SPECULATION Kenobi's Mistake?

I think it all depends on the intent at that moment-

- Did Obi-wan avoid killing Anakin because killing an unarmed person in anger would push him to the dark side?
- Was it really an act of kindness to leave Anakin to die a slow agonizing death? Wouldn't it have been a more compassionate move to put him out of his misery?

Maybe Obi-wan had too much rage and despair in his heart seeing his own former padawan fall and destroy the jedi order....too much rage to feel compassion at that moment and put Anakin out of his misery. So maybe he just decided to leave it to the Force whether Anakin lived or died instead of taking the responsibility on himself.

 

I believe that Obi-Wan did have a lot of rage at that moment. In fact, he was practically raging at the fallen Anakin about the latter's actions. So, I believe he left Anakin to a slow and agonizing death on purpose.

 

Very interesting point of view. Never thought this way. In this universe, "I'll finish what you have started" could have come from Luke.

 

Ben left Anakin for dead. He could not bring himself to simply Force push Anakin into the lava. I do not think he wanted him to suffer but he also could not finish him off. He thought for sure he died there in pain.

Anakin was a forbidden attachment for Ben and he failed.

 

Doesn't that mean Obi-Wan wanted Anakin to endure a long suffering death, if he thought the younger man would die in pain?

 

No, there is a big difference between wishing harm upon someone, and not being able to bring yourself to finish him. Anakin was like a brother to Obi-Wan, could you bring yourself to kill your own brother/ sister if they were unarmed?

He is clearly not raging at Anakin. He is expressing his heartfelt disappointment in both Anakin and himself.

 

Yeah he was disappointed that he didn't stop him sooner.

 

Really? It seems like he took a moment to put some sense into him by Padme's ship. Anakin this is a democracy... your Empire...

 

Well they were family so

 

This reminds me of a conversation that I once had with a Buddhist monk. I'd been gardening that day and accidentally ran over a frog with the lawnmower. The poor thing was not in a good way and I wondered whether I should kill it, put it out of its misery. In the end I left the frog but I was bothered enough to ask the question at that evening's class as to whether I had done the right thing. The monk replied that I did the right thing by not killing the frog, that I had no way of knowing if it would have died from its injuries.

Ours is not to decide who lives or dies. You don't kill someone in cold blood; it's as simple as that.

 

No. You just leave someone behind to a slow and agonizing death in a fit of anger. Obi-Wan made the decision to kill in cold-blood (or in his case, anger) by inflicting those wounds on Anakin and leaving him to slowly burn to death on that lava bank.

Anakin's physical state came from Obi-Wan's actions and not due to some illness or old age. It's like that scene from "Wolverine" in which that hunter had wounded that bear and left it behind to die in slow agony.

I get so tired of people making excuses for Obi-Wan's actions.

 

I have my beliefs; you have yours.

 

Very good explanation for the in-universe reasons. Otherwise, it was necessary for the plot that Anakin was burned and left without limbs so that they can put him in the Vader suit.

 

Oh! At least one thing from the PT that match with the OT.

 

More than one, even if you don't want to admit it.

I understand that Anakin was burned and left without limbs in order to end inside the Vader suit. But I still believe that Obi-Wan's reason for leaving him alive on that lava bank was something that could not be excused. Obi-Wan was not a saint. He had conveyed a few times, over the course of the saga, that he was capable of questionable acts or allowing his emotions to get the best of him. I believe this last scene between him and Anakin was one of those moments.

 

it was just a silly sarcastic joke of mine

 

By cutting off Anakin's limbs Obi Wan's disarming him, saving himself.
"The Sith only think of themselves not others," thus Obi Wan's beginning to go down that path. To finish Anakin off, a defensive man, would further lead to the Dark Side.

But now IF and What IF Obi Wan just used his boot tip to flip Anakin into the lava. Like a fish flipping around on dry land he's one again with the sea. But THEN it would be the lava that killed Anakin. Technically. But this would be the best of both world's: Evil is dead, Good guy is off the hook.

Final Note: I may have missed it in this thread but couldn't Obi Wan have killed Anakin then to get out in time use his "Jedi Speed?"

 

But . . . leaving him on the lava bank to slowly burn to death in agony? I believe that Obi-Wan has no excuse for what he had done. I realize that many claim that he couldn't get himself to kill Anakin. By chopping off Anakin's limbs (which he had no choice) and leaving the latter to slowly burn on the lava bank, he was doing exactly that.

 

There's nothing wrong with defending yourself against someone who is clearly intending to kill you. And he did warn Anakin.

 

As many of the other posts point out, it might have been an emotional response or being in a shock-like condition. Obi Wan eliminated the treat but now has to face the immediate consequences of his act. Put yourself in his boots: he just had an excruciating battle with a close friend, having al this adrenaline and rage flowing though him. Obi wan did express his anger and dissapointment with both himself as Anakin, so he cleared his head a little bit but not enough to think clearly. Plus he has a pregnant Padme to worry about as well. So I believe it is not a conscience decision to let Anakin die a slow and agonising dead, but Obi Wan left him there in the heat of the moment( no pun intended) and might be riddled with guilt later as he has had the chance to think about his actions. I just cannot believe that Obi Wan wanted Anakin to burn to dead, like he wanted revenge.

Another thing which also might be a thing to consider, but I'm not really sure about: was Anakin really down and out for the count of could he do something to Obi Wan if Obi Wan had ventured any closer. Like use the Force to push Obi Wan into the lava or something. I don't know if Anakin was able to do something like that in the state he was in, but it might be something that Obi Wan could have considered and deemed it wise not to approach too close.

Anyway those were my two cents. But honestly I think it is more likely that it is just plot convenience. But it is fun to speculate about what characters would do or would think and why they acted the way they did.