I am surprised that how much I enjoyed Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 4. A winner for more than just having cool sets and scenery, and action that's fantastic in very Star Wars-y ways. Not to mention the new cast members we met seem ripe for their own spinoff.
But the big thing for me is rather simple: Obi-Wan Kenobi's latest chapter took something that didn't work for me in the first three parts of the series, and made it work. Of course, I'm talking in vagueness about this Disney Plus show for a reason. And no, it's not because I'm killing time while trying to give the titular Jedi some more time to escape.
We've got to sound the spoiler horn from inside our Bacta tanks as we recover from that episode: Expect Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 4 spoilers from this point further.
Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 4 saves Leia without Obi-Wan's help
Not to move over to the Dark Side, but I kinda hated the young Princess Leia (played by Vivien Lyra Blair) throughout the first three episodes. As I previously explained, her behavior seemed unnecessarily unruly. Sure, 10-year-olds are famously prone to mischief, and yes, the Leia Organa we know has always been a rebellious one.
But to be constantly be going from one temper tantrum-like moment to another, while she's being freed from being kidnapped? It didn't really make a whole lot of sense. Obi-Wan even had to kinda break the fourth-wall at one point, saying she didn't sound like a 10-year-old. Fortunately, things have gotten much better.
And it's all thanks to Reva Sevander aka Third Sister (Moses Ingram). One of the most intimidating new characters in the Star Wars universe in ages, Reva has Leia in her clutches this episode. And she's is trying to get the child to cough up information about The Path, which has helped Jedi and other force-sensitives flee the genocide of Order 66.
In the face of Reva's dark powers, the young Leia is defiant, clever and strong-willed. It's the kind of situation that proves why this Leia had to be so impossible to handle for Obi-Wan: Only that kind of character could survive such an unnerving situation. And it's made all the better by an impressive performance from Vivien Lyra Blair.
Outlook
While we entered Obi-Wan Kenobi with a ton of excitement for the clash between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader, the true soul of the show seems to be the bond between Kenobi and Leia. Here, we'll learn why an older Leia thought Kenobi was her only hope.
Sure, we'll get more of Anakin and Obi-Wan, that's seemingly positioned for the finale (if not the penultimate episode). But for the first time since the series started, I'm actually very OK with this show shying away from that battle.
