Star Wars Fans Notice Surprising Detail In Obi-Wan's Line Delivery

Some observant Star Wars fans may have picked up on some hidden depth in Obi-Wan Kenobi's earliest appearance from the franchise. But is it simply excellent acting that stands the test of time? Or was it truly a sign that creator George Lucas had certain plans from the start?

Given how long Star Wars has existed as a franchise, it's never less than inevitable that fresh context will be added to older entries with each new addition to the lore. Right from the start, lines like «you fought in the Clone Wars?» sparked the imaginations of countless fans, wondering just what sort of fantastical untold story was being alluded to. In most other series, such mentions would retain their mystery. But given the existence of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series and its ever growing menagerie of spinoffs, that's just one aspect that has proven this franchise's potential for exponential growth.

Fans in the Star Wars subreddit may have now picked up on perhaps one of the most subtle instances of this retroactive phenomenon. They noticed that Obi-Wan Kenobi's line «I was once a Jedi Knight» in Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope appears to hide some complex emotions in Sir Alec Guinness' delivery. But what sort of emotions remain up for debate, at least among the fans discussing it. Given what long-time viewers now know of the character, it could certainly go a number of ways.

The original post posits that the delivery seems to contain some derision for Obi-Wan't time as a Jedi, which makes sense given what was eventually revealed about the Jedi Order during the time of the Republic. After all, the Order fancied itself as detached peacekeepers who then turned into actual military officers on the front lines of war. It's not difficult to see why one might scoff at such a significant turn. But another user quickly offered another, slightly adjusted theory: that he was more detached than spiteful.

The comment in question explains in detail how Obi-Wan's proud past as a Jedi Knight