Kenobi Vs. Vader Rematch: Who Won The Duel In Series Finale?

All five previous episodes had led up to the final duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, and seeing it finally happen made millions of Star Wars fans really excited. The two maverick lightsaber masters had already crossed their weapons in the prequel trilogy, so to see it again nearly 20 years later was certainly a grand spectacle. Both Vader and Kenobi have improved their skills significantly over the years, so the results of their upcoming battle were quite anticipated. So, did Kenobi manage to get the upper hand again?

Having secured young Leia's safe journey to her home planet, Kenobi was finally able to confront Vader without fearing for the princess' life. The Jedi confronted the villain on an uninhibited planet and, after overwhelming Vader's defenses, was about to win, when suddenly he received a real sucker punch – Vader used his Force to open a hole under Kenobi's feet, burying him under heavy rocks. But Kenobi's Force was as strong as Vader's – the Jedi managed to keep the stones from crushing him to death, reappearing before the masked villain.

Using the dexterity of his lightsaber and the heavy stones raised by the Force, Kenobi crushed Vader with his furious onslaught, damaging the villain's ribcage, leaving him helpless. Striking Vader's mask with his lightsaber, Kenobi exposed Anakin's burnt face, expressing directly in it his grief for what his former friend had become. Despite the full possibility of killing the Sith Lord all at once, the Jedi spared Vader's life, fully aware that Anakin was already dead, even if only metaphorically.

Fans are certainly more than happy with this ending for Vader, claiming that the entire scene and all the episodes that led up to it perfectly reflect the story arcs of both the villain and Kenobi. A worthy conclusion to the series indeed.

"It really emphasized how there maaayyyyy be some Anakin left in him but the dark had fully consumed him to the point even Obi-Wan couldn't do anything (and really contextualizes how Obi-Wan had basically given up on him by the time ANH came around). What a perfect finale for this series!" – /njrebecca.