Comics Star Wars #7, #15 & #20: From the Journals of Old Ben Kenobi: The Last of His Breed

My understanding from years ago was that Luke and Leia were 18 in ANH, so there was 18 years between RotS and ANH. I've seen other things saying that there is 20 years between RotS and ANH. What's the official call?

As for SW #7, I was really looking forward to the issue as I really like OB1 from the prequels. Something that I've been a little irritated with from various content creators is a lack of paying attention to the source material. For example, in RotJ, after Yoda dies OB1 tells Luke that "Yoda will always be with you". The implication there is that since Yoda is now one with the Force, and the Force is with Luke, and that both OB1 and Yoda are able to retain their identities (i.e. Force Ghost). Then, in books and comics set after RotJ you never see Yoda again. My point is that in RotS, Yoda has already spoken with Qui-Gon and tells OB1 that while on Tatooine OB1 will learn from Qui-Gon. Yet, we have yet to see any contact between OB1 and Qui-Gon after RotS. I thought that they may be implying that with OB1 mentioning QG in his comments, but throughout the comic it is implied that once OB1 delivered Luke to the Lars and after Owen refused to let OB1 train Luke, that OB1 stopped using the force altogether...until this story. So, his comments to QG were just when people talk out loud to people that aren't there (dead, or just not in the vicinity). There is no indication in this story that in the years since RotS that OB1 has even attempted to contact QG (like in the Kenobi book). Its as if OB1, upon delivering Luke to the Lars, just decided that Yoda was just crazy and to ignore everything Yoda said. Why are they so afraid (I don't know if that's the right word) of showing OB1 learning from QG? I guess it's now canon that OB1 didn't do anything for years after delivering Luke. *sigh*

I'm also wondering how they are going to handle OB1, Yoda, and Anakin force ghosts post RotJ with the new canon. Thus far, I've seen no mention of them in anything from Shattered Empire, Aftermath, to any rumors from TFA.

 

That's a very good point. I didn't think about that. The whole "Didn't use the Force" thing for several years is kind of extreme. But we do see him use the Force while he's meditating. It does seem to be a Qui-Gon/prequel aversion. But that's not a fair assessment because the Star Wars ongoing and especially the Darth Vader comics have really embraced the prequel backstory. Could be they are holding information for a potential Obi-Wan spinoff film series.

Still, the whole "not used to the Force" in years is Kanan's background. Felt odd with Obi-Wan. I'd say that Obi-Wan just wasn't using the Force in the way we saw it at the end of Star Wars #7 for many years. Using it privately is another matter.

 

In the third installment of the next Trilogy (Episode XII), the forces of Good will fight an unwinnable battle, but then suddenly everything from the previous 11 episodes is paid off, and we have an army of Force Ghosts come to their aid, including Yoda, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Luke, all led by The Newest Hope, Aragin Stridewalker. (He uses a new kind of lightsaber that has a METAL blade instead of a PLASMA one. Take that, Kylo!)

 

Here's a question that I just thought of...Is the story told in issue #7 the first story/journal entry in OB1's journal Luke is reading, or did Luke flip through a few pages before we get that story? If the journal was meant for Luke to read, why did OB1 leave so much information out of it? Personally, I think Marvel jumped the gun on Luke finding that journal. I think it would have been better if they had it be a story set during RotJ, where Luke goes back to the hut to wait while Lando "gets in place". While there, he finds the hidden journal and begins to read. In it he discovers the truth/history about Anakin and his mother (but still no mention of Leia in the journal) and all kinds of info about the jedi order. He also reads about how to construct a lightsaber and finds out that OB1 had saved Qui-Gon's saber (from TPM). He then practices dismantling Qui-Gon's saber, eventually keeping the crystal in which to construct his own personal saber...the one we see pop from R2.

That at least would help explain how Luke knew so much more about the force and such in RotJ.

 

So, Taalcon, you're saying that they'll steal ideas from LotR like GL stole ideas from Dune?

 

Maybe "steal" and "stole" are too harsh. How about "borrowed"?

 

Darth Pipes, I did consider that they may be saving some story ideas for some OB1 (with Ewan) project. But, again, if they are going with him having not talked to Qui-Gon in the years between that story and RotS, I think they are dropping the ball. What's going to be OB1's excuse for not listening to what Yoda told him to do?

 

The official canon figure is 19 years between ROTS and ANH. You were close

 

Good comic, but i was hoping to see Obi-Wan go medieval on Jabba's thugs with his lightsaber. It does make sense that he wouldn't be whipping out his lightsaber all the time while he's hiding. But at the same time most people on Tatooine have probably never seen a Jedi and the Empire doesn't really control Tatooine or care about the Outer Rim in general so he could probably get away with it.

 

I'm sure in future Kenobi stories Obi Wan will be whipping his lightsabre out more and more frequently

 

Loved this first edition of the tales of Kenobi on Tatooine. Really made me think about just how lonely of an existence he must have had while there. Most of friends are dead, his best friend has gone to the Dark Side, the galaxy which he knew is in shambles, and the oath he took many years ago seems to have been for not. But still, he must hold onto it in hopes of one day training the one who would correct all that.

 

Here's the proof of years between movies and TV shows: TMBGeeks - Appendix of Timeline Proof. It's 19 years but I guess if there's ever nitpicking an event on one end may take place at the end of the year and an event on the other end might take place at the beginning and that might cause some confusion when stating characters ages (e.g. they haven't had their birthday yet for that year).

I think it would be interesting if Anakin as in Sebastian Shaw's face were digitally recreated like the young Schwarzenegger in the Terminator movies. If that ever happened, I'd hope it doesn't get leaked first. The problem with that isn't technology anymore but the fact that the Hayden Christensen force ghost is the canon one (which makes NO sense). As far as Ben hearing from Qui-Gon in this issue though, I don't think any events occurred that were big enough to warrant a Qui-Gon force ghost even just in voice. Even in RotJ when Obi-Wan appears with Luke, it's usually in the quiet moments and not a constant companionship. It's like the force ghost appears briefly to teach and then leaves them to pass/fail their test alone.

 

I just noticed something interesting. Luke is clearly halfway through the book at the end of the issue so I thought maybe there's multiple books since the title is "From the Journals" but I went back to issue #6 and the cover of this one book is translated as "The Journals of Ben Kenobi". So if there is only one book (there doesn't look like there's enough room for more in the box in issue #6), Luke's already halfway through it and I can't imagine he'd not start at the beginning so this one story is half the journal. One other note is that even though the translation is plural, the actual Aurebesh on the cover only says "The Journal of Ben Kenobi".

 

I'm not sure you should really look into it that deeply that he is already halfway through the book based off of that picture. Just view it that he is currently reading the book. How many excerpts there are is completely unknown at this point. In all honesty I think most of the time when an artist draws somebody reading a book they usually draw the book as being halfway done.

I thought it was a good issue. In regards to the new artist I liked the look of the close up drawings better than the previous artist but I liked the way the previous artist drew characters off in the distance better.

 

I have no doubt that's the case but I appreciate attention to detail in the novels and don't think it's too much to ask for in comics that come out once a month. Even in comics it will eventually be odd that Luke is always in the middle of the book even after the 4th-5th Ben Kenobi one-shot.

 

This was an ok read, a little dull but assuming that this journal shows up throughout the series, with more of these OB1 stories then this could be a cool way of telling us what the heck the old fart was up to for those almost 2 decades.

It would funny if this was the only story we got from this journal though. Old Ben pulls the classic, "You know what? I think I'm gonna start writing in a journal!" Write the first entry, never writes in it again.

 

You are incorrect about that.

I don't know if you know this, but there are actually glaring continuity errors in the films themselves.

The reason is that there are pretty much no works of art that are perfect--there is probable one or more legit, unquestionably wrong mistake in every comic book, novel, or film released anywhere.

But you seem really put off by me admitting that we made a mistake. Should I be taking an arrogant stance on this? WE MAKE NO MISTAKES! If you think we made a mistake, it is your understanding of the canon that is wrong! Adjust the wikis appropriately!

In addition...and this may be the thing that makes people the most upset, because a lot of people seem very concerned about it...but nothing I say on twitter, on my tumblr, or in interviews actually counts towards canon. The only thing that counts is the actual works and stories themselves. If someone is working on a new story and comes up with something contradicting by something an editor or creator said on the internet...we will ignore that thing that was said. So, if it's unclear when something takes place, or what kind of ship something is, or what someone's name is...until it specifically gets called out and/or cleared up on screen/panel/page, it's not officially true.

I've tried to answer any questions asked to me honestly, because I love comics, love the stories we've been telling, and love talking about them with fans.If we make a mistake, I can admit it--I am a big boy, and I work hard and do my best, but mistakes happen to everyone everywhere. Can I make sense of a mistake or try to wallpaper over it? Sure, and sometimes I do. Sometimes I have given over-wrought "retcon" answers...because I am a fan, and that is what fans do. Why does Anakin's ghost look like Hayden while Obi-Wan looks like Alec? Because the force ghost is sort of like a mental projection--it's not a real physical form, but created by the mind. Obi-Wan is aware of the passage of time and is aware of his aging and what he looks like. Anakin likely has not seen himself since he's put on the suit, and as such, his mental image is still that of Hayden. Is that true? It is to me, that is how I justify it. Is it canon? If we ever put out a comic that says it (and it gets through story group, natch) then it is.

 

That's certainly the best explanation for it I've seen.

 

When it comes to on panel information none of these Marvel series have seemed to make any continuity errors, at least for me

 

As far as I am concerned, and especially considering that they just started making Star Wars comics, Marvel is doing a damn fine job at keeping the continuity straight.

 

I'll cop to some disappointment over the Yavin thing but even that's just unfortunate, not an absolute error.

 

Great post, Jordan. I wanted to call out this paragraph in particular, since it's something I've respected about your social media presence. You are willing to engage with fans (including with Wookieepedia -- I run the Twitter account) and are also willing to say "I don't know, that's a story/explanation for another time." I appreciate that as a fan who doesn't want to see continuity tied up in knots again.

 

There was going to be a minor error either way, really. Had Leia rejoined the Alliance after they'd left Yavin, we'd have been left wondering how she knew where they were. It could have been explained in some contrived form or another ("Gosh, it's a good thing Nien Nunb knew where the fleet was going!"), but given that alternative I think it's better that the story simply ended back on Yavin 4 and we can just say the evacuation took a really long time for whatever reason.

 

Or even that a small handful of Rebels were left behind to wait for Leia's return. General Dodonna made it clear in the first issue how important she was, so it stands to reason that they'd want to ensure that she makes her way back to the Alliance Fleet. Plus I can't imagine Luke and Han leaving without Leia.

 

First post (hello!).

I really dug this issue. Watching Obi-wan struggle with not being heroic was great, and we always knew where it would end up due to Jabba's line from a few issues ago.

Agree with the issue about being trained by ghost Qui-gon yet not being a Jedi is problematic. You'd think he'd have mentioned/thought about it too. One of my worst fears is that nu-Star Wars is just going to outright ignore the prequels and focus on being as OT as possible. Though so far Marvel has been fairly good on that score. Kieron Gillen especially even though he's a well documented prequel hater!