Star Wars fans have a lot to look forward to in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Not only is the series filling in a crucial part of the Star Wars timeline by explaining what Obi-Wan got up to in-between the prequels and the original series, but it’s also serving as a mini-prequels reunion. The original Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen are returning, and Hayden Christensen is back as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.
Now that we know he’ll be reprising his role, one question looms over the series: How will Christensen play Darth Vader, a character whose face is never seen until his demise and whose voice sounds an awful lot like James Earl Jones? This leak may have the answer.
According to noted leaker MakingStarWars, our first glimpse of Darth Vader will be during the two-episode premiere scheduled for May 27th, but not until th very end. According to the leak, there will be a mid-credits scene after Episode 2 featuring Vader.
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The leak says the scene will feature murky water and then an eye jolting awake, revealing Vader in a bacta tank awakening as he feels a sudden disturbance in the Force courtesy of his old master. This aligns with a previous leak stating there will be a scene showing how Vader gets into his suit every morning, which would make perfect sense for a more formal introduction in Episode 3.
A bacta tank is the perfect setting for a post-credits scene. It’s familiar to fans of Star Wars TV after The Book of Boba Fett used one to fuel Boba’s Tusken flashbacks, but it also has thematic potential. By starting in a bacta tank, we’re introduced to Anakin before Darth Vader. After all, it’s not Darth Vader Obi-Wan left for dead on Mustafar, but his fallen apprentice.
This explains why we’re getting two episodes in the first week of Obi-Wan instead of just one: Fans won’t want to wait to see not only the Big Bad of the series, but the Big Bad of the original trilogy. A two episode premiere will give them a tease that keeps them coming back for more.
This is also a good sign for those who pessimistically thought Vader would be a minor part of the storyline. If he’s big enough for a post-credits scene teasing his arrival in Episode 2, it’s clear he’ll play a major role in future episodes. There’s no downside to more Vader.
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres May 27th on Disney+.
