Obi-Wan’s New Vader Reveal Avoids A Hayden Christensen Return Problem

New reported concept art from Obi-Wan Kenobi shows how it’s avoiding a potential problem with Hayden Christensen’s return as Darth Vader. The upcoming Disney+ Star Wars show will focus on Obi-Wan’s time on Tatooine around 10 years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and it’ll also bring him face to face with his former Jedi student. Christensen hasn’t been seen since the prequel trilogy came to an end, and given opinion on those movies and his role has shifted in a more positive direction in the past few years, there’s been a lot of hype to see him finally return.

While much of Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s story is under wraps, and that includes Vader’s role in it, there are some key details that have been revealed. It’s currently unclear just how the friends turned foes will be reunited – since there’s nothing in canon to suggest it ever happened – but it has been confirmed that Obi-Wan and Vader will have a rematch for the ages in the show. That may be an in-person lightsaber fight or perhaps a battle through the Force, but it presents some unique challenges to Vader’s return that the show is seemingly addressing.

With much of Christensen’s return likely in the Vader suit, then it does raise a potential issue for how much of his actual face will be seen. That could have felt like a disappointment if Christensen was limited to being in the helmet or his role was contained to flashbacks, but apparent Obi-Wan concept art shows Vader unmasked, recovering in a bacta tank. That not only means viewers should be seeing Christensen as an unmasked Vader, but it also suggests there’ll be more to come. After all, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story also had a bacta scene with the Sith Lord, but didn’t bring Christensen back. It seems reasonable to assume that the amount of Christensen’s actual face on display, then, will go well beyond recovery scenes and there’ll be plenty of him in the show itself.

Indeed, the bacta tank scenes could tie into the plot of Obi-Wan Kenobi, as it may be injuries from the rematch with his old master that necessitate the healing, and could also factor into the development of the character from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader. Since Christensen is returning, then the show needs to really sell that idea. He has to come face to face with Obi-Wan, not just mask to face. Flashbacks revealing new elements of their history could also be a part of that, but the key here will be on their new showdown, and it would be all the more powerful if, for at least part of it, Vader is unmasked and Obi-Wan is once more forced to do battle while staring at the person he once considered being like a brother to him, making it all the more emotional an experience.

Christensen’s return is one of the most exciting aspects of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and indeed Star Wars‘ entire future. Just like Vader did, he’s earned his shot at redemption, and that means really getting a chance to see him in action once more. It’d be easy to just have Christensen appear in the Vader suit, which fits the timeline and likely would make elements of production simpler, but the actor having such a prominent, visible role can make things so much more powerful.

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