Review: Obi-Wan Reflects on His Padawan Days in Marvels Obi-Wan #2

One of the galaxy’s greatest heroes continues to be in the spotlight. While the worldwide Disney Plus sensation may have concluded, the Obi-Wan comic series is in full force. This issue, much like the first, begins with old Ben preparing for a nasty sandstorm about to sweep through his homestead. During this we are privileged to have the wizened Jedi Master recant some tales of his life. The first issue delved into his time as a youngling. The second takes us back to an adventure he took part in with his master Qui-Gon Jinn.



There’s a certain reverence I feel when reading the opening pages and seeing the gray-haired Jedi simply writing down his life experiences. This is only enhanced after watching the events of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus. This is a Jedi who has lived and for a short while longer, continues to live a life of intertwining heartbreak and hope. Being able to journey back with him to a time with Qui-Gon teaching him lessons he clearly needed to learn was wonderful. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stories are some of my favorites. This issue was like a mini version of the Jedi Apprentice legends novels.



Throughout the issue, I kept harkening back to The Empire Strikes Back when Obi-Wan beckons Yoda to train Luke by reminding him that he was once reckless and a bit brash in his younger days. I’ve always felt we have never really seen that version of Obi-Wan in today's canon. The first issue gave us a look into that relationship directly with Yoda, and this one builds directly onto it with an Obi-Wan closer to the age Luke is in Episode V. The lessons Obi-Wan learns in this mission are so vital to his development he felt the need to document them down in his limited time during this storm. Christopher Cantwell has done a marvelous job thus far and I cannot wait to see where he continues to take this series.









Spoilers ahead...



As mentioned before there is a deep admiration for how these comics begin. Seeing Ben Kenobi, the protector taking time to reflect and pass down wisdom truly had me holding onto every word. In the opening pages he recounts his final meeting with Maul. Obi-Wan reflects on the inner workings of Maul’s mind and the ultimate sadness that comes with those who succumb to the dark side of the Force. The art here is spectacular as we get the scene straight out of Rebels. This duel is one of my favorites in all of Star Wars, and to see it come to life in this form was a pleasant surprise. Even more wonderful was seeing Obi-Wan’s own reflections on it.







This duel, and the truths learned and reinforced through it, bring Obi-Wan back to a time where some of these lessons learned were first hammered into him. We got back to a time where his Jedi Master Qui-Gon takes his young Padawan on a relief mission to the Codia system. While the two are traveling, Obi-Wan is quite bewildered by the mission itself. The miners on the colony below signaled for help saying the planet has been engulfed in a darkness that is unlike anything they have seen. How this is possible is beyond Obi-Wan as the stellar charts indicate this phenomenon should be impossible. Throughout the comic, Qui-Gon uses a gentle, yet firm voice as he attempts to train and focus the young Jedi. Obi-Wan is a bit erratic throughout the first half of this issue. Always trying to find immediate answers or jumping to conclusions before he has all of the pieces to the puzzle. Qui-Gon’s mentorship throughout helps him learn many valuable lessons.







When the two arrive on the planet they realize the darkness is no ordinary phenomenon. It is more than a simple lack of light. It’s the suffocation of light. As if light itself was being sucked out of the air. When igniting their lightsabers, they notice the blades are dimmer and as time elapses continue to shine less and less. Fear begins to envelope Obi-Wan, fear of the darkness, fear of the unknown. In his master, however, Obi-Wan senses no fear. In fact, he narrates how in all of the time the two spent together he never sensed one iota of fear within the man. Always relentless focus and determination interlaced with steady tranquility.







As the two begin to try and solve the puzzle they find other signs of life. Obi-Wan’s path leads him directly with what appears to be a wolf-like monster. A monster that has slain several of whom Qui-Gon discovers to be thieves who came to steal a shipment of diamonds from the miners. In what is perhaps my favorite moment of the comic, Obi-Wan quiets his mind and harnesses himself into the Force and remembers his training as he attempts to defend himself from the beast. In doing this, he discovers not everything is as it seems with this “monster”. It appears to be confused and in pain.











After reuniting with Qui-Gon, the two stumble upon one of the miners. After hearing the stories of the miner and one of the apprehended thieves the Jedi can piece together most of the puzzle. When attempting to steal the diamonds, the thieves used a weapon that caused massive radiation damage to the planet. If the power core is not fixed and back online the planet will be engulfed in a darkness that will last eons effectively destroying all life on the surface. The two also discover the identity of the “monster”. One of the miners named Rosak is of a species called the Defel. They are not only incredibly sensitive to light but can even manipulate it. Piecing this together they realize Rosak is particularly vulnerable to this rapid change of light on the planet and could have been driven mad by it.



As time runs out for the planet, Obi-Wan makes his way to the power core. The task is daunting. He must reassemble the pieces of the giant rod and lift it high into the air and fit in directly back where it goes. Having solved the puzzle of the planet and having a clear goal now, Obi-Wan is focused. After successfully reassembling he starts up the core and is forced to withstand a brightness and heat more intense than anything he has endured even on Tatooine. It completely blinds him.









With the mission a success Obi-Wan recovers in the medical bay and is assured his eyesight will heal in time. He is reunited with a now stable Rosak who is struggling with the burden of having killed so many people in his troubled state. It’s a burden he will shoulder the rest of his life. This contrast of shadow and light is what Ben Kenobi leaves us with.

<p style='text-align: center;']Rating: 8.0</p>


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