The Key Detail You Might Have Missed From The Lightsaber Battle In Obi-Wan Kenobi Part V
Contains spoilers for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Part V
After watching Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) wipe the floor with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) during their duel in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Part III, it was really only a matter of time before we saw the former master and apprentice cross lightsabers once more — though admittedly, we did not expect that it would come in the form of a training session from their past. In Part V of the Disney+ series, viewers are treated to a flashback to the "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones" era, in which Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) duel each other within the training grounds of the Jedi Temple.
Although this fight begins in much the same way as their previous encounter (with Anakin easily overpowering Obi-Wan), the Jedi master manages to exploit his apprentice's aggression and turn the fight to his favor. After being disarmed by Anakin, Obi-Wan goads his padawan into a reckless attack before spinning away and disarming Anakin in turn. Without a lightsaber, Anakin is no match for his master, and concedes the sparring contest. This duel serves as a great setup for the inevitable confrontation between the two in the series finale, as well as a fun callback for fans of the franchise who miss the playful relationship Obi-Wan and Anakin once shared. Indeed, one of the most important details about this little sparring match is that it actually includes several distinct references to some of their duels we have seen previously.
The duel parallels two other battles between Obi-Wan and Anakin
Shortly after the release of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Part V, fans on Twitter were quick to point out that this training session recreated several iconic action sequences from previous battles we've seen between Obi-Wan and Anakin. At one point during the fight, Anakin presses the attack and forces Obi-Wan backward, with both men rapidly swinging their lightsabers in a flurry of sparks and light. As pointed out by @RAINSOFCASTAMRE on Twitter, the choreography of this interaction is essentially a mirror image of their fight on Mustafar, right down to the camera angles themselves.
Another user, @rotsnovel, identified a moment in the fight that recreates the duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Part III. Specifically, the moment where Obi-Wan blocks horizontally with his lightsaber, while Vader ferociously hammers down on the blade, forcing the Jedi master down onto his knees. Considering the fact that this short training session directly mirrors the last two encounters the duo has had, one has to hope that the ending of this duel (in which Obi-Wan outsmarts and defeats the much more powerful Anakin) might foreshadow their encounter in the series finale.