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  1. #1
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    Default Ep1: Did Obi-Wan Kenobi Touch The Dark Side?

    The lightsaber duel in The Phantom Menace (still unequalled in all SW, IMO, and thank you Mr. Park) offered an interesting contrast. There are two intermissions in the fight, and the Jedi in each react very differently.

    Qui-Gonn seeks calm, and centers himself. Obi-Wan seeths, almost mirroring Darth Maul.

    Result: Maul skewers Qui-Gonn, and Obi-Wan bifurcates Maul. Granted, Maul throws OWK down a shaft in the course of all this, but everything OWK does after getting cut off from Qui-Gonn, up to and including his checkmate move seems born of rage.

    Was Obi-Wan Kenobi channeling The Dark Side in his duel with Darth Maul?
    Last edited by DrNewGod; 09-13-2022 at 08:09 PM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrNewGod View Post
    The lightsaber duel in The Phantom Menace (still unequalled in all SW, IMO, and thank you Mr. Park) offered an interesting contrast. There are two intermissions in the fight, and the Jedi in each react very differently.

    Qui-Gonn seeks calm, and centers himself. Obi-Wan seeths, almost mirroring Darth Maul.

    Result: Maul skewers Qui-Gonn, and Obi-Wan bifurcates Maul. Granted, Maul throws OWK down a shaft in the course of all this, but everything OWK does after getting cut off from Qui-Gonn, up to and including his checkmate move seems born of rage.

    Was Obi-Wan Kenobi channeling The Dark Side in his duel with Darth Maul?
    I chalk this up the same way I do the often clearly “attached” way a lot of Jedi act towards their masters and apprentices, or to how George Lucas, Dave Filoni and plenty of others have suddenly and conveniently discovered an exception to the “No attachements” rule for romance or family relationships when it suited them:

    Star War preaches a very stoic and intellectual Eastern style philosophy of zen and enlightenment… but practices a very romantic and heartfelt Western style of drama.

    As far as the “rules” are concerned, Obi-Wan was still technically of the light side and completely in control, just like how the Lucas-approved story of Quinlan Vos being pulled back from the dark side by Assaj Ventress’s love for him is still supposed to not be an attachment- you just not your head and don’t bring it up at awkward times,
    Like action, adventure, rogues, and outlaws? Like anti-heroes, femme fatales, mysteries and thrillers?

    I wrote a book with them. Outlaw’s Shadow: A Sherwood Noir. Robin Hood’s evil counterpart, Guy of Gisbourne, is the main character. Feel free to give it a look: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asi...E2PKBNJFH76GQP

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrNewGod View Post

    Was Obi-Wan Kenobi channeling The Dark Side in his duel with Darth Maul?
    No. Absolutely no.

    Obi-wan is antsy and reckless throughout the first phase of the fight. When they get separated by the force fields and he's left out you can see his anxiety and even his fear. Culminating in Qui-gon's death and the pain. When Obi-wan initially engages Maul alone he's not centered, he's unfocused. I've always been of the opinion that it's much more grief and loss than anger or rage. He's not snarling at Maul, or crying out (as, for example, Luke does when Vader finally pushes his buttons aboard the DS2). There is desperation there, certainly. But it never, to me anyway, reeks of vengeance or fury.

    Of course, so unfocused, he loses.

    And while he's hanging from the pit, Maul prowling above taunting him rather than striking the killing blow as he should, we actively see him recenter himself. He takes a deep breath, he gathers control of his emotions and he acts free from them. Once he leaps out of the pit he's in the moment, guided purely by the Force. It isn't vengeance or even justice that leads Obi-wan to strike down Maul (which is what Maul will never understand later), it was simple necessity. Obi-wan has to defeat Maul to escape alive and see his task through.

    It's one of the fundamental differences between Anakin and Obi-wan. When confronted with raw, naked grief Anakin gets completely consumed by it. Obi-wan confronts it, masters it, and still does his duty.

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member ChrisIII's Avatar
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    Think we see that with Satine's death in CW as well. Obi-Wan seems more broken than the murderous rage Anakin has from Shmi's death and the possibility of Padme's.


    Eventually when he does kill Maul in REBELS he just seems to have pity on him at the end.
    Last edited by ChrisIII; 09-14-2022 at 10:26 AM.
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  5. #5
    Astonishing Member David Walton's Avatar
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    Obi-Wan seems to the be the Star Wars character least touched by the Dark Side, at least this side of Yoda.

    He's basically the ideal Jedi, if given the opportunity he could have reformed the Order because he seemed to have a better understanding of people's emotions than anyone else. He had sympathy for other's failings while rarely giving in to personal temptation.

    Palpatine intentionally separated Obi-Wan from Anakin while he's being corrupted because he's the one Jedi who could have reached him.

    Obi-Wan's only major failing--and it's understandable--is that he doesn't trust Luke's instincts in ROTJ in trying to turn Vader.

  6. #6
    Ultimate Member ChrisIII's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Walton View Post
    Obi-Wan seems to the be the Star Wars character least touched by the Dark Side, at least this side of Yoda.

    He's basically the ideal Jedi, if given the opportunity he could have reformed the Order because he seemed to have a better understanding of people's emotions than anyone else. He had sympathy for other's failings while rarely giving in to personal temptation.

    Palpatine intentionally separated Obi-Wan from Anakin while he's being corrupted because he's the one Jedi who could have reached him.

    Obi-Wan's only major failing--and it's understandable--is that he doesn't trust Luke's instincts in ROTJ in trying to turn Vader.

    Funny thing is Palpatine wanted Anakin to take on Grievous-it's the council that sends Obi-Wan instead.

    Although Palpatine probably foresaw that would happen anyway-and of course it further feeds into Anakin's frustrations with the council that gives Palpatine the opening he needs to reveal his true nature.
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisIII View Post
    Funny thing is Palpatine wanted Anakin to take on Grievous-it's the council that sends Obi-Wan instead.

    Although Palpatine probably foresaw that would happen anyway-and of course it further feeds into Anakin's frustrations with the council that gives Palpatine the opening he needs to reveal his true nature.
    Hm. That never occurred to me. Even if Sidious' scheme assumed the Jedi wouldn't send Skywalker after Grievous, what was his plan if they did?

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrNewGod View Post
    Hm. That never occurred to me. Even if Sidious' scheme assumed the Jedi wouldn't send Skywalker after Grievous, what was his plan if they did?
    He KNEW they wouldn't. His ability to read people, the future and particularly the Jedi is his greatest advantage. And, honestly, all he really has to do is suggest that he thinks they should send Anakin and the Council would probably go a different direction just on reflex.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member ChrisIII's Avatar
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    Although it's a bit retroactive (CW came after ROTS after all) Obi-Wan has also fought Grievous a few times before; it's pretty clear in ROTS that it's Anakin's first meeting with him; although they know each other by reputation.
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