Disney's upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series would greatly benefit from recreating one of The Clone Wars' most tragic deleted scenes. Featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker discussing Ahsoka Tano's decision to leave the Jedi Order, this deleted scene ends with some dark foreshadowing that teases not only Anakin's fall to the dark side but also the state of Obi-Wan as a hermit on Tatooine. As such, this deleted scene could be the perfect way to open the new series starring Ewan McGregor in the titular role, set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith and the end of The Clone Wars.
The deleted scene in question was released as part of the Clone Wars Legacy Project following the animated series' cancellation on Cartoon Network after five seasons but before its 6th season renewal on Netflix (and final season on Disney+). Featured alongside other deleted scenes, such as young Boba Fett's duel with Cad Bane, this deleted collection of scenes is derived from episode arcs that were never completed but did have all the voice work and pre-visualization done. As such, this particular conversation between Anakin and Obi-Wan would have taken place during an unseen mission on the planet Utapau after Ahsoka's recent departure from the Jedi Order in season 5—a decision Anakin greatly struggled with.
While Obi-Wan attempts to console his former padawan in the deleted scene, Anakin's feelings of frustration are running high, believing he and Ahsoka had failed each other. When Obi-Wan tells Anakin that he can't take responsibility for Ahsoka's important decision, Anakin counters with a question, asking Kenobi how well he'd sleep if he'd failed him. While Kenobi's response of "Not very well I'd imagine. Luckily that isn't true...and never will be" is designed to console Anakin, unfortunately, it wouldn't be long canonically before Anakin's fall to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith, resulting in Obi-Wan becoming a hermit on Tatooine to protect Luke in the face of the risen Empire. To see this deleted scene recreated in live-action would be tragically perfect, opening the series with a flashback before Obi-Wan wakes up in his homestead on Tatooine, struggling to reconcile the failures of his padawan with his own.
While their conversation is only a few minutes long, it's incredibly significant considering both the events that have just occurred in The Clone Wars and what's ahead for both Anakin and Obi-Wan at this point in the Star Wars timeline. Despite its status as a deleted scene, this Clone Wars moment has been highly praised by critics and has even received a handful of fan edits in an effort to complete the scene's animations. As such, the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series would have an incredibly dynamic premiere episode if it opened with McGregor's Kenobi and Hayden Christensen's Skywalker recreating this scene in live-action.
With Christensen already set to reprise his role as Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, the possibility does exist for this deleted scene from Clone Wars to be featured in the upcoming series. The inclusion of this live-action scene could tellingly reveal Obi-Wan's frame of mind while living on Tatooine during the darkest days of the galaxy, with Obi-Wan unable to feel anything but responsible as Anakin's master. Either way, all will be revealed soon enough, with only a few months before the series premiere of the highly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres May 25th on Disney+.
