As 2022 quickly moves along, Obi-Wan Kenobi is the next Star Wars project up. The series finally sees the return of Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi Master, with his prequel trilogy co-star Hayden Christensen also reprising his role of Darth Vader. Obi-Wan and Vader are set for a crash course that will lead to their first confrontation since Mustafar, engaging in what Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has described as "the rematch of the century."
The duel is the ultimate destination for the show, so there will be a lot of build-up to the conflict in the interim. Rumors heavily suggest that several members of the series' cast will be playing Inquisitors, with Rupert Friend performing the live-action debut of the Grand Inquisitor. Vader's enforcers are a volatile bunch, seen previously in Star Wars Rebels and Jedi: Fallen Order going on the warpath to eliminate any survivors of the old religion.
In Kenobi, the Inquisitors are said to be especially ruthless, taking part in several acts of violence that demonstrate the might of the Empire. Eventually, the group will arrive on Tatooine, where Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker are at risk of discovery. Locating Kenobi is the primary focus of their master, and to do so they'll need to find a way to draw him out of hiding.
Luke is an unknown entity to the Empire; unfortunately, his twin sister isn't. As Obi-Wan Kenobi draws nearer, a new rumor has begun to connect some of the pieces that will bring Princess Leia into the series - and how Kumail Nanjiani's character will come into play.
Leia Captured and Kumail the Contact
Making Star Wars has reported that Obi-Wan Kenobi leaves Tatooine to rescue Princess Leia. The rumor shares that Bail Organa personally visits the Jedi Master at his hut to ask for his old allies' help. At this point, Kenobi departs the planet via public transportation, much like the vessels seen in The Book of Boba Fett.
Obi-Wan's destination is said to be something like "Space Reno," a terrible world that few wish to journey to. It's there that he meets Kumail Nanjiani's character, who will be a contact of Kenobi and Organa's. The contact directs Obi-Wan to a Spice Den where Leia is being held hostage, and the Jedi proceeds to rescue the princess while in disguise.
Secret Agent Obi-Wan Kenobi
Princess Leia has long been rumored to serve as the catalyst for Obi-Wan's departure from Tatooine, and MSW's report backs up another source's claim that the young girl is being held captive. The key distinction between the two reports is the location, with one being a Spice Den and the other a cantina-like setting, though the latter could very well be associated with a Star Wars crack house depending on how it's portrayed.
With the recent word that Jimmy Smits would be reprising his role of Bail Organa, the senator going straight to Obi-Wan for help seems likely. Rogue One implies that Bail and Yoda are the only people in the galaxy aware of Kenobi's whereabouts, and the safety of Anakin's daughter is paramount if the Empire is ever to be defeated. By this point, Organa has been involved with the Rebellion for years, so it's unsurprising that he'd have a contact to link Obi-Wan up with.
The Spice Den seems like the exact opposite of a world like Tatooine, which will be refreshing after so many episodes of Star Wars streaming being spent on the dust ball. There's great opportunity for Nanjiani and the witty Obi-Wan to hit it off, providing some great humor before the Jedi Master goes in to get Leia. It will be interesting to see what kind of plan he devises, and presumably, the disguise is something Nanjiani's character supplies him with.
Assuming Leia's captivity is directly the work of the Inquisitors, it can be inferred that things don't go very well for the Empire's enforcers. While they may successfully confirm that Obi-Wan Kenobi is still out there, something will have to leave his connection to Leia and the Organas ambiguous to remain consistent with the princess' identity remaining unknown.
The bond Obi-Wan developed with Luke on Tatooine has been well established, but Star Wars fans have never seen the Jedi interact with Leia before. It was initially surprising to learn that she would be involved in the series, but the recognition Leia has for Kenobi in A New Hope seems to go far beyond just the name and her mission; she had a personal connection with him, and the rescue from captivity seems to be it.
Obi-Wan Kenobi debuts on May 25 on Disney+.
