What to Watch Before You See ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’

Hello there… General Kenobi!

One of the most iconic Jedi of all time (and an Internet favorite) returns in a little more than a week. Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to add chapters in the noble Force-wielder’s (Ewan McGregor) story, explaining how he survived the perilous time period between Order 66 and A New Hope.

If you’re not quite an expert on all things Obi-Wan Kenobi, never fear — we’ve put together a viewing guide that combines the prequels with essential episodes from The Clone Wars to give all the essential info you might need.

Episodes I, II and III

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You couldn’t go wrong re-watching all of the prequels and originals before Obi-Wan Kenobi comes out, but if you only have one weekend, you’d probably be best to choose the prequels since they feature McGregor’s appearances as Obi-Wan Kenobi. If you only have a day, choose Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The final prequel chronicles Anakin’s (Hayden Christensen) tragic fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader, a betrayal with which Obi-Wan is shown struggling in the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars — The Mandalore Plot Arc

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Consisting of episodes “The Mandalore Plot,” “Voyage of Temptation” and “Duchess of Mandalore,” these quick 20-minute installments give context for one of Obi-Wan’s (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) most important relationships that never made it to the movies: Satine Kryze (voiced by Anna Graves). It’s possible she might show up in flashback sequences in Obi-Wan Kenobi, so knowing who she is and how she’s connected to Obi-Wan might be vital.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars — “The Lawless”

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Also vital for Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship. Without giving too much away, “The Lawless” takes a turn that leaves Obi-Wan devastated in ways that are likely to seep into his Disney+ show.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars — “Revenge”

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It’s certainly not a guarantee that we’ll hear anything about Darth Maul in Obi-Wan Kenobi. But if Obi-Wan doesn’t seem surprised that Maul lived through getting sliced in half, it’s because he already ran into him… in “Revenge.” The Season 4 finale brought the enemies face to face for the first time since Maul killed Obi-Wan’s master, and the encounter nearly cost Obi-Wan his life.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars — “The Box”

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This is a good one to watch for a few reasons: It’s cool, the animation is awesome, and it sets up a connection that might come into play in Obi-Wan Kenobi. You wouldn’t know it from the live-action properties, but Obi-Wan does know Cad Bane (Corey Burton), and “The Box” is part of a larger arc that explains how. If you’d like more context, the episodes preceding it (“Deception” and “Friends and Enemies”) and following it (“Crisis on Naboo”) continue the story.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars — “Overlords,” “Altar of Mortis” and “Ghosts of Mortis”

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Clone Wars fans largely adore the Mortis arc for its creativity and the eerie foreshadowing it offers of Anakin’s downfall. It delves more deeply into the lore behind the Force than any of the movies do, and it even features a special appearance from Qui-Gon Jinn (voiced by Liam Neeson), who we might be seeing again in Kenobi. And if we don’t actually see him, it’s a sure bet he’ll be referenced.