Obi-Wan Kenobi: Jedi Master’s Trials

In our newest episode, Hyperspace Theories continues our analysis of Obi-Wan Kenobi with a discussion of Parts III, IV, and V of the Disney+ limited series. Tricia Barr and B.J. Priester examine how, after Parts I and II launched Obi-Wan on his mythic adventure, the next three episodes propel him through an extended progression of trials and tribulations that return the broken man into the Jedi General he used to be and push him toward the serene Jedi Master he ultimately becomes. Elements of both Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Christopher Vogler’s cinematic hero’s journey illustrate the mythic structure of Obi-Wan’s personal challenges.

Importantly, Obi-Wan Kenobi advances its protagonist’s character arc through the influence of three significant female characters: Leia, Tala, and Reva. Each plays a different role in shaping Obi-Wan’s rediscovery of himself and reconnection with the Force through the events on Daiyu, Mapuzo, Nur, and Jabiim. In a twist on Campbell, it is Roken and Vader, not a woman, who present the biggest temptations that might divert Obi-Wan from his path. By the conclusion of Part V, Obi-Wan has moved through his trials and overcome their obstacles. In our next episode, we’ll discuss how Obi-Wan Kenobi resolves its character arc for the Jedi Master in Part VI, as well as how that arc plays forward into the ultimate culmination of his Hero’s Journey in A New Hope and the Original Trilogy.

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Fangirl

Fangirl

Tricia Barr took her understanding of brand management and marketing, mixed it with a love of genre storytelling, and added a dash of social media flare to create FANgirl Blog, where she discusses Star Wars, fandom, and the intersection of women within Star Wars fandom. She is co-author of Ultimate Star Wars and Star Wars Visual Encyclopedia from DK Publishing, a featured writer for Star Wars Insider magazine with numerous articles on the Hero's Journey. Her FANgirl opinions can be heard on the podcasts Hyperspace Theories and Fangirls Going Rogue. Tricia Barr's novel, Wynde, won the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Ebook. She was also part of Silence in the Library's successful all-female creator science fiction and fantasy anthology Athena's Daughters, which is available now. For excerpts and tales of her adventures in creating a fictional universe, hop over to TriciaBarr.com.

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