Obi-Wan Kenobi

"Obi-Wan is a great mentor; as wise as Master Yoda, and as powerful as Master Windu."

- Anakin Skywalker

Obi-Wan Kenobi, later known as Ben Kenobi during his exile, was a legendary Jedi Master who played a significant role in the fate of the galaxy during the waning days of the Galactic Republic. During the Clone Wars, He known was the "Negotiator". He was the mentor of both Anakin and Luke Skywalker, training both in the ways of the Force. He had a long and tumultuous career that helped shape the fate of the entire galaxy.

Early Life
Obi-Wan Kenobi was born on the planet Stewjon where he was then taken to the Jedi temple on Coruscant to be trained as a Jedi. As a Youngling, Kenobi underwent training with Grand Master Yoda.

Qui-Gon's Apprentice
When Kenobi was in his teens, Kenobi was taken as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan learner. Prior to the Invasion of Naboo, Kenobi and Jinn spent a year on Mandalore protecting Duchess Satine Kryze from Insurgents who were threatening her world. Bounty hunters were sent after them, forcing them to be on the run and living hand to mouth, never knowing what the next day would bring them.

Invasion of Naboo
Obi-Wan and his master Qui-Gon Jinn were sent by Chancellor Valorum to negotiate with the Trade Federation, which had set up a blockade around the planet of Naboo. Negotiations did not take place, and instead Viceroy Nute Gunray sent battle droids and droidekas to kill the Jedi Knights. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escaped by stowing away on separate landing crafts down to Naboo's surface. There, Obi-Wan found Qui-Gon who had just saved the life of the Gungan Jar Jar Binks. Jar Jar led the two Jedi to the underwater city of Otoh Gunga, where they met with the Gungan leader Boss Nass. The Jedi were unable to convince the Gungans to help the humans of Naboo, but Nass, under the influence of Qui-Gon's jedi mind trick, gave the two Jedi a transport to get them to reach Theed, Naboo's capital city. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar took the transport through the planet's core to reach Theed, however, when they arrived they discovered that the Trade Federation had already taken control of the city. After rescuing Queen Amidala and several others, the Jedi took Amidala off of Naboo on her starship in an attempt to reach Coruscant with news of the invasion. During the escape, the queen's hyperdrive was damaged, which prevented them from going straight to Coruscant. Instead, they landed on Tatooine.

After landing, Qui-Gon, Padmé (the queen in disguise as a handmaiden), Jar Jar, and the astromech droid R2-D2 went to look for a new hyperdrive unit, while Obi-Wan stayed behind on the ship. While looking for parts, Qui-Gon Jinn discovered a force-sensitive young slave named Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon retrieved a sample of Anakin's blood and had the data sent to Obi-Wan on the ship. Obi-Wan found that Anakin's midichlorian counts were the highest of any Jedi. Qui-Gon and the others returned to the ship after getting the necessary parts, accompanied by nine-year old Anakin Skywalker. When Qui-Gon arrived, however, he was attacked by a cloaked man with a red lightsaber (Darth Maul). Qui-Gon instructed Anakin to tell the ship to take off, and he jumped on board to escape his attacker.

With a repaired hyperdrive, the ship took off for Coruscant. When they arrived on the planet, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi went directly to the Jedi Council to report on the mysterious attacker, whom Qui-Gon believed to be a Sith. After Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were briefed on what to do about their mysterious attacker, Qui-Gon discussed Anakin with the Council, believing him to be the Chosen One. The Council instructed Qui-Gon to bring Anakin before them. When Anakin went to the Council, he was questioned and discovered to be very strong with the Force. Nevertheless, to Qui-Gon's dismay, the Council determined that Anakin was not to be trained. Qui-Gon suggested that he take on Anakin as his Padawan, but Master Yoda objected since Obi-Wan was already Qui-Gon's Padawan. Obi-Wan insisted he was ready to take the trials, and his master agreed, adding that he is a little headstrong. Instead of discussing the matter futher, Mace Windu ordered Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan back to Naboo to protect the Queen and lure out the mysterious assailant.

After returning to Naboo, Jar Jar located the Gungans, and Padmé, revealing herself to be Queen Amidala, begged to Boss Nass to provide assistance in fighting the droid armies of the Trade Federation. Boss Nass agreed and the Queen explained her plan. The Gungans were to fight the droid army on the plains as a diversion so that she could slip into Theed and capture Viceroy Gunray. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin joined the Queen in her attack on Theed. Soon after entering the hangar, Anakin got into the cockpit of a Naboo starfighter, Queen Amidala and her guards made their way to the throne room, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan encountered Darth Maul. During the duel with Maul, Obi-Wan got separated from his master, and he was forced to watch as Maul impaled Qui-Gon with his double-bladed lightsaber. Immediately, Obi-Wan lunged at Maul and in the ensuing fight managed to cut Maul's lightsaber in half. Maul retaliated, knocking Obi-Wan down a shaft. Obi-Wan managed to grab hold of something, but he watched hopelessly as Maul kicked his lightsaber down into the shaft. Despite his predicament, Obi-Wan was able to use the Force to pull Qui-Gon's lightsaber into his hands at the same moment he jumped up to where Maul was standing. In one move, he cut the Sith in half, and Maul's body fell down the shaft in two pieces, presumably dead.

Obi-Wan then ran to Qui-Gon's side and promised to train Anakin in agreement with his master's dying wish. Following the end of the battle, Qui-Gon's body was burnt on a funeral pyre, and Obi-Wan informed Anakin that he was to train him to become a Jedi (as he had received approval from the Council).

Protecting Senator Amidala
Following an attempt to kill Senator Padmé Amidala on Coruscant, the Jedi Council sent Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker to protect her from future attacks. Anakin and Obi-Wan had already been on several missions, but Anakin had not seen Padmé in ten years and felt uncomfortable around her because of his feelings for her. Padmé told the Jedi that she didn't need protection, but rather, she wanted answers. Against Obi-Wan's recommendation, Anakin promised Padmé that they would find out who was trying to kill her. Anakin and Padmé worked out a plan to use the Senator as bait, but without Obi-Wan's knowledge. The bounty hunter Zam Wesell did attempt to kill the Senator that night with venomous kouhun arthropods, but her plot was foiled and Obi-Wan used her own probe to find her. Anakin found a speeder, and together he and Obi-Wan pursued the bounty hunter through Coruscant until her speeder crashed outside a nightclub. The Jedi followed her in, realizing she was a changeling, and soon Obi-Wan found her and cut off her arm with his lightsaber before she could shoot him. However, before she could tell the Jedi who she was working for, she was shot and killed by a toxic dart fired by Jango Fett.

The Council decided that Anakin should accompany Padmé as she visits her home planet of Naboo, whereas Obi-Wan should continue the investigation on Padmé's attackers. Obi-Wan took the toxic dart to his friend Dexter Jettster, who told Obi-Wan that it was a Kaminoan saber dart.

Satine Kryze
"I've loved you from the moment you came to my aid all those years ago.'' " [ &hellip; ] "''Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order."

- Satine and Kenobi

As Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan, Kenobi went on a mission to protect Satine Kryze. They were always on the run from bounty hunters and they never knew what would happen next. Kenobi saved Kryze in at least one instance when he was a Padawan. In the Clone Wars, their feelings for each other resurfaced. Their relationship also never developed and they broke off the affair to focus on their mutual responsibilities as peacekeepers.

Behind the scenes
For A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi was played by Sir Alec Guinness, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (the only acting-related Academy Award nomination for any Star Wars film). Guinness reprised the role as Kenobi's ghost in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is played by Ewan McGregor in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. James Arnold Taylor voiced Kenobi in the The Clone Wars film and TV series, as well as Star Wars Rebels.

Despite great critical acclaim, Alec Guinness disliked being associated solely with the role of Kenobi. To limit his role in the trilogy, it was reportedly Guinness's own idea that Ben should die on the Death Star.

However, as stated in The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film, it is Lucas who originally came up with the idea of having Ben die, to which Guinness initially objected. After explaining that Ben would have little to do in the story after the Millennium Falcon escaped from the Death Star, Lucas was able to successfully convince him to allow it.