×
Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Small Details You Missed In The First Obi-Wan Kenobi Trailer

The very first trailer for the highly anticipated "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series on Disney+ has finally dropped. 

This marks the epic and official return of "Star Wars" prequel actor Ewan McGregor as everyone's favorite bearded Jedi. Loaded to the brim of the Bacta tank with exciting new characters and places pulled straight from "Star Wars" canon, Disney's two-minute teaser ultimately offers fans an inside, never-before-seen look into the live-action world of McGregor's Kenobi before the events of "Episode IV – A New Hope" and after his fateful duel with Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader in "Episode III – Revenge of the Sith." 

"The fight is done," McGregor can be heard saying in the trailer. "We lost." A series of words later flashes across the screen, reading: "Between the darkness and defeat, hope survives." 

Tasked with looking after young Luke Skywalker, McGregor's Kenobi appears to have a lot on his plate in the upcoming "Obi-Wan," which is set to be released on May 25, 2022. Showrunners Joby Harold and Deborah Chow made sure to nestle in countless "Star Wars" details and Easter Eggs into the miniseries' first trailer on Wednesday, which many people likely missed or ignored altogether. But luckily, Looper is here to recap ...

Young Luke Skywalker is even younger

If you know why Obi-Wan is on Tatooine, you might've expected this detail, but it's nonetheless cool to see: in the teaser, we get a glimpse at Obi-Wan observing Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru from a hidden location, and sure enough, the Jedi's binoculars settle on what appears to be a young Luke Skywalker pretending to pod-race (presumably in imitation of his fabled father, whom he has only heard stories about ... minus the Darth Vader part, anyway). As Star Wars fans know very well, Obi-Wan's task is to protect him at all costs, and this appearance of Luke certainly gives us a lot of information as to how many years have passed since the events of "Revenge of the Sith."

Based on what we know about the timeline, this version of Luke is likely 10 years old. It will be interesting for us to see how Obi-Wan manages his observations and protection of Luke and his adolescent life while remaining out of sight. Either way, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" promises to bring greater insight into the young Luke's life on Tatooine, even if Luke himself only features briefly.

Duel of the Fates makes a comeback

In the new teaser trailer, perhaps one of the first things that strikes fans of "Star Wars" is the ominous and immediately recognizable selection of soundtrack. This, of course, is the John Williams masterpiece from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," called "Duel of the Fates."

Featuring the full sound of a complete orchestra, and augmented by a choir of chanters, "Duel of the Fates" was previously used during the confrontation between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Darth Maul (Ray Park) in the first movie of the prequel trilogy. This epic two-versus-one battle between the Jedi and his padawan against a powerful Sith culminates in the death of Qui-Gon — and the supposed death of Darth Maul as he is cleaved in two and cast into a vast abyss.

As described by Tim Greiving of Vulture, "Why this theme works so well, and why it transcends the film it was written for, speaks to the composer's genius at writing earworm tunes that feel like primal, eternal music echoing from the beginning of time." Its usage in the "Obi-Wan" trailer pays homage to this earlier struggle, but at this point, it seems that the point is to more squarely focus on the past and future of Obi-Wan, as he struggles to survive in a galaxy that seeks his death.

The Inquisitors from Star Wars Rebels are back

It seems like the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series is gunning for more than your everyday tie-ins to the films, because the new trailer also shows off several of the infamous Inquisitors. 

The Inquisitors, for those that missed out on the TV series "Star Wars Rebels," are a group of force-sensitives enlisted by the Empire to hunt down the remaining Jedi. Personally trained by Darth Vader, and often former Jedi themselves, the Inquisitors play a large part in further eradicating the Jedi in the years following Order 66.

Throughout the trailer, we are shown three different Inquisitors, two of which have appeared in previous "Star Wars" stories. The first of these is the Grand Inquisitor, an ex-Jedi Pau'un with white skin and red face markings, who leads them. He plays an important role as a primary villain throughout much of "Rebels," as well as in several comics. The other known Inquisitor is the Fifth Brother, played by Sung Kang (via Screen Rant), who was also a common sight in "Rebels" as a minor villain. The only Inquisitor we don't know about is the one played by Moses Ingram, who we see getting involved in a number of tense confrontations throughout the trailer.

Based on this, it's clear that the Inquisitors are set to play a major role as antagonists throughout this series, potentially crossing sabers with Obi-Wan ... though, given that Obi-Wan beat Vader, that may not go well for them.

That 'camel' is actually an eopie

The universe of "Star Wars" is filled with strange and amazing animals, and some humanoids that straddle the line between both person and animal (looking at you, Chewbacca). Obi-Wan himself is no stranger, either, when it comes to hanging out with the myriad animals of "Star Wars," having used a creature known as a Boga in "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" during his pursuit of General Grievous on Utapau. 

However, in this new trailer for Disney's "Obi-Wan" spin-off, the character is shown riding something that appears to be a camel. This might strike the casual "Star Wars" fan off-guard — after all, there's no way that such a mundane, Earth-based creature such as a camel could find themselves on the desert planet of Tatooine, right? It must be something else.

Indeed, it isn't a camel, even though it looks almost exactly like one — at least, until you examine its nose. It is actually a four-legged herbivore known as an "eopie." Originally from Tatooine, their adaptations to the harsh environment make them very useful for carrying luggage or people across the desert ... you know, just like the camels on our world. Compared to the famed banthas ridden by the Tusken Raiders, eopies are far less likely to grab the attention of onlookers, which makes them a very good choice for a Jedi in hiding.

Joel Edgerton is back as Uncle Owen

Ahhh, the nostalgia is strong with this one.

At one point during the new "Obi-Wan" trailer, fans are greeted by the return appearance of actor Joel Edgerton's Uncle Owen character, who many "Star Wars" fans will remember served as Anakin Skywalker's step-brother in "Episode II – Attack of the Clones" and Luke Skywalker's guardian on Tatooine at the end of "Revenge of the Sith." 

Not surprisingly, fans are psyched. "Uncle Owen and the Inquisitor stare down is putting me in another dimension!!!" tweeted one excited viewer. In the "Obi-Wan" trailer, the show's big new bad — Reva the Inquisitor — comes face-to-face with Edgerton's Owen after arriving on Tatooine with her evil Empire cronies. Actor Bonnie Piesse, who played Uncle Owen's girlfriend in Episodes II and III, is also set to appear as her Aunt Beru character.

"It seems like Owen and Beru will be playing a decent sized role," tweeted one fan. "I'm very interested in Owen and Beru in this series," another said. As fans know, the two characters — who are Luke Skywalker's adopted parents — are fated to be tragically killed off in "A New Hope" by Imperial Stormtroopers, but this will mark the first time we truly see what their life while raising the future Jedi hero was like.

The symbol of the Jedi Order

While the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" teaser trailer was packed to the brim with references and epic glimpses of things to come, there's one little moment that appears (and disappears) so briefly that only die-hard fans would notice it on the first watch.

At one point, an unknown hand touches what appears to be a symbol carved into a wall, which appears to be the official Jedi Order crest: a lightsaber with elaborate wings on either side. The version that seems to appear in the trailer is crudely carved, but it is an important symbol for the Jedi Order, serving as an official insignia for them for thousands of years before their eventual fall. It being carved into the wall like graffiti is an indicator, perhaps, that hope for the return of the Jedi remains strong. That said, because this moment is so brief, there's no definitive evidence that this is the crest of the Jedi Order, and it could be something else entirely.

That ominous breathing at the end could only be one Sith

While Darth Vader does not physically appear in the "Obi Wan Kenobi" limited series teaser trailer, his presence looms large. And fans who listen carefully can hear Vader's iconic breathing — separate from James Earl Jones' speaking voice — at the very end of the teaser trailer for the new show.

Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker in "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith," was confirmed to co-star as Darth Vader in the upcoming series back in 2020. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy promised Christensen's return to "Star Wars" would result in "the rematch of the century" between Vader and Kenobi (via StarWars.com). Given the heavy presence within the trailer of the Empire's Inquisitors, who hunt down the remnants of the Jedi Order, it's probably safe to say Vader will oversee their efforts to find Kenobi. When, exactly, Vader chooses to step out into the fold himself remains to be seen.

"Star Wars" branching out into streaming may prove a viable way for Christensen to work his way back into the franchise at large. In October 2021, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the now 40-year-old actor will also reprise his role as Darth Vader in the upcoming series "Ashoka," alongside Rosario Dawson. Dawson's Ashoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker grow close as Jedi padawan and master through seven seasons of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," making the upcoming series a second long-awaited reunion between fan favorites.