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How Long After Obi-Wan Does Star Wars Rebels Take Place
Obi-Wan Kenobi is now streaming on Disney+. Here's where the show falls on the Star Wars timeline and how it relates to Star Wars Rebels.

How Long After Obi-Wan Does Star Wars Rebels Take Place

Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Obi-Wan Kenobi episodes 1 & 2.

The first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi are now streaming on Disney+, but where does the show fall on the Star Wars timeline in relation to Star Wars Rebels? Following the success of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, Disney and Lucasfilm are continuing to expand the Star Wars universe on television. Obi-Wan Kenobi is their third live-action series and it picks up with its titular Jedi after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. It also marks Ewan McGregor’s first time returning to the role since that 2005 film.

Star Wars Rebels is an animated series that was Disney’s first Star Wars project following their purchase of Lucasfilm. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, the show is set during the period between Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope. It details the rise the of Rebellion and follows former Jedi Kanan Jarrus, his padawan Ezra Bridger, and their fellow rebels on Lothal. The primary antagonist for Rebels season 1 is the Grand Inquisitor, while season 2 introduces the Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister. Darth Vader also appears in Rebels season 2, eventually crossing paths with his former padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Come Rebels season 3, Obi-Wan makes an appearance in the episode “Twin Suns” when Ezra goes to Tatooine to warn him of Maul’s plans for revenge.

While the two shows are set within the same period of the Star Wars timeline, their events do not overlap. Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith, and nine years prior to A New Hope. Meanwhile, Star Wars Rebels begins its story only five years prior to A New Hope. This means that the events of Star Wars Rebels takes place in the year 5 BBY (before the Battle of Yavin), and that is four years after Obi-Wan Kenobi, which is set in 9 BBY.

While there could be an Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2 or some other continuation, as it stands, it doesn’t appear that Obi-Wan Kenobi season 1 will go so far as to reach the time of Star Wars Rebels. Instead, Obi-Wan Kenobi is likely to cover just this brief period in Kenobi’s post-ROTS life as he returns Leia to her parents on Alderaan. As for what else can be expected from upcoming episodes, it’s been confirmed that Kenobi will again duel Darth Vader, and episode 2 even ends with Kenobi learning his former apprentice is still alive. With four episodes remaining, Obi-Wan Kenobi is sure to reveal more surprises about what the Jedi was up to while away from Tatooine, but ultimately, Obi-Wan will need to return to his post of watching over Luke.

This is where Ezra finds Kenobi when he visits Tatooine in Star Wars Rebels season 3. Along with warning him about Maul—who does get his rematch before he’s killed by Kenobi—Ezra also asks him to help the Rebellion, but Kenobi refuses. He tells Ezra the Rebellion already has what it needs, referring to Ezra and his fellow rebels. It’s also implied Kenobi won’t leave and abandon his duty to watch over Luke. This is interesting since Obi-Wan Kenobi is exploring him doing exactly that, though for a compelling reason: to rescue the other Skywalker twin. Still, it’s possible Luke will be put at risk because Kenobi has left in search of Leia, and it’ll be because of season 1’s events that Kenobi swears to never again leave Luke. As such, Obi-Wan Kenobi may not directly lead into Star Wars Rebels, and their events are unlikely to overlap, but the two shows remain closely connected.