Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Teases Darth Vader In Star Wars Day Trailer
May the 4th is here, and to mark the occasion, Disney has released a new trailer of its upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. This newest trailer doesn't add much to the lore set up by the first teaser trailer, but it does offer fans their first glimpse of the series' big bad — Dark Vader, formerly revered as the prophesized Chosen One and now terrifying the Jedi order as a Dark Lord of the Sith.
Hayden Christensen returns to reprise his role as the galactic villain Darth Vader after playing the role of Anakin Skywalker in the divisive Star Wars prequel trilogy. The new Obi-Wan trailer shows Vader's robotic arm as well as a couple other of bits and pieces getting attached to the Sith Lord's protective armor. The bionic arm became an iconic trait of the character after the original one was severed in one swift strike by Count Dooku. And in case there was any doubt that the robotic arm might belong to another character, we get to hear the iconic machine-assisted breath of Darth Vader.
Disney has also released an official poster that shows the Force-wielding villain in his familiar full costume, complete with the cape and the menacing mask. In the closing moments of the trailer, we also get to see the protagonist Jedi Master apparently coming face to face with his former student and best friend who is now leading an all-out assault against the Jedi Council. And yes, Kenobi is at the top of the target list for all henchmen and bounty hunters on the Sith payroll.
Hunters upon hunters
The latest trailer also shows Kenobi trying to persuade Owen Lars into letting him train a young Luke Skywalker, and failing at it. In the Star Wars mythos, Owen Lars is the step-brother of Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader and holds a deep-rooted contempt for the Jedi knights for the tragic fate of his sibling. It is that same concern that forced him to hide Luke's true parentage from the boy, forbidding Kenobi from any future Jedi training.
The trailer reveals a galaxy-wide hunt for the Jedi, with Kenobi — played by Ewan McGregor — being the most wanted name. Kenobi, on the other hand, has been hiding on Tattooine and keeping a watchful eye on Luke who would eventually grow up to become a Jedi and redeem his father in a tragic patricidal climax.
Aside from Vader, the new trailer also offers a fresh look at the Inquisitorius, a group of the cold-hearted Jedi-killing hunters first seen in the TV series "Star Wars: Rebels" which ran from 2014 to 2018. In the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, the Grand Inquisitor is played by Rupert Fiend of "Hitman: Agent 47" fame. We see glimpses of bounty hunters, as well as verification that it'll be more than just the Inquisitorious that'll be hot on the tail of our hero Jedi.
Lucasfilm
The series will feature both new and old characters and marks the entry of familiar names like Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, and O'Shea Jackson Jr. into the Star Wars franchise. Obi-Wan Kenobi premiers May 27 exclusively on Disney+. At the moment, it would appear that the series will be limited to six episodes in one season, only.