A detail from the Star Wars prequel trilogy assists in highlighting the extent of the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker's fall and what it means to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin, as shown in Star Wars: Episode I -The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is among the most important in the saga. Through these three movies and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the strength of their friendship is tested many times, with the two heroes' sibling-like bond remaining intact despite Anakin's forbidden and secret love for Padmé Amidala. However, due to his desire to save Padmé and the manipulations of Darth Sidious/Sheev Palpatine, Anakin is led down the dark path to becoming Darth Vader and participates in a near-fatal duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar.

In the original Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi obscures this truth from Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker. He not only claims that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered Anakin, rather than revealing that Anakin became Darth Vader, but Obi-Wan also claims that it was his idea to train Anakin as a Jedi. This omits the fact that he had promised his dying master, Qui-Gon Jinn, that he would train the boy. Examining this using the classic Star Wars concept of "from a certain point of view," suggests that both claims are correct and may best be understood as products of Obi-Wan's guilt. The way he views those details isn't fair, but they allow him to attribute more blame to himself and largely absolve Anakin from responsibility.

Related: Star Wars: Why Obi-Wan Really Calls Vader "Darth" In A New Hope

A remarkable detail spotted in the prequel trilogy (via Tumblr) may explain Obi-Wan Kenobi's reasons for doing this. The first time Obi-Wan smiles in the prequels is when he meets Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, while the last time he smiles in Revenge of the Sith is before flying away to face General Grievous on Utapau, which is also the last time he sees Anakin before he becomes Darth Vader. The implication is that Anakin is Obi-Wan's greatest source of happiness, and with Anakin's turn to the dark side, that happiness is taken from him.

The Significance of Obi-Wan Kenobi's Smiles In The Star Wars Prequels

Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Given that the planet Mustafar is where Obi-Wan learns he can't save Anakin, this detail potentially adds even greater significance to their duel during Obi-Wan Kenobi. In this way, it can be understood to signal the extinguishing of the good man that Anakin Skywalker is in Obi-Wan's mind, as well as changing who and what Obi-Wan Kenobi will turn out to be. It is this absence of joy, combined with the weight of regret and guilt, that offers an unmistakable reason for Kenobi's disconnection from his old self at the start of the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

Unfortunately, there are issues with the details outlined in the Tumblr post. The scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi is introduced to Anakin by Master Qui-Gon Jinn isn't the first time he smiles in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, as he smiles earlier when sarcastically commenting to Qui-Gon, "You were right about one thing Master. The negotiations were short." Similarly, there is a smile on Obi-Wan's face after the last time he sees Anakin when offering his classic "Hello there" greeting to General Grievous on Utapau.

Nevertheless, it can be argued that neither of these smiles offers the same warmth as in those scenes when he meets and departs from Anakin. In short, there is ample evidence of the joy Anakin Skywalker brings to Obi-Wan Kenobi's life. For this reason, his smiles at Luke and Leia in the concluding scenes of Obi-Wan Kenobi can be understood as passing on to them the warmth and love he had for their father. Despite this, to claim that he only smiles in the Star Wars prequels while Anakin Skywalker is still alive is only true "from a certain point of view."

More: Why Obi-Wan Kept Anakin's Lightsaber After Revenge of the Sith

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