Last week saw our hero cross blades with Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen and James Earl Jones) in a thrilling lightsaber duel. Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor), however, was no match for the Sith Lord’s rage. Meanwhile, Third Sister (Moses Ingram) cornered Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair).
Obi-Wan Kenobi Part IV starts with Obi-Wan and Leia each in a bad place. The members of The Path put Kenobi in a bacta tank to heal from his burn wounds. This surely reminded many viewers of Boba Fett’s infamous bacta tank, where he spent an inordinate of time in his own show. Fett and Kenobi both experience flashbacks while recuperating. Fortunately, Obi-Wan spends a fraction of the time in there. The charred shell of a man is in stark contrast to the general we saw fighting the Clone Wars.
Third Sister interrogates Leia at the Inquisitor base. Visually, it’s goofy to see the Inquisitor drill a ten-year-old with questions like she’s an adult, but Leia is no ordinary ten-year-old. This presents an interesting challenge for the writers. We know Leia survives to appear in A New Hope, and that this is a Disney show. Despite Vader’s viciousness, we know nothing too gruesome is going to happen to a child. Obi-Wan Kenobi deserves credit for showing Inquisitor Reva is at least capable of such cruelty, as seen with the entombed youngling in the base’s crypt.
Obi-Wan and Tala (Indira Varma) stage a rescue mission that pits them against guards, officers, and droids. The design of the planet and the Inquisitor base stand out. The installation is distinct from the likes of Kamino from Attack of the Clones. The story puts it to good use when Obi-Wan shatters the glass holding back the water.
For a moment, Tala appears doomed. I was starting to think Inquisitor Reva was going to kill her. Tala manages to escape thanks to the calvary. As an aside, it’s strange to see an air-speeder hover. Apparently, it’s a mistake.
Third Sister proves to be resourceful, tracking the good guys. This is how the Empire tricks the heroes in the original movie. At the end of the episode, Leia and Obi-Wan share a quiet moment. He’s become a father figure to her, like he will for her brother, and it’s nice to see the attention doled out equally for each sibling.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Part IV episode didn’t reach the heights of “Part III”, partially because it’s a table-setting episode, and that’s a thankless job. Seeing Princess Leia rescued once again is going to be stale for some people, understandably. We have just two episodes left. Let’s hope the show makes them count.
