Obi-Wan Kenobi Says "Hello There" To A Bleak Future For Franchise Entertainment
This article contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
As Obi-Wan Kenobi's finale neared its conclusion, Joel Edgerton's Owen Lars invited Ewan McGreggor's titular character to come meet the child who it was his mission, in exile, to watch from afar. Obi-Wan approaches Luke and the young Skywalker's face is eager, and expectant, like for some reason, he can tell that he is about to witness a big moment. Obi-Wan walks over, pauses, and with a wry smile practically aimed at the camera says, "Hello there." The camera holds on Obi-Wan for a beat, as if for an applause break. Luke, the person Obi-Wan is ostensibly sharing this scene with, does not get a chance to respond.
In scripting this scene, writers Joby Harold, Andrew Stanton, and Hossein Amini are working firmly in meta territory, taking a moment from Revenge of the Sith which became a meme among Star Wars fans, and folding it — freighted with 17 years of assigned meaning — back into the context of the canonical work itself. The moment isn't especially important in Revenge of the Sith, except, perhaps, as characterization. Obi-Wan is skilled and assured enough that he can jump into battle with the four-armed, four-lightsaber-wielding General Grievous, and greet the legendary android with cool confidence. Fans latch onto small things all the time. This was one of those things.
There's no reason, though, for Obi-Wan Kenobi to be similarly attached to a turn of phrase he used once 10 years before. This moment is entirely for the benefit of Star Wars fans. Whereas the original moment served as a small bit of characterization for Obi-Wan, this only serves as characterization of the show and the diehard Star Wars fans running it.
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