Sometimes fans wonder what is more secure: Fort Knox or a Star Wars script. Both sides could be easily argued. Ewan McGregor could tell you all about it since he’s kept the Obi-Wan Kenobi series a secret over four years. Well, he could tell you, but then he’d have to kill you. However we did learn from him this week a couple tidbits in his interview with Men’s Journal.
The timeline
“The Jedi Order was falling apart. It will be interesting to take a character we know in a way and show him—Well, his arc will be quite interesting, I think, dealing with that the fact that all the Jedi were slaughtered with the end of Episode III. It’s quite something to get over.”
Ewan McGregor
That is when our Obi-Wan Kenobi series will take place, between Episodes III and IV. You didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out, since he’s in exile after Episode III and becomes one with the Force in Episode IV. Interestingly enough, this is also the same time as Jedi: Fallen Order, and if you’ve seen the game play trailer, you can see the galaxy is in a lot of upheaval during this time. Some of the richest ground for story-telling in the Star Wars universe is right here in this 19-year window. Obi-Wan will be smack-dab in the middle of it.
“I want to get closer and closer to how Obi-Wan felt while Alec Guinness was playing him. I feel like I’m grayer and nearer him in age, so it’ll be easier to do that.”
The episodes and the plot
It’s been almost 15 years since we last saw McGregor don his Jedi robes. He says he’s only watched the prequel films at their release, but plans to go back a watch them again now that filming for Obi-Wan Kenobi begins next summer. He told Men’s Journal he could not tell them anything about it. However, he was able to say the series will consist of six, one-hour long episodes. That doesn’t seem like much, but it is an additional six hours of Star Wars, and nothing says it will stop at that.
As for what the series will be about, it remains to be seen. The Tale of The Knight and the Dragon in Star Wars: Myths and Fables could be a part of it, pitting the old hermit Ben against Krayt the Dragon. What about a flashback crossover with The Mandalorian? It’s also possible there could be some Obi-Wan Kenobi tie-ins to the dangling plot lines left by Solo. Could we see Crimson Dawn and Maul back in action? No one knows for now, except maybe McGregor, himself. He’s known about this series for four years now.
Another potential story line is trying to find other Jedi who survived the purge. The new Star Wars book Force Collector by Kevin Shinick tells of a lone surviving Jedi named Naq Med, who was a Padawan during the Clone Wars that lived all the way up to The Force Awakens. There were several others we know about, like Kanan Jarrus for example, and possibly more. There’s even a good probability Mace Windu didn’t really die. It would be nice to get some closure on his character.
Ewan McGregor needs to spend some time with Bor Gullet
“It’s a f***ing massive relief, because for four years, I’ve been having to lie to people about it.”
Ewan McGregor on reprising his role of Obi-Wan Kenobi
Four years, Ewan? Really? Bor Gullet would have seen the truth. No lie is safe. It’s a good thing for Ewan he wasn’t in Rogue One or we’d have known about this a long time ago. If you ever need someone to keep a secret, Ewan McGregor is a safe bet to keep it. Imagine being the one and only Obi-Wan Kenobi, knowing you’re going to be returning to the role, only to find that you’re sworn to secrecy for 1,460 days. Could you keep it in the bottle that long?
What would you like to see in the new Kenobi series? What are your plot theories? Reach out to That Hashtag Show and let us know!
