One of the most beloved Star Wars characters is officially back as the first two parts of Obi-Wan Kenobi hit Disney+ earlier today. The series follows the adventures of the titular hero portrayed by Ewan McGregor after the events of Revenge of the Sith and before A New Hope. The Jedi master survived the Great Jedi Purge and stayed hidden on Tatooine to watch over the young Luke Skywalker. Still, it is not that easy to escape from the Empire, especially when the Inquisitors are on the hunt.
But who are these mysterious characters who made their first live-action appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi? And why do they seem so eager to hunt down Qui-Gon Jinn’s apprentice?
Who Are the Inquisitors?
As Revenge of the Sith showed, most of the Jedi Order was summarily executed by the Grand Army clone troopers following the orders of Palpatine. Still, a few Force-sensitive people survived the purge and lived in clandestinity, hiding their real identities and powers. To hunt down all the remaining Jedi, the Galactic Empire instituted an organization called the Inquisitorius. All the Inquisitors were Force-sensitive agents who pledged their fealty to the Galactic Emperor and Darth Vader. The Grand Inquisitor led the Inquisitorius, while the remaining members identified themselves as Brothers and Sisters. The crimson-colored double lightsabers they wield are the reason for their nickname, “Red Blades.”
The Inquisitors made their first appearance in the Star Wars universe in 2014’s Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion. The organization played a pivotal role in the events of the Star Wars: Rebels animated series. Still, their whys and hows have only been explored in the Darth Vader comic run so far.
Obi-Wan Kenobi introduces the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend), the Fifth Brother (Sung Kang), and the Third Sister (Moses Ingram) as they look for any surviving Jedi on Tatooine. The Third Sister’s real name is Reva and she seems to be obsessed with finding Kenobi and delivering him to Darth Vader. After the stubborn Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) — a.k.a. Luke Skywalker’s moisture farmer uncle — refuses to reveal the Jedi’s whereabouts, the Inquisitorius leaves Tatooine. Still, they eventually force Kenobi to leave his hideout after kidnapping Leia Skywalker and bringing her to the planet Daiyu. The Jedi master had a brief confrontation with his foes and managed to save the young princess.
While the Grand Inquisitor is the organization’s leader, it is not uncommon to see the Inquisitors rebelling against the authority. In the comics, even Darth Vader had to put some disobedient members in their place. The fact that they are so liberal in adopting deceptive ways led them to betray one another often. Reva herself seems to tolerate very little the Grand Inquisitor’s authority and she stabs him as soon as he asks her to stop chasing Kenobi. The countless betrayals are probably why the organization didn’t last long. Its foundation dates back to 19 BBY, but the Emperor dismantled it already before the events of Rogue One in 0 BBY.
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