Do not underestimate the power of a well-placed reveal. Recently,Star Warsfans were treated to their first look at the highly-anticipated upcoming Disney+ limited seriesObi-Wan Kenobi,starringEwan McGregorreprising his role as the former Jedi Master. In the flurry of faces both new and old, however, one key player was missing. (Mostly, anyway.) Keen viewers who stuck around through the end of theteaser trailermight have caught a certain well-known sound: Darth Vader himself drawing a heavy, mechanized breath.
Now,Entertainment Weeklyis giving audiences their first look at the man once called Anakin Skywalker, played once again byHayden Christensen.The lone still shows a fully suited Vader stepping out of his enclosed meditation chamber, one of the few places where he can safely remove his helmet. Though Christensen was evasive when asked if he would be appearing onscreen without Vader’s iconic helmet, saying that he was “sworn to secrecy,” it’s hard to imagine he’ll spend the whole series behind a literal mask. Christensen brought the adult Anakin Skywalker to life alongside McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi in the latter two prequel films,Attack of the ClonesandRevenge of the Sith. It would be nothing short of a missed opportunity to conceal one of the key players in definingStar Warsfor a whole new generation.
Since Vader was largely absent from the trailer, the scale of his involvement in the series remains something of a mystery. However, in speaking to Entertainment Weekly, series writerJoby Haroldsaid:
“His shadow is cast across so much of what we do. And the degree of his proximity to that shadow is something that we’ll discover. But he is very much a part of the show emotionally for Obi-Wan, and possibly beyond that as well.”
RELATED:‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Images Show Off Ewan McGregor’s Return, Inquisitors, and Imperial OfficersOne “shadow” Harold is likely referring to is the Inquisitors, the squad of Jedi hunters under Vader’s command. Led by the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend), the teaser trailer shows the Inquisitors on the hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi. One such inquisitor is Reva (Moses Ingram), who goes to both Tatooine and the brand-new planet of Daiyu in search of Kenobi.
In addition to McGregor, Christensen, Friend, and Ingram, the cast includesJoel EdgertonandBonnie Piessereturning as Owen and Beru Lars respectively. Playing thus-far undisclosed roles in the new series areKumail Nanjiani,Indira Varma,O’Shea Jackson Jr.,Sung Kang,Simone Kessell, andBenny Safdie.
