Why Reva Was Left Alive By Vader & The Grand Inquisitor
Warning: Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5.
Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor choosing to leave Reva alive at the end of Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5 left some viewers confused and looking for answers. While Reva had been a divisive character until this point in the series, the revelations of Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5 helped to create a deeper understanding of her seemingly malevolent motivations. In truth, the backstory of her being a former Jedi youngling who had survived Order 66 had an unmistakable emotional power, especially in how this trauma was laid bare to the audience.
More than this, it made her motivations throughout Obi-Wan Kenobi far more explicit, while providing a clear juxtaposition to what the audience already knew about the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the rise of Darth Vader. Her bitterness and anger toward Vader and Obi-Wan for the death of her friends were palpable and made her desire to hunt the Dark Lord of the Sith less of a death wish and more of an inevitability. As a result, Reva's actions, from kidnapping Princess Leia Organa to seemingly killing the Grand Inquisitor could be viewed as an echo of Darth Vader himself since they were so deeply rooted in trauma, guilt, and a sense of betrayal.
Related: Why Reva's Force Power Didn't Work On Leia
In a way, this made her failure, and the words of both Vader and the Grand Inquisitor even more crushing. By referring to her as “youngling,” Vader confirmed that he knew who Reva was, and of her plan to assassinate him from the beginning. He knew that her need for revenge had blinded her, which meant he was able to manipulate and use her for his own ends. The Grand Inquisitor’s return to Vader’s side, while Reva was wounded on the ground, compounded
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