In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, “hello there”! The newest Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi,
has officially arrived in our universe. A six-part miniseries,
the show focuses on the legendary Jedi Master in the time between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,
and Episode IV: A New Hope, a previously unexplored period in the character's life.
With the new story also comes new characters and returning favorites. Kenobi encounters
everything from Sith Lords to criminals to rebels on his quest to find Princess Leia,
but of these many characters, who among them are the most heroic, and which follow a darker path?
I’m ____ with WickedBinge, and this is Obi-Wan Kenobi: Good to Evil
As usual, we’ll be kicking things off with the heroic characters,
and then work our way down to the evilest. These characters are good!
First off is the Gold Medal of Good recipient, Princess Leia Organa! While she has yet to truly
become the freedom fighter we know her as in the original trilogy, the princess of Alderaan has
many traits that make her deserving of our top spot. For one, she’s easily the most optimistic
character in the whole cast. Whether she’s being held hostage or caught in the middle of
an Imperial attack, Leia is never one to believe that all is lost. Leia is also a great helper,
even though she’s only ten years old. As our heroes attempt to escape Jabiim in chapter five,
Leia is the one who makes sure the doors in the base can open, allowing them to get out
alive. She’s also able to listen to orders very well, a tactic that would become necessary for
her later life in the Rebellion. Even when she’s running for her life from criminals,
she’s able to effectively evade them, at least for a time. Leia’s incredibly resilient as well,
which is seen during her interrogation with the Third Sister. While Reva pushes more and more
for information, the princess doesn’t tell her a thing. Leia can be quite rebellious, and her
actions are indeed the catalyst for everything that unfolds in the show, but her optimism and
freedom-fighting attitude make her an easy pick for the top spot on this list! It goes to show
you that no matter how young or old she is, this princess will always fight for what's right!
In second place, our Silver Medal of Good goes to the star of the show,
Obi-Wan Kenobi! When we meet him in this show, Obi-Wan is at a low point in his life.
Tormented by feelings of guilt towards everything that happened between him and his apprentice,
he has essentially cut himself off from everyone and everything. This is best seen when
he outright refuses Bail Organa’s plea for help. However, as he embarks on his quest to save Leia
and bring her home, Kenobi starts to become the more hopeful and optimistic character we know him
as in the original trilogy. His experiences with many of the people he encounters on his mission
make him realize there are still people trying to make the galaxy a better place in their own
little ways. Slowly but surely, Kenobi’s trust in others, as well as his faith in the force,
starts to be restored. Obi-Wan’s evolution within the series is best shown in his two battles with
Darth Vader. In the first battle, Kenobi is clearly afraid. Trying desperately to run away
from the problem, the fight ends in a major loss for Obi-Wan. The second duel, which happens at the
end of the series, sees Obi-Wan defeat Vader after renewing his connection with the force.
This battle also highlights Obi-Wan’s compassion, which is his greatest strength. He wins the
duel with Vader not because he is stronger, but because he has something to fight for:
Luke and Leia. Obi-Wan might not be the Jedi we know him as when the show starts, but it ends
with him truly settling into the role of the wise Jedi Master who guided Luke on his first step into
a larger universe. For all of these reasons, the negotiator has to get the second spot on our list!
In third place, we’re giving the Bronze Medal of Good to Kawlan Roken! Though his role in the
show isn’t quite as active as some of the other characters on the list, Roken still plays a vital
role in moving the story of the show along. Roken was once married to a woman who possessed the
powers of the force. After the Empire hunted her down, he became a notable figure in the operation
of the Path, the network that helps smuggle Jedi and other force sensitives to safety.
This act of bravery alone secures Roken a high position on our list, but he’s also extremely
valuable in Obi-Wan’s mission of escorting Leia home. When the Empire comes to Jabiim,
he guides the refugees as they make their escape. Roken is very capable of handling himself too,
as seen when he fended off the invading Stormtroopers with a trusty bowcaster.
Roken might not be a Jedi or rebel, but the role he plays in helping force-sensitive individuals
evade the Empire makes him one of the most honorable characters in the show’s cast.
Few would dare to defy the Empire in such a way, but Roken takes that chance.
For playing a role of such magnitude, it only makes sense that Roken rounds out our top three!
Up next is the senator of Alderaan, Bail Organa! Senator Organa’s role in this show is quite
interesting because he’s not the prestigious senator he is in the prequel trilogy, nor is
he the Rebellion leader we see in Rogue One. Bail is somewhere between these two interpretations,
which is a major reason he doesn’t rank as high as he could. Still, though he isn’t as active here as
he is in other stories, the characteristics of this courageous politician can remain. When he
starts to believe Obi-Wan has failed his mission, he immediately begins making plans to head for
Tatooine and to help Owen Lars watch over Luke. His request for Obi-Wan to save Leia is also what
triggers Kenobi’s journey of finding hope. While it’s only briefly hinted at through a quick line
by Obi-Wan in the series’ third episode, Bail Organa is also trying his best to make the galaxy
a peaceful place in the time of the Empire. While these actions won’t bear fruit until years later,
it acts as a good wink toward Bail’s future as a leader in the rebellion. While he doesn’t play
a big role in this story, Bail Organa remains a bright spot in an otherwise
dark time for the galaxy, prompting us to put him at this spot on our list!
Rounding out our good tier is the head of the Lars family, Owen Lars! Uncle Owen fits the role of a
stern and protective father figure to a tee. He’s very vigilant over Luke, to a fault even.
He wants Obi-Wan to have as little to do with him as possible, out of fear that he will turn
out like his father. Rarely if ever does there come a moment when Luke is out of Owen’s path.
While he is very strict, Owen’s feelings come from a good place. He sees Luke as his own and just
wants what is best for him. Owen is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Luke safe, and that
includes protecting him from the Third Sister once she arrives at the homestead. Owen’s relationship
with Obi-Wan even improves a bit by the end of the series when he allows him to share a moment
with Luke. While the two still aren’t on the friendliest of terms, it shows that Owen does see
Obi-Wan as someone he can count on. Owen Lars can be a bit overbearing, but his heart is absolutely
in the right place, and for that, we must put the moisture farmer at this spot on the list!
That’s everything for the good area. It’s now time to look at the characters who aren’t what
we would call good, but they also aren’t quite evil, either. This is the Grey Area.
The grey area kicks off with Tala Durith! When you look at the history of this character, it
becomes apparent quickly why she is in this tier. Tala works as an Imperial officer, but unbeknownst
to her comrades, she works in secret as a member of the Path. Tala actually joined the Galactic
Empire in the hopes of improving the galaxy, but it did not take long for her to see the injustices
the Empire has carried out. We don’t get a lot of details in regard to her past in the Empire,
but it can be assumed she got involved in some rather horrible deeds. As a member of the Path,
Tala is instrumental in getting force sensitives to safety. When the Empire comes to Jabiim, she
even sacrifices herself to allow Obi-Wan and the others to get away safely. Because of her
allegiance to the Empire, we don’t think we can quite put her down in the good area. However,
she is still anything but evil. Between her belief in making the galaxy better and her role
in helping the Jedi survive, we think Tala makes perfect sense as our first pick for the grey area!
Our next pick is a Jedi…or so we are led to believe! No, it’s the criminal Haja Estree!
First appearing in the show’s second episode, Haja helps whoever he can, but for a price. He pretends
to be a Jedi and uses this as a way of attaining more credits. By his own admission, Haja has made
plenty of mistakes, and might love credits a little too much. Despite being a criminal
and a thief, there is a lot of light inside him. Haja maintains a relationship with the Path,
which is where he guides Obi-Wan in his quest. While Kenobi is not impressed with
Haja’s trickery, Haja redeems himself soon after by not only defeating an attacking bounty hunter,
but also by distracting the Inquisitors, allowing Kenobi the time he needs to find Leia. Haja could
have very easily sold Kenobi and Leia out to the Empire or the numerous bounty hunters searching
for them, but he chose not to. In many ways, Haja is a lot like the Han Solo of this series.
He might appear to be in it only for himself and to line his pockets, but on the inside
lies a heart of gold. He grows as a character through the series, eventually taking refuge
with many of the others involved with the Path. While his character takes a backseat
in the later episodes of the show, Haja Estree remains a critical character in helping Obi-Wan
start to trust in others again, and proof that not everyone is what they seem like at a glance.
Finishing up the grey area, we have the Third Sister herself, Reva! Reva’s story
begins as a youngling in the Jedi Temple, who miraculously survived Anakin’s slaughter of
the Jedi after falling to the dark side. Now, Reva serves as part of the Inquisitors, a group
dedicated to wiping out all force sensitives. However, Reva has different aspirations. She
wants to climb higher on the Empire chain of command in an attempt to kill Darth Vader,
seeking revenge for all the pain he has brought her. Reva is uncompromising in this goal. She
seeks out Leia in an effort to draw Obi-Wan out of hiding, as she is well aware that doing so will
greatly impress Lord Vader. When Vader reveals he was mindful of her entire plan and leaves her for
dead, she goes out on a mission to take out the young Luke Skywalker. Reva defeats the Lars family
in her pursuit and very nearly kills Luke. That is, until she realizes her quest for vengeance
is putting her on the same path as Anakin. Ashamed of her actions, she surrenders to Kenobi,
who consoles her. Reva proceeds to leave the planet, hoping to find a better life for herself,
and possibly others along the way. As the most prominent new character in the series,
Reva has the most dramatic character arc out of anyone, going from a villain to a being in search
of a new purpose. Reva’s actions throughout the show could very well put her in the evil category,
but her redemption ultimately keeps her here. Even her pursuit of Vader has somewhat noble roots.
It just becomes corrupted as she falls deeper into darkness. In conclusion, Reva leaves the
show as a force user who isn’t quite a Jedi, but she is also no longer a follower of the dark side,
making her the most obvious character to appear in the grey area.
With the grey area over and done with, we now move on to
the baddest of the bad. These characters are evil!
Getting the Bronze Medal of Evil is the Fifth Brother! Fifth Brother plays a minor role in the
show compared to some of his dark-side costars, but don’t let that fool you. The Fifth Brother is
just as rotten as any of them, and unlike Reva, there is no redemption for him. When Kenobi and
Leia take refuge in a village on the planet of Mapuzo, Fifth Brother follows his allies in
terrorizing the locals. While Reva may take a lot more action in the series, the Fifth Brother is
more methodical in his planning, and believes Reva takes things too far. Still, when the time comes,
the Fifth Brother is ready to take out any and all Jedi, even if it means killing the innocent
to draw them out. A true devotee to the dark side and the Empire, the Fifth Brother is only
interested in stamping out all traces of the Jedi throughout the galaxy, proving that you don’t need
a lot of screen time to be considered one of the most dangerous threats for a Jedi to encounter!
Up next, we have to give the Silver Medal of Evil to the Grand Inquisitor! Although
he sits out a decent chunk of the series, and we mean that in the most literal sense,
the Grand Inquisitor is a force to be reckoned with. He leads the Inquisitors
on their bloodthirsty hunts for the Jedi and other force sensitives. He is completely without mercy,
an attribute best seen when he murdered the bounty hunter Vect for failing to disclose
Kenobi’s location. The Grand Inquisitor is also a cold and calculating individual. While part of
the reason he knows the Jedi so well is that he was once one of them, he also knows all about how
their compassion can be exploited and used to the advantage of others. This just makes him all the
more dangerous as a foe. As the Grand Inquisitor, we should mention that he is far and above the
most dangerous out of all the Inquisitors featured in the show, and the franchise as a whole,
though he may not seem like it in the context of the series. With that in mind, it would
seem strange not to give him this ranking on the list. There is only one person who ranks higher
than the Grand Inquisitor, and coincidentally, it is the same man he follows the orders of.
Of course, receiving the Gold Medal of Evil himself, it’s none other than Darth Vader!
Who else could it ever be? Once the heroic Anakin Skywalker,
Darth Vader is a Sith Lord who is as evil and as powerful as they come. The enforcer of the
Emperor’s will, this show sees a version of the Dark Lord that is totally obsessed with hunting
down his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vader is willing to do anything to draw out Kenobi. When he
arrives on the planet Mapuzo in search of the Jedi Master, Vader kills several innocent civilians in
the hope that these actions will draw him out. The show also explores what Vader’s actions have done
to shape others across the galaxy, and not just Obi-Wan. Reva was a youngling who somehow managed
to survive the attack on the Jedi Temple, and now leads a life of villainy in the hope that she will
one day get revenge on the Sith Lord. Vader has created a long trail of despair in the galaxy,
and the only thing that can stand in his way is hope. Even at the end of the series,
Vader remains infatuated with Kenobi, never mind the fact that his search for him only
led to another brutal defeat at his hands. Only the words of the Emperor, his new and far more
powerful master, can keep Vader on a leash. Although he might not be at the literal top
of the Empire’s chain of command, this show truly displays Vader as a ruthless and vengeful villain,
now more machine than man. For all these reasons, we can’t crown him as anything else but the most
evil villain in the entire series. Hey, it pays to be the biggest villain in movie history!
Before we start to wrap things up,
let’s give out a few medals to the characters who deserve them the most!
First up, let’s give the Pride Medal to the Grand Inquisitor! Come on,
with a title like that, how can you say this guy doesn’t have a pretty inflated ego?
Second, we’re going to give the Envy Medal to the Fifth Brother. His jealousy of the
Third Sister for becoming a favorite in Vader’s eyes makes him definitely deserving of this one.
Up next is the Lust Medal, which we give to our final Inquisitor character, Reva. Her
desire to take out Vader nearly consumes her, making her a perfect choice for this medal.
Who else could get the Greed Medal other than Haja Estree? After all,
he’s a conman who values credits over pretty much everything else.
Finally, we can’t see anyone else getting the Wrath Medal other than Darth Vader,
whose feelings of anger and rage make him an uncontrollable force of nature.
But let us know in the comment section if you agree with our ranking. And tell us what we should
cover next. Remember to hit that notification bell and binge our Good to Evil playlist,
where we break down the morality of the characters in your favorite cartoons,
shows, and movies. But most importantly, stay wicked.