A look back at the lightsaber battles between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the “Star Wars” universe films and series!
It is therefore three times that Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former padawan Anakin Skywalker, who became Darth Vader, crossed swords, or rather the lightsaber during the various films and series derived from the Star Wars universe. Three fights in total therefore (which we have classified according to the chronological order of the Star Wars timeline), which saw the Jedi Knight triumph twice, before the Dark Lord took a final revenge against his former master.
FIGHT 1: REVENGE OF THE SITH
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The first confrontation between the two characters took place at the end of the film Revenge of the Sith (Episode III), on the planet Mustafar. Shortly before, Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered that Anakin, gone to the dark side, took part in the execution of Jedi Knights, as well as the massacres of young padawan, on the orders of his new master Darth Sidious, alias the Emperor Palpatine.
Secretly embarked in Padmé Amidala’s shuttle, which left to join Anakin in an attempt to bring him to his senses, the Jedi could not however prevent his former student from using his powers against the young senator, who succumbed to her injuries shortly after. nevertheless giving birth to her twins: Luke and Leia.
Faced with the extremism of Anakin, whose words reveal his anger and his resentment against the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi has no choice but to draw his lightsaber and to face the one who now calls himself Darth Vader. Their fratricidal confrontation ends in pain, while Anakin has his limbs cut off following a high-risk maneuver.
Severely burned by the river of lava that runs through Mustafar, Anakin spits all his hatred towards Obi-Wan, who abandons his padawan in what he thinks is his very last moments. But the latter will finally be saved in extremis by his new master Palpatine, who made him black armor, marking the “official” birth of Darth Vader.
The Clone Wars therefore ended with the resounding victory of the imperial army over the separatist enemy, but also with the Jedi purge having forced the few survivors to go into exile in the most remote corners of the galaxy. Obi-Wan Kenobi chose to take refuge on Tatooine, adopting on this occasion the nickname of Ben, to engage in an ultimate mission: to ensure the protection, then the Jedi training once the time comes, of Luke Skywalker.
THE 2ND FIGHT: OBI-WAN KENOBI
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Ten years after their battle on Mustafar, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi clashed again in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Shaken by the news that his former padawan did not finally succumb to his terrible wounds, the Jedi Knight put aside his exile to rescue Leia, captured by Inquisitor Reva, then to face the consequences of his past. of Jedi Knight.
Heralded as “the rematch of the century” by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, the two characters’ new confrontation took place in the final episode of the miniseries; aboard a shuttle, Obi-Wan Kenobi invites Darth Vader to follow him to an isolated planet, thereby creating a diversion to allow his rebel allies to escape the Imperial troops and the interstellar cruiser launched in pursuit. Blinded by his hatred, Vader orders his troops not to interfere in his new fight against Kenobi.
At first, the Dark Lord takes a definite advantage over his opponent, who seems to have forgotten the mastery of the Force. The fight then seems to find a dramatic outcome when Kenobi is buried under a pile of rocks thrown by Vader’s powers; but the Jedi eventually manages to get back to his feet, only to spring out lightsaber in hand and destroy his enemy’s mask.
For the first time in ten years (or ten years if you count the release of Revenge of the Sith), Obi-Wan peers into the face of his former padawan Anakin Skywalker, permanently corrupted by the dark side of the Force. Again, the Jedi is reluctant to finish off his adversary, and abandons him seriously injured (he is again narrowly saved by Palpatine).
THE 3RD FIGHT: A NEW HOPE
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Then comes the final battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. The latter comes at the end of the film A New Hope (Episode IV) when the Jedi participates in a rescue operation for Princess Leia (again!) in the company of Luke Skywalker, the smuggler Han Solo and the wookie Chewbacca (as well as droids C-3PO and R2-D2).
Barely arrived in the orbital station of the Death Star, Kenobi leaves his comrades in arms, pretending to deactivate the security system to open access to the prison level of the space base. Thanks to the powers of the Force, Kenobi senses the presence of Vader and the imminence of a trap ready to close on the group of heroes.
The long-awaited face-off finally comes as Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca rush into the hangar to flee from the Stormtroopers and escape the Death Star. After a few passes with the lightsaber and a brief exchange, Obi-Wan uses the Force to draw the Stormtroopers to him and allow his companions to return to their ship.
Giving himself a last look at Luke, to whom he had just learned the rudiments of the Jedi art, Kenobi does not try to avoid the blow of the lightsaber that Darth Vader deals him, and mysteriously disappears when the blade comes in contact with his body. This third confrontation therefore finally allowed Anakin to gain the upper hand over his old master!
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series and the two Star Wars trilogies can be found in full now on the Disney+ platform!