Obi-Wan Kenobi's Most Iconic Scenes in Star Wars
One of the most fabled Jedi Knights introduced in the Star Wars Saga, Obi-Wan Kenobi, has several iconic moments in the franchise. Obi-Wan's first chronological appearance was in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace where he was a young Padawan learner to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Little did he know, the trip to Naboo in an attempt to resolve a trade dispute would change his life and the course of history.
The Phantom Menace
While Obi-Wan was definitely part of the action throughout the entire movie, his character was mostly in the background until the very end when he and Qui-Gon confronted the first Sith Lord seen by the Jedi Order in millennia. The two Jedi engaged Darth Maul in a dynamic and protracted lightsaber duel spread out throughout a vast power station on Naboo. His first iconic moment came after Maul defeated Qui-Gon Jinn when Obi-Wan finished the duel by sending the mutilated Sith Lord down the power reactor shaft. Even though Maul was believed to be dead following this encounter, Obi-Wan would have come across Maul several more times throughout Clone Wars and Rebels. He would ultimately kill Maul during their final confrontation on Tatooine.
Attack of the Clones
In Attack of the Clones, an older Obi-Wan made good on his pledge to train the budding Jedi Anakin Skywalker. First assigned to protect now-Senator Padme Amidala, and then to investigate several assassination attempts against her, Obi-Wan had many iconic scenes in this movie. The movie started with a wild chase throughout the Coruscant skyways, which ended at a bar where he casually (and humorously) used the Jedi Mind Trick to dissuade an annoying patron from trying to sell him death sticks.
“You want to go home and rethink your life.”
As he tracked down the origin of the assassin's dart, he was led to the watery planet of Kamino. Here, he discovered their creation of a Clone Army for the Republic, and a tense confrontation with the Clone Army's genetic template, bounty hunter Jango Fett. As he pursued Jango Fett, he inadvertently discovered the Separatists arming for war against the Republic. Before he could warn the Jedi and the Republic, he was captured by Jedi-turned Sith Lord Count Dooku and his Separatist allies. In an iconic scene, an imprisoned Obi-Wan confronted Dooku, who revealed some critical information about what had been going on behind the scenes in galactic politics. After Anakin arrived to save Obi-Wan, both would engage in an unsuccessful lightsaber duel with Dooku, which left them with severe injuries.
Revenge of the Sith
Obi-Wan went on to become a general of the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars and later served on the Jedi Council as a Jedi Master. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan and Anakin were tasked with saving Chancellor Palpatine from General Grevious. One of his iconic scenes in this movie would stem from his mission to hunt down and eliminate the Separatist Droid Commander General Grevious. Almost no other scene was as memorable (and "memeable") as Obi-Wan dropping down out of hiding in front of a surprised General Grievous and uttering, "Hello There", before beginning his encounter with Grievous.
By far, his most iconic moment in this film would have to be his emotional duel with his former Padawan Anakin Skywalker. As lava surged around their intense battle, we would always remember Obi-Wan's expression of grief and anger at Anakin's fall to the dark side.
“You were the chosen one!”
The Original Trilogy
Obi-Wan went on to escape the clutches of the Empire and moved to Tatooine to watch over Anakin's son, Luke. In A New Hope, he would join Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and the droids in their mission to return the stolen Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. In the ultimate Jedi display, Obi-Wan engaged in a duel with Darth Vader aboard the Death Star, and sacrificed himself in order to allow for Luke and his friends to escape with Princess Leia and the stolen plans. In The Empire Strikes Back, Obi-Wan had become one with the Force, and appeared to Luke as a Force ghost. He would guide Luke to the planet Dagobah to be trained by Master Yoda. Obi-Wan made one last appearance in Return of the Jedi upon Yoda's death to confirm the truth of Luke's relationship with Darth Vader and Leia.
As with Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi's story in the Star Wars franchise currently ended with Return of the Jedi. Fortunately, with the upcoming Disney+ original series Obi-Wan Kenobi slated to cover his time in exile between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, we will be no doubt see more new iconic scenes of him.