Obi-Wan Kenobi, known as Ben Kenobi in later life, was a Human Jedi in the final days of the Old Republic. He was a renowned General during the Clone Wars, and was also the Jedi Master of both Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Obi-Wan was raised on Tatooine in a life of relative privilege, as the son of Alleg Kenobi, the local Doge. As Doge of a system barely affiliated with the Republic, Alleg was responsible for keeping law and order on Tatooine. Though Alleg was little more than a figurehead politician, with most power residing in the hands of gangsters like Jabba the Hutt, he was nevertheless an opponent of political corruption, and a supporter of closer ties with the Republic. He instilled in Obi-Wan the values of justice and egality, and a belief in the power of The Force. Obi-Wan was also a fan of stories involving the Jedi Knights, particularly in their efforts to abolish injustices such as slavery. He shared this passion with a local farmboy named Anakin Skywalker.
When Obi-Wan was age twelve, his father suddenly arranged for him to be sent to Coruscant to be trained in the Jedi Temple. This was not particularly unusual, as many wealthy or noble families had children trained in the Temple before they came of age and it did not necessarily follow that they would grow up to become Jedi Knights themselves. (Obi-Wan only found out years later that his father had sent him away to avoid reprisals on Tatooine from criminals that were unhappy with Alleg's policies.)
Obi-Wan's arrival in Coruscant was itself something of a shock. On Tatooine, he had been the son of a nobleman and a rich boy, but on Coruscant he was considered little more than a country bumpkin. Nevertheless, he devoted himself to his education and spent many patient hours in meditation, opening his mind up to the Force. Although he impressed his instructors, they refused to train him in the other ways of the Jedi, leaving him frustrated.
Return to Tatooine and training as a Jedi[]
Several years later, an assassination attempt was made on a young Senator named Bail Organa of Alderaan. It was determined that Organa had to be hidden to prevent further attacks and Obi-Wan, who had overheard the secret conversation, came forward to volunteer Tatooine as a perfect hiding spot. As a system largely unaffiliated with the Republic, news was unlikely to travel back to Coruscant, and as Obi-Wan was the son of the Doge the locals would not be surprised to see him return with a small entourage. This plan was accepted and Organa, along with a Jedi bodyguard named Qui-Gon Jinn, were smuggled to Tatooine on Obi-Wan's transport.
Back home for the first time in years, Obi-Wan found that his father had become a broken man after years of being bullied and browbeaten by local gangs and criminals. Alleg still believed in his ideals, but he had lost the will to continue pushing for his reforms. Young Obi-Wan was disgusted at what he considered a betrayal by the man he had idolized. Obi-Wan was also reunited with Anakin Skywalker, whom he regaled with tales of Coruscant and the Jedi Temple. Anakin's parents had now died, leaving their farm in the care of Cliegg Lars; Anakin's sister Beru Lars was now in a relationship with Cliegg's son Owen, who immediately took a disliking for Kenobi.
After helping Qui-Gon Jinn protect Bail Organa from bounty hunters on Tatooine, Obi-Wan sought and received permission from his father to return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and begin the training to become a fully-fledged Jedi. Anakin desired to join Obi-Wan, straining the relationship between him and Owen, though he decided to follow his own wishes when Beru secretly gave him her blessing. The two friends thus returned to Coruscant and swore to become Jedi. Anakin was taken on as Qui-Gon's apprentice, whereas Obi-Wan was apprenticed to the legendary Jedi Master Yoda.
Taking an apprentice[]
After graduating to full Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan began the life of a knight errant, traveling the galaxy righting wrongs. At one point he freed a twelve-year-old slave named Darth Vader, whom he subsequently took on as his Jedi apprentice.
The Second Clone War[]
General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.
—Princess Leia Organa to Ben Kenobi, in 0 BBY
During the Second Clone War, Obi-Wan became a famous general. His patience and wisdom made him a brilliant tactician, and on more than one occasion he directed entire battlefields from the sidelines, ensuring victory with minimal losses. Though foremost a strategic leader, on other occasions he did enter battle personally, becoming a famous swordsman as well.
Exile[]
Following the declaration of the Empire and Darth Vader's betrayal and murder of numerous Jedi, including Anakin Skywalker, Kenobi rescued young Luke Skywalker and fled with him to Anakin's only surviving relative: Beru Lars on Tatooine. There, Luke was taken in by Beru and her now-husband Owen, while Kenobi lived life as a hermit in the nearby Jungland Wastes.
Return from exile and death[]
Well of course, of course I know him. He's me! I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since, oh, before you were born.
—Ben Kenobi to Luke Skywalker
When Luke Skywalker was twenty years old, Kenobi saved him from Tusken Raiders while Luke was tracking the errant R2-D2, who insisted he was the property of, and carried a message for, Obi-Wan Kenobi. They returned to Obi-Wan's home, and Kenobi used the opportunity to finally present Luke with Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber. Ben revealed that Anakin had been a Jedi and that he had been betrayed and murdered by Darth Vader. After seeing 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 invited Luke to accompany him to Alderaan and aid the Rebellion. Luke initially demurred, offering only to take Kenobi and the droids to Anchorhead. On their way, however, they came across the remains of a Jawa sandcrawler that Kenobi determined had been attacked by Imperial Stormtroopers. Recognizing the dead Jawas as the same ones that had sold them the droids earlier, Luke raced home to find his aunt and uncle already killed.[1]
Upon returning to Kenobi, the formerly reluctant Luke decided he would go with Kenobi to Alderaan and learn about the Force like his father. Pleased with this answer, Kenobi took Luke and the droids to Mos Eisley spaceport to find transport to Alderaan. Using a Jedi mind trick, Kenobi got the group past several stormtroopers who stopped them, which amazed Luke. Kenobi also bailed Luke out of trouble with a dangerous criminal and his Aqualish friend in a cantina, although it resulted in Kenobi chopping off the Aqualish's arm. In the cantina, Kenobi met the Wookiee Chewbacca, first mate on the Millennium Falcon. After some negotiation, the ship's captain, Han Solo agreed to fly them to Alderaan. As they were about to leave, they were ambushed in the hangar by several Imperial Stormtroopers, but they evaded capture and made a successful hyperspace jump to the Alderaan system.[1]
Before they could reach their destination, Alderaan was destroyed by the Imperial Super Weapon, 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 in a fierce duel and the two proved equally skilled. Kenobi allowed Luke and the rest of the crew to reach the Falcon. As their battle progressed, Kenobi responded to Vader's mockings with cryptic warnings.[1]
You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
—Ben Kenobi
Upon seeing Luke, he sacrificed himself for Luke and the Falcon's crew to escape. Kenobi let down his guard and concentrated for a moment; his body disappeared entirely just as Vader's lightsaber (instead of severing his body) passed through his empty robe.[1]
Post-mortem[]
The Force will be with you. Always.
—Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker
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, instructing Luke to "Use the Force" instead of relying on a targeting computer when firing his proton torpedoes.[1]
You will go to the Dagobah system."
"Dagobah system?"
"There, you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me.
—Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker
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.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
Obi-Wan Kenobi originally appeared in the original Star Wars, portrayed by Alec Guinness. This version of the character was created by Supermorff as part of an exercise to see how different the Star Wars saga may have been if the franchise had taken a different direction after The Empire Strikes Back. In particular, the concept of Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker being the same person was not firmly established until Return of the Jedi, so this version of the story explores the possibility that the two characters were distinct, and treats Obi-Wan's exposition to Luke in Star Wars as accurate and literal. This led to numerous changes to the character's backstory, although his appearances in the original Star Wars (also known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) and The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) were included unchanged.