A Star Wars manga once turned Obi-Wan Kenobi into the samurai that some fans wish he was in A New Hope. Old Ben’s moves in his duel with Darth Vader have been criticized since the lightsaber fights featured in the prequels, and the manga adaptation takes the critiques into account.
As the expectation for action in movies changed throughout the decades, audiences started to anticipate more than the slow close-up heavy duels as seen in A New Hope. Alec Guiness’ portrayal of Obi-Wan came at a later point in his life, but Ewan McGregor’s take is able to utilize some impressive fighting skills. One fan famously made a production out of reimagining the New Hope duel if it were choreographed today. A manga retelling of the original trilogy also elevated old Ben’s fighting style in his rematch with Vader, as adapted by artist and writer, Hisao Tamaki.
In the manga iteration of A New Hope, Obi-Wan is practically a samurai during his fight against the Sith. Their clash is a worthy followup to their last meeting on Mustafar, in which Kenobi bested his former apprentice. As these moments became heightened in the new context of the prequels, it only feels natural that Obi-Wan and Vader’s last duel should be as intense as the manga imagines. Instead of a slow back-and-forth of sword blocks, the manga showcases a version of Obi-Wan who taps into the energy he had when he was younger. With Vader’s cybernetic limbs and dependence on the dark side, he already had an unfair advantage previously. Now, the two masters are evenly matched.
With Vader’s cybernetic limbs and dependence on the dark side, he already had an unfair advantage previously. Now, the two masters are evenly matched. Star Wars had famously been heavily influenced by samurai films, making Obi-Wan’s masterful fighting style a natural revision of A New Hope. Although the action is never the most important component of a story, Vader and Kenobi’s rematch deserves the heightened sense of stakes.
Fueled by his emotions, Darth Vader reflects on the last time he allowed his former master Obi-Wan to best him. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is on a journey of his own, as he attempts to wound the Sith, eventually accepting that his own death could be a catalyst for change in the future. The manga adaptation emphasizes these emotional notes, depicting the movements of a Jedi Knight who is still at his best, as long as he relies on the Force
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