Obi-Wan Kenobi Marathon & Finale Screening
By: Dominic Jones
This past Wednesday saw the end of Kenobi…the Disney+ series that is. Obi-Wan Kenobi, the six-part event series reached its conclusion with a stunning showdown between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, delivering on the promise Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made back in December 2020 when she promised the “rematch of the century” between the former master and apprentice. And while fans around the world took in the 50-minute finale, fans in Toronto were treated to an extra special afternoon at the Scotiabank Theater.
While many cities hosted screenings of the finale, the Toronto event was unique in that all six-episodes were shown back-to-back in the afternoon. And if that weren’t enough, also in attendance were Toronto-natives Deborah Chow, who directed all six episodes, and Hayden Christensen, who reprised his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader from the prequel trilogy. The duo met with fans and took part in a live Q&A following the finale’s screening.
The afternoon kicked off with fans being given special badges and lanyards for the event, as well as an exclusive (free) t-shirt that depicted the climactic duel between Vader and Kenobi. Around 2pm, Hayden and Deborah walked the red carpet set up in the lobby of the theater, taking questions from national and local media and posing for pictures with members of the 501st and Rebel Legion’s Canadian Garrisons. Then they took the time to meet with more fans, taking selfies and signing autographs.
Shortly, thereafter, once fans were seated in the theater, the two celebrities took the stage for the first time, introducing the series and thanking fans for being in attendance (and promising to return to talk about the series once the marathon screening was complete). Then the house lights went down and the first episode began.
The marathon took most of the afternoon, with short breaks taking place following episodes two, four, and five to allow fans a chance to stretch their legs, visit the restroom, and pick up some (more) snacks. The crowd was electric, reacting with glee as they revisited the series (to borrow a phrase from the special editions trailer) “the way it was meant to be seen”. But the most energy was saved for the screening of episode six.
The crowd was split on who had watched the episode already at home before coming to the event and those who were saving their first viewing experience to be on the big screen. But no one pulled a Homer (as far as I heard) and those who knew how the finale kept it to themselves. As a result, the experience of watching the finale with a crowd full of fans was reminiscent of Star Wars opening nights past, as well as the energy felt at events like Star Wars Celebration. Huge ovations were heard when Obi-Wan raised himself out of the pit, when Vader’s mask cracked and Hayden’s face could be seen through the damage, and when Liam Neeson made his long-awaited appearance as Force ghost Qui-Gon Jinn. And, of course, the place went wild when Obi-Wan approached Luke and said those two words: “Hello there.” Even Hayden Christensen snuck into the theater to experience the finale with the overjoyed crowd.
Once the credits finally rolled on “Part VI”, Hayden and Deborah returned to the stage to answer questions about the series. Both spoke lovingly about their experience making the show, though Hayden admitted to there being some physical challenges (including holding his breath for over two minutes to film scenes in the bacta tank and not being able to see while sword-fighting in the Darth Vader mask). Deborah meanwhile spoke about the challenges of making a series that not only connects with the two trilogies it’s set between but also fits in with the other established canon outside the films.
To cap off the event, Hayden and Deborah recorded a message for their co-star Ewan McGregor, with the whole crowd saying “Hello there” in unison while Hayden filmed them on his phone.
The marathon screening, with its red carpet and live Q&A, felt like a fitting conclusion to not just the series itself, but the last month. Obi-Wan Kenobi began releasing during Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in May, with the world premiere of the first two episodes taking place at the convention with Hayden, Deborah, Ewan, and the rest of the cast in attendance. The finale event in Toronto felt like the perfect coda to Celebration, bringing the series stars home to celebrate all that they’ve accomplished with their hometown.
