10 Memes We Hope Get Referenced In The Series
Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi is finally returning to the Star Wars universe, giving Lucasfilm the perfect opportunity to revisit some classic memes.
After years of speculation, months of buildup, and a 17-year gap since his last performance, Ewan McGregor is finally returning to the Star Wars universe in Obi-Wan Kenobi, a limited series on Disney+ set to premiere in May.
In the years since Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan has become one of the most frequent and hilarious memes within the Star Wars galaxy. With the character finally set to grace the screen once more in live-action, there remain over a decade's worth of memes that fans desperately want Kenobi to allude to.
So Uncivilized
Obi-Wan Kenobi certainly made Star Wars meme history during his iconic battle with the commander of the Separatist forces General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith, dropping several one-liners over the course of the duel, not the least of which being his cold words while standing above the villain's dead body after shooting him to death with a blaster: "so uncivilized."
This line became iconic during the prequel trilogy's resurgence in meme culture over the past several years as a format to critique Star Wars content that fans felt was underwhelming, disappointing, or flat-out wrong. With Kenobi living in the often vicious desert of Tatooine in his upcoming spinoff, there could certainly be plenty of opportunities for the character to drop this slick one-liner, even if just in passing.
Oh, I Don't Think So
As General Grievous is about to duel Obi-Wan for the very final time, the droid commander declares that Kenobi will meet the same fate as many of the Jedi that had battled him before. With a stern resolution to win the day, Obi-Wan plainly declares that he has no intention of losing.
Over the years, this meme template has been a rarely used, yet always welcome release of fan disappointment, as it often criticizes management at Lucasfilm or Disney. However, the meme is typically used in a more amicable manner, poking harmless fun at plot twists that don't go the way a character may have expected.
Grievous's Collection
Kenobi would almost feel incomplete without at least one reference to one of Obi-Wan's most iconic enemies, General Grievous. The character, though only appearing in live-action once over the course of the Skywalker Saga, has resurfaced in popular meme culture due to his love of collecting the lightsabers of the Jedi he has slain.
Grievous is portrayed by fans as an avid collector when it comes to attaining new lightsabers, often being edited into iconic scenes from the saga in order to reclaim lightsabers that had been lost or discarded by other characters. Even a passing reference to Grievous's infamous hobby would surely be enough to satiate fans' desire to see one of their favorite memes validated.
The Archives Must Be Incomplete
One iconic Obi-Wan scene comes in his search for the lost planet of Kamino in Attack of the Clones. After hitting a dead-end in his search, Kenobi consults Jedi Master Jocasta Nu, who insists that the planet does not exist, as it doesn't appear in the archives. Kenobi, however, feels as though "the archives are incomplete."
This meme has come to represent fan disappointment when a source of information, such as the Star Wars wiki Wookiepedia or some other outlet for franchise information, seems to be lacking important content, often also speaking to unfulfilled fan theories that are occasionally proven incorrect. Should Kenobi conclude without referencing this particular template, the archives may feel incomplete indeed.
Another Happy Landing
The opening action sequence of Revenge of the Sith has been lauded by many as one of the best introductions to any Star Wars film, as Obi-Wan and Anakin attempt to rescue the captured Chancellor Palpatine. The sequence comes to a close after Anakin crashes a hijacked Separatist ship into Coruscant's surface in a fiery mess, causing Obi-Wan to jokingly declare the event "another happy landing."
In the Star Wars community, this line has been repeated in ironic reference to colossal mishaps, usually involving high ambitions that could have never been achieved in the first place. In a franchise that so often repeats seemingly minor lines of dialogue, fans shouldn't be surprised to hear Ewan McGregor mutter a similar line in his returning episodes.
Sea Otters
Not all memes involving Ewan McGregor stem entirely from his work in the Star Wars franchise. In fact, one of the most popular videos of the beloved actor comes from a recently resurfaced recording of him gushing over sea otters in the distance.
This meme has found recent popularity as fans have enjoyed the sheer enthusiasm on McGregor's part over the furry animals. Though including sea otters in a series set in the Outer Rim of a distant galaxy seems far-fetched, Star Wars is infamous for adding new fuzzy and adorable animals to its franchise menagerie, and could certainly replicate such a reaction from its starring man when faced with one such species.
Visible Confusion
It seems as though everything Obi-Wan Kenobi does induces memes from the Star Wars fanbase, even if it involves no spoken words at all. One such scenario comes amidst the character's interaction with the Kaminoans in Attack of the Clones, during which fans have added their own subtitle reading: "visible confusion."
This meme has long been one of the most popular Obi-Wan Kenobi memes, as well as a favorite of the Star Wars community as a whole, used to indicate one's bewilderment or skepticism about a given topic. While the Kenobi series itself may not reference this particular meme, it seems inevitable that viewers will be able to find a new shot of the character to label as "visibly confused," thereby sparking a new round of Kenobi memes for the fanbase to enjoy.
High Ground
One of the most infamous moments in all of Star Wars comes at the end of the climactic duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and his friend-turned-enemy Anakin Skywalker on the lava planet of Mustafar. After leaping to a location atop a hill of ash and dirt, Kenobi pleads with Anakin to stop fighting him, declaring that he has the high ground.
Fans have long been confused and enthused by this particular line, as it seemingly comes from nowhere. Despite the hilarity that fans have derived from this quote, the fact still remains that it immediately preceded one of the worst moments in Obi-Wan Kenobi's life, meaning that it could come into play as the character works through the loss of one of his best friends.
KENOBI!!
A major arc in Obi-Wan's history involves his recurring rivalry with the former Sith apprentice to Sidious himself, Darth Maul. In one of the most important Star Wars: Rebels episodes for fans to revisit before the Kenobi premiere, Maul tracks Kenobi to Tatooine, where he frantically combs the desert for the former Jedi. After an unsuccessful search, Maul cries Kenobi's name out in pain and agony.
Fans have long used this scene as proof of Darth Maul voice actor Sam Witwer's sheer vocal talent, but have also implemented the iconic moment as a parallel for their own longing for more Obi-Wan content following the long years since Ewan McGregor's latest performance in the role. With the premiere for Kenobi drawing closer, fans should expect to see an increase in the use of this meme template as fans grow increasingly impatient for more content.
Hello There
Star Wars is known for its many iconic lines, but one particular quote from Obi-Wan was likely never intended to gain as much traction as it eventually did. As the Jedi Master drops in to surprise General Grievous, he utters two simple words that would forever be etched into the Star Wars hall of fame: "Hello there."
This line has taken the internet by storm, often being seen as the litmus test for detecting true fans of the franchise. Those who fail to recognize the reference are sometimes seen as fake fans, occasionally leading to lighthearted ridicule. Nevertheless, should Obi-Wan Kenobi fail to include an instance of the titular character repeating this famous line, it would likely spark widespread outrage from Star Wars fans everywhere.
NEXT: 10 What If...? Star Wars Scenarios We'd Love To See In A Spinoff
