Even Darth Vader has to do his homework. Hayden Christensen has revealed the piece of Star Wars media he watched over and over again in preparation for his emotionally-charged scenes in the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale. Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 6 follow.
According to Collider (opens in new tab), Christensen rewatched the Star Wars Rebels season 2 finale ‘Twilight of the Apprentice’ “several times” before filming his showdown with Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. For Christensen, it was all part of being able to “reimmerse himself in Star Wars.”
That Rebels episode wasn’t just randomly sitting in Christensen’s watchlist, either. It features a moment that bears a striking similarity to Obi-Wan cracking Vader’s mask in the live-action series. In the animated series, Vader’s mask is damaged in combat – and he calls out to his former Padawan Ahsoka Tano after being confronted by her. There’s a clear parallel between the Rebels moment and that seen in the Obi-Wan series finale, where Darth Vader’s mask is again cracked by a lightsaber, the blade belonging to his former master.
On the Obi-Wan scene, Christensen described the feeling just prior to filming. “It was a very emotional scene to shoot, and obviously a very important one,” Christensen recalled. “It was something that I think everyone was very aware of just, like, stepping out on set that day. There was a very different feeling. For both Ewan and I, it was a rather emotional experience, and I think that comes across onscreen.”
All that hard work paid off. The Obi-Wan Kenobi finale has captured the imaginations of Star Wars fans everywhere – from prequel callbacks to fan-favorite cameos. Of course, we all want to know what’s next. Read on for all that’s been said about a potential Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2. Plus, here are the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows you should have on your radar in a galaxy far, far away.