One Subtle Return Of The Jedi Detail Shows How Angry Luke Really Was With Obi-Wan

In Return of the Jedi, there’s a particular moment that highlights Luke Skywalker’s deep-seated anger toward Obi-Wan Kenobi – and it’s easy to see why. The events of Return of the Jedi marked a profound turning point for Luke. After a brief but impactful training session with Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, he became the Jedi he was destined to be. When Luke first steps into Jabba’s palace, he is no longer the impulsive youth from Tatooine; he embodies the wisdom and resilience of a seasoned Jedi. A lot of this evolution stems from his experiences in the previous film.

Learning the truth about his father was undoubtedly a shocking moment for Luke, significantly impacting his connection to the Force and his understanding of what being a Jedi entails. However, an intriguing question looms: Should Obi-Wan Kenobi have revealed the truth to Luke from the start? There were numerous opportunities during the original Star Wars film (which is now known as A New Hope), and knowing his true heritage might have shifted the entire course of Luke’s journey, impacting his sister Leia as well.

Luke’s Words To Obi-Wan Hint At How Deeply He Felt This Betrayal

Luke felt he was entitled to know the truth, and his anger toward Obi-Wan for keeping it concealed was palpable. When he confronts Obi-Wan’s Force Ghost about hiding Darth Vader’s identity, Luke exclaims, “Obi-Wan! Why didn’t you tell me?” This moment is significant; it’s the only instance in the original trilogy where Luke addresses his mentor as “Obi-Wan” instead of the more familiar “Ben.”

“Ben” was a comforting moniker – Ben was the one who kept an eye on Luke while he grew up on Tatooine. The kind, old hermit was who Luke knew as Ben, whereas Obi-Wan represented the Jedi, his teacher. By calling him Obi-Wan during that critical moment, Luke underscored the rift between them; he felt hurt and betrayed, and the man who was once just “Ben” was now Obi-Wan the deceiver, even if only for a fleeting moment.

Did Luke Ever Interact With Obi-Wan Again?

After his poignant conversation with Obi-Wan on Dagobah, Luke embarks on a mission to rejoin the Rebel Alliance and face both Vader and Emperor Palpatine. As we know, Luke succeeds in redeeming Anakin and bringing him back to the light, while the Emperor meets his end at Vader’s hands. Later, on Endor, during the celebration of their victory, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Yoda appear as Force Ghosts, silently observing the festivities. Although Luke smiles in their direction, they don’t interact directly – he’s pulled away by Leia before he can go further.

Interestingly, additional canon Star Wars materials suggest that Luke did indeed interact with Obi-Wan after Return of the Jedi. Although they didn’t engage in conversations like they did before, Obi-Wan, alongside Yoda and Anakin, continued to guide Luke in the aftermath of the Empire’s fall. This can be found in the reference book Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi by Marc Sumerak, recounted from Luke’s perspective.

This book also reveals that their guidance ceased when Luke isolated himself from the Force after his nephew Ben Solo’s turn to darkness. This context explains why Yoda’s Force Ghost appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi once Luke began to reconnect with the Force again. While Obi-Wan’s absence from this moment might seem noteworthy, it’s clear that Luke’s anger toward Obi-Wan was fleeting, even throughout Return of the Jedi.