Obi-Wan Kenobi - Since before you were born

Nicely done ChewyHadBotox -

VFD

 

Obi wan was getting senile, or he drank too much "jawa juice".

OOOH! Owned! I betcha you'll all like that one!

 

Obi-Wan is just not being very literal and specific on a lot of things he tells Luke in ANH. He is being vague for a reason. If Obi-Wan spilled the beans about everything to Luke right there, I doubt Luke will take it very well. Even in RotJ, Yoda says that Luke is still not ready for the burden of the stuff that he already knows.

 

I have read this entire thread (rather like being compelled to watch a roadside accident), and scanned desperately, hoping that some enlightened soul would post this, I'm sorely disappointed that not one person has chosen to discuss the more interesting aspect of this, the use of the name BEN.

As we all know, GL was very interested in creating a modern day mythology, and in doing so, borrows from many myths and legends, as well as demonstrating aspects of many different cultures throughout the movies and books. He consulted closely with Joseph Campbell in developing the original series, and made several clear attempts to reference specific cultural styles. (Even the name Obi-Wan has reference to the Japanese robe, the Obi, which GL adopts as the standard Jedi garb.)

I find it fascinating that he chooses the name Ben, because in the Hebrew tradition, "ben" means "son". So that in going into hiding, Obi-Wan becomes the "son of Kenobi". I'm sure at one point, he thought about working this construction into the Luke/Anakin link, but probably decided that "Luke Ben Skywalker" doesn't flow trippingly off the tongue, not to mention the mixing of judaic structure into a clearly Anglo-Saxon name. So he probably decided to use it for Kenobi instead, and as other people discuss, he needed an alias, so what better than a name which has significance more than Steve or Fred.

Another interesting etomylogoical link is that another obscure use of "ben" comes from Scottish and means "within". In going into hiding, Master Kenobi goes within himself to meditate. We learn in ROTS that he will spend the time learning from Qui-Gon how to become one with The Force.

This to me is much more interesting than the exceedingly boring debate going on about when he adopted the name and in what official way, and whether or not it was spelled out to the audience onscreen. Art does not need to spoon feed every element to the consumer. There must be room left for the audience to interpret, deriving meaning from our own connections, and from references to universal symbols and specific cultural and historic references. How boring the world would be if art had to pander to such literal-mindedness.

 

This is the topic, not the new one.

 

all i know is the 'before you were born line' really sticks out as a plot hole as does yoda reminding obi wan 'there is another', even though that was a plot hole even by the time of rotj

 

So if Ben had said:

"I haven't gone by that name since you were knee-high to a grasshopper"...

...people would be arguing that Luke was never as tall as a grasshopper's knee.

 

what should he had said..."i havent gone by that name since your mother died in front of my eyes" not likely

 

That's not true.

 

PADME: obi wan....there is good in him.. i know...bla bla bla bla...


she called him obi wan before she died and after the twins were born so if you wanna be specifical then obi wan is lying...or using his infamous "points of view"

 

This is not a plot hole. The problem lies in the way people interpret the line.

He didn't say "I haven't gone by the name Obi Wan since oh, before you were born."

What he actually said was:

"I haven't gone by the name Obi Wan since OB4-U were born."

Obviously, Old Ben is acquainted with some character called OB4-U who gets born between Episodes III and IV.

Hope this clears things up for everyone.

 

..i love your posts..you always make my day...

 

Steve Kenobi
Chuck Kenobi
Bob Kenobi
Bill Kenobi
Billy Bob Kenobi
Stan Kenobi
Andy Kenobi
Jim Kenobi
Joe Kenobi
Jimmy Joe Kenobi



I can just imagine Obi-Wan thinking of what his alias should be. "Steve Kenobi? Nah, how bout Ben? Hey..."