The Best Jedi Master
There Ever Was

I have to admit something controversial: I was initially skeptical of Ewan McGregor playing Obi-Wan Kenobi. The late Alec Guinness was just so good in the original trilogy, definitely my favorite part of those movies, that I didn't think anyone could ever take on the role. But you know what? Ewan knocked it out of the park!

Say what you want about the prequels, and I'm no big fan of them myself, but if there's one thing about them that's good, it's Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. He embodied that role like no other. He respected what Alec Guinness established for the character, but he also made it his own as the movies went on.

You could feel how proud he was of Anakin Skywalker as they started training together. And when the latter went over to the dark side, the pain and cries he let out, especially during their final battle in Revenge of the Sith, were excruciating.

I'm not saying he deserved to win an Oscar for his performance, but I wouldn't have been too opposed if he'd at least been nominated. It's a shot in the dark, for sure, but I wouldn't say it was beyond the realm of possibility either.

Here's another controversial take: I initially didn't think the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series was necessary. I worried they were only resurrecting this character to jump on the nostalgia train that films and TV have been on since the late 2010s.

What Ewan McGregor did with the character, as flawed as the prequels were, was good enough. We didn't need to see the character again, especially with how heart-wrenching his death was in Episode IV – A New Hope. We already know his story. What more is there to show of him?

That said, I still went to the show's red carpet premiere at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, on May 26, 2022. I've always wanted to meet Ewan McGregor and get his autograph, especially on Star Wars memorabilia, so this was the perfect opportunity. Hypocritical as I was to have been against this series, I still used its public event to meet the stars.

Finally, after years of watching him in the prequels, I met McGregor and got him to sign both my Obi-Wan Kenobi poster and my Revenge of the Sith poster. The latter is my favorite of the prequels, though it still ranks pretty low among my most favorite Star Wars movies of all time.

Since Hayden Christensen also returned for the series, I got him to sign both posters, too. Anakin is a divisive character, but he had some great moments, and it was great to see him back in the franchise. And again, since he was already there, I got his autograph too.

The only other cast member I got an autograph from was Moses Ingram, who plays Reva Sevander in the series. She looked so elegant as she walked down the red carpet that I asked her to sign my Obi-Wan Kenobi poster when she was right in front of me. She also ended up being one of my favorites in the series.

Yes, I eventually streamed the show, too, and honestly, it wasn't bad. Ewan McGregor was amazing as always, but it still didn't trump the OG trilogy. So here's to hoping they finally let the Jedi Master rest after this show.