Obi-Wan Kenobi may have believed he failed the Star Wars galaxy when he couldn’t prevent Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the dark side, but he genuinely saved it from a much worse threat. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s relationship with Anakin is one of the most pivotal in the entire Star Wars franchise. It’s easy to argue that Obi-Wan shouldn’t have trained Anakin after Qui-Gon Jinn’s death, and yes, that’s partially true. Obi-Wan didn’t have enough experience, and they were both still grieving. If the Jedi wanted to prevent dependent relationships, they should have stepped in.

In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan confesses that he feels he “failed” Anakin. Later, in Return of the Jedi, Obi-Wan tells Anakin’s son, Luke, “I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong. My pride has had terrible consequences for the galaxy.” Yes, Obi-Wan played a significant role in Anakin’s downfall, but prophecies can be volatile. Could Obi-Wan ever have changed what was supposedly foretold? Would anyone else have been able to prevent Darth Sidious’ predatory influence? Perhaps not.

Darth Vader Would Have Been Much Stronger Were It Not For Obi-Wan

Aside from Qui-Gon Jinn – and even that is questionable – we don’t know if any other Jedi could have prevented Anakin’s turn to the dark side. Anakin would have grown close to whomever his Master was; it was simply in his nature. Would another Jedi have followed Anakin to Mustafar? Would another Jedi have been willing to cut him down so violently, rendering him unable to move and even breathe without mechanical ᴀssistance? I’d argue that Obi-Wan’s personal feelings towards Anakin made him a stronger opponent. Anyone else, and Anakin would have steamrolled them.

They were both fighting from a place of desperation, pulling their strength from a deep well of emotion. That’s what allowed Obi-Wan to beat Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. He may not have been able to kill him, and yes, that would have made a difference in what happened during Palpatine’s reign. That doesn’t necessarily mean he failed the entire galaxy.

If he hadn’t harmed Anakin to such an extent, Darth Vader would have been much, much more dangerous. Vader’s endless supply of unchecked, raw, emotionally charged power in a body capable of the most incredible Force-powered feats, one that wasn’t constantly forced to function through unimaginable pain? Vader would have been even more unstoppable. Darth Vader was undeniably powerful, but Obi-Wan’s actions kept his powers in check, at least to an extent.

Who Knows What Vader Would Have Done If He Weren’t Weakened?

Imagine the kind of damage Vader could have inflicted on the galaxy if Obi-Wan had never harmed him. We all saw what Anakin was capable of during the Clone Wars. A full-powered Vader could have toppled entire civilizations, even planets, by himself. Obi-Wan gave Vader a weakness. His equipment, his mask, all of that worked together to keep Vader functioning. It gave his opponents a fighting chance, however slim it may have been, in the face of Vader’s undeniable connection with the Force.

Obi-Wan himself uses that weakness during their reunion duel in Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 6, “Part VI.” He slashes Vader’s mask, and you can hear Vader struggling to breathe. The idea that he could be beaten, no matter how strong of a dark-side wielder he was, was enough to give the galaxy hope. Obi-Wan made sure of it, no matter how much it might have pained him to do so.

Obi-Wan Still Saved The Greater Galaxy From Vader’s Full Cruelty

In Ahsoka episode 5, we get a terrifying glimpse of what could have been had Obi-Wan not confronted Anakin on Mustafar. As Ahsoka Tano fights her former Master in The World Between Worlds, his agility, his physical strength, his tenacity, and his strength with the Force all combine to create a harrowing picture of what could have been. That version of Anakin was just a figment of the Force. Imagine what he could have been in reality.

Obi-Wan may not have been able to prevent Anakin’s fall to the dark side, and he clearly made mistakes while he was training Anakin. He should have sensed what the death of Anakin’s mother did to his Padawan. He shouldn’t have allowed Anakin and Padmé to carry on their relationship in secret. Maybe he should have been more willing to defend Ahsoka Tano’s innocence before she left the Jedi Order, and perhaps he shouldn’t have volunteered to train Anakin in the first place, even if it was his Master’s dying wish.

At the same time, Obi-Wan never really stood a chance. He didn’t understand the prophecies the same way Qui-Gon did; the Jedi Order was too restrictive and caught up in politics, and he arguably never received the support he needed while training someone so young and emotionally vulnerable. Most importantly, he could never fill the true void in Anakin’s life – that of a father figure. That missing piece is what allowed Palpatine to swoop in. Anakin and Obi-Wan became brothers. Who could protect them from that kind of influence?

Despite the challenges, despite his “pride,” despite his failure, Obi-Wan, at the very least, challenged Anakin’s power. The threat of Darth Vader could have been much worse. Obi-Wan Kenobi played a mᴀssive role in the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker, but he is also one of the reasons the galaxy still had a fighting chance in Star Wars.

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  Obi-Wan Kenobi

  The Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi became a Jedi Knight after his master’s death. Obi-Wan trained Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi, with his own apprentice knighted after the Battle of Geonosis. The Jedi Master became a key player in the Jedi during the Clone Wars, and was heartbroken when Anakin turned to the dark side; Obi-Wan critically wounded Anakin before taking to the shadows, watching over the young Luke and Leia for years. He sacrificed himself for his two charges, becoming a Force Ghost and continuing to mentor them.

  Created By

  George Lucas

  Cast

  Alec Guinness, Ewan McGregor

  First Appearance

  Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

  Died

  Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

  Alliance

  Jedi

  Race

  Human

  Movies

  Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

  TV Shows

  Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi

  Franchise

  Star Wars

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  Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader

  Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.

  Created By

  George Lucas

  Cast

  Bob Anderson, Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Matt Lanter, Matt Lucas, Jake Lloyd, David Prowse, Sebastian Shaw

  First Appearance

  Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

  Died

  Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi

  Alliance

  Jedi, Sith

  Race

  Human

  Movies

  Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

  TV Shows

  Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Ahsoka

  Franchise

  Star Wars

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