12 Fan Favorite Star Wars Characters That Might Appear In Obi-Wan Kenobi
Correction 5/11/22: A previous version of this article stated that in E.K. Johnston's novel, "Ahsoka," Ahsoka visited Tatooine and asked for Jabba's assistance. Although the planet is on her mind, she does not go there.
The remaining Jedi are strewn across the galaxy, struggling to keep the light side of the Force alive in the wake of their failure to halt the rise of the Empire. We first met one of these rare Jedi, old Ben Kenobi, in 1977 as a hermit living among the dunes of Tatooine. This May, we're going to meet him again in the years after Order 66 resulted in the deaths of nearly all of Kenobi's mentors and allies. It will be welcome but bittersweet, as we already know this reunion will include Darth Vader and his cadre of dark side-influenced Inquisitors.
The trailers for "Obi-Wan Kenobi" suggest a wealth of familiar and new faces to keep the Jedi exile from loneliness. Not all of them will be friendly. Among them are sure to be some surprises. Fans are full of theories about who might show up, and who won't. A few favorites, including Darth Maul, will likely not appear. While we wait for the premiere, let's look at some of these possible guest ideas. For more "Obi-Wan" fun, check out some great books like the Legends novel "Kenobi" by John Jackson Miller or the canonical "Master and Apprentice" by Claudia Gray.
Han Solo
Fans went wild at the sight of a familiar-looking sidearm in the first trailer for "Obi-Wan Kenobi." The DL-44 heavy blaster pistol is such an iconic design that "Solo: A Star Wars Story" goes out of its way to show how a specially modified one came into Han Solo's hands. However, the DL-44 is also a mass-produced weapon, a reliable tool in any survivor's kit. Versions of the DL-44 show up in both "Star Wars Rebels" and "The Clone Wars."
Obi-Wan's seen blasters like Han's before. And while it's exciting to think that the young pilot might cross paths with Kenobi years before a dusty meet-up in a Tatooine dive bar, it doesn't seem too likely. Han would be only a year out from the events of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," and it's a bit much to think this rogue pilot could weave right back into main story events. That familiar-looking gun could be in the hands of anyone hoping to keep the peace in the face of a wave of Inquisitor violence.
Cal Kestis
Cal Kestis is another Jedi who barely escaped the slaughter of Order 66. Respawn and EA's "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" explores his attempts to stay ahead of the Inquisitors and keep Force-sensitive children safe from the Empire. Cal was an instant favorite, and it certainly feels like his entrance into the wider "Star Wars" galaxy is looming dead ahead. His adorable sidekick droid, BD-1, saw one of its droid siblings appear in "The Book of Boba Fett," with a stable gig in Peli Motto's starship garage.
Cal Kestis' voice and motion-capture actor, Cameron Monaghan, recently premiered his lightsaber for the Galaxy's Edge collection. With "Obi-Wan Kenobi" taking place about five years after the events of "Fallen Order," it's not hard to see how these two Jedi could neatly cross paths, letting Kenobi know he's far from alone and giving Cal some new motivation before his next video game outing. Our verdict? "Star Wars" could lose out if they don't use a few moments of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" to finally re-introduce Cal Kestis to his waiting fans.
A'Yark
The biggest surprise to come out of "The Book of Boba Fett" was an in-depth look at the culture and behavior of the Tuskens, the indigenous Tatooine tribes now best known (and often disregarded) as raiders and scavengers. However, it wasn't the first such exploration of the tribes. The "Legends" novel, "Kenobi," by John Jackson Miller, introduces Kenobi to his Tatooine neighbors as part of his new arrival trials. The local tribe's chief is a woman named A'Yark, who has a red crystal in the place of one eye. She keeps a close watch on both Kenobi and the young woman he's helping.
A'Yark became a canon character a few years later in Miller's short story "Rites." In this tale from the "From A Certain Point of View" collection, she's still a tribal chieftain when Luke Skywalker passes through her territory to seek out old Ben. While this cameo is for "Star Wars" fans that love the deepest lore the books and comics have to offer, it's still easy to think that Obi-Wan just might run into a special one-eyed Tusken who understands his language.
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano isn't merely Anakin Skywalker's estranged apprentice. Since her time at the Jedi Temple, Ahsoka has become a foundational link between Jedi generations. As a member of the Resistance and as one of the Fulcrum intelligence specialists the Rebellion relies upon, it's understandable that she's now everywhere the fans want to be.
The biggest question we have is, "Will Ahsoka appear in 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' to bolster the spirits of her former mentor?" The joking but well-intentioned answer relies on whether Dave Filoni is directing an episode of Kenobi's big outing. Filoni is understandably invested in Ahsoka's future, and he's watching over her upcoming self-titled series. That said, except for a possible stinger at the very end of "Obi-Wan," my gut guess is that she's going to sit this one out. Kenobi's story is about coming to grips with his loneliness and remaining hope. Ahsoka may be a bit too much light to give him.
Yoda
In contrast to former Padawans turning up on Tatooine, it may be a more reasonable guess to think we'll see the Jedi's most mysterious master instead. Whether Obi-Wan is grappling with his memories of the Separatist War or if he's trying to attune himself to the wider Force, it's possible he might at least sense Yoda reaching back, trying to teach his fellow Jedi the secrets he learned in the last months of the war.
Kenobi transcends death when Darth Vader strikes him down on the Death Star in "A New Hope," and the franchise has spent decades doling out clues about how he did it. The clearest answers came via some Qui-Gon Jinn tales that are now out of canon, but traces of his journey remain in the "Clone Wars" episodes "Voices," "Destiny," and "Sacrifice." Yoda takes up the thread of Jinn's struggle to master the Living Force, giving him the tools to become a Force spirit after death. It's a key tool in keeping the Jedi alive after the Empire's rise, and Yoda — if not Qui-Gon himself — must find a way to teach Kenobi this same skill.
Commander Cody
Expanding on what the prequel films showed fans, "The Clone Wars" shows how the Jedi Council comes to know and trust individual clones during the Separatist War. The show makes the slaughter that stemmed from Order 66 even more painful, as the Jedi die at the hands of men they've fought beside for years. Often found at Obi-Wan Kenobi's side during big engagements, Commander Cody is one of them.
Recognizable by the yellow accents on his trooper armor that help distinguish him as a marshal of the 7th Sky Corps, Commander CC-2224 "Cody" shares his duties with Obi-Wan throughout the "Clone Wars" animated series. A running joke sees him recovering Kenobi's lost lightsaber and returning it by the end of an episode. It stings to watch Cody turn on Kenobi in "Revenge of the Sith," as he barely fails to execute his old friend. It's a harsher blow to know that he goes on to serve the Empire, and a cut plot line for "Rebels" would have shown his new role as a Jedi hunter. With "Obi-Wan Kenobi" set to deal with a similar hunt, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cody at the Inquisitors' lair, helping his new masters try to finish the job.
Captain Rex
Former trooper Rex, captain of the famed 501st Legion, is freed from the programming he and the rest of the clones received and defies Order 66. He's grown close to Ahsoka Tano in the last days of the war, following her as his commander after years of service to Jedi Masters as competent as Kenobi or as vile as Pong Krell. After surviving the fall of the Republic, Rex crosses paths with the Bad Batch, another squad of troopers able to overcome their programming. By the time the Empire is teetering towards collapse, he's living a quiet life on Seelos. It takes Ahsoka's message to urge him out of retirement.
That leaves a lot of time open for Rex to travel the galaxy. He's as instrumental to the early Rebellion as his Jedi friends, and it's not out of line to think he'd pass through Tatooine. If anyone could keep Obi-Wan's new secrets, from the protecting young Luke to the knowledge of other surviving Jedi, it'd be Rex. That makes him a very possible and very welcome guest star.
Jabba the Hutt
There's already plenty of canon to suggest that Jabba the Hutt is aware of what's going on with his new neighbor. Despite their amiable run-ins in the past, Jabba isn't interested in helping the nascent Rebellion. Instead, issue 15 of the Marvel "Star Wars" comic, written by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Mayhew, shows the crime lord dunning moisture farmers for extra credits.
Kenobi is well aware of Jabba the Hutt, and it's that same comic that puts the terrifying Wookiee, Black Krssantan, in Kenobi's way. But this is an event that happens when Luke is old enough to tool around in the family speeder, and "Obi-Wan" takes place several years earlier. That doesn't mean Jabba won't start cluing into Kenobi's presence. And it's not likely the Hutt will enjoy the Inquisitors poking around on his turf.
Cobb Vanth
Timothy Olyphant is so hot right now. He's everyone's favorite new space cowboy, the most Western-themed man to exist in our favorite space Western franchise. And with the stinger of "The Book of Boba Fett" promising us more hot cowboy action, it's tempting to look at "Obi-Wan Kenobi" for more clues as to where he'll turn up next.
Those clues will probably lead to disappointment, however. Author Chuck Wendig first introduces us to Cobb in "Aftermath," in which the dusty gunslinger shares his version of how he acquired Boba Fett's armor. It's a good yarn, but Wendig skims over Cobb's early years, focusing instead on how he became a small-town sheriff with a grudge against the Red Key Raiders. Cobb Vanth is likely to still be a young slave with a brand on his body when "Obi-Wan Kenobi" takes place. Kenobi may see the darker side of Tatooine, creating some links with Marshal Cobb Vanth's future, but Cobb himself isn't too likely to appear.
The Ninth Sister
We already know that Darth Vader's Inquisitors will be a big part of "Obi-Wan Kenobi." First seen in "Star Wars Rebels," in which several Inquisitors and their terrifying Pau'an Grand Inquisitor hunt Ezra Bridger and Kanan Jarrus, details about these dark side hunters were kept scarce. Jedi survivors turned to the way of the Sith, the Inquisitors would quickly become part of the wider canon. Several Inquisitors are put on the trail of Cal Kestis in "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," and we get a first-hand look at their terrifying capabilities.
While most encounters focus on learning who the Second Sister is and why she's so loyal to Vader's cause, the Ninth Sister is a daunting figure in her own right. A massive Dowutin and former Jedi, the Ninth Sister is known to have survived her final duel with Cal in the forests of Kashyyyk. Like Vader, her cybernetic enhancements mark her failures. We've seen several familiar Inquisitors in the trailers, but the Ninth Sister could be a compelling reminder that the hunt for Cal Kestis continues parallel to Kenobi's plight.
Fennec Shand
As a staunch member of the Ming-Na Wen Appreciation Society, there's nothing I'd like more than an excessive amount of Fennec Shand in our galaxy far, far away. A hyper-competent bounty hunter with strict personal ethics and an impressive hiring fee, Shand isn't someone you want to be on the wrong side of. "The Bad Batch" serves up plenty of proof that she's one hell of a tracker, someone who could put the Inquisitors to shame when finding people that don't want to be found.
While possible, adding Fennec Shand to the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" mix has some of the same issues as the inclusion of Cobb Vanth. We know she's active during the rise of the Empire, but there's not much to specifically take her in the direction of Tatooine. Again. Worse, seeing her could lead to confusion as to when "Obi-Wan Kenobi" takes place — which is roughly 9 BBY, by the way, almost a decade before the Battle of Yavin. As much as I'm down with seeing more of Fennec amomg the dunes, it doesn't seem likely to happen.
Satine Kryze
Beautiful, doomed Satine Kryze, pacifist Duchess of Mandalore and sister to future Mand'alor Bo-Katan Kryze, is our guide to another side of the militant Mandalorians throughout "The Clone Wars," and it emerges that Satine and Kenobi have quite the history. As with Anakin and Padme, young Padawan Obi-Wan was assigned as Satine's long-term protector. And like Anakin, Obi-Wan couldn't ignore his heart.
Obi-Wan chose his Jedi vows over his love for Satine, but the ties that bound them never broke. It's heart-wrenching to watch Maul's hate for Kenobi turn into shocking violence in the Season 5 episode, "The Lawless." Satine pays the price for the animosity between these two, but before she dies, she reminds Kenobi that she always loved him. Obi-Wan is taking decades of memories with him into the Tatooine desert, making his exile all the lonelier. If "Obi-Wan Kenobi" explores his past via flashbacks, old sorrows may bring Satine back, if for a few moments. Likely? Impossible to say. But with Bo-Katan making waves, there's lots of room for old ghosts.