Why The Most Tragic Character In ‘Star Wars’ Is Obi-Wan Kenobi
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Out of all of the characters in the Star Wars universe, the most popular one is Rose Tico from The Last Jedi.
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Out of all of the characters in the Star Wars universe, the most popular one is arguably Obi-Wan Kenobi. Since he first appeared onscreen saving Luke Skywalker from Tusken Raiders, his general air of somebody wise who could help Luke in his journey made him instantly fascinating. His sacrifice on the Death Star felt meaningful to both Luke and the audience, even though we had only known him for a short time.
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In the prequel films, we see a younger Obi-Wan, played by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, and his performance is one of the few things that fans and detractors love about the films. It’s great to see him grow from a hotheaded young Padawan into the Jedi we all knew him to be in the original films.
And it can be argued that, of the characters we meet, nobody has it worse than he does. Now obviously, Star Wars is filled with tragic characters. The fall of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader is one of the most famous in all of cinema. However, Obi-Wan tops the list because of one simple word: Choices.
The death of Qui-Gon, Order 66, fighting Anakin, losing Satine, the horrors of the Clone Wars… he doesn’t choose any of it. While Anakin’s fall is tragic, it occurred because of his choices. Anakin chose to bow to Palpatine. He chose to slaughter the younglings as he was destroying everything he knew and loved. Everything horrific that Obi-Wan endured happened to him outside of his control. The most amazing part, though? He endured.
Even one of those events would be enough to break anybody. After watching his Master get cut down by a Sith, Obi-Wan cradles him as he dies while promising to train Anakin, something he is in no way prepared to do. Then the same Sith cuts down the only woman he ever truly loved, one he would have at one time left the Jedi order for. Finally, several years later, he meets the same Sith one more time and finally defeats him in three moves. As Maul died, Obi-Wan would have every right to scream at him; to rage at him, and spit out how much he hates Maul for taking away two of the most influential people in his life. But he doesn’t.
In a mirror of his final moments with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan holds Maul and looks at him, not with rage but pity and forgiveness. There is no need for rage. It’s over. Maul’s long, painful, hate-filled journey is over, and Luke is safe once again. Maul endured many horrific trials himself, and Obi-Wan knows that.
Then there’s everything that happened to Anakin. As stated above, Obi-Wan was not ready to train Anakin, but it was Qui-Gon’s dying wish. The two develop a deep, brotherly friendship, a bond that only strengthened during the numerous trials of the Clone Wars. Both trust each other with their lives, though cracks were created by everything Anakin hid from Obi-Wan.
Then those cracks turned into chasms as Anakin fully embraced the dark side, and now there was no choice but to defeat him. As he watched the security footage of Anakin’s rampage in the Jedi Temple, he knew his friend was gone. Even so, he begs Yoda to send him to kill Palpatine, a fight he doubtlessly knows he has a much smaller chance of winning. Anything to avoid killing the man who was once his brother.
But he has a duty, and he must fulfill it. He travels to Mustafar to fight his brother in all but blood. He wins. There is nothing left of Anakin in the one-limbed man trying to crawl away from the lava as it burns him, his pained screams echoing through the night.
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“You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.”
“I hate you!” Darth Vader roared back.
Obi-Wan takes the lightsaber, the last representation of his brother, and leaves to watch over Luke, though only from a distance at the insistence of Luke’s uncle Owen. And so he waits in his little hut on Tatooine with only his memories and his mission keeping him company. He has lost everything he has ever loved, and the only flicker of light left in his life is the mission of protecting the offspring of his brother.
Then the day comes when he takes Luke under his wing and finds himself on the Death Star, facing his former brother one last time. It’s a fight he knows he can’t win, but he has to buy enough time for Luke to escape. Then, during a lull in the fight, he sees Luke and Leia running toward the Millennium Falcon, and he knows it’s time.
He’s endured the pain of losing his Master.
He’s endured the pain of losing his potential lover.
He’s endured the pain of losing his brother.
He’s endured Order 66, the Cone Wars, and everything else life threw at him that he did not want and would break anyone, but he survived, forgave, and kept pressing on. The constant emotional pain must be unbearable. Yet, despite everything, Obi-Wan is the perfect Jedi. When he sees Luke and Leia together, he knows everything will be okay. The galaxy will be saved. He can put down his monumental burden. He smirks, lifts his saber, and just as Darth Vader swings, he becomes one with Force.
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