Star Wars theory: Obi-Wan Kenobi was STRONGEST Force user and Palpatine worked it out

There have been some pretty powerful Jedi and Sith in the Star Wars movies, but just who was strongest? Well, now a popular new fan theory argues it was Obi-Wan Kenobi and Palpatine knew it. Reddit user wesskywalker points out evidence from across the Skywalker saga starting from Episode I. Check out their impressive findings below.

Episode I: The Phantom Menace

“[Obi-Wan] is able to kill Darth Maul after his master was slain by him. We’ve seen other Jedi act out of anger and impulse after traumatic events… (Anakin in Episodes II & III, Mace Windu against Palpatine, and Luke against Vader in VI). Anger gets the best of Force users (Jedi included) time and time again in the saga, but Kenobi mastered the Force and the Jedi teaching of suppressing his emotions, even as a Padawan, not tak[ing] a dark turn after seeing his master die before his very eyes.”

Episode II: Attack of the Clones

“Obi-Wan was the only Jedi who sensed that Anakin was not ready for the mission to protect Padme. He foresaw the troubles that would unfold [and] would eventually push him closer than ever to the Dark Side and away from the Jedi Order, but Yoda and Mace Windu remained stubborn that the Council was confident in its decision. He also pulls off his first ‘mind trick’ in this episode, something he becomes renowned for. He’s so powerful in the Force, he’s the only character who never has an unsuccessful mind trick.”

READ MORE: STAR WARS THEORY – PALPATINE AND SNOKE ARE BROTHERS

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

“We see many indications that Kenobi is the most powerful Force user, even more than Master Yoda. Yoda tells Kenobi that he ‘is not powerful enough’ to face the Emperor towards the end of the film. Yoda was stuck in the dogmatic Jedi ways and couldn’t fathom that a pupil could be more powerful than him. Palpatine kne[w] it. Order 66 indicates this. The Emperor knew that Kenobi was more powerful than Yoda, it’s very clear in his Order 66 plans of wiping out the Jedi. This is why in the beginning of Episode III, Palpatine is so adamant on Anakin leaving Obi-Wan behind on the burning ship, he knew he was the greatest threat to his grand plan to wipe out the Jedi.”

Episode IV: A New Hope

“It’s no coincidence he was the first Jedi to fully achieve immortality. (Although Qui-Gon was able to partially discover this, he was only able to discover it partially). Obi-Wan sacrifices himself for the betterment of the Rebellion and he knew that Luke was the only hope to defeat the Empire and he becomes more powerful than Vader could possibly imagine.”

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

“Kenobi is really the one that drives the plot forward. He knows that the Empire was becoming too powerful and the Rebellion’s window of opportunity was closing. He appears to Luke twice when he’s at very low points and keeps hope alive.”

Episode VII: The Force Awakens and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

“There is a lot of significance of Obi-Wan telling Rey ‘these are your first steps’ in the immediate aftermath of her touching Luke’s lightsaber. He’s a patriarch of the Force in a way and I wouldn’t be surprised if in Episode IX he appears to Rey in a very similar way he did to Luke to help her overcome the darkness. In Episode VIII, the darkness was stronger than ever and it is no coincidence that this is the only film that Kenobi does not appear in. His power was alluded to when Skywalker says that it was a Jedi who was responsible for the creation/training of Darth Vader.”

To read the full theory, click here.