I've watched the 6th episode three times now. And I continue to be floored by it. It generated such intense emotion for me as a viewer, despite the fact that we know that both Obi-Wan and Darth Vader survive and carry on to the events of A New Hope.
For the series as a whole? It was puzzling at first to see how the series opened with the scene at the Jedi Temple as the Clone Troopers attacked the younglings and their teacher. But that scene gained more power and gravity as the series developed and we learned that Reva was one of those younglings, and that she encountered Anakin Skywalker that night and barely escaped with her life. Her story grew more compelling over the course of the series. Especially when Obi-Wan was able to connect with her through The Force and discover her true intentions - to seek revenge against Darth Vader. I think Moses Ingram played this so very well, and I think the payoff for Reva's character seeing flashbacks of herself in an unconscious Luke brought it all around as she finally confronted her own pain and guilt.
That concept of guilt was very powerful through the series. It didn't become apparent until episode 5 that guilt was part of Reva's motivation. But it was an extremely powerful undercurrent for Obi-Wan through the entire story arc. He seemed to be going through the motions of his life on Tatooine, just doing what he needed to survive. When he tried to do something nice for Luke and Owen confronted him, he struck one of the most painful blows of all. When Ben said that when Luke was old enough he should be trained and Owen said "Like you trained his father?" It was like a gut punch. Bail Organa was able to play upon that guilt in order to snap Obi-Wan into action. The guilt reared it's head again on Mapuzo as Obi-Wan had a vision of Anakin in the distance, and then during his confrontation with Vader. When Vader said "I am what you made me" it had to run through Obi-Wan as a profound moment of pain, which was only punctuated by the thrashing he suffered at Vader's hand.
The flashback to Obi-Wan and Anakin's sparring session was enlightening. It showed that those dark undercurrents were already there with Anakin, and perhaps Obi-Wan was reliving some of his regrets about how he might have failed his padawan. But I really like how it also illustrated how Obi-Wan could get into Anakin's (and Darth Vader's) head. Plus it was great to see the echoes of their fighting styles between that flashback and their confrontation in the final episode. And that's where everything got tied up, isn't it? After Obi-Wan had thoroughly disabled Darth Vader, revealing some of the face of Anakin Skywalker, their conversation was the moment that Obi-Wan truly needed. Obi-Wan had blamed himself for Anakin's fall and apologized to him. To have Vader say that it was he that killed Anakin was a profound moment. Anakin had made his choices. And in a way Vader absolved Obi-Wan of his guilt.
There were some things in that final episode that were flooring. In ANH I had always kind of written off Owen and Beru as farmers who were likely helpless when the Stormtrooper came to the farm. But they were so fierce in defending Luke in this episode! Someone had said this around the time that the series was coming out, that they were glad that George Lucas had cast Joel Edgerton as a young Owen Lars. And now I know why, because he was fantastic! And Bonnie Piesse was ready to kick some ass as Beru, because Luke was their boy. They weren't going to let him be harmed.
And that duel. OMG - which I found myself saying out loud when Obi-Wan summoned all of his Force abilities and pummeled Vader with all of those boulders! It makes you chuckle about lines like "The Force isn't just about lifting rocks". And then there were moments that harkened back to ANH, like when Obi-Wan pointed his lightsaber very directly at Vader. Departing the scene calling him "Darth" was another. That consciousness of tying things like that together from a story perspective really struck me.
I almost felt like the episode might have suffered from too many endings. But I was so glad to see Obi-Wan visit Alderaan. His conversation with Leia was a beautiful way for him to let her know about her parents. And for her to end the conversation with the same line that Anakin spoke to Shmi Skywalker in EPISODE I? Wow.
Seeing Vader confer with the Emperor was a bit of a surprise. Because he was put in his place. He seemed obsessed with pursuing Obi-Wan, but Palpatine seemed to reign him in. Did Palpatine foresee the possibility of a conflict within his apprentice? Or was this him manipulating him yet again?
I was also struck by how much power came from costume choices. When the series began Obi-Wan was content to be low profile. His appearance when he left for Daiyu seemed to mark a progression back to embracing the way he had attired himself as a Jedi, but only gradually. When he encountered the people of The Path, he took more steps towards how he had dressed as a Jedi Master, but his clothes were dark. Was it a reflection of the Dark Times? His mood? Or a mourning for the loss of all of the Jedi? But following his confrontation with Vader he seemed almost reborn to the light, and he seemed to embrace dressing as he had as a Jedi when he finally returned to Tatooine. The costume department also made some interesting choices for the final couple of scenes, and I think the Mythos look for Obi-Wan in exile on Tatooine factored in there.
That final scene? It was certainly expected. But it was still far more emotional than I would have anticipated. And a beautiful way to end the series.
