Hayden Christensen Watched An Iconic Star Wars Scene On Repeat To Prepare For 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'

Like everyone, I was torn when it came to my thoughts on Obi-Wan Kenobi. The series had a strong start and a strong finish, but there’s no denying that the episodes in between often lacked purpose and tension.

That being said, I’m still riding the high of the finale (spoilers imminently ahead) which featured a number of gasp-out-loud moments. From Qui-Gon’s surprise appearance to the beautiful sound of that “Hello there,” it was a fun ride. The best scene though was Obi-Wan and Darth Vader’s epic confrontation. Hayden Christensen didn’t take the responsibility lightly, doing a ton of prep for that iconic cracked helmet moment.

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To “re-immerse himself in Star Wars,” Christensen studied a particular Star Wars Rebels episode. According to Collider, the actor watched the episode ‘Twilight of the Apprentice’ numerous times in preparation for the cracked helmet scene. The episode contains a similar moment which sees Vader’s mask damaged in combat during a duel with Ashoka, his former apprentice.

Speaking about filming the scene, Christensen said, “It was a very emotional scene to shoot, and obviously a very important one. It was something that I think everyone was very aware of just, like, stepping out on set that day. There was a very different feeling. For both Ewan and I, it was a rather emotional experience, and I think that comes across onscreen."

Obi-Wan’s “I’m sorry,” truly broke me and I can confirm that whilst watching this scene again for the purposes of writing this article, I am a mess once more. Thank you Star Wars. Next time someone trash talks the prequels, show them that it led to this scene. Art.