Star Wars does its best work in a bacta tank
The bacta tank has become a staple for not just physical healing but emotional reckoning in the galaxy far, far away.
Even though everyone saw it coming after the events of Ep. 3, Obi-Wan’s bacta tank scene couldn’t have been better. The show has undeniably drawing both subtle and unsubtle parallels between Obi and Vader this whole season, and normally I would not be into as overt a comparison as we got here.
But the interspersed flashes of Obi and Vader in their respective bacta tanks and other clips as Obi’s tension mounted ultimately leading to him splashing his way out of the top of the tank? It did it for me.
I’ll get into this more in the predictions section, but I think this bacta tank scene really sets up what we’ll get in Ep. 5 if the show follows the type of storytelling arc we’ve seen in the Disney+ Star Wars and Marvel TV shows. Episode 5 will likely be predominantly action free and focused on character breakthroughs that set up an action-packed, non-stop finale that – at least has been the case previously – feels both climactic and anti-climactic at the same time.
Hopefully the screenwriters have done a better job closing this show up.
It’s no surprise the bacta tank was the highlight of a very classic mid-season episode, but there was a lot of plotline gold that still made this episode as impactful and entertaining as the first three, at least in my opinion.
What got the biggest reactions from me
I’m not sure if this episode was the ~first time~ the newly-composed Kenobi theme played in the show, but it was the first time I noticed it and I got so excited. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love special musical moments in TV shows and movies, and finally really hearing this score in action was such a special moment.
My biggest laugh of the episode was during Leia’s interrogation. I know what you’re thinking, “Emily, what part of violence being threatened against a child could you possibly find funny?” Reva trying to force her way into Leia’s thoughts only for the youngling – unaware of her powers – to ask, “Is this a staring contest?” absolutely CRACKED ME UP. Brilliant line delivery, and despite what the haters say, young Leia continues to deliver in a way Carrie Fisher would’ve been so proud of.
Finally, by far the most haunting part of the episode was when Obi-Wan walked down the hall in Fortress Inquisitorius that was essentially of cemetery of slain Jedi. Actually, I wouldn’t even say a cemetery. It was more like a morgue because the way their bodies were being grossly preserved.
I’m curious what the motive is behind this gross display. Fortress Inquisitorius certainly isn’t a tourist destination, so I don’t think it’s necessarily being used to strike fear into anyone. It also seems like a bit of overkill as motivation for the Inquisitors themselves, though, then again, they all kind of seem sadistic in that sort of way.
Maybe we’ll find out. Otherwise, the scene will just haunt me. RIP Tera Sinube.
Here’s how I think Ep. 5 will go
So as I touched on earlier, I think Episode 5 will be very character driven and that it will be largely focused on the parallels between Obi-Wan and Vader. In fact, I believe this so wholeheartedly that it’s really difficult for me to think about other possible plotlines for this episode.
Obi-Wan has just reopened himself to the Force, using his lightsaber more in Ep. 4 and actually using the Force itself to keep a cracked window from imploding until the perfect moment. We also know he’s been trying to make contact with his former master Qui-Gon and failing, likely because he had closed himself off. So if we’re getting a Liam Neeson appearance, it’s going to be in Ep. 5.
There’s no way Obi-Wan will be able to face Vader again, especially not in a physical duel, without a pep talk from Qui-Gon. I mean, we all saw him almost pee his pants facing off against Vader in Ep. 3. The reconnection with Qui-Gon will probably also serve as the moment for all the references – I NEED a Satine and/or Ahsoka mention, PLEASE GOD – as Obi-Wan explains how he’s ended up where he is now.
I think we will see something similar with Vader. If we don’t get the same exact stories or reflective moments, we’ll get similar ones – think the moment in Ted Lasso S2 when Ted and Rebecca are each recounting traumatic childhood moments, their stories different yet paralleled. I could see him potentially talking with Reva about these things, which could also give us her backstory, or potentially there being some sort of holo-convo with Palpatine. I would prefer the former, but either could happen.
Finally, I think the Grand Inquisitor comes back at the end of episode. No one online seems to believe he died at this point, and for the sake of keeping canon canon, he couldn’t have. Bringing him back heading into the finale could add an interesting twist for Reva, who’s almost been tied for the second-most important character in the season with Vader.
Questions?
I didn’t really have any big questions this week, besides wondering when Reva had the chance to put a tracker on the ship Obi-Wan, Leia and Tala escaped on or on Leia herself, which is the reading I got from how she broke the news to Vader.
Here are my nonsense notes from while I was watching :) write to you all about next week – hopefully I’ll be saying I told you so.