Warning: This article contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5.

Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5 included flashbacks of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, clearly set during the prequel era. Star Wars has always been at the center of Disney+, and the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series was easily the most anticipated Lucasfilm show to date. It features the return of both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, with Christensen suiting up as Darth Vader himself.

Ironically, this fact led to dissatisfaction among some viewers. It meant that, until Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5, Christensen's face has been hidden. The actor's return has been a major selling point for the show, but realistically anybody could have been wearing the iconic armor of Darth Vader. Fortunately, these issues were finally rectified in episode 5, which features a number of flashbacks as a framing device for the narrative - establishing how well Obi-Wan understands his former Padawan, and allowing him to use that knowledge against the Dark Lord of the Sith. The flashbacks were delightful, giving viewers just what they were beginning to miss - and integrating them perfectly into the overarching story.

Related: Who Were The Jedi In The Tombs In Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 4

The Obi-Wan Kenobi Anakin Skywalker scenes are clearly set sometime before the events of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Anakin is still Obi-Wan's Padawan in the Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5 flashbacks, with a distinctive Padawan braid - and he's yet to lose his hand in a battle with Count Dooku. That means these are memories of a far more pleasant time for Obi-Wan, a time when the galaxy was at peace, before the Clone Wars and the Empire. Even here there are hints of the man Anakin would become, with an impatience and a desperate need to prove himself. Dialogue also hints Anakin believed he was ready for the Jedi Trials, ready to become a Knight, and this duel was an attempt on his part to demonstrate as much. That probably means this is probably shortly before Anakin was reunited with Padmé, because his frustration at being held back was boiling over by that point - encouraging him to pursue wholeness through a relationship with her rather than through his identity as a Jedi Knight.

Hayden Christensen Anakin Skywalker Flashback Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5 flashbacks aren't simply fan-service, however; they allow viewers to understand Anakin as Obi-Wan does, to recognize key weaknesses that Obi-Wan uses against him. There's a deep sense of irony to this, because they demonstrate the extent to which Anakin had become trapped, stilted, unable to change and grow. When he became a Sith, he unwittingly rejected the need to do so, and consequently made himself predictable.

The flashbacks subtly rewrite Darth Vader's lines in the original Star Wars film. "Now, I am the master," Darth Vader insisted in his final duel with Obi-Wan. He believed he had identified the weakness his old master had seen in him, and dealt with it; but, ironically, his focus upon Obi-Wan meant he did not notice the presence of Luke Skywalker. Though Darth Vader did not know it, his need to prove himself against Obi-Wan remained his weakness all those years later. Obi-Wan Kenobi underscores the fact that Anakin's fall to the dark side was a rejection of growth, rather than an embracing of it.

More: Obi-Wan's Clone Trooper Scene Has A Far Deeper Meaning Than You Realized

Obi-Wan Kenobi releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

Want more Obi-Wan Kenobi articles? Check out our essential content below...

Key Release Dates