Obi-Wan Kenobi: How the Disney Plus series fits into the Star Wars timeline
Where does the new series fit in Star Wars' long and complex history?
Obi-Wan Kenobi is the latest inter-galactic addition to Disney Plus, and just like The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett before it, the new series will be filling in a piece of missing Star Wars history.
The six-part series once again stars Ewan McGregor as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, while Hayden Christensen similarly reprises the role of Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi cast is rounded out by Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie.
But just when does the new series take place in the Star Wars timeline? Read on for everything you need to know about how much of a long time ago this story took place in the galaxy far far away.
Where Does Obi-Wan Kenobi fit in the timeline?
It's been confirmed that the series is set 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, placing this story firmly between the prequel films and the original trilogy, with A New Hope picking up nine years after this point.
That means that the series starts with Obi-Wan on Tatooine watching over Luke, while Vader has now well and truly embraced the dark side and, according to the series' trailer, is searching for his former master to apparently seek his revenge.
In terms of other Star Wars media, the series is set just after Solo: A Star Wars Story, slap bang in the middle of the Star Wars: Rebels animated series and a matter of years before the majority of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story took place.
Which characters from the prequel film series are back?
While we might not yet know all the characters coming back (Star Wars is a notoriously secretive franchise after all), we do know some returning faces already.
Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are both back in their prequel series roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, characters which were originated by Alec Guinness and David Prowse/James Earl Jones/Sebastian Shaw respectively in the original trilogy.
Meanwhile, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse both reprise their roles as Owen and Beru Lars, the step-uncle and aunt and surrogate parents of Luke Skywalker. Luke also makes an appearance in the series, with an unknown young actor having been cast in the role.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Are there any connections with the other Star Wars TV series?
As this series takes place a long time before The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett, which are both set between the original and sequel trilogies, it is unlikely that we will see many crossovers with those live-action Star Wars series.
However, we do already know that the series will have crossovers with the animated series, more specifically with Star Wars: Rebels.
The Grand Inquisitor, a character voiced by Jason Isaacs in Rebels, has been confirmed to appear, played here by Rupert Friend. On Rebels, The Grand Inquisitor was a central antagonist, who had originally been a Pau'an Temple Guard for the Jedi before turning on them.
Meanwhile, The Fifth Brother, another Rebels character is also confirmed to appear. He was originally voiced by Philip-Anthony Rodriguez but is played here by Sung Kang. In his original appearances, he was seen hunting down Ahsoka Tano and other Jedi, so it's likely he will play a similar role here in looking for Obi-Wan.
- Take a look at our live Obi-Wan Kenobi review
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series premiere will air on Disney Plus on Friday 27th May 2022 at 8am GMT. You can sign up to Disney Plus now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sci-Fi hub.
The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
