Hard to believe, but the Internet has strong opinions about the Obi-Wan trailer
Why it's Luke and Obi-Wan and our favorite Uncle Owen. They're all here!
The Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer dropped earlier today, and the only thing people online can say is “Obi-Wan? More like [Austin Powers voice] ‘Oh, behave.’” Or, maybe more appropriately, “Hello there.”
Yes, fans from across the galaxy (or, more specifically, across Twitter) are loving Ewan McGregor’s return to Tatooine where he can spy on little baby Luke Skywalker. The series picks up quite a few years after the Chroon-Tan B-Machine midwife droid delivered baby Luke in Revenge Of The Sith. Judging by the trailer, Luke’s first words must have been, “Now this is podracing,” because he’s in full-on Anakin cosplay.
Like all things Luke, it’s captured the imagination of Star Wars fans, who are wowed by the series’ use of de-aging technology (we’re going to assume that that’s de-aged Mark Hamill playing young Luke). It’s an exciting image, Kenobi watching over the young Skywalker, and fans are already loving the Peeping Tom version of Obi-Wan old Ben Kenobi.
Of course, that’s not all exciting fans. Plenty is going on in the Obi-Wan trailer and outside it. Deborah Chow, director of some of the best Mandalorian episodes, will helm the series, and Jon Favreau won’t be writing any of it, which is a relief, apparently, to some. We assume that has something to do with the Vespas controversy in Book Of Boba Fett. But that doesn’t explain why others are excited to have Joel Edgerton back as Uncle Owen. Star Wars fans are indeed a different breed.
Fans of the Star Wars prequels have no shortage of things to get excited about. Aside from McGregor and, of course, Edgerton, other prequel mainstays are returning for the series, including John Williams’ “Duel Of The Fates” and “Battle Of The Heroes” and Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader breath. And they said this would be different from the prequels.
One interesting thing that people are pointing out is the convenient timing of the trailer’s release. It might seem like a long time ago, but it was only Monday that Disney CEO Bob Chapek opted not to contest Florida’s homophobic “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. Such protest from a massive corporation, like Disney, a prime economic driver in a little town called Orlando, Florida, might make some waves. But instead, they opted to release another Star Wars and a picture of Pinocchio from 1941. It’s as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.
Star Wars brings out the weirdest sides in people, from forgetting about their ethical values to being excited by an appearance from Uncle Owen, a guy who [spoiler alert] tried to prevent Luke from going to rebellion school so that he can farm moisture.
Still, prequel fans and haters seem aligned on one thing: Ewan McGregor was pretty great as Obi-Wan Kenobi. So will this finally be the property that unites the Star Wars faithful, skeptical, and disenchanted and brings balance to the Force? Probably not, but one can hope.
Obi-Wan Kenobi says “hello there” to Disney+ on May 22.