Why The Kenobi Series Belongs To The Prequel 'Star Wars' Generation
The hum of a lightsaber slicing through the air, the adrenaline-inducing music leading into the opening crawl, the sight of Darth Maul activating his double-bladed lightsaber in preparation for an epic duel. Whether it was due to one of these examples or numerous others, children and adults alike have found reasons to fall in love with Star Wars. Although we all share an infatuation for what is undoubtedly one of the greatest stories to ever appear on the big screen, this generational love for the galaxy far, far away has led to a claiming of Star Wars content. The sequel trilogy belongs to the new generation, while the original trilogy is for the older generations. To those of us born in the 1990s and early 2000s, the prequels are ours, and by extension, we claim Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Before we get into why Obi-Wan Kenobi is rightfully for the children of the prequels, let’s answer a simpler question. Why divide the trilogies among the generations, to begin with? Easy, because at the end of the day, even though Star Wars can be enjoyed by all, it is aimed at kids. It stimulates our young impressionable minds, encouraging us to envision a future full of possibilities beyond our current scope of reality. It inspires us to want to turn fantasy into something more, to be able to live in a world where the unimaginable is everyday life, and wonder hides around every corner. We may have not known it during our first viewing, but somewhere around our hundredth, we have all realized the impact Star Wars has had on our lives and the rest of the world. So of course, just like we do with anything sacred to our childhood, we fight to protect it like it is ours and no one else’s, judging anything new or different that comes our way. What does any of that have to do with the Obi-Wan Kenobi series? Everything.
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When the prequel movies first came out, they were met with heavy negativity and criticism from fans of the original trilogy. But while some fans were just finding reasons to complain, we were busy being captivated. We watched in awe as a prepubescent Anakin Skywalker joined the Jedi Order and grew into the legendary Sith lord feared throughout the galaxy. We felt our hearts break as Obi-Wan gave his all to save his former Padawan, who he considered a brother, from the dark side and fail. We learned about the dangerous allure of power and were taught lessons on loyalty and betrayal, love and hate, the light and the dark. Where others saw flaws, we saw a masterpiece. In fact, the difference in reception was even commented on by Ewan McGregor in an interview with Entertainment Weekly where he discussed how nice it is to meet the people the prequels were made for (those were kids at the time) and receive encouraging feedback after hearing so much of the opposite for years.
“That's beautiful that they were important to the kids who we made them for. It's just so nice to finally get that wave of positivity about them.”
Now why, you may ask, does the prequel generation's attachment to our trilogy equal ownership of Obi-Wan Kenobi? It is because Obi-Wan Kenobi is essentially a prequel show and the only one of its kind. The sequel trilogy is set after Return of the Jedi, as are The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Rogue One takes place immediately before A New Hope and features more references to the original trilogy than to the prequel trilogy. The same could be said for Solo, which may not lead as immediately into A New Hope as Rogue One, but it definitely looks more to the future than the past. Obi-Wan Kenobi will be our first live-action foray into prequel territory in seventeen years. Not to mention that with Ewan McGregor reprising his role as Obi-Wan and Hayden Christianson returning to play Darth Vader, we are a Qui-Gon Gin Force ghost way from this show being the prequels part two.
On May 26, as the world anxiously awaits Obi-Wan Kenobi’s two-episode premiere the following day, the children of the prequel generation will be waiting just a bit more eagerly. Until that fine day, may the Force be with you.
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Source(s): GamesRadar+