ThisObi-Wan Kenobiline fromStar Wars: The Clone Warsreveals why Anakin Skywalker was so susceptible to the dark side of the Force and ultimately turned but Obi-Wan never did (and never would have). Obi-Wan Kenobi is one ofStar Wars’best characters, in part because he remained so true to what a Jedi should be. Even when he was faced with the fall of the Republic, Order 66, and the loss of his best friend/brother to the dark side, Obi-Wan’s empathy and commitment to the light side of the Force never truly wavered.
This is both surprising and impressive, as Obi-Wan had some of the most tragic losses in all ofStar Wars’movies and TV shows. Within little more than a decade, Obi-Wan Kenobi watched his beloved Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, be cut down in front of him, and he later lost the woman he (secretly) loved, Satine Kryze, to the very same killer—Darth Maul. Yet,one line inThe Clone Warsproved precisely how Obi-Wan was able to experience all of this pain and never give in to the dark side in the way that Anakin did.
Obi-Wan Knew The Difference Between Death & Destruction
Even The Threat Of Death Couldn’t Change Obi-Wan
InThe Clone Wars, season 5, episode 16, “The Lawless,“Obi-Wan Kenobi said,“You can kill me, but you will never destroy me.“This sentiment was incredibly profound, as it differentiated between one’s death and one’s destruction—something that Anakin and countless otherStar Warscharacters never fully grasped. Obi-Wan understood that he could die, and although that would be a tragic fate, it was nowhere near as terrible an end as him being twisted into something he wasn’t.
This understanding made Obi-Wan incredibly powerful and prevented him from falling to the dark side, as he didn’t fear dying. Because of that, death wasn’t enough of a threat for Obi-Wan to ever compromise his morals or tap into anger, hate, or evil. He was aware that there were fates far worse than death if he decided to allow himself to be destroyed by these negative emotions or twisted by his desperation to stay alive above all else.
Death wasn’t enough of a threat for Obi-Wan to ever compromise his morals or tap into anger, hate, or evil.
Anakin’s Fear Of Death Made It Harder For Him To See The Difference
To Anakin, Death Was The Worst Possible Outcome
Anakin was the exact opposite of Obi-Wan in this regard. Although Anakin didn’t always take his own mortality very seriously, given he was constantly rushing into danger and putting his life on the line without much forethought,Anakin’s fear of death, especially his fear of those he loved dying, is precisely what drove him to the dark. Unlike Obi-Wan, Anakin saw death as the worst-case scenario, and that led him to betray what should have been his core values at many different turns.
Because of his paranoia about his loved ones dying, Anakin lost sight of the distinction between someone being dead and someone being destroyed. This became most clear inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithwhen Anakin was willing to give himself over to the dark side if it meant keeping Padmé alive. Had Anakin shared Obi-Wan’s viewpoint fromThe Clone Wars, he would have recognized that there were worse things than death and,by risking everything to save Padmé’s life, he would only be destroying himself(and, ironically, contributing tohow Padmé died).
All 15 Defining Moments In Anakin Skywalker’s Fall To The Dark Side
Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side of the Force is a pivotal event in Star Wars, and 15 key moments defined how that turn happened over time.
A Person’s Destruction Was So Much Worse Than Death
Anakin’s Fate Sadly Proved Death Isn’t The Worst That Can Happen To Someone
Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader proves that Obi-Wan Kenobi’s perspective inThe Clone Warswas entirely correct. In the end, what happened to Anakin was so much worse than death, not only for him but also for everyone around him as well. Rather than being willing to accept death in the way that Obi-Wan was, Anakin tried to maintain control, and it led him to turn on everyone he cared about, slaughter children, and contribute to their near eradication of the Jedi.
This suffering extended to Anakin as well, who not only lost everything but also was restricted to the Darth Vader suit for the rest of his life, which caused him daily pain. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan’s perspective on death versus destruction was exactly the lesson Anakin needed to learn—he just never did. Ultimately, the ability to recognize that death was far from the worst possible outcome, whichObi-Wan Kenobiexhibited inStar Wars: The Clone Wars,was precisely why he was able to stay on the light side of the Force, whereas Anakin fell to the dark.
