“May the Twenty-Fifth be with you!” It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it’s official: May 25 is the release date for the star-studded Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Set in the years before the original trilogy, this Disney+ original stars Ewan McGregor reprising the title role, alongside his former co-star Hayden Christensen.
Disney recently released a first look poster on Twitter, revealing the release date and leading fans to scour it for clues. So just what can we expect from this prequel-sequel? The answer is even further buried in the past.
The poster depicts Obi-Wan, bearded and saber in hand, walking in Tatooine’s Dune Sea. This isn’t a new sight for Star Wars fans, the Dune Sea factored into The Book of Boba Fett heavily. But what’s different isn’t what Obi-Wan is walking on, but under. In the two-sunned sky above him, there are clouds like a brewing storm.
It sounds innocuous at first, but remember this is Tatooine, a planet where moisture is farmed. It doesn’t usually gather in the atmosphere of its own accord. Could these clouds be a reference to the fact the Dune Sea used to be a literal ocean, as evidenced by Boba’s vision quest?
Another explanation could be a lot less literal. Storm imagery was all over The Book of Boba Fett, where it was used to describe the ongoing threat the Pyke Syndicate posed to Boba Fett’s claim to the daimyo position. Could there be something similar going on here?
Since we know Hayden Christensen is making a return as Anakin Skywalker, maybe the storm represents the growing power of the Empire. Alternatively, it could symbolize the brewing grief and guilt in Obi-Wan after leaving his padawan for dead on Mustafar.
Regardless of just what those clouds mean, this poster is a great sign. With a few months left to wait, the chances of an official trailer at this weekend’s Super Bowl for Obi-Wan Kenobi seem extremely likely.
While the last time we saw Obi-Wan he was letting Luke walk into the sunset with his aunt and uncle, now it’s a new dawn on Tatooine. This picture of Obi-Wan at sunrise is just the start.
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres May 25 on Disney+.
