The Heartwarming Callback At The End Of Obi-Wan Kenobi Part VI
Spoilers ahead for the finale of "Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi" has finally come to its ceremonious end with its sixth and presumably final episode. "Part VI" held the tall task of wrapping up Obi-Wan's (Ewan McGregor) budding father-daughter relationship with Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), closing out Reva's (Moses Ingram) bloodlust for revenge, and providing viewers with a satisfying, symbolism-soaked, mask-shattering final battle with Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen). And along the way, the Disney+ series managed to get the former Jedi Master out of his post-Order 66 funk, planting the seeds for his eventual union with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in "A New Hope."
The series has been widely praised for bringing the "Star Wars" feeling to the small screen, with its final episode serving as an engaging finale. "Part VI" was filled to the brim with throwbacks, easter eggs, and references to the larger "Star Wars" canon. Audiences are already buzzing about the Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) cameo, which saw Obi-Wan's former instructor chastising him for not calling upon him sooner. The Sith got their own cameo, with the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) appearing via hologram to question Vader's loyalty to the nefarious Empire. The series even managed to answer why Kenobi doesn't refer to Vader as Anakin in their battle in "A New Hope," somehow making the duo's final moments all the more tense.
While these cameos and details certainly helped the ever-expanding saga feel even larger and involved, there's one heartwarming callback to both the Prequel trilogy and the Original trilogy that perfectly manages to capture Obi-Wan's playful nature.
'Hello there' makes its epic return
No two words can melt a "Star Wars" fan's heart more than "Hello there." Ewan McGregor finally repeats the iconic line in "Part VI" just as the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" episode ends. In the finale, Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) invites Kenobi to meet Luke (Grant Feely) after a damning, empathetic conversation with former Third Sister Reva (Ingram). Unbeknownst to the young man, he's about to meet his future Jedi Master for the very first time. And to start off their beautiful friendship and Jedi-padawan relationship, Kenobi says "Hello there," before going on a separate journey, which appears to be a story for another time.
The callback is an obvious tongue-in-cheek nod to the first words Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) ever spoke in "A New Hope." In the first "Star Wars" film, the aged Jedi wards off Tusken Raiders, finding a passed-out Luke (Mark Hamill) and a confused R2-D2. To quell the droid's fears, Kenobi greets the iconic astromech with a friendly "Hello there." It's fitting in a sense that Kenobi's first words to his future apprentice are what were used to calm Artoo down. It's an emotional moment as Kenobi has been wanting to speak with the child since "Part I," though it could be argued that it's undermined with the self-aware line.
Despite originating the phrase, Guinness only uttered iconic line once. In "Revenge of the Sith," McGregor's rendition of the ace Jedi jumps off a platform to battle General Grievous. In announcing himself, Kenobi heroically says "Hello there," a moment that spawned countless memes.
Star Wars fans (mostly) love the callback
It's no surprise that "Hello there" has taken on a life of its own since the reassessments of the Prequel trilogy. The Obi-Wan phrase has become a key meme for "Star Wars" fans, frequently popping up on social media. Ewan McGregor has mentioned repeatedly how he never expected the line in "Revenge of the Sith," which was its own callback to the originals, to become an internet sensation (via E! Online). Seeing as the dialogue hasn't been uttered since 2005, fans were naturally filled with joy when McGregor said the line.
Some were anxious, however, as the line hadn't been said throughout the miniseries. Prior to the finale's release, many, like @TheSWU, were waiting with bated breath, hoping the line would return like the Jedi himself. Thankfully, the twin suns of Tatooine aligned, giving viewers the perfect amount of fan service. In the hours following the release of "Part VI," Twitter users such as @captaincupkicks praised the callback, exclaiming "THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT FINALLY THE HELLO THERE." The callback has taken over social media, with Twitter brand accounts like Toho's Godzilla jumping in on the fun.
While the callback fit the narrative, it would be impossible to ignore how the dialogue mostly operated as fan service. @YrOnlyHope argues that the use of the line was "a kinda silly jokey meme thing that is used in a pretty serious moment." In truth, the Disney+ miniseries told its own story successfully, without having to rely heavily on fan service, so the placement of "Hello there" naturally stands out during a pivotal scene — for better or worse.