The only thing that keeps me watching the prequels is Ewan McGregor. His turn as Obi-Wan Kenobi is better than it has any right to be. It’s like he spun gold from the crap dialogue that George Lucas handed to him, a testament to his acting abilities. Sometimes I wonder if he knows he’s in the same movie as Hayden Christensen (although with the new Disney + television programs, the actor has gotten a bit of well-deserved redemption and it might have been Lucas’ directing and not Christensen’s acting that was the problem all this time. I guess you didn’t have to be a Jedi Master to figure that out though.)
Anyway, in Revenge of the Sith alone, McGregor gets almost all of the good lines. So many that I feel like he might have ad libbed a few, they’re that good. Below I list the best lines spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode III and two bonus lines. It’s notable that almost every single one of them comes in the very beginning of the first act of the movie.
- “Oh, Dear!” When did he say it? When his astromech droid loses his head in the opening battle.
- “Spring the trap.” When did he say it? With an evil grin, after Anakin asks what they should do after Obi-Wan says he senses a trap.
- “Always on the move.” When did he say it? Exasperated, when Anakin cuts a hole in the elevator ceiling and jumps through it.
- “Chancellor Palpatine, Sith Lords are our speciality.” When did he say it? After Palpatine tells the Jedi they are no match for Count Dooku because he’s a Sith Lord. But, it’s not just the line, it’s the deadpan way he delivers it and how he enunciates “speciality” at the end.
- “Did I miss something?” When did he say it? Waking up in the elevator shaft, hanging onto Anakin for his life.
- “Do you have a Plan B?” When did he say it? When the Jedi and Chancellor Palpatine are trapped in ray shields surrounded by droids, Anakin promises R2 will free them but gets captured as well.
- “Not to worry, we are still flying half a ship.” When did he say it? Reassuredly, when they are flying half a ship.
- “Another happy landing.” When did he say it? Smiling, right after Anakin crash lands half of the Invisible Hand on Coruscant.
- “If you have warriors, now is the time.” When did he say it? A stern warning to the Utapaun leader Tion Medon.
- “Hello there.” When did he say it? Surprising General Grievous on Utapau.
- “I will do what I must.” When did he say it? Right before an epic lightsaber battle where he burns Vader’s ass.
- “I have the high ground.” When did he say it? When he has the high ground.
Biggest understatement:
- “He has become a very great threat.” When did he say it? To Padme when he’s trying to find out where Anakin went. Considering what happens next (and next and next), Obi-Wan could have been forgiven for being slightly more dramatic.
Worst line:
- “So uncivilized.” When did he say it? After killing General Grievous. Dude just used a blaster to kill the greatest enemy of the Republic and effectively ended the Clone War (or so he thought at the time) and he’s pretty snarky about it. You would think he’d have a newfound respect for a blaster.
