"You are the future," Obi-Wan pointedly tells Leia early on in the Kenobi finale. The show's place on the Star Wars timeline, tucked in-between the prequels and the original trilogy, always ran the risk of leaving Ewan McGregor's return handcuffed - and that timely reminder to Leia was liable to cause some concern. But there was never any need to worry. Obi-Wan Kenobi signs off with a rousing concluding episode, one packed with an abundance of fan service, well-earned emotional interactions, and a lightsaber battle that will live long in the memory. The episode begins with Vader chasing down Obi-Wan and the Path refugees as they head to Tessen. Obi-Wan quickly concocts a plan to distract Vader and get Leia to safety. To stall for time, Obi-Wan takes off to a nearby planet and - inevitably - the Sith gives chase. While there can be no complaints on getting straight to the action, it does leave Leia feeling like a little bit of an afterthought after the show spent a considerable amount of energy on her. If Obi-Wan and Vader's lightsaber battle in the third episode was a rehearsal, then this is showtime; a main event that's worth the wait - and then some. Obi-Wan is close to the peak of his powers and Vader matches him at every turn. Whisper it, but their showdown might just top Phantom Menace's Duel of the Fates-backed Maul fight. In terms of emotion, that's without question. The choreography is on-point and by far the strongest yet seen in the show (if Obi-Wan was holding back before, you get the impression director Deborah Chow was too), but it's the dialogue shared between the pair that hits hardest. In a pair of scenes that will surely give goosebumps for years to come, Obi-Wan says goodbye to Leia - not without giving her Tala's holster first - and says 'hello there' to Luke before departing into the dunes of Tatooine. While the latter stretches canon a little too much, the scene with Leia is pitch-perfect, acting as a celebration of a relationship few thought possible, as well as newcomer Vivien Lyra Blair's talents as young Leia. In one last piece of fan-service, Obi-Wan is met with one final surpris: Qui-Gon Jinn. In Liam Neeson's best cameo this year - with apologies to Derry Girls - he marks the first step forward for Obi-Wan's inner peace, and gives the show one last chance to showcase Ewan McGregor's incredible facial acting as he tearfully glimpses the Force ghost of his former master. Does that journey involve a second season? Who knows - but if we don't see Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan again, the finale was a fitting send-off.
Review of Part VI
