The Darth Vader Tease You Likely Missed In The Obi-Wan Kenobi Trailer
The patience of "Star Wars" fans has paid off, as the trailer for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" has finally dropped. Promising a story fans have waited decades to see. Set 10 years after the events of "Revenge of the Sith" and 9 years before the events of "A New Hope," the series will catch up to the titular Jedi (Ewan McGregor) living a somber life of seclusion on Tatooine as he watches over a young Luke Skywalker from afar. However, as the trailer shows, Kenobi's quiet life will be disrupted by the arrival of the Galactic Empire, and he will be forced to go on a dangerous mission that will take him away from his duties of keeping an eye on Luke. Directed by Deborah Chow, the series is currently set to hit Disney+ on May 25.
The first trailer for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" came packed with fan service and references to legendary corners of "Star Wars" lore. From the inclusion of musical cues from John Williams' "Duel of the Fates" and "Battle of the Heroes" to the return of Joel Edgerton as Uncle Owen, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" will clearly bring back many beloved elements of the franchise's prequel era.
One notable prequel era element that is confirmed to be returning is Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. While he does not actually show up in the trailer, there is a clear reference to his eventual arrival on the series that some fans picked up on once they had a chance to view the teaser.
Darth Vader's iconic breathing can be heard at the end of the trailer
Although the iconic "Star Wars" hero-turned-villain is not actually seen in the trailer for "Obi-Wan Kenobi," he can definitely be heard. Specifically, Darth Vader's instantly identifiable robotic breathing can be heard over the final title card that caps off this piece of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" marketing. The tease was noticed by fans on Twitter, but apparently subtle enough that some viewers did not immediately catch the sound upon first viewing.
This is not the first time "Star Wars" has used vague allusions to Darth Vader as a cornerstone of its marketing. "The Phantom Menace" used a fan-favorite poster featuring a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) haunted by image of Darth Vader in his shadow. The poster has become so popular that (per Screen Rant), it was even made canon.
Despite knowing that Hayden Christensen will return to the "Star Wars" franchise as Darth Vader, very little is known about how much screen time Vader will get. Moreover, it is also still unknown exactly when Darth Vader will show up for his rematch against Kenobi, especially given the fact that Kenobi will also have to contend with multiple Inquisitors in addition to his old Padawan. Whatever the case, Vader will clearly have a notable role in "Obi-Wan Kenobi," and the expected rematch is enough to get "Star Wars" fans very excited about what the series will bring to the table when it debuts on Disney+ on May 25.