Star Wars discussion (SPOILERS INCLUDED)

[nocera]

But he saw it. I don't think that's something he'd forget. He doesn't know that Anakin survived Mustafar and is more machine now than man, but he should know the name Vader.

It's not so much that Obi-Wan is only now realizing who Vader is, it is that he is just now learning that Vader (still) is.

Oh yeah well that's definitely true. Obi Wan assumed he killed Anakin on Mustafar.

[tifosi77]

Yeah, what I think is more interesting about all that is at least Reva seems to know Vader's identity. (The very first shot of the series opens on Order 66 at the Jedi temple on Coruscant, and a young Black Padawan girl who I've thought might be Reva.) If she was there and witnessed the slaughter first-hand, and was actually standing like 10 feet off-camera for that hologram where Palpatine addressed Anakin as 'Lord Vader' for the first time and swore allegiance to the Dark Side in that moment as an act of survival, it gives her character some nuance.

[Gaucho]

huh, I didn't recognize Rupert Friend.

[Kane]

**** me, Vader was brutal on that. Love it.

[meecrofilm]

Moses Ingram is better in episode 3. Her performance is much more subtle and subdued. Unfortunately I can't say the same for the other inquisitors. Leia was also better. Deborah Chow still has no idea how to shoot action, though.

Ep 3 spoilers:

I don't know how I feel about the Vader confrontation. Where Rogue One enhanced the original films, this feels like it does the opposite. It makes their reunion and fight in ANH less special. What's worse, it feels like we're going to get another confrontation before this series is over.

Yeah, I thought the reveal and subsequent battle would've been better served in the final 2 eps.

Certainly gives less weight to the "long time" quote from ANH.

And yeah. So far my main criticism: What's the tone? What's the vibe? What's the angle here? So far it's just scenes happening. They start and then they end. There's no feel to it at all.

[Gaucho]

Certainly gives less weight to the "long time" quote from ANH.

[Beveridge]

Doesn't this take place 10 years before ANH? 10 years is a long time.

[nocera]

Eh, I would have preferred the Vader/OB1 fight in Star Wars being their first confrontation since Sith. On top of that, their battle in ep 3 was pretty poor. Yeah, Vader is brutal, but the writing and directing is still very bad. It didn't have the emotional weight that it should have, and that's due to poor writing & filmmaking. And a bit nitpicky, but Hayden also feels too small in the suit (assuming that's him in the suit).

[nocera]

I also saw a post on r/starwars pointing out that there are no wipes in Kenobi. How you gonna make a Star Wars show without wipes?

[tifosi77]

The part with OB1 reminiscing about his biological family was pretty strong imo. It addresses the elephant in the room created by the way the Jedi Order was presented in the prequels, that they basically steal children and conscript them into this life sort of the same way police dogs are trained. (We always joke that if we were to get a German Shepherd it would have to be a K9 washout. Like it got an 89 on a final exam where 90 is passing. What is an '89 Padawan'?)

The more episodes with young Leia, the more the problem in having her in the story is compounded. "The Third Sister caught her? Uh oh!" I mean who the f**k are you kidding, she'll be fine. Introduce her impending doom to get OB1 back in the game, get that done, and get her out of the story as soon as she was introduced.......... by adding someone like, say, QUINLAN VOS to the story to keep OB1 involved would be excellent, for example. (Canonically, he has a big old question mark hanging over his destiny; use that.) Prolonging Leia's involvement robs everything that happens of its potential tension. That's why Rogue One worked so well imo: Sure, you already know the ultimate end of the 'steal the plans to the Death Star' thing, but you have no idea what happens to Cassian, Jyn, and the others (RIP entire ensemble cast). So there's still some urgency to their actions. That was a great use of a legacy Saga character lending weight to the story. I don't care what nits you choose to pick over the CG or use of deceased actor's likenesses, 'Hope' will always be one of my absolute favorite moments in all of SW and it was a proper way to send off that story.

And a bit nitpicky, but Hayden also feels too small in the suit (assuming that's him in the suit).

This is something that I actually liked. It feels as if it's still Anakin in the suit, despite the brutality. Like, after whatever happens in this series, he goes to the Facilities people at the Empire and asks them for leg extensions, and that's how he ends up 7' tall. This version of Vader, even ten years in, is still sort of literally finding his footing.

I don't really disagree with you about Chow's direction (some of the action has the feel of a 20-year old fan film), but the one thing I was certifiably angry over was the line Vader says to OB1 at the outset of their fight. "You should've killed me when you had the chance." Sounds very................ lame. Not Star Wars-y. Certainly not Vader-y. Something rhetorical and Dark Side-y like, "Do you regret your actions on Mustafar, Obi-Wan? *saber strike* Your failure haunts you *saber* and mocks you *saber* every day of your pathetic *saber* existence! *Force push*" Like, that's something that would upset OB1 imo.

[tifosi77]

And yeah. So far my main criticism: What's the tone? What's the vibe? What's the angle here? So far it's just scenes happening. They start and then they end. There's no feel to it at all.

There were reports a month or so ago that as-delivered the show was too dark for D+, and they were forced to go back and make some tonal changes. That 11th hour shift seems to be coming through to what we're seeing on-screen.

I do have my problems with the show, but overall I'm enjoying it much more than I did all but about 30 aggregate minutes of The Book Of Boba Fett.

[tifosi77]

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one that had reason for this to jump into my head at a couple different junctures in Ch3.

[nocera]

Source of the post I'm enjoying it much more than I did all but about 30 aggregate minutes of The Book Of Boba Fett.

100% agree but in my opinion that's more of a knock against Boba Fett than an endorsement for Kenobi. Book of Boba Fett was really terrible, save for the Mando season 2.5 episodes. Kenobi has a lot of issues (which I won't belabor yet again in this thread) but it has far more positives than Fett.

[Gaucho]

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one that had reason for this to jump into my head at a couple different junctures in Ch3.

[meecrofilm]

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one that had reason for this to jump into my head at a couple different junctures in Ch3.

I feel like there were two instances of that in Ch1 alone (bar exit, and branch during chase scene).

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one that had reason for this to jump into my head at a couple different junctures in Ch3.

I didn't think of that scene, but I definitely was thinking he could have easily walked around it.

[nocera]

Or, you know, the force.

[tifosi77]

He's specifically trying to avoid using the Force so as not to attract attention.

[nocera]

He's specifically trying to avoid using the Force so as not to attract attention.

I thought we were talking about the fire cutting off Vader from getting to OB1.

[tifosi77]

Also, I rewatched Ch 3 last night. Something stuck out at me that I didn't pick up on the first time:

Leia has obviously heard of the Force before, but still asks OB1 what it feels like to feel it flowing through you. Luke had never heard it before meeting OB1. But that means OB1 gave both Skywalker children their first lessons in the Force.



It was also cool to see OB1 using his saber more as a source of light than a weapon. Like a security blanket, almost the way he described it to Leia earlier on. But the light just served to blind him to the looming peril, which is sort of a commentary on the failure of the Jedi more generally. It makes for an interesting juxtaposition, because the next time we encounter Kenobi in the established storytelling is in one of the best Rebels episodes (Twin Suns), where he bests Maul in three strokes (two parries, and an attack) in what is my favorite saber battle in the whole thing. So he obviously gets himself sorted out sometime in the next couple of (story) years.

[tifosi77]

He's specifically trying to avoid using the Force so as not to attract attention.

I thought we were talking about the fire cutting off Vader from getting to OB1.

Oh I was talking about earlier in the show when they were stopped at the security checkpoint and the probe droid showed up.

Although I have seen some funny comments about why Vader allowed OB1 to escape. (None of which are why I think he allowed him to get out; because he wanted to know what drew the guy out of 10 years of seclusion.) Like "Given his history, the one thing you'd expect Vader's pressure suit to be is fireproof...." (I guess there are a couple canonical comic books that show his suit in action in this regard)

I've also see some other nutso observations about his suit. Like how his breathing tubes are the first things removed during suit-up, so he has to hold his breath through the whole process; how the control plate on the chest has spikes that are so long they are clearly meant to embed into his actual chest not just the suit, etc.

[Gaucho]

[Pavel Bure]

Tried Kenobi today. Got about 20mins in and it wasn’t holding me. Should I stick with it?

[meow]

Sure. What else are you gonna watch?

[DigitalGypsy66]

Yes? Only six episodes, although a writer for Rolling Stone (who has done numerous profiles on Disney era Lucasfilm productions and probably has connections there says there are rumors of a second season. Who knows. But worth sticking through the first season at least imo.