Obi-Wan Kenobi' Episode 3

It helps, too, that the spectre of Vader looms large throughout the episode – there's one scene on Mustafar, in which Reva dials in an attempt to further her ...

Tala swoops in and saves the Jedi, while Reva meets Leia at the end of the tunnel and scoops up her golden ticket to joining the upper ranks of the Empire. It’s not quite The Empire Strikes Back’s gut-punch of an ending, but it tracks along the same lines. Our only hope is that Obi-Wan finds some guidance – from Qui-Gon Jinn or otherwise – to put him back on the right path. Later, after a Leia/Luma slip of the tongue, Freck sells his hitchhikers out to the Empire, and we get a snatch of action. The episode spends a significant amount of time trying to make Obi-Wan and Leia seem increasingly vulnerable, yet we know the two characters make it out the other side. He even chokes out innocents while on the hunt for Obi-Wan, offering up a threat as fearsome as any seen in Star Wars media. We were promised the “rematch of the century” between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. While the third episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn’t quite deliver on that front just yet, Darth Vader’s presence elevates what could have otherwise been a slightly weaker follow-up to last week’s strong one-two combo.

Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader face off in an incendiary Star Wars confrontation.

Embracing the natural balance of the Force is like turning on a light. That peace and quiet doesn't last long, however, as the true face of Imperial ruthlessness is revealed when the Inquisitors arrive. Vos turned to the Dark Side for a time, but appears to have survived the Order 66 purge after all and now specializes in rescuing younglings. If you recognize the voice, he's played by Zach Braff (well, Braff is listed in the credits, but at first I have to admit I thought Freck sounded more like Seth Rogen). The lack of trust among the Inquisitors leads to in-fighting that works in the favor of our heroes. And Vader's sadism in roasting Obi-Wan also provides the opportunity for the wounded Jedi to escape. Callously walking through a town snapping necks of bystanders, Vader is the epitome of Imperial terror and violence. Only when Vader aids Luke and is unmasked does he become Anakin again -- and only is the circle truly complete. The last time Obi-Wan saw Anakin Skywalker was the fateful duel in which he chopped his apprentice into bits and left him melting on the side of a volcano. "His compassion has been his undoing". But it also works the other way: the ruthlessness and violence of the Empire works against them. Throughout the series, the Inquisitors and Vader have used the Jedi's values against them. When I left you I was but the learner.

'Obi-Wan Kenobi's third episode featured a long-waited reunion between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan — read our full recap.

In a move that confirms Vader is still upset about Mustafar, he lights the ground on fire with his lightsaber and drags Obi-Wan through the flames. Obi-Wan is thankfully rescued by NED-B, the nonverbal droid he met at the safe house, and Vader can only watch as they escape. Reva found the safe house — and the secret smuggling pathway — and makes her move. When they reach the designated checkpoint provided by Haja, Obi-Wan immediately thinks he’s been lied to and now they’re stranded. Later on Mapuzo, Obi-Wan senses Vader nearby and sends Leia and Tala away. Stowing away with Leia aboard the cargo ship, Obi-Wan again attempts to commune with Qui-Gon, but can’t stop replaying Anakin’s descent to the dark side in his head.

Obi-Wan Kenobi searches for allies in Episode 3 as he and Princess Leia go on the run from the Empire, Darth Vader, and the Inquisitors hunting them.

Deborah Chow continues to deliver some of the most visually stunning Star Wars stories to date, intricately building on its script with clever directorial choices and building on this somber chapter in Kenobi’s life. Desperate to keep Leia away from her father and out of harm’s way, Obi-Wan sends her with Tala while he sets off to act as a diversion and face his former friend. But Darth Vader’s plans of maiming Obi-Wan like he was are interrupted by Tala arriving to save the day. How will they get off of the planet now that the Empire’s presence has increased? Like any young traveler, Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) is restless aboard the freighter, and while it’s been a while since Obi-Wan has traveled with a youngling, he knows the quickest way to keep her occupied is to repair her Lola droid. With the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) disposed of, Reva’s conflict with the Fifth Brother (Sung Kang) only increases as she vies for Vader’s approval and the Inquisitors continue to treat her like an outsider among them.

Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader face off in an incendiary confrontation as James Earl Jones returns to Star Wars.

That peace and quiet don't last long, however, as the true face of Imperial ruthlessness is revealed when the Inquisitors arrive. Embracing the natural balance of the Force is like turning on a light. Vos turned to the Dark Side for a time, but appears to have survived the Order 66 purge after all and now specializes in rescuing younglings. If you recognize the voice, he's played by Zach Braff (well, Braff is listed in the credits, but at first I have to admit I thought Freck sounded more like Seth Rogen). Obi-Wan bitterly notes that the planet has been ravaged by the rapacious Empire, which perhaps suggests why there are so many desert planets in the galaxy. The lack of trust among the Inquisitors leads to in-fighting that works in the favor of our heroes. And Vader's sadism in roasting Obi-Wan also provides the opportunity for the wounded Jedi to escape. Callously walking through a town snapping necks of bystanders, Vader is the epitome of Imperial terror and violence. The last time Obi-Wan saw Anakin Skywalker was the fateful duel in which he chopped his apprentice into bits and left him melting on the side of a volcano. Only when Vader aids Luke and is unmasked does he become Anakin again -- and only then is the circle truly complete. Throughout the series, the Inquisitors and Vader have used the Jedi's values against them. When I left you I was but the learner.

Leia is more hopeful, but knows little about the Force or how evil the Empire can be. On the Imperial side of things, the Third Sister calls Darth Vader himself ...

As for the good guys, the atmosphere on Mapuzo is pure Star Wars. The miner being a literal mole alien is so goofy that it circles around to being great, as is the scene of the stormtroopers buying Obi-Wan’s feeble lies. The cuts between Reva and Vader make it feel like the heroes are truly surrounded. The one glimmer of hope he has is when he describes to Leia what the Force feels like. In particular, I found the beginning of the Vader fight distractingly dark until the lightsabers were lit. This Obi-Wan is also a far cry from the one who called blasters “uncivilized.” His casual willingness to use a gun for dirty tricks also shows how far he’s fallen from Jedi pride. Leia’s presence also helps the show feel like a seamless extension of the Original Trilogy. Vivien Lyra Blair continues to be excellent in this role. She attempts to take Leia to safety, but Obi-Wan stays behind when he sees Vader has arrived on the planet. This turns out to be a trap, and Obi-Wan takes down stormtroopers at a checkpoint in a firefight. However, Tala going to help Obi-Wan means no one is there to stop the Third Sister from capturing Leia. He’s trying to reach Qui-Gon through the Force. Instead, he’s confronted only with memories and visions of Anakin and the other tragedies in his life. The Third Sister and Fifth Brother clash over who gets to bring Obi-Wan’s location to Vader. And in one of the episode’s most gruesome sequence, we watch as Vader’s med droids pack him into his life-sustaining armor on Mustafar. What kind of monster is Darth Vader? This week’s Obi-Wan Kenobi presents Vader as both terrifying and vulnerable.

Last week “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” arguably the most anticipated “Star Wars” series on Disney+ got underway. And honestly, things were a bit wobbly.

“Your pain has just begun.” Stormtroopers show up and flank Darth Vader. The non-Imperial officer lady shows up and starts shooting the Stormtroopers. She also ignites a much bigger fire, that now stands between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan (who is pretty messed up). The loader droid shows up and carries Obi-Wan away from the fire. This stuff is being cut to during the face-off between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader so for the sake of recap efficiency, we can say that she sees a Jedi symbol carved into the wall and finds the secret escape tunnel. Obi-Wan and Vader are having a full-on duel, meaning that the duel between the two of them in the first “Star Wars” movie wasn’t the first time they had squared off since the prequels. They tell him that they’re looking for a Jedi. He says he wouldn’t know how to even pick out a Jedi. Obi-Wan accidentally calls her Leia instead of the made-up name. In one of the nicer moments in the episode, Obi-Wan gives the Stormtroopers a sob story – he called her Leia because that was her mother’s name. Before they’re out of the woods, er, dusty plains yet, another transport vehicle shows up with even more Stormtroopers and a very severe-looking Imperial officer (Indira Varma, who played one of the Sand Snakes in “Game of Thrones”). Just as the Stormtroopers are about to unload on Obi-Wan and Leia, the officer shoots all the Stormtroopers. (This is like getting into somebody’s car and noticing a Trump bumper sticker.) When they get seated they realize just how into the Empire he is – VERY. (It’s a good line!) They flag down a truck that is being driven by a moleman, who we will call Hans, and who is inexplicably voiced by Zach Braff. He offers them a ride to the spaceport but as they’re climbing in the back that notice that he has a hand painted Imperial flag. It’s almost exactly the set-up of “The Last Jedi,” a “Star Wars” movie that caused such outrage that angry nerds are still posting about it on the Internet to this day. After slightly more discussion, she orders the probe droids to be unleashed – these are the same probe droids that searched for Luke on Hoth in “The Empire Strikes Back.” It was neat getting to see them constructed and sent on their way, out into the galaxy, searching for spies. He says that if she completes her mission, he will make her the Grand Inquisitor. And if not, well, she won’t be back for season 2! He says the Force is like turning on a light.