8 Things You Learn From Rewatching Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith

5. Ewan McGregor Comes Of Age As Obi-Wan Kenobi

Starting out as a young, fairly hot-headed Padawan in The Phantom Menace, Ewan McGregor's performances as the iconic Jedi have grew in stature since his first appearance, culminating here in a fine, emotional piece of acting that ranks as his head-and-shoulders best as Obi-Wan. His performances have matched each phase of Obi-Wan's character progression, and if he's young and immature in The Phantom Menace, and cocksure and assertive in Attack of the Clones, then he's wise and sympathetic in Revenge of the Sith, powerful and influential but also outright heartbroken; dismayed at what has become of Anakin - his apprentice, his partner, and, most importantly, his friend. It's no stretch to suggest that McGregor matches Alec Guinness (the original Obi-Wan) in Revenge of the Sith, his performance an embodiment of the franchise's devastating scope. And devastating is the key word here, with Obi-Wan exactly that in his powers, as displayed by his slaying of Anakin, which I'll talk more about later. He's also devastated, though, and it's this emotion, made evident in his pleas to Anakin, which best showcases the actor's poignant, peak-Kenobi performance.