Warning: The article contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi.
With Obi-Wan Kenobi just one episode from concluding the Master Jedi's tale, director Deborah Chow has addressed the possibility of a season 2. If so, it may further expand on Obi-Wan's relationship with Darth Vader, his escapades in Tatooine, and perhaps follow other Star Wars characters - old and new.
While one of the most exciting aspects of the series is the returning cast, which includes the long-absent Hayden Christiansen, the Disney+ series has also introduced many new and intriguing characters to the Star Wars franchise. The newest additions include an Imperial officer Tala and a Jedi impersonator Haja.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea makes a surprise appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi's first two episodes as the smuggler Vect Nokru - hired by the Third Sister to kidnap the young Leia Organa on Alderaan and use her as bait to lure Obi-Wan out of hiding. While he and his crew do initially succeed in their goal, Obi-Wan manages to save the girl and escape, leading to Nokru's execution at the hands of the Grand Inquisitor.
Despite somehow managing to kidnap the Princess of Alderaan with little to no interference, Nokru and his gang consistently proved that they were incompetent and unruly. Their young quarry managed to evade them on several occasions and Obi-Wan later rescued her quite easily. In the end, they add very little to the story other than drawing Obi-Wan out of hiding.
Freck is an alien that Obi-Wan and Leia come across on the planet Mapuzo as they attempt to evade the Empire. Voiced by Zach Braff, the transport driver seems friendly but is a loyalist to the Empire through and through.
While Freck serves the show's plot in ratting Obi-Wan and Leia out to the Imperials, it is difficult to forgive him for his bald-faced lies that nearly killed a child. Although one could make an argument for his staunch loyalty to his government, Freck will likely not find very many supporters among the Star Wars fandom.
The Fourth Sister is a member of the Inquisitors tasked with hunting down the Jedi. She, along with the Third Sister and Fifth Brother, is assigned to track down and kill the missing Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. This Inquisitor is portrayed by Rya Kihlstedt for her first live-action appearance in the Star Wars universe.
Though she gets very little screen time compared to the other members of the Inquisitors, the Fourth Sister seems less inclined to political bickering, preferring instead to get the job done as asked. While her cohorts continue to align themselves in such a way as to gain power, the Fourth Sister seems perfectly content with her current job of merely killing Jedi.
Portrayed by Benny Safdie, Nari is the Jedi exile whom Obi-Wan encounters in the desert of Tattooine. Desperate to find Kenobi and escape the Inquisitors, Nari very nearly gives away his fellow Jedi's cover. Unfortunately for him, the Inquisitors did eventually track down the fugitive Jedi and hang him in the town square for all to see as a message against anyone who would dare stand against the Empire's might.
Though he only appears in one episode, Nari doesn't exactly establish himself as a particularly skilled fugitive, making fans wonder how exactly he managed to survive a decade without falling into the Empire's clutches. It would seem that the desperation brought on as a result of being hunted by the Inquisitors drove Nari to act recklessly, thus securing his own fate.
L0-LA is Leia Organa's personal toy droid, which accompanied her on her adventures throughout the galaxy after being kidnapped by the Inquisitors. The droid seems to serve no particular function but appears to be the closest thing Leia has to a friend on Alderaan.
While L0-LA's design and mannerisms lend to her cuteness, she is nothing but trouble on Leia and Obi-Wan's adventures. It is on this droid that Reva eventually puts the tracking device that she will use to find and capture Obi-Wan, getting several other innocent people killed in the process.
Breha Organa is a character with a deep connection to the other Star Wars films. Though audiences always knew of Leia's adoptive mother and had even briefly seen her in Revenge of the Sith, Breha has never been a fully fleshed-out character in the franchise before. Now, with Simone Kessell playing her, the character has truly come into her own.
Despite only scattered appearances throughout the first few episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Breha proves herself to be strong-willed, quick-witted, and courageous--not unlike her daughter. The increased characterization of Breha Organa goes to deepen the tragedy of her death when Alderaan is destroyed by the Death Star only nine years after this series takes place.
Just a few months after appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kumail Nanjiani now joins the Star Wars franchise as the Jedi impersonator Haja Estree. Obi-Wan encounters Haja on Daiyu, where he foiled the con man's ruse, only to later team up with him to get off of the planet after being discovered by the Inquisitors.
Despite getting off to a rocky start with Kenobi in their first encounter, Haja turned out to be a surprisingly amicable character, even going so far as to put his own life on the line to help Obi-Wan escape. In the end, Haja turns out to be more complex than even Obi-Wan had given him credit for, surprising everyone along the way.
O'Shea Jackson Jr. joined the cast of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the series' last half, portraying the smuggler Kawlan Roken. Roken works with Tala Durith in the smuggling operation known as The Path, vowing never to let other innocents die as a result of the Empire's oppression, as his Force-sensitive wife did.
Roken is one of the more intelligent members of Obi-Wan Kenobi's cast, who is always willing to charge into battle, but not without securing a way of retreat first. Pragmatic and strategic, Roken consistently displays how he has been able to evade Imperial capture for so long.
Played by Moses Ingram, Reva, otherwise known as the Third Sister, is an Inquisitor working to hunt down Obi-Wan Kenobi. A former youngling at the Jedi Temple who witnessed Anakin Skywalker's slaughter during Order 66, Reva intends to betray and kill Darth Vader for his crimes, using others' lives in order to get to him.
The Third Sister is somewhat reminiscent of Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy, with extreme power but very little control thereof. Throughout the series, Reva attempts to gain the upper hand, always seeming to come up just slightly short. In the end, she was unable to succeed in her mission to kill Vader, being run through by her own blade.
Indira Varma portrays Imperial officer Tala Durith in this Disney+ series, who, after enlisting with the Empire, becomes disillusioned with their ideology. She secretly works within the Imperial ranks to help refugees - including the exiled Jedi - escape from the Empire's clutches and even helps Obi-Wan break into Fortress Inquisitorious.
Tala exemplifies everything that Obi-Wan had once stood for as a Jedi General of the Republic. Despite the mistakes of her past, Tala works hard to protect innocent lives, even at the cost of her own. In the end, the galaxy could use more people like Tala, who are willing to do what is right, no matter the cost.
Obi-Wan Kenobi may feature some exciting returning characters in the series, but it also introduces several new personalities to the franchise.Jordan Iacobucci