Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part V

"Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part V" is filled with action and brimming with prequel era nostalgia

This is the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” episode Star Wars fans have been waiting for. Filled with action and brimming with prequel era nostalgia, “Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part V” is an episode sure to excite any Star Wars fans and leave them craving more in the series finale.

Hang on to your blaster belt because this will be quick so we can get to the good stuff. In Part V, Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) has been tracked to Jabiim along with the rest of the rebels after Reva (Moses Ingram) put a tracker on Leia’s (Vivien Lyra Blair) droid. Reva, the newly appointed Grand Inquisitor, and Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) are closing in, believing they have Kenobi and the others trapped with no way out.

Recalling his training of Anakin, Obi-Wan can predict his former Padawan’s next moves to keep them one step ahead, but he’s not the only one who recalls Darth Vader’s former self. When Kenobi and Reva meet during a momentary pause in the battle, he learns Reva was a youngling at the Jedi Temple during Order 66, saw the atrocities by Skywalker with her own eyes and has her own plans regarding the former Jedi.

As Vader closes in on Kenobi and the rebels, his lust for revenge blinds him and Kenobi is able to escape his grasp and get the others off Jabiim. Reva confronts her past face-to-face, but the Sith Lord is too powerful for her. The battle between Reva and Vader is excellent, with cool angles and Vader’s mastery of the Force on full display.

As she lies defeated, the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) emerges, seemingly having escaped death from her crimson blade and tells her they will leave her where they found her – in the gutter. With hope fading, Reva finds Kenobi’s imagecaster, which was lost during the battle, sees Bail Organa’s message to Kenobi, and reveals Luke’s (Grant Feely) location on Tatooine, now putting both of Anakin’s children at risk.

The episode finally gives Moses Ingram something more to do than just snarl and yell and it’s so satisfying. Ingram hits every note in this episode with perfection and shows most fans underestimated both the character and Ingram’s performance.

The best thing about Part V is we finally see Christensen out of the Vader suit. And even better, we get to see him as Anakin sparing with Obi-Wan “Attack of the Clones” era, but before the battle of Geonosis per the lightsaber hilts both are wielding. It’s a wonderful little detail the filmmaker opted for.

I felt they would give us a younger Anakin at some point, but I thought they would use the de-aging tech they used in “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of the Boba Fett,” but I loved they chose to stay away from it. I thought it gave the scene a little more power and has me officially wanting McGregor and Christensen back for a Clone Wars era live-action series.

The fifth installment of “Obi-Wan Kenobi” ratchets up the action as the finale looms and gives Star Wars fans, especially prequel era lovers, something to cheer about.