The Return Of The Jedi Allusion You Likely Missed In Obi-Wan Kenobi Part II
Contains spoilers for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Season 1, Episode 2
Disney and Lucasfilm have spent the last few years exploring new territory in the "Star Wars" universe thanks to the sequel trilogy alongside "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba Fett" on Disney+. But they've rolled back the clocks for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" — which sees Ewan McGregor reprise his role as the titular Jedi Master from the prequel trilogy. The new series takes place a decade after "Episode III – Revenge of the Sith" and nine years ahead of "Episode IV – A New Hope," during which time Kenobi is still in hiding on Tatooine ... until he's called into action for a vital mission, of course.
When the first two episodes arrived on Disney+, fans were elated to find that the main story revolves around Obi-Wan trying to save a young Princess Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra Blair) from the Inquisitors. They're Force-sensitives working for the Empire in a bid to rid the galaxy of any remaining Jedi who survived Order 66. Although they work for Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) and Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), these villains are led by the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) — who has previously shown up as an antagonist in the "Star Wars: Rebels" animated series.
There are a few references to previous films and animated shows in both episodes, but "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Season 1, Episode 2 features a surprising nod to "Return of the Jedi."
Leia's green cloak
Obi-Wan definitely has a difficult time trying to save Leia in "Part II" — when he's not getting beaten up by bounty hunters or dodging the Inquisitors, he's trying to convince the future leader of the rebellion that he really is a Jedi. But the young princess has plenty of heart and independence, pointing out that if he were really a Jedi, he'd be able to make her float. She's got a point, Kenobi! Anyway, when the two go on the run, the Jedi tries to hide her identity by buying her a new cloak — as well as a set of gloves — and fans think this is a reference to one of Leia's outfits in "Return of the Jedi."
On a Reddit thread discussing the first two parts of the series u/AdministrationDry783 first suggested the reference, asking, "Is it just me or is the green cloak Leia wears a nice Easter egg/nod to her outfit on Endor?" It's a very similar design to Leia's combat cloak that she wears when she's on Endor with the Rebels. The princess is never afraid to dive into the action across the entire Skywalker Saga, and she's on Endor with the rest of the rebels in "Return of the Jedi" to try to shut down the shield generator that protects the second Death Star. Fighting on a forest moon means camouflage outfits, and the green cloak is perfect for the job.
It seems highly likely that the green cloak in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" is a reference to Leia's future outfit, but it'll be interesting to see if she gets her iconic "space buns" hairstyle by the end of the series too.