Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Hidden Truth Behind That Order 66 Flashback

With the debut of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+, Star Wars fans have taken their first steps into a larger world. Set 10 years after Order 66 and the events of Revenge of the Sith, the show’s first two episodes introduced audiences to new locations and new threats, particularly in terms of Rupert Friend’s Grand Inquisitor and Moses Ingram’s Reva or the Third Sister.

While Obi-Wan Kenobi is finally revealing what transpired during the Jedi’s exile on Tatooine, the Disney+ series also raised new questions to ponder.

Warning – the remainder of this article contains spoilers for Episodes 1 & 2 of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Following a recap of footage from the prequels, Obi-Wan Kenobi opens with another Disney+ flashback to Order 66 and a new perspective on the attack on the Jedi Temple. Just how that scene connects to the events of the series, and possibly the Inquisitor Reva, has been a hot topic of speculation amongst fans. But now, a theory may have the answer.

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Two Opening Scenes

The flashback sequence in Episode 1 of Obi-Wan Kenobi begins with a group of younglings being trained by their master before Clone Troopers enter the room and begin firing. While the Jedi is successful in protecting the children as they attempt to move through the temple, she’s eventually killed, leaving the kids to attempt to escape on their own.

The show then fast-forwards 10 years to Obi-Wan’s life on Tatooine, where a trio of Inquisitors arrives. In addition to the Grand Inquisitor, Reva, the Third Sister, stands apart for her brutality, impatience, and drive to find Kenobi.

Why Reva is One of the Flashback Younglings

Since these two scenes are back-to-back, and Inquisitors are described as fallen Jedi, the leading theory amongst fans is that Reva is one of the younglings from the show’s cold open.

After all, since the scene didn’t include Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker, there would be no need to focus on an unknown Jedi and a group of kids otherwise.

In addition, during a confrontation between the Grand Inquisitor and Reva in Episode 2, he tells her that “You came to us from the gutter. Your ability gave you station, but all the power in the world can’t mask the stench beneath.”

While saying she came from the gutter is somewhat confusing, Reva’s response of “maybe that stench is your failure” seems to support her Jedi Temple past. After all, the Grand Inquisitor was a former Jedi Temple guard.

If the “failure” she’s referring to was his inability to stop Order 66 and protect them, that could be why she ended up on her own with nothing.

Also, if this is, in fact, Reva’s past, it may also explain some of her exclusive knowledge and ambition.

Reva’s Connection to Darth Vader

At the end of the premiere episode, Obi-Wan Kenobi is convinced by Senator Bail Organa to save a young Princess Leia, who has been kidnapped and taken to Daiyu. Just who took her and why isn’t revealed until the second episode where Reva is revealed to have orchestrated the plan in order to draw Kenobi out.

When the Grand Inquisitor confronts Reva on Daiyu, he asks, “You would kidnap an Imperial Senator’s child?”

Reva answers, saying, “I found a link between him and Organa in the Archives. I used the girl as bait.”

The Jedi Archives, which was located in the Jedi Temple, has been seen both in live-action via Attack of the Clones and in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. According to Star Wars lore, the Jedi Temple eventually becomes the Imperial Palace and home to Emperor Palpatine, who allowed the Grand Inquisitor to study the archives.

While it doesn’t appear that she or the Grand Inquisitor knows that Leia is Anakin’s daughter, Reva knows something that Obi-Wan does not, which is that Anakin survived and is now Darth Vader.

At the end of the episode, she tells Kenobi the following:

“I’m just going to take you to him. Lord Vader will be pleased. You didn’t know? He’s alive, Obi-Wan. Anakin Skywalker is alive. And he’s been looking for you for a long time. And I will be the one to deliver you to him.”

Clearly, she’s privy to not only Vader’s true identity but his intentions to find his former master. She’s also determined to be the one to deliver Vader’s prize, even though the other Inquisitors believe it’s a lost cause.

So why is that and why does Reva know about Darth Vader’s Identity?

If young Reva is part of the show’s opening flashback, it’s possible that it’s not the only one fans will see. Plus, rumors and reports suggest that the series will feature Anakin Skywalker in flashback sequences. Perhaps another Order 66 scene will show Reva encountering Anakin as he purges the Jedi Temple?

If so, her access to the Jedi Archives may have allowed her to connect the dots. If Vader is obsessed with Kenobi, and she knows Kenobi was Anakin’s apprentice, delivering the former Jedi Master to the Sith Lord would, as she put it, finally get her “What I’m owed.”

The Truth Is in the Past

Even though Obi-Wan escaped Daiyu with Leia by the second episode’s conclusion, it’s no secret that Kenobi will meet Vader at some point; and considering how integral Reva is to the show already, she’ll likely have something to do with it.

If Reva is one of the younglings who survived the Jedi Temple attack, her story is also similar to that of the former Jedi Master and Padawan. All three have been shaped and scarred by the events of the past. And, while the fate of Vader and Kenobi is known to the audience, Reva’s future is less clear, particularly since she’s not among the Inquisitors in Star Wars: Rebels.

At the moment, it seems like fans can expect more flashbacks throughout Obi-Wan Kenobi’s six-episode run; and if the Grand Inquisitor survives the events of Episode 2, audiences may see more of his backstory as well.

Since the show’s third episode is set to be released on Wednesday, June 1, fans have less than a week to wait for answers. Also, given the second episode’s final scene, Vader may be on the way as well.