Missed seeing Yoda in Obi-Wan Kenobi? Ewan McGregor explains his absence in the series

Obi-Wan Kenobi witnessed its finale episode on June 22 and while the world saw him reconnect with his master Qui-Gonn Jinn (Liam Neeson), the much-loved Star Wars character Yoda did not appear even once throughout the series. This comes as a surprise since most Star Wars films or series have some reference to Yoda. However, Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi on the show, has the perfect explanation to why Yoda is missing from the series.

Frank Oz, who played Yoda in the Star Wars films, did not reappear in Obi-Wan Kenobi. If fans of the film remember, this Jedi had once mentioned, "Until the time is right, disappear we will" and he stood true to his word.

When Obi-Wan was guarding Luke Skywalker in Tatooine, Yoda was retreating in the swamps of Dagobah, away from the Sith. This was after Yoda and Obi-Wan failed to destroy Sith Lords Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen). Of course, when fighting Vader, Kenobi was not aware that it was his apprentice Anakin Skywalker, who had just taken another form and chosen the dark side. That is also why Kenobi gives Vader so many opportunities in the series. Despite finally realizing that Anakin is Vader, Ben somewhere hoped that his student, Anakin, was alive inside Vader. Unfortunately though, the finale episode of the show cleared that Anakin was never to return. “You did not kill Anakin, I did,” Vader told Kenobi, finally leaving the Jedi in peace for hurting and trying to kill his student.

While talking to The Jess Cagle Show, Ewan McGregor explained that Obi-Wan was in a phase where all that mattered to him was looking after Luke and trying to communicate with his master Quin-Gonn. “He can't reach out to any of his old [mentors]. He can't reach out to Yoda, he can't reach out to any of the surviving Jedi for fear of giving himself away,” the actor explained.

Throughout the series, one could see that Obi-Wan resisted using the Force. He did not use the force because once he did, Inquisitors could sense that a Jedi was alive and using the force. It threatened the lives of the Jedi, which is why, under the rule of the Sith, the number of Jedi reduced down considerably. It is why Kenobi was training Luke throughout, so that this ‘chosen one’ brings balance in the universe. Of course, the rest is history, for Luke does bring about the much-needed balance.

Apart from Ewan, Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Moses Ingram, Rupert Friend, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Indira Varma and Sung Kang in pivotal roles. It also sees Grant Feely as young Luke Skywalker, Vivien Lyra Blair as young Leia Organa and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. All episodes of the series are now streaming on Disney+Hotstar.