Why Is Reva So Obsessed With Capturing Obi-Wan Kenobi?
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR OBI-WAN KENOBI
With the recent release of the third episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, one question has become increasingly salient. Why is the Third Sister Reva so obsessed with capturing Obi-Wan Kenobi? From the very beginning of Episode 1, Reva is portrayed as having an insatiable eagerness in hunting down the Jedi Master-in-hiding, leading to much speculation about her backstory. While nothing is confirmed so far, there are multiple fan theories as to her motives.
To Elevate Herself Above The Other Inquisitors
Right upon landing on Tatooine, Reva sets herself apart from the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother with her brash behavior and apparent impatience. The fact that her fellow Inquisitors look down upon her is further highlighted in Episode 2. On Daiyu, the Grand Inquisitor describes her as “the least of us...[who] came to us from the gutter.” This is possibly due to Reva only turning to the dark side after Order 66, and he sees her becoming an Inquisitor as an act of cowardice. On the other hand, the Grand Inquisitor was already disillusioned with the Jedi after Barriss Offee’s bombing of the Jedi Temple in The Clone Wars animated series. Capturing Obi-Wan would most certainly be an impressive feat that could prove her worth, and perhaps be treated more equally among the Inquisitors.
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Pure Ambition To Become The Grand Inquisitor
It is no secret that Reva resents the Grand Inquisitor. After all, she coldly drives her crimson blade into his stomach at the end of Episode 2. As further revealed in Episode 3 of the show, it is evident that she seeks to gain the favor of Darth Vader and take the title of Grand Inquisitor. During the hologram conversation between the two, Vader reveals that he had been watching Reva closely and that the position of Grand Inquisitor would be hers if she proves herself worthy. The mantle appears to be one of prestige in the Inquisitors' eyes, and there is clearly some power struggle within the Inquisitorius, especially between Reva and the Fifth Brother who is also hungry for the title. Knowing that Obi-Wan is an extremely valuable target for Darth Vader, it is a logical explanation for her fixation on capturing him in bolstering her ascension to become Grand Inquisitor.
A Personal Vendetta Against Kenobi For His Part During The Jedi Purge
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series begins with a shot focusing on one particular youngling in training at the Jedi Temple, before developing into an action sequence of the group of younglings seeing their Jedi instructor being killed by 501st clone troopers before their eyes. In another tragic rendition of Operation Knightfall, the group is seen having to escape the chaos and slaughter at the Temple.
Accordingly, one of the strongest theories for the Third Sister's backstory is that the particular youngling is Reva herself, growing up being traumatized by Order 66, which made her vulnerable to the dark side of the Force. She may also have witnessed the fallen Anakin Skywalker leading the massacre, thus explaining why she knows of Darth Vader's true identity despite it being a closely-kept secret. Knowing that Obi-Wan was Anakin's master, she could very much have blamed him for the Chosen One's downfall and the demise of the Jedi Order, culminating in an immense hatred fueling her eagerness for revenge.
It is also worth noting that, as seen in Star Wars: Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared in the hologram transmission warning all surviving Jedi to stay hidden and not return to the Temple. Having been left on their own after the instructor was killed, Reva and her fellow younglings may have been trapped at the Temple, hoping for help that never arrived. If she turned out to be captured, tortured, and brainwashed into becoming an Inquisitor, Reva could see Obi-Wan as the reason for her suffering, hence developing into a personal vendetta against him.
The backstory of Reva's character is currently a mystery, but as the series continues to unfold we would most likely get a canonical explanation for her obsession with capturing the Jedi master. With three more episodes to go, the Inquisitors' pursuit could perhaps culminate into a standoff between Reva and Obi-Wan, shedding more light on the intriguing question at hand.
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Source(s): Screen Rant