Why Obi-Wan Didn't Change His Last Name From Kenobi

screenrant.com:

This article contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episodes 1 and 2.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is bringing some old Star Wars mysteries back into the spotlight, such as why Obi-Wan didn't change his last name from Kenobi when hiding on Tatooine. As much as Obi-Wan Kenobi as a character has been deeply explored throughout the original trilogy and the prequels, there was still a lot of room for the Star Wars character to be developed. The period between Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope was the most obvious choice, as it is one of the most important periods in Obi-Wan's life that had yet to be seen in live-action.

Creating a show whose main character's fate is already known by the audiences is a difficult task, but Obi-Wan Kenobi is already proving that it can succeed in this way. While there can be no mortal stakes for Obi-Wan, as he dies in A New Hope and not sooner, the show can still change how audiences perceive Obi-Wan by offering new insights into his personality, emotions, and choices he made after Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi now reveals that Obi-Wan did leave Tatooine at least once, and it was for a good reason: finding and rescuing a young Leia Organa.

Related: How Old Obi-Wan Kenobi Is In His Star Wars Show

One of the many mysteries created by the Star Wars prequels regarding the original trilogy is why Obi-Wan changed his name to Ben but continued using the last name Kenobi. In terms of a behind-the-scenes answer, it is important to remember that the story of how Obi-Wan went into hiding after Order 66 to watch one of the Skywalker twins was only crafted years after A New Hope, Star Wars' first ever film, was released. A New Hope made it