommend that you do it and then come back.
Episode 4 Story Recap
Obi-Wan and Leia arrive at Jabiim, a mining planet that is being occupied by the Empire. After a small incident with stormtroopers, they’re saved by Tala, an Imperial Officer that helps Jedi and refugees get off-world with the help of other members of this “organization”. “The Path” operates in many systems across the galaxy.
Their intentions were to wait a couple of hours to leave without any suspicion but the operation is compromised when a garrison of stormtroopers, inquisitors, and Darth Vader himself arrives at the small town.
For the first time, Obi-Wan witnesses what Anakin Skywalker has become; a dark being willing to crush everyone that stands in his way.
Kenobi acts as a bait so that Tala can take Leia to safety. In his confrontation with Vader, he experiences a small taste of what his former apprentice is now capable of doing. He would have faced a destiny worse than death if Tala didn’t return to save him. Unfortunately, this also meant that the third sister got Leia.
The daughter of the chosen one
Leia is now being held captive by Reva, who is obviously not sure how to approach the situation. First, she tries to convince the young princess to tell her willingly, but Leia isn’t that naive.
The second time, she uses the Force to try to look inside her mind, but surprisingly for the Inquisitor, Leia is able to resist her.
On a third and last attempt, she tries to persuade her with an emotional speech, but this little girl is too smart for that.
Every second of the interrogation, Leia is fully aware of how she must act. Knowing manipulation herself, Reva’s tactics are just a silly attempt to get the information she wants. The smart-ass attitude, the defiance, the fire in the eyes. She’s clearly the daughter of Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker.
There are still a couple of episodes left to know the answer but I wonder why Reva didn’t report that Leia was capable of such mental fortitude. Not even adults are capable of resisting an inquisitor. Considering how they also hunt force-sensitive children it would make perfect sense for her to inform Lord Vader about this.
I know that this could create problems in continuity, which is something that absolutely no one wants. but I’m still curious about it. Could it be that it doesn’t take that much to withstand the Inquisitor’s powers? What do you think?
This place isn’t a fortress, it’s a tomb
Obi-Wan is able to infiltrate the Fortress Inquisitorius. The hallways are mostly empty and he only encounters a couple of stormtroopers and a seeker droid.
With the help of Tala, he’s able to pinpoint Leia’s location and immediately heads that way. But nothing would prepare him for what he’s about to encounter.
What initially appears to be a prison block quickly reveals the cruel secret of this place. This place actually keeps the bodies of people who opposed the Empire as wall trophies, like an ancient Sith Lord who proudly displays the corpses of his enemies. I think this has been the darkest moment of the series so far.
The first individual that most people noticed is Tera Sinube, an old and kind Jedi Master who used to train younglings in the Jedi Temple. He also helped Ahsoka Tano to recover her lightsaber in an episode of the Clone Wars. I’d never expected to see him end like this, it’s heartbreaking.
I believe there is another Jedi Master that most people missed. I think this is Jedi Master Coleman Kcaj (far right). Coleman Kcaj was a member of the Jedi Council during the clone wars.
Kcaj is from the Ongree species which makes him very easy to identify. He was also among the few Jedi that survived Order 66 so I believe it makes perfect sense that he’s the one being “displayed”.
This scene is one of the best examples of the Empire’s cruelty. Elder people, women, and even younglings are victims. Absolutely no one is safe from them.
I’m very happy that they decided to show this darker side of the story. We were previously told that the Empire is evil, but there aren’t many explicit examples of it, until now.
What remains a mystery is how many of the people in this scene were actually Jedi. I doubt all of them were force-sensitive, the rest of them are probably leaders or important members of factions that were against the Empire’s interests. I hope we get more details about this in the near future!
Tala, The Spy
With Vader, Kenobi, and the Inquisitors, it’s hard to put much attention on the other characters. Tala has proved to be an extremely valuable ally of Obi-Wan and Leia. She genuinely cares about them and is willing to pay the ultimate price for helping others. I can’t imagine how it must be pretending to be a high-ranking Imperial officer while also aiding Jedi in need.
Without her, Kenobi and Leia would be dead or worse. She reminds me of characters like Captain Rex or Cassian Andor.
Brave, committed to a cause she firmly believes in no matter the risk. I’d love to see her in another live-action project but I have the feeling that this is going to be the first and last time that we see her.
Deja Vu
Being a fan of Star Wars videogames made this episode a lot more enjoyable, lots of the scenes were like echoes from a cinematic released years ago. The first shot where the Fortress Inquisitorious made me feel like I was about to play the final part of Jedi: Fallen Order.
When I experienced Fallen Order for the first time I was in awe at how ridiculous this installation is. As soon as you see it you can’t help but feel intimidated, which is something that is not easy to achieve considering that we met the Death Star many years ago.
Next, we get to the chamber where Trilla was tortured before she became the Second Sister. We know lots of Jedi have broken down in this room, physically and mentally. I can’t imagine what it would have been for Leia to experience such a horrible experience.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a clear reference for this episode, but it’s not the only game with similarities. Remember when Kenobi cuts the lights off and strikes both Stormtroopers using the darkness as his ally?
Well, that is a tribute to The Force Unleashed II. I love knowing that the creators of this type of series are aware of cool Star Wars moments that didn’t happen on the big screen.
Lightsabers and hallways have recently become a popular combination. First, Vader crushed rebel forces when attempting to recover the Death Star plans on Rogue One. Then, Luke Skywalker arrived in time to save Din Djarin, Grogu, and company in the final episode of The Mandalorian Season 2.
Now, Obi-Wan Kenobi got his hallway scene, it’s certainly not as epic or dramatic as the previous two, but given his state, I doubt he could pull off something as badass as the other ones. Nonetheless, it was very exciting to see Obi-Wan wielding his lightsaber like in the good old days.
We finally got to see the Purge Troopers! Sadly they weren’t very useful. I was hoping to see one or two of them using electrostaffs but this wasn’t the case. Hopefully, they’ll get more action in the remaining episodes.
My favorite scene is when Obi-Wan has to prevent the window from breaking so that he, Leia, and Tala can escape to a safe location. In Jedi: Fallen Order Darth Vader had to do the exact same thing.
Throughout the series, we have seen lots of visual parallels between Vader and Kenobi, from both present and past moments of their lives. George Lucas has always said that Star Wars is like poetry, meaning that he intended for it to “rhyme”. I appreciate that series like The Mandalorian, Rebels, and Obi-Wan Kenobi have stayed true to this.
Another happy landing
At last, Leia is rescued from that haunting place, she’s visibly tired from everything that happened but for now, she can get some and rest. Obi-Wan is still disturbed by what he just saw, his old colleagues and friends are now displayed like trophies in a gallery. I can’t imagine how he felt.
In a touching moment where both need some comfort, Leia holds Kenobi’s hand. Like saying “everything is going to be alright”. Obi-Wan appreciates the gesture and holds her hand back. This is such a subtle moment that I think will define their relationship.
At the beginning of the series, Obi-Wan didn’t really care about her well-being, but now they have a bond. She has helped him remember the important things in life that are worth fighting for, despite how many odds are against you. I’m looking forward to watching the defining moment where we as an audience can say “That is why she named her son after Ben”.
Interesting Facts
There are two Jedi Younglings among the bodies Obi-Wan found, but only one of them was shown. Both of them appeared in the first scene of the series when Order 66 was executed.
This only raises more questions, the Inquisitors didn’t exist when Order 66 happened. So, who captured this youngling and the rest of the Jedi Masters that appear here? Darth Vader, Clone Troopers, or perhaps someone else?
Florrum, the planet that Tala mentions to Reva, is a desert planet on the outer rim that we previously met in the Clone Wars show. This is where pirate lord Hondo Ohnaka used to have his base of operations.
Roken refers to Obi-Wan as general, something only people who served in the Clone Wars would do. Considering that his wife was a Jedi, it’s possible that he was a part of the Republic government in some way. I also wonder what’s the name of his wife.
Predictions
With the tracker placed on L0-LA59, it’s just a matter of time before the Empire finds them. I’m curious to see how many troopers they send. It’s probably going to be a bloodbath, which isn’t something I’m particularly excited about.
Obi-Wan is going to face Darth Vader once again, it looks like he has recovered some of his former strength, but I doubt that’s going to be enough to beat the Sith Lord. I mean, he probably doesn’t need to defeat him, just stall enough time for Leia to escape. But it’s still going to be an entertaining match.
Since we know that both Leia and Kenobi are safe in A New Hope, I wonder what destiny has prepared for Reva. She’s incapable of facing Vader, fleeing is the only option if she wants to live.
It would be fun to have the Grand Inquisitor back and make an example of her. But with these stories, one can never be certain of anything.
What do you think is going to happen to Reva? Are there going to be any unexpected shocking moments in the last two episodes?
If you have missed them, I have analyzed and reviewed all of the Obi-Wan Kenobi episodes from the show! There are great secrets and easter eggs to hunt and break down in each one of them!
