Grand Inquisitor's Death Can Explain Obi-Wan's Hated Redesign

The Obi-Wan Kenobi series features the live-action debut of The Grand Inquisitor, but his apparent death and unpopular redesign may be explained by one theory.

[{"selector":"#anim-f916beae-6ee1-488c-8af6-9958bb9637b7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(10.978260895632214%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b55fb8fd-c7c8-447c-9a62-4ca7d2b98e16","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53ffb60e-0cd8-4f72-b669-a7dca0a3c9e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] which takes place five years before his Star Wars Rebels debut. One unlikely but possible scenario would sufficiently explain both issues, however.

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[{"selector":"#anim-aa6876ca-e3bd-4efc-9b75-8227645bdf11 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.6623987616720335%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3995e83a-04d1-4b70-9c3a-339c8290d244","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d060d8b5-6570-424f-82f1-21ed82ba1d5d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.92356%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Despite his death at the end of the season, The Grand Inquisitor continues to appear in Star Wars canon material, with roles in various comics.

[{"selector":"#anim-b511d0fd-5849-40aa-80d8-e5ebd8a82f7a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4cf507a4-162f-45d0-8259-aa97fa2beea8","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}] The Grand Inquisitor is an understandably popular character due to these appearances, so when his live-action appearance underwhelmed some viewers, there was a degree of backlash.

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[{"selector":"#anim-01dcbcca-363a-45d4-9d4e-e2e912cb4a8a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(28.965006836148778%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72045b97-0102-4268-ae13-a9e7a899196d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f379112-5b56-49a7-aa4c-57771fc9e897","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c311d2dc-df1b-4afa-b7e5-542cd695825f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] . Impaled by the Third Sister and left for dead, The Grand Inquisitor’s apparent death is further teased by dialogue in the following episode.

[{"selector":"#anim-474eb8e3-5f20-42ab-9a12-f9e96857ba48 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-16.718749914669303%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-385a3053-540a-410c-b351-a60516027ce4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a08ee4d1-9376-4650-925a-6b09a4384f9f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The Obi-Wan series’ head writer, Joby Harold, insists that the series respects the Star Wars canon continuity.