"I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan . . .

since, oh, before you were born."


What's the deal with Ben Kenobi? Are we going to witness the name change, or will this be a Lucas oversight?

Personally, this one puzzles me. It would make sense for Obi-Wan to change his name and then go into hiding on Tatooine. But it's just the way he says "oh...before you were born," as if it were some long time before.

I think we will see the name change, and it will be at the end when he's going to Tatooine with Luke. We can attribute it to "crazy old man" Kenobi and his lost memory.

 

I always thought that it meant his "great shame" (Anakin's fall) took place before the kids were born, but I guess since (speculation) Padmé's death contributes to Anakin's fall, maybe it is just a memory thing. I guess we'll see.

 

LUKE: "He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"

BEN: "Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time...a long time."

LUKE: "I think my uncle knew him. He said he was dead."

BEN: "Oh, he's not dead...not yet."

LUKE: "Then you do know him!"

BEN: "Well, of course I know him. He's me! I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since, oh, before you were born."

To me, this is simply Obi-Wan talking about the change of his name. I'm not sure what it has to do with Anakin's fall. I was just curious as to when the name change will take place.

EDIT - Stupid word wrap.

 

The name game IS kind of funny, isn't it?

Luke Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker. Leia...Organa.

Ben Kenobi. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Could be to throw off any suspicion - he's just a crazy old hermit.

Could also be symbolic - he takes a new name when his pupil/friend, Anakin, takes a new name.

Comes back to the name Obi-Wan when Luke begins to learn of the Force...which is the beginning of Vader's journey back to the name Anakin.

Sometimes I amaze even myself.

 

I just don't feel like this one will be addresses. And I really don't feel like it needs to. He changes his name to lay low. No need for an on screen explanation. Actually, if left the way it is, when you watch ANH you won't know if they're talking about Obi-Wan, which leads to a some interesting mystery until this quote is uttered.

 

I can just see a jedi standing there:
You will all get new names Mace Windu is now Joe Bloggs, Obi-Wan-Kenobi is now Ben Kenobi, Yoda is now Cliford...

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi to Ben Kenobi! No one will ever guess!!!

 

Maybe while he's watching Luke, he feels as if he's retired as a Jedi, so he drops his Jedi name in favor of a more generic one.

 

I always assumed he changed it to Ben 'cause he was in hiding. Though it's a bit like Clark Kent wearing glasses.

What kinda bugs me (keep in mind I am no basher) is that Obi says "I haven't went by Obi-Wan since, oh before you were born." From what I know of the Saga, it seems like he wouldn't have switched to Ben until after Luke was born. This could be another "certain point of view" lie or the ramblings of an old man who has spent too much time alone in the desert. I'm worried this won't be explained and I will always wonder.

 

Not really. Obi-Wan ceases to exist when the Jedi are destroyed, which is exactly the same moment in time when Luke is born. Plus, Ben doesn't say "exactly when you were born" he says "ohhh...before you were born" like he's just approximating. Just as Anakin is never the same again, neither is Obi-Wan, so even if he didn't change his name for a few months or years, he no longer hangs around with people who call him Obi-Wan after Luke is born. It's a logical dividing point in time.

He couldn't really say "I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since the time your father slaughtered the Jedi and then I maimed and paralyzed him and ran away to hide in the desert."

 

I think the real question here is to figure out when Obi-Wan changes his name. Obi-Wan didn't forget when Luke was born. I don't buy that he just said it as an approximation.

Now if Obi-Wan were just trying to keep his knowledge of Luke a secret and he used the term "before you were born" just as a gauge for Luke to understand how long it was, that's one thing. But I would assume Obi-Wan would say "for twenty or so years" or something like that.

I think we either have a minor plot hole, or just bad wording in the script. I'm assuming Obi-Wan doesn't change his name until he's safely on Tatooine with Luke, or maybe even when he's taking Luke to Tatooine. (speculation)

 

OB1 is being cagey and wise. His only practical purpose on Tatooine is to protect, steer and train Luke. He also has a rather disturbing secret up his sleeve that he'd prefer not to let on just yet....

With this in mind,

'oh...before you were born.', a bit of an 'old chestnut' string of words, rolls off the tongue easier and closes the little matter of consequential explanation nicely....

...Luke is easily aroused and wanting for information about his father...

Sir Alec Guiness is a fine actor R.I.P.

 

:::"I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since the time your father slaughtered the Jedi and then I maimed and paralyzed him and ran away to hide in the desert."

LUKE, stunned, blinks.
ARTOO whistles nervously.

Along those lines, it would have been cool if Vader said "I sense something... a presence I have not felt since... well, since I turned to the Dark Side, helped the Emperor hunt down and destroy the Jedi Order, and then faught Obi-Wan Kenobi on... on... what was that planet's name, again? And fell in to a.... Blast! Did I say that out loud?"

A nearby IMPERIAL COMMANDER, stunned, blinks.

Imperial Commander: "No, my Lord!"

 

I always felt that Obi-Wan likely changed his name for himself. Hearing his Jedi name would likely bring about a lot of memories that he would care to forget. It could have also have been for Luke too. If Obi-Wan went to talk to him while he was growing up, and Luke happened to mention that he met some old guy named Obi-Wan Kenobi, Owen and Beru would likely fear that he was trying to make Luke into what Anakin was. A Jedi. So the name was likely just intended as a cover.

 

I agree that the point of changing his name from Obi-Wan to Ben is for cover.

I'm just curious about when he actually changes it and whether or not we'll see it in ROTS.

 

Let's face it, it's a pretty crap pseudonym it certainly ranks alongside not changing Luke's surname and hiding him on his father's home planet.

I've got an image in my head of the final emergency Jedi Council meeting. Yoda calls it to issue the Jedi with their new identities as they rush into hiding to preserve the crubling Jedi Order...

(Think of it like this scene )
[image=http://www.nndb.com/people/426/000073207/lt.jpg]

Yoda: Okay, here are your names:
? 'Ben' Kenobi
? 'Keith'-Adi Mundi
? 'Dave' Fisto
? 'Beryl' Windu
? 'Terry' Rancisis-

Kit Fisto: Why can't I be 'Bobby' Fisto?

Yoda: Because Bobby Fisto is some other Jedi on some other planet! You stick with the names you get.

Mace Windu: Hey, how come I get a girl's name?

Yoda: Because you're an old woman! Alright? There are two ways on this job Windu, my way, or the sky-way. Now what's it gonna be, Beryl?


And so on, and so forth...
{||||| ?||} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

To be honest, this is a pretty minor, though sticky, continuity point. I honestly don't know if Lucas will bother to keep it in mind. For it to work, Obi-Wan would have to already on the run, and planning on going into hiding, when the twins are born.
It might work, though, since I really have no idea what the timeline of ROTS is.

 

Blackout, that was teh coolness.

My personal favorites are Keith Adi Mundi and Dave Fisto.

 

Damn. Thinking about it, I should've gone for 'Mavis' Windu

{||||| ?||} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

All I've seen of that movie is that scene, but I agree, that was great.

 

I agree with Hatter. I don't think it'll even be mentioned. I could see, maybe he'll need to change it to get on a random transport to Tatooine, but other than that, I don't think we'll even see the name change.

 

I like that "Random transport to tatooine" thing! It would work very effectively! I could imagine it-he boards a random refugee ship, escaping from coruscant. His name and identity is no longer safe. As he checks in to board the ship, hooded and cloaked, the attendant asks his name. Obi Wan thinks for a split second, and replies.
"Ben...Ben Kenobi." ...AAANNNDDD...SCENE.

I mean THAT will DO IT!!!!


I hope it IS mentioned, not all like made a BIG deal about, but maybe mentioned in passing...

It just seems strange that we just start HEARING him be called "Ben" and no mention as to how or why...

Guess we'll SEE!!!

You know it's even the LITTLE things like this that get me SO xcited about Ep. III...just seeing how all the little things will play out..

 

You know it's even the LITTLE things like this that get me SO xcited about Ep. III...just seeing how all the little things will play out..

That's exactly why I pose this question. It really is not detrimental to the story either way (if it shows up in ROTS or not). I have just always wondered about this line and how exactly it played out.

 

i'm guessing he changes it to ben and goes in to hiding. also, perhaps he changed it so as not to seem like a big presence on tattooine. you see what i'm saying? maybe if his name is ben kenobi it's still fairly obvious that he's obi-wan but if he went around SAYING his name was obi-wan there might be a bit of a bigger hype about him, and i think he wanted to keep a low profile even from luke until he thought luke was ready.

and the whole before you were born thing, he probably goes into hiding JUST before luke is born.