There’s a Shocking Important Character in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

The first two episodes of Star Wars’ Obi-Wan Kenobi series are here and with them comes a range of emotions. Seeing Ewan McGregor back as Ben was a lot but getting to see how so much of this series is set on characters we know and love was also a lot to take in—especially one character of extreme importance who plays a big part in the first two episodes and probably more throughout the series.

So let’s talk a bit about this character’s role in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

**Spoilers for the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi lie ahead**

Did I expect to see Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi? Yes. Did I think she’d be more important to the story than Luke right up front? No. So I am very happy to report that I was wrong and she’s clearly the focal point of the series for Obi-Wan and unpacking his own trauma for what happened with Anakin.

Talk about an absolute punch to the gut. Seeing how important Leia was and knowing that she’s the reason that Obi-Wan Kenobi comes out of his hibernation was a lot. Pair that with Bail Organa saying that she was just as important as Luke? It was like all my emotions from watching the original trilogy and beyond bubbled to the surface and then boiled over.

But while I thought we might get a glimpse of her throughout the series, I was not prepared for just how much Leia plays a part in why Ben becomes the Jedi we know and love once again. It isn’t just that he has to save her; she reminds him of his friends that he lost. Her fire is so much of Padmé that we can see just how upset Obi-Wan is by it. And their relationship in the one episode they’re in together alone is enough to make the naming of Ben Solo make sense. This man has consistently played a part in her life and it started with her being kidnapped and needing to be “rescued” even if she was about to escape herself.

Seeing how much of a role she plays in Obi-Wan knowing the truth about Anakin, bringing him back into the world of the Jedi, and just how much she means to Bail and Breha is a lot to unpack. And yet in just two episodes, she is such an integral part in the series as a whole but specifically Ben unpacking his own trauma over losing both Padmé and Anakin. She’s important in the plot sense because Reva, who is searching for Obi-Wan for Anakin, uses Leia as bait but she’s also important because she reminds Ben what he lost in Padmé and Anakin but what he gained in the twins.

Leia is just as important as Luke. Bail says it, Obi-Wan sees it, and they all know of her strength and wit from the jump. She’s 10, she’s feisty, and she’s not afraid to tell people what she wants and the fact that she’s a huge part of Obi-Wan Kenobi delights me as a Leia super fan, and this is the legacy that Carrie Fisher and the character deserve.

(image: Lucasfilm)