Obi-Wan Kenobi/Legends

"You've been a good apprentice, Obi-Wan; and you're a much wiser man than I am. I foresee you will become a great Jedi Knight."

- Qui-Gon Jinn

Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi was a legendary human Jedi Master who was trained by Masters Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn, and who taught both Anakin and Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, and a General for the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars.

He is also notable for having been the first Jedi in approximately 1,000 years to kill a Sith, one of the last members of the Jedi High Council, and one of the few Jedi to survive the Great Jedi Purge.

Early life (57 BBY–32 BBY)
"Qui-Gon's defiance, I sense in you. Need that, you do not."

- Yoda

Kenobi was born in 57 BBY, and brought into Jedi training shortly thereafter. His homeworld was an unknown planet where Kenobi had vague memories of playing with his brother Owen. Regardless of his heritage, as a youngling, he trained under Yoda alongside other Jedi hopefuls of his age, many of which he became friends with: Bant Eerin, Garen Muln and Quinlan Vos, and even fell in love with Padawan Siri Tachi. Others would become rivals, and even enemies&mdash;such as Bruck Chun and Aalto. Obi-Wan would even come to be a part what many Jedi referred to as the Old Guard, Jedi considered likely to be put on the Jedi High Council.



At the age of twelve, it seemed all hopes had gone for him to become a Jedi Knight, until one day, when Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn visited the Jedi Temple, in the hopes of finding an apprentice. Obi-Wan duelled one of his competitors, Bruck Chun, to draw the attention of the maverick Jedi Master. Obi-Wan fought valiantly until exhaustion. The final offensive against Bruck was carried out so fiercely that Qui-Gon found him too dangerous to be trained. So Obi-Wan was sent to Bandomeer, a mining colony to work as a ploughman for the AgriCorps. Strangely enough, Qui-Gon happened to be sent on a mission to the same place. The youngling and the Jedi Master had to work together if they wanted to survive. Obi-Wan showed Qui-Gon that he was worthy to be taken as a Padawan learner.

During his time with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan temporarily left the Jedi Order. Caught up in the civil war on Melida/Daan, Obi-Wan elected to stay and help the children who were fighting against their tradition-obsessed elders who had been fighting a foolhardy war for generations, and had actually forgotten what had started the feud. However, Obi-Wan soon felt that his place was with the Jedi and was taken back by Qui-Gon, though it took a long time for them to fully trust each other again.

It was during this time that he first met Siri Tachi, who was angry at him for leaving the Jedi. They started off on rocky terms, but would later forge a friendship that would last the rest of their lives, and even develop into something more.

Obi-Wan fought along side his master in the Stark Hyperspace War&mdash;one of the last of the many small-scale conflicts that plagued the Galactic Republic in its last days. It was during the Fourth Battle of Qotile where Obi-Wan's enduring friendship with fellow padawan Quinlan Vos truly began. Obi-Wan would later recall fondly a training mission the two padawans undertook on Ragoon VI and missions the both of them would undertake with Dexter Jettster on the Outer Rim.



Together, Obi-Wan and his master would foil the schemes of Qui-Gon's second padawan, Xanatos, catching up with the Dark Jedi on Telos. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon then watched as Xanatos killed himself in a pool of acid, rather than surrender. It would be while foiling Xanatos Obi-Wan was forced to fight his long time rival Bruck Chun, Obi-Wan triumphed when Bruck fell off a ledge and died, however the guilt would haunt Obi-Wan for many years.

Kenobi also aided his master in a brief and late participation in the First Battle of Alaris Prime.

In 33 BBY, Kenobi would assist his master in missions on Yinchorr and Dorvalla. After the Incident at Dorvalla, Kenobi, with his master, was also involved in the attempt to mediate relations between the Trade Federation and the Nebula Front, an attempt that would sadly fail with the disaster at the Eriadu Trade Summit.

He would later investigate this mysterious disappearance of a fellow padawan, Darsha Assant. He found a few tantalizing clues to her fate, but galactic events caught up with Kenobi. Shortly after given the assignment, he and Qui-Gon were dispatched by Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum to resolve the Blockade of Naboo.

Blockade of Naboo (32 BBY)


In 32 BBY, on the mission to resolve the trade dispute on Naboo, Kenobi and his master were betrayed by Nute Gunray and the Trade Federation, who, on the orders of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, attempted to have the two Jedi killed.

The two Jedi would then run into a native of the planet, Gungan Jar Jar Binks, who took the Jedi to meet with the Gungan inhabitants. The Gungans dismissed the Jedi and sent them to the capital city of Theed.

When they arrived, accompanied by Binks, the Jedi managed to rescue the Queen and her entourage. Their attempt to find a safe haven where the Federation would not follow led them to the isolated Outer Rim world of Tatooine.

Here, Kenobi's master stumbled upon Anakin Skywalker, a young boy who showed tremendous Force potential. Jinn decided that the boy should be trained. Kenobi was also amazed in Anakin's unprecedented midiclorian count and strong force potential, but initially disagreed on the need to train him, believing the boy was already too old and had acquired too many emotional attachments to become a Jedi. The Jedi Council agreed with Kenobi, and forbade Qui-Gon from taking Anakin as an apprentice.

Another discovery was also made on Tatooine. On the way back to the ship Jinn had encountered a dangerous foe with a lightsaber who almost killed him. Jinn barely escaped by Force jumping into their ship and he determined that this adversary must have been a Sith. When he informed the council they doubted that this new enemy was a Sith, and simply told Qui-gon and Obi-Wan to be careful when protecting the Queen.

During the ensuing battle of Naboo, Qui-Gon and Kenobi fought to protect the Queen until they were confronted by the enemy Qui-Gon had fought on Tatooine, Darth Maul, Sith Lord and apprentice to Darth Sidious. Maul skillfully fought both the Jedi at once with his double-bladed lightsaber, and even managed to seperate the two. Jinn, now fighting alone, did his best to fend off the Sith until Kenobi could catch up with them. Unfortunately, the exhausted Jedi was killed by Maul with a swift thrust to the chest. Kenobi enraged charged at Maul and in his rage managed to cut Maul's lightsaber in two. Maul continued to fight the enraged padawan but kicked Kenobi into an energy pit. Kenobi only survived by grabbing onto a protruding fixture in the wall at the last moment. Kenobi reached into the Force, calming himself, then he called his fallen master's lightsaber into his hand and cut Maul in two as the Sith gloated over what seemed to be his imminent victory. Qui-Gon's dying request to his apprentice was to train Anakin. Kenobi felt he could not refuse and took it upon himself to train Anakin. The Jedi Council was similarly moved by the plea, and fatefully reversed its decision. Anakin was formally placed under the tuition of Kenobi himself, which was remarkable given that Kenobi was still a Padawan at the time of his duel with Maul. The Jedi Council had been impressed that Kenobi bested a Sith&mdash;an enemy that had not surfaced in a millennium. Obi-Wan was made a full Jedi Knight, his duel with Darth Maul constituted as his Jedi Trials.

Knighthood (32 BBY–22 BBY)
"Confer on you the level of Jedi Knight, the Council does."

- Yoda

About three years into training Anakin, the new master and apprentice had their first mission together to investigate cult leader Kad Chun. The next mission they took was to the living planet of Zonama Sekot to find Jedi Knight Vergere, who had recently vanished on a mission there. Unbeknownst to them, Wilhuff Tarkin and Raith Sienar had followed them to exploit Zonama Sekot's ability to fuse organic and high-tech into starfighters quickly. On the planet, the colonists sold "seed-partners" which bonded with their hosts and allowed the planet to customize a starfighter for the individual. Anakin attracted many more seed-partners than anyone, and he named his new ship the Jabitha. When Tarkin and Sienar arrived, the planet revealed its sentient consciousness to the Jedi, explaining that Vergere had left with the mysterious "Far Outsiders" in order to protect Zonama Sekot. Anakin and Obi-Wan could not rescue her, but they could stop Tarkin's attack.

In a fit of rage, Anakin telekinetically burned Tarkin's Blood Carver bodyguard, Ke Daiv, from the inside out. This display of dark power worried Obi-Wan greatly. Anakin was captured, however, and brought before Tarkin. But Obi-Wan destroyed Tarkin's flagship, and Zonama Sekot activated it's planetary hyperdrive. Zonama Sekot vanished for the unknown regions.

Sienar and Tarkin returned to the Republic, but Jabitha died, away from Anakin. Obi-Wan and Anakin then returned to Coruscant.

In 27 BBY, they were involved in the events surrounding the departure of the Outbound Flight Project from Yaga Minor, though they did not join the expedition itself. They would later foil the plots of Granta Omega, the son of Xanatos, on the planet Korriban, it fell to Obi-Wan to reluctantly eliminate the dangerous adversary. They also helped protect Senator Simon Greyshade from the assassin that had claimed the life of his relative, Jheramahd.

They also disabled the slave trade run by the pirate Krayn with the help of undercover Jedi Siri Tachi. Anakin would eventually kill the pirate himself. Ten years after the Invasion of Naboo, shortly after returning from a border dispute on Ansion, Kenobi and Skywalker were tasked with protecting Padmé Amidala after an attempt on her life. Through a ruse organized by Anakin, the assassin, a Clawdite named Zam Wesell, was soon uncovered and Kenobi pursued her through the streets of Coruscant, finally cornering her inside the Outlander Club. Unfortunately Wesell soon became a victim herself, falling to the poisoned dart of a mysterious hunter garbed in Mandalorian armor. The only clue to his identity was the very dart that killed Wesell&mdash;a weapon of Kaminoan make.

Kenobi contacted his associate Dexter Jettster, who informed him of Kamino, a planet which was strangely deleted from the Jedi Archives. Arriving, He was informed that a huge unauthorized clone army was being bred for the Republic on the orders of the deceased Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. Kenobi was introduced to the clone's template, a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. Kenobi contacted the Jedi Council and was told to apprehend the bounty hunter for questioning, Kenobi did as ordered and attempted to apprehend the bounty hunter. A fierce fight between Kenobi and Jango ensued, with Jango's son firing on Kenobi from Fett's ship. Despite Kenobi's efforts, Fett escaped to Geonosis with his son Boba. Kenobi followed them.

Jango noticed Kenobi in pursuit and attempted to finish off the Jedi once and for all by leading him through a chase in Geonosis' rings. Kenobi's Jedi starfighter was damaged and he was forced to hide on the back of an asteroid as Fett descended onto Geonosis.

On Geonosis, Kenobi uncovered a conspiracy of star systems that wanted to secede from the Republic, led by Count Dooku. Kenobi was captured shortly after sending a message to Anakin and the Council informing them of the latest developement. Dooku attempted to persuade Kenobi to join the Confederacy of Independent Systems, using Kenobi's memory of Qui-Gon Jinn as bait, and telling him that a Sith was in control of the Senate. Dooku continued to try and entice Obi-Wan by telling him that if Obi-Wan was with him that they could eliminate the Sith menace once and for all. Much to Dooku's disappointment, Kenobi simply responded that Qui-Gon would never have joined Dooku, and that if the Sith did control the Senate that the Jedi would have sensed it. Dooku left, musing that it would be difficult to secure Kenobi's release.

Battle of Geonosis (22 BBY)
Anakin and Padmé arrived on Geonosis in an attempt to rescue Kenobi without any help, but they too were captured, and all three were sentenced to death by the Geonosians.

During the execution Obi-Wan and the others managed to fight against the wild beasts sent to kill them and turn the field to their advantage. Dooku then sent droids to finish them off.

It was the timely arrival of Mace Windu and a strike team of 200 Jedi that prevented their deaths. The Jedi fought bravely despite being greatly outnumbered by droids, and suffering many casualties. Finally Master Yoda arrived with the massive clone army from Kamino to save the remaining Jedi. This was the beginning of the Battle of Geonosis. Kenobi, Anakin, and Padmé all jumped onto the same gunship and proceeded to join the main fighting. The Jedi then spotted the fleeing Count Dooku and chased him. Padmé however was knocked out of the gunship when they were attacked from behind, Kenobi was forced to restrain his padawan from going back after the senator.

The two Jedi finally caught up to the Sith Lord and engaged him in a duel. Anakin rushed in quickly and was incapacitated by Dooku's Force lightning. Kenobi was left alone to face the masterful Sith Lord but was able to deflect Dooku's Force lightning with his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan fought valiantly but was no match for the more experienced Sith, and he eventually was also incapacitated. Anakin however had recovered and was able to fight back, even using his fallen master's lightsaber as well as his own. Anakin was still not enough as Dooku eventually severed one of the lightsabers and then proceeded to cut off Anakin's arm. Obi-Wan was then forced to watch as Yoda came in as their last line of defense. Yoda was on the verge of victory but let the Count escape when he sent a large object down onto Obi-Wan and Anakin.

The Clone Wars had begun.

The Clone Wars (22 BBY–19 BBY)
"You fought in the Clone Wars?"

- Luke Skywalker

Kenobi became a General in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars, leading the Republic to many famous victories, beginning with the countering of the Dark Reaper Project, followed by the First Battle of Kamino and the mission to the Separatist stronghold on Queyta. However, he also earned the nickname the Negotiator for his brilliant diplomatic solutions in an alternative to fighting. It was Kenobi who fought courageously against battle droids and crushed the forces of San Hill and the Confederacy in the Battle of Muunilinst&mdash;an early victory that would do much to build the warrior's reputation. His forces on Muunilinst included the Muunilinst 10 and a Lancer Battalion, which Kenobi led into battle on 105-K speeder bikes. During the battle Kenobi also managed to defeat the dreaded bounty hunter Durge in single combat twice.

During a mission to the Gungan colony of Ohma-D'un Obi-Wan would meet one of his most dangerous foes, the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. Obi-Wan and Anakin eventually retrieved the antidote to the poison that had destroyed the colony, but Obi-Wan would never forget this new foe.

Obi-Wan was partnered with fellow Jedi Kit Fisto on his mission to Ord Cestus where Kenobi and Fisto successfully ended the production of Jedi Killer droids on the planet, in addition to preventing the planet from falling to the Confederacy.

He led troops during the Battle of Jabiim, and was believed dead after being caught inside an exploding walker. In reality, Kenobi and the ARC trooper Alpha-17 had been captured by the Asajj Ventress and taken to her fortress on Rattatak. There Kenobi was tortured using a Sith torture mask that obscured his connection to the Force in an attempt to break the Jedi and show his uselessness to Count Dooku. Kenobi's ingenuity however eventually led to the pair's escape, throughout their capture Obi-Wan had used what little Force power he could to bend the pipes in the wall until eventually they burst and allowed enough confusion for them to escape and fly a stolen Fanblade fighter to Riflor, where they were reunited with Skywalker. But Obi-Wan would not forget his captor, the deadly Asajj Ventress.

On a mission to acquire a special codebreaker, Obi-Wan and Anakin teamed with Siri Tachi and Padmé Amidala. Siri and Obi-Wan talked about a similiar mission 20 years earlier, and rekindled their feelings which the Jedi Code had forced them to push down. However, Siri was killed by the bounty hunter Magus. This devestated Kenobi, bringing him the closest he had ever come to the dark side. Siri gave him her blue warming crystal as she died, which he no doubt kept for the rest of his life to remind him of his first, and perhaps only, love.

As a General, Kenobi took command of the Open Circle Armada and the Third Systems Army, which included Clone Commander Cody's 7th Sky Corps. Towards the end of the Clone Wars, Kenobi, Skywalker and Commander Cody took part in a number of successful and high profile missions, including the First Battle of Cato Neimoidia. After Skywalker's knighting in the last year of the war, Kenobi was promoted to Jedi Master and was also given a seat on the twilight Jedi Council as one of the last Jedi Masters during the rise of the Galactic Empire and before the Great Jedi Purge.

During the waning months of the Clone Wars Obi-Wan became obsessed with the Dark Jedi whom he and Anakin had faced numerous times, Asajj Ventress. Kenobi for a time forsook the war to search for this enemy and even brought his former padawan Anakin along with him, in what Anakin considered a wild goose chase since he believed himself to have killed Ventress. However after following several clues that pointed to her survival, Anakin became less and less sure. Eventually the two found her on Boz Pity in a bacta tank. She attacked the two when she came out of her trance but was once again defeated, and abandoned by Dooku she let go of her anger and rage and put herself in a trance that made her appear dead. This was enough to satisfy Obi-Wan's obsession.



Obi-Wan spent the last few months before the Rise of the Empire serving with Anakin on the Outer Rim Seiges. These took them to some of the most remote worlds in the galaxy, and forced them to stay for long periods of time. While this was a strain on Anakin being away from his secret wife, Obi-Wan took these campaigns in his stride, leading the Republic to a long string of victories.

His legend had grown to be very great during the wars, as he and his partner Anakin became household names from their daring exploits. This earned the attention of the Separatist general, Grievous, who wanted to add both Anakin's and Kenobi's lightsabers to his belt as trophies.

Rise of the Empire (19 BBY)
When Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was kidnapped by General Grievous and taken onto his flagship, the Invisible Hand during the Second Battle of Coruscant in 19 BBY, Kenobi and Skywalker were quickly called in from the Outer Rim Seiges to rescue the captive leader of the Republic. It was Kenobi who developed the plan that allowed for Anakin and himself to rush in and rescue the Chancellor. Once onboard the two fought their way to where the Chancellor was being held captive by Count Dooku himself. Obi-Wan and Anakin once again engaged the aged Sith Lord in battle. The count was surprised to see how much Obi-Wan and Anakin had improved. Halfway through the battle Dooku was finally able to incapacitate Obi-Wan by Force choking him and sending him flying into a wall, Dooku then lowered a large platform onto Obi-Wan, removing him the rest of the battle. Consequently Obi-Wan was unable to prevent Anakin from taking the life of the disarmed Count Dooku on the urging of Chancellor Palpatine. When Obi-Wan recovered, the two Jedi and the Chancellor attempt to get off of the flagship proved useless. Grievous taunted the two Jedi and took their lightsabers as part of his infamous collection. However, it wasn't long before the Jedi had their lightsabers back in their hands and moved in to capture the General. Although the General escaped, Anakin managed to pilot the now derelect Invisible Hand down to Coruscant.

As Palpatine began to gather more power to himself Obi-Wan became very concerned. He counseled Anakin to be wary of the Chancellor. When Anakin was appointed to the Council and instructed to spy Palpatine, Obi-Wan was the only member who was against the Council's decision.

After Grievous was discovered on Utapau, Obi-Wan was sent by the Jedi Council to eliminate him. Grievous had become the Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems following the death of Count Dooku on the Invisible Hand, Grievous' flagship, during the Second Battle of Coruscant. Kenobi eventually tracked Grievous down and went down alone to scout out the area. He tricked the droids into thinking he had left and quietly used a varactyl named Boga to find the general. When he did discover the cyborg's hiding place he faced him alone, and after defeating some of his bodyguards, he engaged the General.

Grievous fought Kenobi with four lightsabers at once, but was easily deprived of two of them due to Obi-Wan's superior swordsmanship. When the Republic's forces began their attack, Grievous decided to flee yet again. Obi-Wan pursued on Boga. Kenobi eventually caught up with the General and briefly fought hand to hand, eventually managing to kill Grievous with his own blaster. This was much to his distaste, for Kenobi considered blasters to be clumsy and "uncivilized".

The Purge begins (19 BBY)
"Would it have been too much to ask for the order before I gave him the bloody lightsaber...?"

- Clone Commander Cody when requested to give Order 66

When Order 66 was issued by Palpatine, commanding all clone troopers to kill their Jedi Generals, Kenobi narrowly escaped murder at the hands of his clones using General Grievous' Belbullab-22 starfighter. Of particular note during the execution of Order 66 on Utapau was Commander Cody, Obi-Wan's friend for the past few months, who himself ordered his troops to eliminate Kenobi. Obi-Wan used Grievous' starship to escape from Utapau and was contacted by Senator Bail Organa, who had already rescued Master Yoda from Kashyyyk on his starship the Tantive IV. Obi-Wan and Yoda returned to the ruined Jedi Temple on Coruscant, they fought their way through to the beacon room and reversed the code to warn all remaining Jedi to stay away instead of returning. They then came across recordings on Temple security camera TR4-121 that showed Anakin killing Cin Drallig as well as two of his students, and bowing before Palpatine and being proclaimed his new Sith apprentice. Kenobi and Yoda then decided to split up and kill the two Sith Lords. Obi-Wan begged to fight the Emperor because he considered Anakin as a brother. Yoda told him that the Emperor was too much for Obi-Wan and that Anakin was not the boy he trained, he was consumed by Darth Vader. The two then seperated.

Kenobi, after sneaking onto the ship of Anakin's wife Padmé Amidala, tracked the Sith Apprentice to the volcanic world of Mustafar. When they arrived Anakin spoke to Padmé alone, when Obi-Wan appeared Anakin became enraged and began to Force-choke Padmé, he stopped just before killing her. The two adversaries then started a very heated argument in which Obi-Wan tried to turn his former Padawan back from the dark side, but it only confirmed Yoda's words. Anakin Skywalker was dead--Darth Vader was in his place. Obi-Wan realized that there was no hope for Anakin. "I will do what I must", he told his former padawan. Anakin then attacked his former master, Obi-Wan reluctantly battling him for what would not be the last time. The two fought all over the massive lava complex, with Vader constantly driving Obi-Wan back with ferocious attacks, they even fought on a platform that floated on a lava river, Obi-Wan then jumped for a nearby hill, and told Anakin that it was over now that he had gained the high ground. Vader responded that Obi-Wan underestimated his great power, and tried to jump over to his former master. Obi-Wan ended up cutting off both of Vader's legs and his remaining natural arm, sending him towards one of Mustafar's many lava rivers' banks where Vader caught fire and was nearly immolated.

As Vader lay cursing his former master, Kenobi replied,


 * "You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!"



Taking Vader's blue lightsaber as Vader cried out his everlasting hatred for Kenobi, Obi-Wan left the planet as Palpatine and his clone escorts arrived, narrowly rescuing the Sith Apprentice from death. Despite his Jedi detachment and strength of will, this would weigh on Kenobi for the rest of his life.

After leaving Mustafar, Obi-Wan took Padmé to Polis Massa. There, with Bail Organa and Master Yoda, the three of them discovered that Padmé was carrying twins, not one, and had to be operated on quickly if they were to save the babies because Padmé was literally dying of a broken heart. Obi-Wan served as Padmé's coach as the babies were born. Padmé gave her japor snippet to Obi-Wan, to keep for her but he didn't understand the significance of this gesture so he gave it back to her.

Kenobi, Organa, and Yoda all agreed that Obi-Wan would take Anakin's son Luke to Anakin's step-brother Owen Lars and his wife Beru on Tatooine. Organa meanwhile would take Anakin's daughter Leia to Alderaan, and Yoda would hide on the swamp world of Dagobah.

During the Imperial era, Kenobi was forced into hiding on the remote desert planet Tatooine, where he went by the name of Ben. Taking Grievous' starfighter to Nar Shaddaa, Kenobi sold the ship and booked passage to the desert world, along with his young passenger, the baby Luke.

Self-exiled on Tatooine, Kenobi spoke with his departed master, Qui-Gon Jinn through a technique passed down to him by Yoda which had in turn been taught to the old Jedi Master by Qui-Gon.

Exile (19 BBY–0 BBY)
"That wizard’s just a crazy old man."

- Owen Lars

Over the next few months, Kenobi felt he was ready to train in the way of the Whills, but Qui-Gon's spirit told him that he was not, and that he must realize it for himself why in order to begin. Roughly a year into his exile, Kenobi overheard spacers discussing events on Bellassa, where an ex-Jedi named Ferus Olin was on the run from Imperial forces. With the spirit of Qui-Gon temporarily looking after Luke, Kenobi went to Bellassa, where he helped Ferus escape the ruthless Inquisitor Malorum. Pursued by Boba Fett, Kenobi and Olin escaped to the Red Twins. Evading the bounty hunter, Kenobi and Olin eventually found themselves on the planet Acherin where they met two former Separatists now against the Empire, a man named Toma and a skilled pilot named Raina Quill. With these new companions, as well as a boy from Bellassa, Trever Flume, Kenobi and Olin escaped the Imperials. Kenobi learned from Toma that Garen Muln, an old Jedi friend of his, survived Order 66 and was hiding on the frozen world of Ilum. Olin went to rescue Muln, while Kenobi went to Polis Massa to make sure Luke and Leia's birth was still a secret from the Empire. There he encountered the Inquisitor Sancor and was forced to eliminate him (though it was Sancor who accidentally killed himself).

Returning to Ilum, Kenobi picked up Ferus, Trever, and Garen and brought them to an asteroid that Ferus planned to make into a safe haven for Jedi. Olin asked Kenobi to join him, but the Jedi master turned it down, and returned to Tatooine. Upon Kenobi's return, Qui-Gon's spirit came to him once again, this time to tell him he was ready to train in the way of the Whills.



Around 16 BBY, Kenobi was finally tracked down by an individual he thought he had defeated many years ago; Darth Maul, rebuilt with cybernetic legs. Maul, claiming to have been tracking Kenobi for years and only just missing him on Kamino, Geonosis and Mustafar and indeed having killed witnesses on Polis Massa before he had finally gained crucial information in Mos Espa from Watto, whom he had also killed. Maul proceeded to the Lars homestead where he threatened to kill a toddler-aged Luke Skywalker if Kenobi did not show himself.

Kenobi, not wanting any harm to come to Luke, revealed himself from his hiding place in the sand and attacked Maul immediately. A ferocious battle ensued in which Maul lost a further arm as well as some of his horns before Kenobi was able to beat him into submission. With his lightsaber hilt to Maul's forehead and his finger on the blade-ignition button, Kenobi hesitated to execute his helpless opponent, but had the decision taken out of his hands when the revived Owen blew the former Sith's head apart with his damaged rifle. Obi-Wan said he would take the body and burn it in the Dune Sea, to which Owen replied, "I told you I'd keep him safe, and I will. Even if that means from YOU. You don't come back here. Understand?" Obi-Wan departed with Maul's corpse, speaking to Luke through the Force, assuring him "Don't worry. I'll be right here... even if you can't see me."

It is believed that Kenobi was also responsible for the secreting away in the Lost City of the Jedi on Yavin 4 of the young Ken, just under seven years before the Battle of Yavin. Certainly, Kenobi knew of the city's location, as he would later send Luke Skywalker there, and Ken himself seemed to have vague memories of a "brown-robed Jedi Master".

Unbeknownst to young Luke, a few years later Ben Kenobi returned to the Lars farm carrying Anakin's lightsaber, as he now felt Luke was old enough and should be allowed to have his father's lightsaber. Owen, refusing to allow it, confronted and berated Kenobi, telling him how he didn't want Luke to make the same mistakes Anakin did, stating how he felt Anakin should never have "ran off" and left his mother alone to become involved with "some damn fool idealistic crusade" in the first place. He vehemently told Kenobi to leave and to stay away.

Kenobi continued to watch Luke from a distance, sometimes seeing Luke pilot his Skyhopper very skillfully.

Return (0 BBY)
"You should not have come back."

- Darth Vader

Thirty-two years after the Battle of Naboo, Kenobi rescued Luke Skywalker from Tusken Raiders while Luke was tracking the errant R2-D2, who insisted he had a message for an “Obi-Wan Kenobi”. Kenobi eventually heard R2-D2's message from Princess Leia Organa asking for his assistance in delivering the schematics of the Death Star to Bail Organa on Alderaan. Kenobi was willing to help, and took young Luke Skywalker under his wing, giving him his father Anakin's lightsaber in order to teach him the ways of the Force with the intention of fully training the boy later, on Alderaan.

When Luke asked Kenobi about his father, Kenobi disguised the truth from him, saying, "A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, betrayed and murdered your father." (In Kenobi's way of thinking, this was not entirely untrue: Anakin Skywalker died the moment he betrayed the Jedi, completely becoming Darth Vader.)

Kenobi, Luke, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 were able to find passage to Alderaan on smuggler Han Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon. Before they could reach their destination, Alderaan was destroyed by the Death Star. The Falcon was captured by the Death Star. Kenobi and the others managed to elude capture, and the others even rescued the captive Princess Leia while Kenobi deactivated the tractor beam so the Falcon could escape.



On his way back to the ship, Kenobi encountered his old student, Darth Vader. Vader had earlier surmised to Grand Moff Tarkin that Kenobi had intended from the beginning to meet him in combat. Kenobi distracted Vader and his stormtroopers, allowing Luke and the rest of the crew to reach the Falcon. During their battle, Kenobi cryptically warned Vader:


 * "You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Sacrificing his hope for escape, Kenobi let down his guard and concentrated for a moment, vanishing to the spiritual plane; his body disappearing entirely just as Vader's lightsaber, instead of severing his body, passed through his empty robe.

Post mortem (0 BBY–9 ABY)
Kenobi did not vanish entirely. In accordance with his prediction, he became a Force ghost that could guide and counsel the young Luke from afar.

The spirit of Kenobi played a vital role in the Battle of Yavin, for he was able to guide Skywalker in successfully destroying the Death Star I, instructing Luke to "Use the Force" when firing his proton torpedoes. When Luke was shocked into a catatonic state by the dark presence of Darth Vader, Obi-Wan appeared in a dream to help him fight his fear of the Dark Lord. Later, his spirit temporarily took control of Luke's body, allowing him to survive his first duel with Darth Vader on the mist-shrouded planet of Mimban, and even allowed Luke to knock the Dark Lord into a deep pit. His guidance also aided Luke in destroying a rogue moon that threatened the New Academy for space pilots.

Luke was not the only person Obi-Wan appeared to, having been seen on the planet Mustafar.



On Hoth, when Luke was almost dead from a wampa attack and exposure to the harsh climate, Kenobi appeared to him and instructed him to go to the Dagobah system for further training with Yoda "the Jedi Master who instructed me." He also helped to convince Yoda that Luke was ready to be trained, reminding him that he himself had been much like Luke when Yoda had trained him to be an apprentice. He reappeared after the death of Yoda to explain why he did not tell Luke the truth about his father and confess that Leia was Luke's sister, and to warn Luke about the powers of the Emperor. Kenobi was seen shortly after the Battle of Endor, standing next to the spirits of Anakin and Yoda as they watched Luke and the other rebels celebrate their momentous victory, although Luke was the only one able to see them.

Kenobi spoke to Luke again, immediately after the Battle of Endor, warning him of the threat posed by the invading Ssi-ruuvi Imperium, and would also help Luke find the fabled Lost City of the Jedi.

Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin again appeared to Luke in spirit form a few months later to warn him of the dangers presented by the Dark Lord of Belderone, Flint, apprentice of Lady Lumiya. Because of their warning, Luke was able to redeem Flint, leaving Lumiya without an apprentice.

In 9 ABY, Kenobi, still a spirit, visited Luke for the last time in a dream. Kenobi told Luke that he must move on from his spirit form to another realm. As Kenobi explained it, from the time of his death until then, Kenobi's spirit had been in an intermediate stage between life and the afterlife. Luke was distressed that he would lose Kenobi's guidance, but he comforted Luke with his final words.

His final words were:


 * "Not the last of the old Jedi, Luke. The first of the new."

Luke would only hear his ghostly mentor's voice again during his son's birth, a son he named Ben to honor Kenobi's memory.

Legacy


As mentor to the first Jedi of the new order and one of the earliest heroes of the Rebel Alliance, Kenobi's legacy would continue long after his death. When Luke lost his lightsaber in the duel with Darth Vader on Bespin, he returned to Kenobi's hut on Tatooine to construct a new one from instructions left in Kenobi's journals. Kenobi's spartan hovel was actually a treasure trove of Jedi information, one of the very few repositories left after the Great Jedi Purge. The information contained there would be a great help to Luke in his reconstruction of the Order.

His name was commemorated with the Obi-Wan, first of the Defender-class Star Destroyers as well as the lightsaber crystal Kenobi's Legacy and through Ben Skywalker, son of Luke.

Tacticians, both from the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance would pay homage to the General through the study of the Kenobi Offensive, a starship maneuver developed by Kenobi during the Clone Wars. Rebel pilots would also strive to be awarded the Kenobi Medallion, named after the Jedi Master.

Kenobi's lightsaber lay in Lord Vader's quarters during the Battle of Yavin. This fragment of the Death Star was eventually acquired by Ugors and transported to the Paradise Sector. Shortly after the bombardment of Dankayo, the Rebel crew of the Bonderium visited the wreckage and retrieved Kenobi's relic.

Apparently, the weapon was later recovered by the Empire since a group of Jedi including Tionne Solusar, Ikrit, Anakin Solo, Tahiri Veila, R2-D2 and Uldir Lochett discovered the blade at Vader's fortress of Bast Castle's on Vjun in 22 ABY. However, they encountered "Mage" Orloc and his henchmen during the expedition though they managed to escape with the blade and an ancient Jedi holocron.

However, Uldir Lochett, a classmate of Anakin Solo, stole the lightsaber believing that it would make him a great Jedi. He then went to find Orloc since he believed that Orloc possessed great powers and found him at Exis Station. However, Uldir would later learn that Orloc was actually a fraud since he possessed no Force powers at all. Luckily for Uldir, his Jedi companions came to his rescue and defeated Orloc. The weapon and the holocron were recovered and returned to the Jedi Praxeum.

Personality and traits
In his youth (circa 32 BBY), the loyal and dedicated Kenobi possessed a dry sense of humor and sarcastic wit. Yoda said that he sensed Qui-Gon's defiance in him, but spoke very highly of him nonetheless. Qui-Gon himself reflected upon Kenobi's considerable knowledge and potential. Despite having been apprenticed to the radical Qui-Gon Jinn, Kenobi was relatively orthodox in his views.

As a young Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan was cynical, though wise beyond his years. His humble and soft-spoken demeanor belied his warrior prowess. Despite his numerous complaints during flight, he was also a quite skilled pilot. In many ways, he represented the strength of the old Jedi Order: steadfast, selfless, and modest. His later skill at resolving disputes without a single battle would earn him the sobriquet The Negotiator.

Over time, Kenobi lost some of his youthful audacity and assumed the role of a more cautious and conservative mentor to Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi carefully measured his actions in any situation, garnering him the aforementioned nom de guerre. While hiding in the Jundland Wastes in his later years, he appeared as a kindly and eccentric old hermit (or, in Owen Lars' words, a "crazy old wizard") to those not familiar with the ways of the Jedi. In his final days, Kenobi retained his traits of patience and foresight as well as gaining some of the boldness reminiscent of his youth&mdash;perhaps a characteristic acquired from his brash new apprentice, Luke, or his old apprentice, Anakin.

Powers and abilities
"Aaah... Yes, The Negotiator - General Kenobi."

- General Grievous

Despite his preference for diplomacy, Master Kenobi was one of the greatest swordsmen and Force users of his era, and was considered to be the master of the defensive Soresu lightsaber combat. Even masters such as Mace Windu acknowleged Obi-Wan's prowess with this simple and solid form. In his early years, Kenobi was trained in Ataru, but later abandoned it because of its lack of defense that resulted in the death of his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan still kept Ataru elements in numerous battles. Kenobi also knew elements of Sokan which he utilized in his fight against Darth Vader.

Along with Kenobi's lightsaber mastery, he was trained in mind trick and Force persuasion. He had learned from the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn the ability to become a Force ghost, something he later used to guide and counsel Luke Skywalker.

And despite his dislike of flying, Kenobi was an excellent pilot, and led many attacks from the cockpit of his Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, often designated as Red Leader.

Portrayal
Obi-Wan Kenobi is played by Ewan McGregor in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. For A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi was played by Sir Alec Guinness, who reprised the role as Obi-Wan's ghost in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In the Clone Wars micro-series and the Revenge of the Sith video game, Obi-Wan is voiced by James Arnold Taylor. In the radio dramatizations, he was voiced by Bernard Behrens. Obi-Wan also appears in numerous comic books and novels set in the era of the prequel trilogy. Obi-Wan's spirit appears occasionally in Expanded Universe material set during and just after the original trilogy, with his final appearance to Luke taking place in Heir to the Empire. His spirit speaks to Luke once again, however, in The Unifying Force.

Character Development
In the early drafts of Star Wars, Luke Skywalker was portrayed as the aged general returning to galactic affairs. Rewrites would change Luke to the hero and Obi-Wan into the aging mentor.

In the third draft of Star Wars, Obi-Wan is said to be the author of The Diary of the Clone Wars, an important book that was studied by a young Luke.

A trait of the early Jedi concepts was a piercing warrior cry that would frighten all those who challenged them. This became the krayt dragon call that Obi-Wan performs to frighten the Tusken Raiders.

The name 'Obi-Wan' curiously resembles a droid name (eg. Emkay (MK), Threepio (3PO), Artoo (R2) etc), and theoretically it could also be written as OB1.

Trivia
It was a coincidence that both Ewan McGregor and Denis Lawson (Ewan's uncle), shared a same callsign in air/space battles in Star Wars as Red Leader. Ewan's callsign was only mentioned in the opening scene of Revenge of the Sith, by the clone pilot Oddball.

According to author Timothy Zahn, Joruus C'baoth was originally supposed to be a mad clone of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but was forced to change it when LucasFilm did not agree.

Early in Marvel Comics' Star Wars run, they printed a story where a young Obi-Wan foiled a pirate attack on a starship while he was en route to visit Bail Organa. This was the first story that featured a young Obi-Wan since George Lucas tried to keep Obi-Wan's history limited, intending to explore it in the then yet-to-be-made prequel trilogy.

In the novelization of Return of the Jedi Owen Lars was said to actually be Obi-Wan's brother, however Attack of the Clones rendered that remark non-canon.

In the non-canon bonus level in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (game), instead of besting Anakin on Mustafar, Anakin jumps behind Kenobi and stabs him.

To a non-canon possibility in a artwork book "Star Wars Visionaries" titled Old Wounds, Obi-Wan fought Darth Maul for the last time on Tatooine. Darth Maul uses Luke as bait to lure Obi-Wan to fight him. Almost at a point, Obi-Wan was going to kill Maul and turn to the dark side. However, Obi-Wan was able to control himself. Darth Maul took the advantage to kill Obi-Wan, but was killed by Owen Lars by a rifle.

Ulica Obi-Wana Kenobiego is a street named after him.

Notes and references
This image was taken from the 2004 DVD edition of Return of the Jedi; previous versions had Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker's ghost, as opposed to Hayden Christensen. See List of changes in Star Wars re-releases for more details.

Appearances

 * Jedi Apprentice series
 * Life, Death, and the Living Force
 * Star Wars Republic: The Stark Hyperspace War
 * Jedi Council: Acts of War
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Star Wars: Darth Maul
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * Jedi Quest series
 * Rogue Planet
 * Outbound Flight
 * Star Wars Republic: Honor and Duty
 * The Approaching Storm
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 14:2:12: CIS Jammer Prototype Destroyed
 * Boba Fett: The Fight to Survive
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Star Wars Republic 50: The Battle of Kamino
 * Star Wars Republic: The New Face of War
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * Clone Wars Adventures: Volume 1
 * Storm Fleet Warnings
 * Legacy of the Jedi
 * The Cestus Deception
 * Star Wars Republic: The Battle of Jabiim
 * Star Wars Republic 67: Forever Young
 * Secrets of the Jedi
 * Jedi Trial
 * Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
 * Star Wars Republic: The Dreadnaughts of Rendili
 * Marvel Star Wars 24: Silent Drifting
 * Routine Valor
 * Obsession
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Star Wars Battlefront II
 * LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
 * The Last of the Jedi series
 * Old Wounds
 * Adventure in Beggar's Canyon
 * Skippy the Jedi Droid
 * Star Wars Empire: Betrayal
 * Empire at War
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
 * A Hunter's Fate: Greedo's Tale
 * The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett
 * Star Wars Empire: "General" Skywalker (memory)
 * Star Wars 3-D
 * The Star Wars Holiday Special (flashbacks)
 * Splinter of the Mind's Eye
 * Star Wars Galaxies: Trials of Obi-Wan
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Shadows of the Empire
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * The Truce at Bakura
 * Marvel Star Wars 92: The Dream
 * Heir to the Empire
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Union (dream)
 * Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
 * The Joiner King
 * The Swarm War
 * ''Adventure in Beggar's Canyon