Ewan McGregor’s fan-favorite portrayal of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is satisfyingly extended in the Disney+ limited series bearing his name. Additional episodes are unlikely with the 6-episode run dubbed Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series for its 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray physical media debut despite leaving the door cracked ever so slightly ajar.
And that’s ok. This extra time accomplishes more than enough to fill the gap between battle worn Obi-Wan Kenobi’s appearance in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and old Ben Kenobi’s in Star Wars: A New Hope, pushing the hero closer to the latter by its end. We quickly learn the once proud Jedi Master is relegated to a life of servitude on Tatooine, watching over a roughly 8-year old Luke Skywalker from the sandy shadows. It’s a mundane existence until the Empire comes calling in the form of Darth Vader’s Force and lightsaber-wielding Inquisitors, and a familiar face’s distress call beckons from the stars to set a new adventure in motion.
We know from dialogue in A New Hope that Obi-Wan knows Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader and is now “more machine than man, twisted and evil.” Obi-Wan never saw Vader post-lava injuries in Revenge of the Sith so the Obi-Wan Kenobi series builds toward the inevitable second-to-last duel between master and former apprentice.
And what a duel it is: beautifully shot with Hayden Christensen donning the black armor once more on an unnamed planet full of atmosphere. To get there requires Obi-Wan leaving Tatooine on a secret mission to protect a young Princess Leia, strongly played with ample spunk by Vivien Blair, from a variety of pursuers including an Inquisitor, Reva, who is not all she seems and possesses ulterior motive.
A lot of time is spent with Reva to uncover her past and growing conflict within, and her fate in Episode 6 elicits more questions than answers. Those too-frequent detours from Obi-Wan’s own journey and growth arc, along with some questionable lightsaber wound outcomes, doesn’t stop Obi-Wan Kenobi from being an enjoyable romp with one of the saga’s most enduring and likeable characters.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is part of the second wave of Disney+ Star Wars series releases to receive the physical media treatment. Wave 1’s The Mandalorian releases offered a notable uptick in visual quality on 4K Ultra HD over the streaming version, and Obi-Wan Kenobi is satisfyingly no different. The plot travels from the blinding twin suns of Tatooine to Daiyu, a colorful neon-lit urban playground, and everything in-between including Coruscant via flashback and the best look yet at Leia’s ill-fated adopted home world of Alderaan. Nearly 10 planets in total and a wide swath of outfits and scenery across them let HDR shine and bring these worlds and characters to life.
A taste of the Dolby Atmos audio soundtrack came via streaming and it’s equally, if not more impressive on physical 4K UHD. Natalie Holt’s score and addictive theme combine with an array of familiar Star Wars effects to span the sound field and deliver audio fitting of a Star Wars release — theatrical or otherwise.
A little over a half-hour worth of extras span three featurettes going behind-the-scenes on the big showdown between Vader and Obi-Wan, the Inquisitors and Vader, and all the new designs including Leia’s diminutive sidekick robot Lola and new worlds.
- Duels of Fate: Obi-Wan vs Vader
- The Dark Times: Villains
- Designing The Galaxy
Showrunner and director Deborah Show provides Audio Commentary for the sixth and final episode only. It’s great insight for not only fans of the series but also anyone looking to get inside the head of a creative and see what the character and plot goals of the finale were, and how Chow and her team set out to accomplish them.
You’re likely already a Star Wars fan if you’re considering adding Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, in a SteelBook case no less, to your collection. The superior picture quality versus streaming, plus an already solid Dolby Atmos audio mix and some solid, if short, bonus features make the bearded Jedi Master’s post-Clone Wars adventure another must-own for the growing Star Wars Disney+ collection on 4K UHD.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series on 4K Ultra HD (SteelBook case) has an April 30th, 2024 release date and can be purchased from Amazon. This review copy was provided by Disney and TheHDRoom may earn commissions for purchases through this website.
