While the appearance of Darth Vader is among the Obi-Wan series' most anticipated elements, how much of the famed Sith lord is too much?
While many fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Disney+ original series must handle the character very carefully. The original Sith Lord, having been carefully used and applied appropriately in past Star Wars projects under the Disney banner, may be set up for his most important role since George Lucas's original trilogy. However, with the 2022 series primarily focusing on Obi-Wan's story between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Vader's own personal arc cannot overshadow Obi-Wan Kenobi's titular character.
At the time Obi-Wan Kenobi is set in the Star Wars galaxy, Vader is still assisting his master, Emperor Palpatine, in strengthening the rule of the Galactic Empire by hunting down any remaining Jedi not exterminated by Order 66. One of these Jedi, his former master Obi-Wan, is of course watching over a young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine. Because fans know that the two iconic characters will meet again aboard the Death Star in A New Hope, how their stories intertwine in Obi-Wan Kenobi potentially creates many interesting storytelling problems for Lucasfilm to solve.
While Darth Vader's presence benefits the series massively, overusing such a vital character runs the risk of overshadowing Obi-Wan's own journey. If Vader takes over the series as a kind of de-facto lead, the show runs the risk of facing the same criticism that The Book of Boba Fett received for its plentiful use of characters from The Mandalorian; in particular Luke Skywalker and Din Djarin. The emotional heart of Obi-Wan Kenobi must remain focused on the hidden Jedi Master dealing with his past demons—as a result of Vader's rise and the fall of the Jedi Order—in addition to keeping young Luke a secret from the Empire. This makes ensuring that Vader's presence does not overshadow Kenobi's story vitally important.
Limiting Vader's presence and preventing his story from overshadowing Obi-Wan's in his titular series can also allow the franchise to explore unusual and new creative avenues in the Star Wars universe as well. Outside of appearing in Star Wars: Rebels and the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, very little on-screen time has been provided for Vader and Palpatine's Jedi-hunting army of Inquisitors. Perhaps an effective way of utilizing Vader's appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi is to provide further development of the Inquistitors and Vader's relationship to them, bridging the gap for more casual fans unfamiliar with Star Wars' many animated series, comic books and video games.
Another way to ensure that Vader's appearance does not overshadow Obi-Wan's in the series is to have Vader portrayed in a more psychological manner. With Obi-Wan likely still suffering many lingering traumas from the fall of Anakin Skywalker and his transformation into Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith, Vader could quite easily appear in dreams, visions, or nightmares. In many ways, this could poetically mirror Luke's own thoughts about Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, and, in a manner similar to how Vader was portrayed in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, offer a fresh and intriguing take on the character that works alongside Obi-Wan's story rather than running parallel or in front of it.
As the Obi-Wan Kenobi series prepares to drop May 25 on Disney+, Darth Vader's live-action return to Star Wars after an extended absence of 6 years remains one of the series' most intriguing elements. However, to ensure that Vader's appearance in the series does not overshadow Kenobi's, great care should be taken to how he is portrayed and shown in it. Be it by visions, nightmares, or lurking in the shadows, there are plenty of ways for the original Sith Lord to have his moments in the spotlight. In essence, Vader's appearance in the series could prove that sometimes, the best villains appear in small and strategic doses.
