Star Wars Theory: How Jedi Fallen Order’s Inquisitors Will Return In Obi-Wan Kenobi

By Nathan Johnson Updated:
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Fallen Order Inquisitor

When the prequel trilogy was released, it provided a backstory for George Lucas' Star Wars story about Luke Skywalker and his father, Darth Vader. The three films showed how a little boy from Tatooine grew up in the Jedi Order and then eventually turned to the Dark Side to become one of the most iconic villains of all time. However, another character that got just as much exposition from the prequels was Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Obi-Wan was introduced in the original movie in 1977, making him one of the most tenured characters in the franchise's long history. While the prequels did provide a background for him as well, there was still a gap in the 19 years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. For years, fans have wished for an Obi-Wan solo film showing what he was up to while watching over Luke. Now, in 2022, fans have gotten their wish in the form of a Disney+ series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will officially hit Disney+ on May 25 and will feature the return of both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to the franchise for the first time since 2005. They will reprise their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, respectively, and will even face off one more time in what has been called "the rematch of the century."

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader
Star Wars

While fans anxiously await an official trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi, rumors and possible leaks have been flying around the galaxy. Liam Neeson, who played Kenobi's master, Qui-Gon Jinn, in The Phantom Menace, has been rumored to make a return. There has also been rumors about Christensen being de-aged in some parts of the series, hinting that there will be never-before-seen moments that took place during The Clone Wars and/or Revenge of the Sith​​​​.

It has been said that Darth Vader's Inquisitors will be appearing in Obi-Wan Kenobi. These former Jedi are led by the Grand Inquisitor, who will reportedly show up in Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by Rupert Friend.

Inquisitors were seen in the animated TV series, Star Wars: Rebels, and the video game Jedi: Fallen Order. In the video game, they served as the main antagonists, and much of the story worked as a buildup to the showdown between the playable Jedi, Cal Kestis, and the Second Sister.

Two of the ruthless Inquisitors actually appeared in Jedi: Fallen Order. With the group of Dark Side Force-users playing a role in Obi-Wan Kenobi, what is the likelihood of either of them showing up in the upcoming series?

The Ninth Sister in Canon

The Ninth Sister, Jedi: Fallen Order
Jedi: Fallen Order

In the video game, only two Inquisitors actually make an appearance - the Second Sister and the Ninth Sister. The latter is an alien creature, formerly going by the name Masana Tide, who comes from the Dowutin race. She has a large physical presence and tusks that come from her chin. She, like the Second Sister, had training from the Jedi Order on Coruscant prior to the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire.

The Ninth Sister trained with the other Inquisitors, as well as the Grand Inquisitor in the "Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith" comic run. However, she is dispatched to the planet Bracca along with the Second Sister to hunt Jedi. This is where she first appeared in Fallen Order.

Later in the game, the Ninth Sister makes another appearance on Kashyyyk, this time properly facing off with Cal in a one-on-one duel. Cal eventually bests the Inquisitor and cuts off her right hand before launching her off of a tall platform with the Force. Her fall is the last time she is seen in the game, and as of now, she makes no other appearances in any other medium after that point in the timeline.

However, it is important to note that her databank entry in Fallen Order teases that she didn't perish on Kashyyyk. This left an opening for her to appear in a future project, most likely being the sequel to Fallen Order or even Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Will the Ninth Sister be in Kenobi?

The Ninth Sister, Cal Kestis, Jedi: Fallen Order
Jedi: Fallen Order

If the Ninth Sister did survive, she would have to go through even more cybernetic reconstruction. One of her legs is already robotic, and with Cal severing her right hand, she would need to get it fixed before posing a threat again.

Assuming she lived, it is safe to say that she probably returned to Lord Vader in hopes that he could help her heal. However, as seen with the Second Sister, forgiving is not a strong trait that Vader possesses, and he very well could have killed her on the spot.

It is possible that Vader spared her life out of a need for as many Inquisitors as possible. Assuming she is alive, the Ninth Sister could very well make an appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi. The upcoming series is set five years after the events of Jedi: Fallen Order, which would be plenty of time for her to recover from the injuries she sustained when fighting Cal. 

Reports have said that the Inquisitors will be incredibly brutal in Kenobi, which further reinforces that the Ninth Sister could be involved. Of all the Inquisitors, she has the most brute strength by quite a large margin. As seen in Fallen Order, she is also plagued with a level of rage that could rival any Sith Lord, making it likely for her to be no stranger to violence.

The Second Sister

The Second Sister, Jedi: Fallen Order
Jedi: Fallen Order

The Second Sister, whose real name was Trilla Suduri, fell prey to the Empire after Order 66. She was a Padawan under Jedi Master Cere Junda, a character that Cal meets and helps in Fallen Order. Trilla was captured by the Empire and tortured into becoming an Inquisitor, where she honed her hatred and rage to play a major part in eradicating any remaining Jedi.

Trilla's story comes to an abrupt ending after her final duel with Cal at Fortress Inquisitorius. She made peace with her Cere, and it looked as though she would be turning from her dark ways until footsteps and mechanical breathing came from within a cloud of smoke behind her. Lord Vader expressed his disappointment with her failure to kill Cal and struck her down immediately.

A Resurrection for Trilla

The Second Sister, Darth Vader, Jedi: Fallen Order
Jedi: Fallen Order

As previously mentioned, Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place five years after Jedi: Fallen Order, making it highly unlikely for the Second Sister to make an appearance in the show. However, if the world of Star Wars has taught fans anything, it is that anyone can come back at any time.

In The Mandalorian, Ming-Na Wen's Fennec Shand appeared to have been killed in Season 1, but she made a return in Season 2. The Book of Boba Fett explained that she was able to be saved after a trip to the mod parlor, where her blaster wound was replaced with cybernetics that allowed her to operate as proficient as ever.

After Vader killed the Second Sister in Fallen Order, Cere ran at him in a spur-of-the-moment reaction. Vader used the Force to toss her off a platform that seemed like it would kill her too, but she made a return just a few minutes later to save Cal. She could have grabbed Trilla's body before meeting up with Cal, but Fortress Inquisitorius is so far underwater that she wouldn't have had time to get her safely to the surface.

Also, Vader didn't just kill her with a simple lightsaber stab. He completely slashed across her entire body, which would make it difficult for her to be fixed with cybernetics.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Concept Art

An official trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi still hasn't been released. However, some concept art images were revealed in a special featurette for the show, and one of them featured an Inquisitor that looked strikingly similar to the Second Sister.

Obi-Wan Kenobi concept art, Inquisitor
Star Wars

Each Inquisitor has their own Imperial armor to fit their body type and race. The Inquisitor's armor and helmet look a lot like the Second Sister's in Fallen Order. This could be a hint that she will be making an appearance in Kenobi, or it could also mean that Vader simply gave her gear to another Inquisitor that replaced Trilla after her death.

Jedi Order Flashbacks

The Jedi Order
The Phantom Menace

It is safe to assume that there will be some flashbacks present in Obi-Wan Kenobi. These will likely come from The Clone Wars era and/or Revenge of the Sith, so it isn't a stretch to say that some familiar faces will appear. 

Since both the Second Sister and the Ninth Sister were being trained at the Jedi Temple when the Order was still operational, fans may get a look at either of the Inquisitors before their turn to the Dark Side. They would be much younger in the flashbacks, but it would still serve as the live-action debuts for both characters.

While the prequels spent a considerable amount of time on Obi-Wan as a Jedi Master, there are still some huge gaps in the timeline that have never been seen before. Trilla and Masana may not even be front-and-center in a flashback. Perhaps they could appear in the background of a flashback scene or even be acknowledged by Obi-Wan as he passes by them.

Tying the Star Wars Universe Together

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Inquisitor
Star Wars

The Inquisitors played a large role during the early years of the Empire. They were the main people that hunted down any Jedi that survived Order 66, and now that they are confirmed to be in Obi-Wan Kenobi, it is likely that the Second Sister or the Ninth Sister could play a role in finding the Jedi Master on Tatooine.

Seeing the Second Sister again would be unlikely due to her demise at the hands of Darth Vader, and if she were to make an appearance as an Inquisitor, it would diminish the ending of Fallen Order. In her last moments, Trilla came back to the light and forgave her master, so if she were to be hunting Jedi again with no explanation of how that happened, those familiar with her story would likely be confused.

When it comes to the Ninth Sister, there is a much higher chance that she is still hunting with the Inquisitors. After her duel with Cal resulted in the loss of her hand, she is likely more determined than ever to kill as many Jedi as she can.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will begin streaming on Disney+ on May 25, 2022.

- About The Author: Nathan Johnson
Nathan is a writer at The Direct where he covers Star Wars, the MCU, and DC news. He joined The Direct in April 2021 and currently writes news and feature articles about all three brands mentioned above, but his main specialty is his knowledge about anything and everything Star Wars.