Move over Grogu, there's another young character in the 'Star Wars' universe who will be a key player in the Jedi's story.
Much like The Mandalorian shocked Star Wars fans with the introduction of the Child, aka Grogu, at the end of its season 1 premiere, Obi-Wan Kenobi opens with a twist and introduces an unexpected key character that plays into the titular Jedi Master’s story 10 years after the Revenge of the Sith.
[Warning: Spoilers for the two-part premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi.]
In the two-part premiere, it’s revealed that Ewan McGregor’s character, as well as any other remaining Jedi, are in hiding. And for Kenobi, who now goes as Ben, that means living off the grid on the fringes of town on the planet, Tatooine, where a young, 10-year-old Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely) has been placed under the care of his step-uncle, Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) and his wife, Beru Whitesun Lars (Bonnie Piesse). (Although the young Luke got a lot of attention when the first trailer was released, he’s not the young child that’s going to steal hearts here.)
While he watches after Skywalker from afar, Ben most also fend off the Inquisitors, former members of the Jedi Order that now serve Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) that includes Rupert Friend as the Grand Inquisitor, Sung Kang as the Fifth Brother and Moses Ingram as Reva Sevander. While the group are hunting down Jedi, Reva is determined to find Ben and has her own plans to lure him out of hiding -- even if it defies the leadership of her Inquisitor “siblings.”
It’s not long into the premiere when it’s revealed what Reva’s plans are -- and that’s to kidnap a young Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), who has been placed in the care of Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) and Breha Organa (Simone Kessell) on Alderaan. (Oh yes, this series dares to ask, “But what about Princess Leia?” And in addition to a 10-year-old princess, who is a major player in the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi and quickly captured audiences with her snarky yet sweet demeanor, the limited series is full of cameos and characters first established in the prequel films.)
After Leia is kidnapped, Bail begs Ben to go find her. Initially reluctant, Ben eventually goes after her and ends up in Daiyu, where he’s revealed to be the long-missing Jedi and hunted down by bounty hunters. Even Kumail Nanjiani shows up as a conman pretending to be a Jedi.) However, just when Reva thinks she has Ben cornered -- and reveals to him that Anakin Skywalker is still alive -- he makes his escape. Of course, this is not before Reva, who is revealed to have her own past that doesn’t quite make her a proper Inquisitor, kills her elder.
“She believes she’s just doing her job to the best of her ability and that doesn’t read well for other people,” Ingram tells ET about playing the badass breakout. And when it comes to not only the revelation about her past, but the way she ruthlessly slays Friend’s character, the actress recalls “being like, ‘Oh, this is Greek theater, which was wild.’”
With the Grand Inquisitor out of the way, it seems there’s no stopping Reva in her mission to bring Ben to her leader. Luckily for Ben -- and Leia -- they get away on a cargo ship. At least, for now.
New episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi debut Wednesdays on Disney+.
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