By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Pop Quiz, Hot Shot: In Star Wars, who do you think you have done the most to condemn the old Republic? You might be tempted to say Palpatine for manipulating two huge factions in the civil war and grasping power, or you might say that it was Dark Vader, the former Jedi who helped to track down and murder his colleagues throughout the Galaxy. In reality it was Kenobi Obi-Wan Who condemned the old Republic because the inflexibility of his Jedi code prevented him from Anakin Skywalker when he had the opportunity.
How Obi-Wan Kenobi killed the old Republic
In the culmination of Revenge of the SithObi-Wan Kenobi does not seem to think of the old Republic at all. Instead, he focuses entirely on Anakin Skywalker, the Padawan transformed the Jedi brother who became Sith Treaty. It is a fairly brutal scene, Kenobi leaving his dismembered friend to set fire and suffer while they exchange their last words. Above all, however, Kenobi does not kill Her former student is why Dark Vader survive to torment the galaxy another day.
Now fans have spent nearly two decades to discuss Kenobi’s decision not to kill his former student. The general consensus is that it avoided doing it because the Jedi code prevented it from killing a disarmed (and disorderly) adversary, something that is supported by the romanization of Revenge of the Sith. However, it is clear that Obi-Wan Kenobi finally chose to prioritize the dusty code on the old Republic, effectively condemning countless people to death.
Basically, my argument is that this Jedi master should have asked himself the same question asked by Anton Chigurh No country for old people: “If the rule you followed led you to this, what use was the rule?” In the void, our hero did the right thing. He did not kill someone who was helpless to defend himself, which means that he could have compared to browse the path with the dark side. But by completely attenuating the chances of killing Anakin would have potentially corrupted his soul, Obi-Wan Kenobi made the decision infinitely worse to condemn the old Republic.
In a very tangible way, Kenobi is responsible for everyone that Dark Vader then murdered. He decided to maintain the Jedi code, and many fans support this decision, arguing that the Jedi Master would have become the very thing he hated the most. It is, of course, the same argument that Batman fans explain why this billionaire denies not only kills the Joker And call it one day.
But here the thing: If Batman killed the joker and felt really bad about it, he could go or, the worst case, commit suicide. Similar options are available for our favorite Jedi Master, who could have gladly become one with force or otherwise withdrawn from the temptation to channel his increasing darkness. Considering that Obi-Wan Kenobi becomes just a hermit on tattooing anywayHe could simply have killed Anakin Skywalker, become a recluse and get back, knowing that he had saved the galaxy.
Many Star Wars fans hate the representation of Luke Skywalker in The last JediBut this film did well: its just anger in the face of the hypocrisy and the stupidity of the Jedi of yesteryear. These space sorcerers were clearly sleeping behind the wheel, which led directly to taking the whole galaxy. If Obi-Wan Kenobi was ready to just kill Anakin when he had had the opportunity, the emperor could have been more easily defeated, hundreds of victims of Vader would have been spared and that the old Republic could be intact.
Unfortunately, while Kenobi said “hello” to General Grievous, he said goodbye to something else Episode III: common sense.
