Obi-Wan Kenobi watchlist – Star Wars titles to watch

Lucasfilm's upcoming limited series offering, Obi-Wan Kenobi, will see us revisiting the sandy dunes of Tatooine and venture off to a new yet ubiquitous location we've never experienced before. While our favourite Jedi Master comes to terms with the events that have happened following Order 66, Kenobi is set to face new (or familiar threats) while protecting the future of the Jedi Order.

Adjacent to the Skywalker Saga, plenty of Star Wars titles are available to watch on Disney+, but knowing which stories are directly linked can be challenging. We'll highlight significant plot points, characters, and details; with a spoiler alert warning if you have yet to watch these Star Wars properties.

What Star Wars projects to watch before the Obi-Wan Kenobi series?

Ahead of the highly-anticipated release of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ later this month, the teaser and official trailers do reveal that it won't be forgetting the events that occurred during the Prequel trilogy. While there are dedicated Star Wars fans that vehemently despise the Prequel trilogy, these films introduced the audience to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

Ultimately, becoming the foundation of the Skywalker Saga, we were thrown into the journeys of the heroic Jedi Master and his prized pupil and best friend. As we've witnessed the decline in their friendship and the descent of Skywalker, the limited series looks to give us a glance into what has happened to these characters following their last encounter.

There are a few Star Wars titles you'll need to reacquaint yourself with ahead of Obi-Wan Kenobi on 27th May 2022. These include titles from both Lucasfilm's film and television properties, which provides a refresher into the lore and backstory of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

Star Wars Prequel trilogy

Star Wars Episodes I – III, better known as the Prequel trilogy, starts the Skywalker Saga by following the journey of a young Anakin Skywalker from child prodigy to Jedi student and eventually the Sith Lord, Darth Vader. The Prequel trilogy is possibly the most crucial property to watch and therefore provides plenty of backstory into Kenobi and Skywalker.

Episode I sees Kenobi in his early years as a Jedi alongside his mentor and Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. The latter meets a young boy, Anakin Skywalker, working as an enslaved person on Tatooine who possesses incredible powers with the Force.

At the same time, Jinn and Kenobi are working together to protect the Queen, Padmé Amidala of Naboo, to resolve trade disputes on her home planet. While the events of the first film see the rise to power of Sheev Palpatine and the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, Kenobi becomes Skywalker's mentor in the subsequent films, which also marks the start of the Clone Wars.

Episode II is most notable for providing audiences a look into Skywalker's family, namely his stepbrother Owen Lars and stepsister-in-law Beru Whitesun Lars, appearing in the Kenobi series. Skywalker, now a little older, develops a close kinship with his mentor, Kenobi, as they travel together to pursue Count Dooku as Palpatine continues to divide the political scene with his devious plans.

Let the #AttackOfTheClones 20th anniversary celebration continue! Artist Roel Robles shares how his Filipino heritage inspired Count Dooku’s signature lightsaber hilt. https://t.co/ny1ZV1aZ7Opic.twitter.com/MPE6LTRMcR

— Star Wars (@starwars) May 13, 2022

Episode III is where the tides have turned as we witness the deterioration of Skywalker and Kenobi's friendship but the fall of Skywalker and his eventual turn to the dark side. As the Clone Wars closes out the Prequel trilogy, which overlaps The Clone Wars, Rebels and The Bad Batch series, Revenge of the Sith is perhaps the most prominent entry Star Wars will need to watch.

The collapse of the Jedi Order, which culminates in Order 66, saw numerous Force-sensitive wielders, including known Jedi, executed while the select few had escaped. The emotional turmoil displayed in Episode III is most felt between Skywalker and Kenobi, which concludes in one of Star Wars' best lightsaber duels.

While at the end of the film, we see Skywalker become the eponymous Sith Lord, Darth Vader; Kenobi helps Senator Padmé Amidala deliver her and Skywalker's twin children, Luke and Leia. Amidala subsequently dies during childbirth, for which Kenobi separates the twins, with Leia being adopted by Senator Bail Organa and his wife, Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan.

On the other hand, Luke was handed to his step-uncle and aunt, Owen and Beru Whitesun Lars, on Tatooine. Therefore, the limited series picks up ten years later with Kenobi still watching over a young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

One of the most prolific events in Star Wars canon, the Clone Wars, is responsible for much of the events during the Prequel and Original trilogies. The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars provides an upfront look into what happened behind the scenes during Episode II and Episode III, respectively.

Over the series run of seven seasons, it gave audiences the best portrayal of Kenobi before we eventually catch up with him on Tatooine in his standalone series. In particular, seasons 2, 4 and 5 fill in the blanks left behind in the Prequel trilogy.

Additionally, the Clone Wars also gives an excellent overview of Skywalker during his time at the Jedi Temple under the tuition of Kenobi. The Clone Wars also introduces the audience to the now fan-favourite character, Ahsoka Tano, who becomes Skywalker's Padawan during the events of the animated series.

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While we're unsure how she'll factor in this limited series, considering that we last saw Ahsoka Tano alongside Luke Skywalker in The Book of Boba Fett, there's a glimmer of hope we may see Anakin's former Padawan come to the aid of Kenobi.

Star Wars Rebels

This animated series spawned four seasons, ending its run in March 2018; follows a group of Rebellion fighters who brought about the formation of the Rebel Alliance. The series is set after the events of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and before Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope; however, it's still unclear whether Rogue One occurs parallel with Rebels.

This group are responsible for actively hunting and afflicting Jedi and other Force-sensitive wielders, including children and political dissidents, who had survived the horrors of Order 66. Across multiple Star Wars titles, we know that, aside from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, Grogu / Baby Yoda, and Cal Ketis (from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order) are some of the notable Force-sensitive wielders to have survived Order 66. 

The Inquisitorius was governed by the Sith Lord himself, Darth Vader, led by a former Jedi Knight, the Grand Inquisitor. Most of the members of the Inquisitorius were former Jedi who were tortured into joining the dark side, and it appears that they're continuing their operation of capturing persons who've aligned with the light side.

With the series ending in 2018, the limited series could either expand or continue from Rebels, where Kenobi looks to be either pursuing the Inquisitorius or preventing them from discovering Luke Skywalker. Regardless, Kenobi will be a massive threat to the Inquisitorius, which is likely why Darth Vader will confront him.

The Clone Wars spin-off series, The Bad Batch, is an optional viewing as it fills some of the points during the Clone Wars. While it's certainly an entertaining series for those who want to follow the journeys of the Clone Force 99, it doesn't have much to offer towards Kenobi's narrative arc.

Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney+ on 27th May 2022, and episodes launch every Wednesday at 12 am PT / 3 am ET. 

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Featured image courtesy of Lucasfilm.