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, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story are 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 Story in 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.
On the television side of the equation, Disney has been busy since 2019, featuring four separate shows that stream on Disney+. The Mandalorian is about a deadly bounty hunter who adheres to a fanatical clan. The Bad Batch is an animated series about a group of clones who attempt to survive in an ever-changing galaxy. Star Wars: Visions is another animated series, but is an anthology of different Star Wars Tales. Lastly, there’s The 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+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi. The show will be about the legendary Jedi Knight, set between the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope. That means the show will take place after Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader and before Luke Skywalker enters the fray against the Empire with the Rebel Alliance.
The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett have earned tremendous acclaim from critics and Star Wars fans alike. Obi-Wan Kenobi should 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
Both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett feel 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 of Obi-Wan Kenobi would be wise to keep this space-western theme alive. After all, Obi-Wan Kenobi will 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 Mandalorian introduced audiences to Grogu, or ‘Baby Yoda.’ The character has become a sensation ever since. The Book of Boba Fett introduced audiences to a variety of loveable animals that Boba Fett has bonds with.
Obi-Wan Kenobi can 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 of The Mandalorian, Luke Skywalker made a dramatic appearance at the very height of his powers. While The Book of Boba Fett has only included Boba Fett from the original trilogy, the show has roped in The Mandalorian and Black Krrsantan, a Wookie bounty hunter from Star Wars comic books.
Obi-Wan Kenobi would 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 average Star Wars viewers who have not watched The Clone Wars. He could similarly rise from the grave and fight Obi-Wan yet again.
Flashback Sequences
The Book of Boba Fett has 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 Tatooine between Star Wars episodes III and IV remains largely a mystery. Obi-Wan Kenobi can 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 Kenobi has 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 of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Obi-Wan Kenobi will stream on Disney+ at a yet-unknown time in 2022.
