Following the sixth and final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi, some fans immediately began calling for a continuation. Some want to see more Qui-Gon as a Force ghost, some want more of Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader, and others just want more exploration of Obi-Wan as a character. However, expansion into more episodes would likely have the opposite effect of what some believe. It could only work as a detriment to the series and characters. In fact, the argument can be made that having six episodes already caused this show to lose potential.
The beginning of Obi-Wan Kenobi was a very strong re-introduction to a character audiences had not seen for over a decade. Ewan McGregor did a fantastic job stepping back into the robes of Kenobi, showing a man still struggling with the events of Revenge of the Sith. His trauma was on display in stares that stretched for miles and nightmares that haunted him every night. And had the show kept its focus here, on the journey of one man finding peace, it could have been stronger.
Unfortunately, having to fill up six episodes of runtime meant that the show could not keep things as simple as it might desire. So a story that could have simply focused on Obi-Wan regaining his center had to make room for a fetch quest, a run-in with the local rebels and a grudge match against Darth Vader.
The story with Leia, despite how contrived it might seem to some fans, still works and actually adds some context to the wider Star Wars story. It explains why Leia knew Kenobi was on Tattooine. And it explains why she would name her son after this man. Ben saved her life as a child. And she hoped Ben Solo might do the same. It also helps Obi-Wan regain faith in himself.
The same can apply to Darth Vader's inclusion in the story. In fact, he had the most direct connection to Obi-Wan's redemption, being the monster that Kenobi has to face. One of the old Jedi's greatest traumas is the idea in his mind that he failed Anakin, that his teachings were insufficient to prevent his "brother" from falling to the dark. The only way for Kenobi to move past that is by confronting Vader and realizing that, while he may have faltered in his teachings at times, the choice to betray the Jedi was still Anakin's.
Unfortunately, the other plot points on the show don't seem as necessary. The story of Reva, while an interesting parallel to that of Anakin Skywalker, doesn't feel entirely necessary. Most of her screen time comprises her trying to find Obi-Wan and get revenge on Vader. While her story is interesting and Moses Ingram gives it her all, the narrative of the show would actually not suffer from her exclusion.
And this applies to other additions to the show. The introduction of The Path, a system that helps relocate surviving Jedi, would not be missed from this particular story. The fake-out death of the Grand Inquisitor was not only unnecessary, but it was also predictable. The episode where Kenobi goes to rescue Leia from the Inquisitor base added some context to the show, but little else. And these additions, while interesting in their own ways, actually took away from the show more than they gave. The point of Obi-Wan Kenobi was to see the titular Jedi come to terms with the past and his accept his new place in life. Something that was hard to focus on when the story kept dragging him from his mission. And an additional season would only weaken the story already told.
The original plan for Kenobi was for it to be a feature film. And if that plan had been maintained, perhaps the issues that bogged down the story could have been avoided. The pacing and narrative would not have been stretched out, and the focus could have stayed where it needed to be: Obi-Wan learning to forgive himself. That story, while muddled, has been told. And there is no need to add more.
Ob-Wan Kenobi is available to stream on Disney+.