6

In the first episode of Obi Wan Kenobi we see several different scenes of Kenobi working his daily job. It appears to be filleting some kind of meat. And, as his shift ends, he always slices some for himself and hides it in his cloak.

As everyone on shift goes to leave, they punch out and at that time appear to get paid (one employee disputes his rations).

It seems wholly unethical for a Jedi to steal, even if it is from a company that treats their employees unfairly.

Am I seeing this right - is Kenobi stealing? And if so, isn't that against the Jedi code?

Improve this question
1
  • 4
    Just a point of interest: The Jedi Order [of the prequel era] is dead at the moment. So there isn't necessarily a strict moral/spiritual code to follow. Obi-Wan is also a "broken" man at this point also, therefor he is bit untethered from the former Jedi ways of doing things, and this is signifigant as the path he and Anakin have individually veered off from (with Obi-Wan walking up to it and Anakin completely crossing it and living in it), show somewhat where that gray line is between the light and the dark, if one believes in those things...
    – Darth Locke
    Commented Jul 5, 2022 at 0:53

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
6

Yes, we could see this act as just carrying away some food from the processing plant, but it has more meaning. We see large quantities of meat as big meat chops are swinging on hooks in the background, thus creating the image of abundance. Even with so much food surrounding Obi-Wan, he is taking just a tiny piece, probably an offcut.

The utmost important part is that Obi-Wan is not taking it for himself but as a treat for his pet. It shows that even as a broken man living in extreme poverty, he still has compassion and can put others before himself. It sets up a viewer to expect good deeds from him and to call into question the previous image of him as cold and uncaring about Luke.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    I like the argument. I wonder if that's how we are meant to see Kenobi at the end of the prequels, though? Cold and uncaring? That describes someone aligned with the dark side.
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Jul 5, 2022 at 16:42
  • 1
    This is a great way to view it!
    – Darth Locke
    Commented Jul 5, 2022 at 20:31
1

At first I wondered this, too. One argument that he's not doing anything wrong, though, is he doesn't seem to be trying to hide it at all. As closely as it seems those workers are watched, if they aren't saying anything about what he's taking, it seems that he must not be violating any rules. As aszuflicki says, maybe this is something that was going to be thrown away anyway.

I know the absence of any consequences is not absolute proof that taking small amounts is allowed (maybe the corrupt overseer merely looks the other way, or takes a bribe, etc), but since the show doesn't give us any more to go on, I'm leaning toward his actions being morally ok.

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    Given the scene we see where the other employee clocking out argues he was not paid enough, I can't believe that the guard(s) would be fine with taking some of the product for himself. The lack of Kenobi being furtive could be explained that he used the force to become inconspicuous.
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Jul 5, 2022 at 18:52
  • @JasonPSallinger They seem to make a point (like Luke in TLJ) that he hadn't been using the Force, in part because he was aware of the danger it posed. It's unlcear if he was completely cut off from it, (but seems likley because Qui-Gon could not appear),but no one (The Inquisitors) initially sensed him on Tatooine, Reva could better sense him (as her motives are not fully dark-sided,as sometimes the dark side/light side can not sense opposite-side force sensative unless "conflicted" ...
    – Darth Locke
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 12:44
  • ...In example Darth Sidious could not sense Luke Skywalker in ROTJ) once he used the Force to save Leia from falling on Daiyu
    – Darth Locke
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 12:48
  • I was going to respond that it's possible he was using the Force to hide his actions, but that's making it more complicated than it needs to be with no evidence to support it. I like @DarthLocke's answer better, though. :)
    – jfren484
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 16:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .