Cameos are the name of the franchise entertainment game right now. Thanks to the likes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Batman, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, cameos are all the rage amongst fans of Hollywood’s biggest names. The intertwined nature of modern franchise storytelling has begun to allow and even encourage more and more callbacks and familiar faces.
The next project on the major IP horizon is Obi-Wan Kenobi. This Star Wars Disney+ series will take viewers on a journey alongside Ewan McGregor’s iconic Jedi as he evades the eye of the Empire and their Jedi-hunting Inquisitors.
There has been plenty of talk about who will show up in Kenobi, with Hayden Christensen confirmed to reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader along with Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa. The story will supposedly somehow involve younger versions of both Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia as they get wrapped up in some sort of Imperial conspiracy. Now, aside from these names, the field is wide open for potential cameos.
It has been teased by the creatives behind Obi-Wan that the show features plenty of “wonderful” surprises on this front. That being said, here are some of the biggest names some fans are expecting to see in the upcoming Disney+ series.
R2-D2
First on the list is R2-D2. This iconic little droid booped and beeped his way into fans' hearts all the way back in 1977, and he's become one of the most recognizable characters in movie history. So, why not feature him in Obi-Wan Kenobi?
At the end of Revenge of the Sith, both R2 and C-3PO were put into the service of Bail Organa to work for the Royal House of Alderaan. Now it has been confirmed that the Organa family will play a big part in Obi-Wan, at least early on, so perhaps Kenobi has a passing interaction with the droid during a meeting with Bail.
It doesn’t have to be anything special, but seeing R2 and Obi-Wan in the same room again would be an easy emotional win for fans of the franchise. It could even be a simple hello, serving as that hold over before R2 sees Kenobi again years later in A New Hope.
Boba Fett
The space between the prequels and the original trilogy is a relative blank spot for fans of Boba Fett. The iconic bounty hunter (whose own Disney+ series just finished a few months ago) has had adventures in this early age of the Empire, some of which have been explored in comics and books.
In a story that has every bounty hunter and Inquisitor from Mortis to Ryloth hunting down Ewan McGregor’s storied Jedi, it would make sense for a teenage Boba Fett to appear. This could serve as a nice bridge for fans, maybe showing him in an early iteration of his iconic green armor.
Or perhaps his inclusion in the series could hint at the beginnings of the business relationship between him and Jabba, having him turn his back on taking jobs from the Empire and going into business with the biggest crime lord in the Galaxy.
The Emperor
While on the Empire side of things, Obi-Wan Kenobi is seemingly all about Darth Vader and his Inquisitors, it would not be all that surprising if the Emperor made an appearance at some point. This would likely be a very small cameo, but it is one that would make a lot of sense given how involved Vader seems to be.
Maybe a throne room scene between Palpatine and Vader sets up the idea that Obi-Wan is still out there, allowing Anakin to make the decision to go after his former master, something his current master (and ruler of the Empire) would likely take great joy in.
As mentioned above, this would be the smallest of cameos as greater inclusion of him could take away from the emotional weight behind the Anakin/Obi-Wan conflict.
Cal Kestis
It’s only a matter of time before Cal Kestis makes his live-action Star Wars debut, and Obi-Wan feels like the perfect place. On the timeline, Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place roughly five years after Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, so if Cal were to be looking for other Jedi it feels like Obi-Wan would be pretty high on his priority list.
At this point in the Star Wars canon, there are not many force-users left, and those that remain are either hiding (à la Yoda) or searching for others. This is not to say that Cal would play a key part in Obi-Wan’s run, but he could drop into the adventure for an episode before being called off to take on something else (or set up Fallen Order 2).
It just feels too perfect. Cameron Monoghan’s likeness was used for Cal so that he could walk the line between digital, animated, and live-action Star Wars properties. If he is going to show up at some point, there are too many points in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s corner for it not to be considered.
Chewbacca
Next on the list of potential names to show up in Obi-Wan Kenobi is Chewbacca. As far as fans know, after the fall of the Republic, Chewie went on the run, eventually ending up captured by the Empire and meeting Han Solo during the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Now, Chewbacca and Obi-Wan seemingly meet for the first time aboard the Millenium Falcon in A New Hope, but nothing is said to confirm or deny if they have come across each other before.
Maybe Chewie helps Obi-Wan in his quest to outrun the powers that be. Or perhaps the two come to face off against each other during the series.
This feels like one of the flimsier theories when it comes to cameos, but it cannot be discounted.
Padmé
Second to last on this list is Padmé Amadala. The senator from Naboo portrayed by Natalie Portman has been intertwined with Obi-Wan and Anakin since the moment she came on screen.
Now many will question the idea of Padmé making herself known in the upcoming Disney+ series, as she died giving birth to Luke and Leia at the tail end of Revenge of the Sith. But it has been mentioned that flashbacks will be a part of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s story.
Portman seems game for a return, and a flashback featuring her, Christensen, and McGregor could serve as a special callback for fans while also showing Anakin/Vader just what he has lost on his journey to the dark side. Or perhaps during the climactic battle between Kenobi and Vader, Obi-Wan could tap into the force, conjuring a Force ghost of Anakin’s long-lost lover.
Qui-Gon Jinn
When it comes to unannounced prequel characters appearing in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn feels like the odds-on favorite. In recent weeks, Liam Neeson, who played the Jedi Master in Episode I, has been putting on his best Andrew Garfield impression when asked about a return to Star Wars. He has been open to coming back before, but as of late is playing rather coy on the subject.
After perishing at the blade of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon has reprised his role before. In the third season of The Clone Wars Jinn comes to Obi-Wan and Anakin as a vision guiding them on the planet of Mortis. Pairing that president with Yoda’s mention in Revenge of the Sith that he will help Kenobi in communicating with those beyond the grave could make a Qui-Gon Force ghost appearance make sense.
In the first trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans see the titular hero looking bewildered in a cave on what looks to be Tatooine. In this shot, he is looking up with the camera not showing what exactly he is looking at. This very well could be the spot where Neeson’s Jedi Master makes his return, communicating with his former pupil for the first time in years.
If the prequel band is getting back together for this series, then it would not be complete without a Qui-Gon cameo, and it is starting to feel like a pretty good bet that fans get one.
Cameos Upon Cameos
Surely, not all of these will make their way into Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is, in fact, all about one of the most beloved Star Wars characters of all time. However, audiences will get some, and if done right, could really enhance the story trying to be told.
Yes, this is a character study of Obi-Wan, but it is also shaping up to be a send-off to an era of Star Wars that served as a first love for so many.
