‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season Premiere Spoiler Review – “Part I” & “Part II”

The wait is finally over! The first 2 episodes of the highly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi finally dropped, and with it comes a lot of our favourites – old and new! It’s an interesting start to a story and can be a little slow at times. But, there are a lot of great characters and it’s already proving to be an interesting series!

Part I

You’re Looking for Somebody Else

‘Part I’ (directed by Deborah Chow, and written by Hossein Amini, Jody Harold, and Stuart Beattie) gives us the set up for this story. After a brief insight into the execution of Order 66, we meet some of our villains for the show. Here, we meet The Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend), the Fifth Brother (Sung Kang), the Fourth Sister (Ray Kihlstedt) and Reva Sevander – the Third Sister (Moses Ingram). For fans of Star Wars Rebels, some of these characters will be familiar. For the rest of us, they’re an intimidating group who we can see will be a great opposition to the Jedi who are left.

From the moment they appear on screen, the Inquisitors are frightening and intimidating. Reva is formidable and unhinged, and we can see that she is straying from her mission. Her determination and ferocity are strangely enticing, and Moses Ingram plays the part so well. She quickly becomes a favourite character, and I cannot wait to see how her story plays out.

Like all other Star Wars shows, there is a need for a lot of setup in the story. After the introduction to our new foes, we get to see what Obi-Wan has been up to in the 10 years since Revenge of the Sith. It’s clear that Obi-Wan is trying to start a new life and keep his past hidden. A sad bus journey and some high-quality fish seem to be the highlights of this Jedi in hiding’s life. And with The Inquisitors around, that’s not a bad idea!

This first episode sets up the new life of Ben, the tensions with Owen and his family, and the current dangers of being a Jedi. We also get an insight into how Obi-Wan is dealing with the horrors and traumas of his past. This is something that is haunting him, and it’s causing him to retreat further into his isolation.

With Jedi and Inquisitors, there are a whole lot of characters to take in from episode one. However, we’re also introduced to some well-loved characters, just not in the way we might expect.

She’s As Important As He Is

While we know about Luke’s life on Tatooine, we don’t know too much about Leia’s life on Alderaan. Well, Obi-Wan Kenobi is here to change that, and show us more about our favourite Princess.

We’re introduced to Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) as she tries to avoid her royal duties. As soon as we see her, Leia is everything we would expect; witty, funny, and wise. The 10-year-old Leia is just as instantly lovable as the Leia we know.

Vivien Lyra Blair does a great job at portraying a young Leia. She’s funny, headstrong and has all of the right kinds of attitude. With her taking up a big part of the episode, we get a great introduction to her and her story. She has great energy and she works great with anyone she shares the screen with.

One of my favourite things in this episode is the relationship between Leia and her parents. Simone Kessell as Breda Organa is the firm but fair, loving mother. Their time together on screen is brief but sweet, and we get to see how well they work together. Jimmy Smits returns to play Bail Organa, and his time with Blair is some of the best. They portray a genuine and loving relationship between a father and daughter, and it’s fun to watch.

One Last Fight

This was a great introduction to the series, and it didn’t take too long with the setup. Sometimes, it felt like we were still waiting for the story to start, but it was also necessary. We need this background information to understand it all properly. It’s also a great way to introduce the characters, and give us an idea of where they are in their journeys.

Part II

Rats Know More About The Sewers

‘Part II’ (directed by Deborah Chow, and written by Hossein Amini, Joby Harold and Stuart Beattie) wastes no time in getting into the action. This episode has a very different feel to it and is a good sign that Obi-Wan Kenobi might be a different type of Star Wars show.

This episode brings a different vibe to the show. It’s less of the Star Wars we might know, and more of a sci-fi crime thriller. We see a grittier and darker Obi-Wan here. He’s not afraid to get physical and will do what he needs to get what he wants.

This is where we meet Haja Estree (Kumail Nanjiani). The comic relief con man who seems shady as soon as we see him. After we see him scamming a young woman and her son, Obi-Wan knows exactly what he’s like, and can get the information he needs. Although this scene is funny, it shows us what Obi-Wan is like now, and how he has changed.

Nanjiani is perfect in this role because we know his comedic timing is perfect, and he can really embody any character. And later in the episode when he shows his true character, he fits just as well. All of his scenes are comedic and lighthearted but work well with the darker theme of the episode.

You Can’t Run Obi-Wan

This episode lets us see more of the characters. Moses Ingram as Reva is fantastic here. She does an amazing job of showing how she’s willing to stop at nothing to get what she wants. This is a character that can only grow to be more frightening and interesting as the series progresses. She’s already become a favourite among many fans, and rightly so. She’s unbalanced and determined, and I’m excited to see how her arc progresses throughout the series.

Another great character is Leia. We get to see more of her in this episode, and we can also see the friendship starting between her and Obi-Wan. She’s just as sassy and witty as we want, and also very wise. She’s able to hold her own, and Blair is fantastic once more. It’s an excellent choice to have Leia be such a big part of the show and to have her story linked with Obi-Wan’s so closely. This just makes sense, and it’s great to see. I think we’re all excited to see more of this beloved character, and how she became the fan favourite that we all love.

You Really Are a Jedi

While we were all expecting a different kind of series with Obi-Wan Kenobi, I think so far it has a good balance of something new, and something we’re all used to. It’s a Star Wars story but with a different feel, and it’s giving us more of what we love.

The music is also great in the show. The theme by John Williams fits so well into the music we love already and feels sentimental in some way. The rest of the score, written by Natalie Holt, is sweet and feels like Star Wars. The Mandalorian has Space Western themes that really sets the tone well, and The Book of Boba Fett’s music awakens something primal in me. But with the music for Obi-Wan Kenobi, there’s something strangely nostalgic and endearing about it.

This has been a fantastic start to a new series. It’s something that has been so highly anticipated, and we’re finally getting a new show. Although there is something a little lacking with the first 2 episodes, it’s still a brilliant introduction to a new series. This is still the early stages, and we’re getting to see more of a character that is so well-loved. I have hope that this show won’t fall into the shortcomings of the Disney 6-episode shows, and that we’ll get a series that will be completely different.

Obi-Wan Kenobi episodes 1 & 2 are now available to stream on Disney+.

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