The following contains spoilers from Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 1, Part V, streaming now on Disney+.
Because of its place on the timeline, Obi-Wan Kenobi has repeatedly served as a bridge between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy. This begins with Ewan McGregor, who has transformed his Obi-Wan performance into a more Alec Guinness-like one. There have also been character cameos from both trilogies, including: a 501st Clone Trooper, the bounty hunter 4-LOM, Jedi Master Tera Sinube and a name-drop for Quinlan Vos. All of this has helped fill in some inter-trilogy story gaps, while giving Obi-Wan Kenobi a sense of continuity.
However, it isn't just continuity that has made Obi-Wan Kenobi feel like Star Wars. A structural analysis shows how Kenobi's episodes reference the corresponding film numbers from the Skywalker Saga. Part I coincided with The Phantom Menace; Part II felt like Attack of the Clones, and so on. Yet, Part V broke that pattern. Rather than lining up with The Empire Strikes Back, it felt like Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Except, Obi-Wan Kenobi did it way better.
Of course, the two Star Wars projects didn't line up one-to-one, but there were a lot of common elements and similar beats. For starters, Obi-Wan and his group of proto-Rebels were trapped in a cave for much of the episode, just like Leia's Resistance in The Last Jedi. Then, someone gave a speech to rally to troops. In Kenobi, it was Obi-Wan, and in TLJ, it was Poe Dameron talking about being the spark that would light a fire in the galaxy.
It didn't stop there, though. Reva's performance mimicked Kylo Ren's character in more ways than one. She was pursuing Obi-Wan with an insatiable rage, just like Kylo wanted to destroy Luke Skywalker. Along the way, though, they both betrayed their superior. Reva attacked Vader just like Kylo attacked Snoke. Of course, Reva wasn't successful in her attempt on Vader's life, but her choosing to betray Vader lined up with TLJ in a different way. Even though she never fought alongside Obi-Wan, they allied long enough to let the Rebels escape. That felt a lot like Kylo and Rey's "temporary alliance" while fighting against Snoke's Praetorian Guards. In that way, she was an unexpected savior to Obi-Wan's group, just like Luke was an unexpected savior on Crait.
Even with all of these similarities, Obi-Wan Kenobi's Part V was a lot better than The Last Jedi for a few reasons. TLJ's theme may not have been to "let the past die," but it certainly felt like that was part of the subliminal messaging. As many fans have noted, it felt like Rian Johnson's film didn't do the legacy characters justice. It was all about what the new characters could do for the next generation of films and fans. While that makes sense to an extent, it undertstandably split the fanbase.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Part V, on the other hand, had balance. Reva, her backstory and her betrayal were the crux of the episode. Yet, that story helped to further the original characters. Reva's Order 66 story was devastating for Obi-Wan, while Reva's failed attempt on Vader's life helped to prove his ridiculous power level. Finally, Part V didn't try and kill the past. Rather, it used the past as an informant. By remembering his time with Anakin in flashbacks, Obi-Wan was able to predict Vader's actions and save the people around him. That was the difference between Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Last Jedi -- Obi-Wan Kenobi celebrated the past, rather than demeaning it.
To see what happens next on Obi-Wan Kenobi, watch the Season 1 finale. It premieres next Wednesday on Disney+.