Star Wars multimedia projects have had an interesting past few years. Disney and Lucasfilm have released several blockbuster films and a few unique Disney+ series to date. On the movie side of the equation, the House of Mouse has produced five movies since 2015:Star Wars: The Force Awakens,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,Star Wars: The Last Jedi,Solo: A Star Wars Story, andStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryandSolo: A Star Wars Storyare stand-alone tales, while the others are a trilogy that takes place thirty years after the fall of the Intergalactic Empire. The original trilogy has been met with lukewarm reactions from fans and critics, at best.Rogue One: A Star Wars Storyin particular has been applauded for its use of introducing shades of gray into the black-and-white, dark-side-vs-light-side aspect of Star Wars lore.
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On the television side of the equation, Disney has been busy since 2019, featuring four separate shows that stream on Disney+.The Mandalorianis about a deadly bounty hunterwho adheres to a fanatical clan.The Bad Batchis an animated series about a group of clones who attempt to survive in an ever-changing galaxy.Star Wars: Visionsis another animated series, but is an anthology of different Star Wars Tales. Lastly, there’sThe Book of Boba Fett, a story about the legendary bounty hunter, and the show is approaching its penultimate episode this week.
Next on deck for Star Wars is the Disney+ seriesObi-Wan Kenobi. The show will be about the legendary Jedi Knight, set between the events ofStar Wars: Revenge of the SithandStar Wars: A New Hope. That means the show will take place afterAnakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vaderand before Luke Skywalker enters the fray against the Empire with the Rebel Alliance.
The MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fetthave earned tremendous acclaim from critics and Star Wars fans alike.Obi-Wan Kenobishould borrow the best aspects of each show if it wants to be another live-action success story in Star Wars lore on Disney+.
Maintain the Space-Western Theme
BothThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fettfeel like dust-clad westerns, just set in a galaxy far, far away. The characters are tough-as-nails gunslingers who will stop at nothing to get the job done. Their exploits take them from desert wastelands to large cities.
The showrunners ofObi-Wan Kenobiwould be wise to keep this space-western theme alive. After all,Obi-Wan Kenobiwill be set on the planet Tatooine, where both Mando and Boba Fett have grand adventures. In the bleak, desert landscape, keeping the western vibe intact would be a wise decision.
New, Lovable Characters
The Mandalorianintroduced audiences to Grogu, or ‘Baby Yoda.’ The character has become a sensation ever since.The Book of Boba Fettintroduced audiences to a variety of loveable animals that Boba Fett has bonds with.
Obi-Wan Kenobican do the same thing. There is no shortage of alien species in the Star Wars universe. Who is to tell what creatures Obi-Wan might encounter along his journeys on Tatooine? Involving new characters that the audience can fall in love with is a surefire way to prevent the show from being predictable and stale.
Intense And Unique Action Sequences
The Mandalorian has many unique gadgets at his disposal, and the terrifying-looking Dark Saber. His advanced tech has gotten him out of many dire situations, allowing him to combat multiple enemies at once. Boba Fett has become proficient with blasters and melee weapons alike, giving him a unique fighting style.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi Knight,and armed with a lightsaber. He also knows how to use The Force, essentially giving him some telekinetic abilities. There is no end to the unique action sequences that could give way due to his unique skill-set and his Jedi Knight training.
Use An Iconic Character From The Previous Trilogies
At the very end of the second season ofThe Mandalorian, Luke Skywalker made a dramatic appearance at the very height of his powers. WhileThe Book of Boba Fetthas only included Boba Fett from the original trilogy, the show has roped in The Mandalorian andBlack Krrsantan, a Wookie bounty hunterfromStar Warscomic books.
Obi-Wan Kenobiwould be wise to similarly include a nostalgia-inducing character from the original trilogy. Darth Vader is the most obvious choice, given that Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader in part because of Obi-Wan failing to prevent him from swinging to the dark side of The Force. However, Darth Maul is another possibility. Just like Boba Fett was seemingly resurrected from a presumptive grave, Darth Maul is presumed dead by most averageStar Wars viewers who have not watchedThe Clone Wars. He could similarly rise from the grave and fight Obi-Wan yet again.
Flashback Sequences
The Book of Boba Fetthas had many flashbacks. Some of these were necessary, such as demonstrating how the bounty hunter survived being thrown into the Sarlacc Pit. However, too much of that show’s storytelling has induced flashbacks, somewhat detracting from the storytelling that takes place in the present day.
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s journey in solitude on Tatooinebetween Star Wars episodes III and IV remains largely a mystery.Obi-Wan Kenobican strike a balance between zero flashbacks and too many of them. The television show can provide some great context without bogging the audience down in it.Obi-Wan Kenobihas a lot of hype behind it. Additionally, it has a high bar to live up to, given both the Jedi Knight’s status in the Star Wars universe and the success ofThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fett.
Obi-Wan Kenobiwill stream on Disney+ at a yet-unknown time in 2022.
