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 | Obi-Wan's Name-Changing Decision |
 Hello everyone!
As I was watching Ep. IV the other day, I started thinking about something, and I wondered about this for a long time after I saw it. The question that has plagued me for the past several days is this:
Why did Obi-Wan change his name?
I understand, obviously, that he changed it to remain hidden from Palps, Vader, and the Empire, but if he was trying to hide, wouldn't he have changed his last name?
I mean, if he was afraid Vader would search out anyone with the name of Obi-Wan (which I'm sure was not a common name... but one never knows, do they?), then what he did makes sense. But if he was really really trying to hide from the galaxy, wouldn't he have changed his entire name? I'm sure Kenobi isn't all that common either.
If anybody was going to report him, I'm sure they would have noticed that his last name was Kenobi, and that that was the last name of a known surviving Jedi. They wouldn't care that his first name was Ben and not Obi-Wan.
So this is why I am still confuzzled over this issue. I just don't get why Obi-Wan would choose to change his first name and not his last name when he knew how serious and dangerous the situation was. I refuse to believe that he was that careless.
Help me with this!! Does anybody know why? 
May the Force be With You, Happy 30th Anniversary, and see you at CIV!
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It is not impossible that to some infinitely superior being the whole universe may be as one plain, the distance between planet and planet being only as the pores in a grain of sand, and the spaces between system and system no greater than the intervals between one grain and the grain adjacent.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Omniania
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http://blogs.starwars.com/mindofachild/41 |
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GalacticBabe
I Have a Bad Feeling About This!
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:28 PM
I don't know! I've never really thought about it! Maybe for the same reason they kept the same last name for Luke?
Very good question!!
Wow, love the quote! 
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rj_peters
Memos from the Imperial Finance Department
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:50 PM
Maybe it's like Clark Kent vs. Superman. The only differences are a hair part and some glasses yet nobody figures it out. Ben Kenobi vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Totally different people!
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Oboe-Wan
Oboe-Wan's Hive of Scum & Villainy
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:53 PM
Ugh. This topic has come up many times in our household & we still can't think of a good explanation. Although... we have agreed amongst the -Wans that "Ben" was Obi-Wan's muggle name, before he was taken by the Jedi & given the more Jedi-like name of Obi-Wan. I'm not sure this can be substantiated, but we have always thought this.
BUT, you're absolutely right about the Kenobi thing. It's along the same lines as "why didn't Luke have a different last name than Skywalker?" Both are names that Darth Vader would have probably googled first. Was Tatooine that far from the Republic's eye that both were completely safe on Tatooine?
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Oboe-Wan
Oboe-Wan's Hive of Scum & Villainy
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:53 PM
Lastly, Leia knew Obi-Wan as Kenobi because of her father. Maybe if he'd changed his name, he wouldn't have been as easily found by the rebellion existing on the fringes of the Republic anyway.
How's that for an answer?! 
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Oboe-Wan
Oboe-Wan's Hive of Scum & Villainy
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:54 PM
Maybe it's like Clark Kent vs. Superman. The only differences are a hair part and some glasses yet nobody figures it out. Ben Kenobi vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Totally different people!
LOL Air Yoda!! Ben Kenobi - cowl up vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi - cowl down. 
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kyle228
Truly Wonderful, the Mind of a Child Is...
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 2:58 PM
Thanks for all your comments, guys!
Very good question!! Wow, love the quote!
Thank you, and thank you again, GB!!
Maybe it's like Clark Kent vs. Superman
Nice analogy, rj! I never thought of that!
Was Tatooine that far from the Republic's eye that both were completely safe on Tatooine?
I've thought this as well... that seems to be just a good an explanation as any!
How's that for an answer?!
Great, actually, Oboe-Wan!! I had many of the thoughts that you did, but not about Leia finding him. If he did change his name, then the galaxy might not have been saved! Nice thoughts!!
MTFBWY, and Happy 30th Anniversary! (66 days!)
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SnoopDarthyDarth
Sith point of view related to real world...
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 3:45 PM
No need to change Luke's name... only 5 people in the galaxy knew "who" he was.
Owen, Beru, ObiWan, Bail and Yoda.
And the Empire (or anyone else) was not looking for him or his sister.
Obviously, Vader and Palps had to assume Kenobi was still alive but, why would they ever think to look for him on Tattoine of all places. It was far enough away from the center of power that i imagine noone there had ever heard of ObiWan (much less Ben) Kenobi.
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SnoopDarthyDarth
Sith point of view related to real world...
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 3:48 PM
Only problem i got is... why did Kenobi take him there in the first place? Why not keep look with him and train him from youth? Or let Yoda take him or let Yoda take Liea? ObiWan and Yoda had to sense how strong the force was in the twins right away.
I mean, what was the point in going to all the trouble of hiding them if Luke was gonna be raised a farmer and live out a, relativly, meaningless existence out there? Split the twins up between the last 2 Jedi and by the time they were 20yrs old they both would have been Jedi Knights.
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SnoopDarthyDarth
Sith point of view related to real world...
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 3:53 PM
I know... this would have ruined the OT hehe... but just sayin, where was Yoda and Obi Wans logic there?
And what was Bails thinking in wiping 3POs memory? And why him but not R2?
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usetheforce19
MasterMonkey13
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 5:07 PM
Well, Obi-Wan intended to stay hidden, I doubt he talked to anyone on Tatooine except a select few. So, if practically no one knew he existed, how could they report him to the Empire?
Oh, and to answer SnoopDarthyDarth's question of And what was Bails thinking in wiping 3POs memory? And why him but not R2?, it's because R2 could keep his mouth shut, unlike 3PO.
May the Force be with us all! God bless!
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Just A Simple Man...
Simple blogs from a Simple Man.
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 6:00 PM
This has puzzled me too but there are some good ideas here.
Just imagine the conversation between Yoda and Obi when the subject comes up:
Obi: Dude, I gotta' change my name. I'm thinking John or perhaps Ben.
Yoda: Last name, you betta' change too, if avoid discovery you wish.
Obi: Na, the sith have short memories so I'll be ok. They're not like elephants ya know!
Yoda: With Ben, you should go. Suit that you do. A Benjamin you are not.
Both are names that Darth Vader would have probably googled first.
PML, very good!
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darth maul517
Darth Jedi Maul Secura
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 6:33 PM
Good question. I would say the same things everyone else did. Also I remember reading somewhere that Vader never wanted to go back to Tatooine because it reminded him of Anakin. So maybe Obi-Wan knew.
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The Stooge
Star Wars Joke-A-Day
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date Posted: Mar 18, 2007 8:21 PM
For the reasons you listed above, I'm convinced he only changed his name to escape some tough debts he racked up at the Pod Races.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi? Oh no, that's not me. We get confused a lot, though, same last name and all. But my first name is Ben. Just Ben. No hypen, nothin' like that. Ben."
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kyle228
Truly Wonderful, the Mind of a Child Is...
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date Posted: Mar 19, 2007 4:25 AM
Thanks everyone for all your comments!!
No need to change Luke's name... only 5 people in the galaxy knew "who" he was.
Owen, Beru, ObiWan, Bail and Yoda.
True, SDD. I never really thought of it that way....
Just a Simple Man, I love the conversation. I could so see that happening!
Vader never wanted to go back to Tatooine because it reminded him of Anakin
I remember reading this now too! I forget where, but since we both remember, it has to be from somewhere reputable!
But, in the end, I like Stooge's explanation the best. 
MTFBWY, and Happy 30th Anniversary! (65 days!)
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iamspoturnot
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date Posted: Mar 19, 2007 6:21 AM
has anyone ever thought that maybe obi-wan never did change his name? maybe uncle own started calling him ben (because we all know own wanted nothing to do with the jedi and sith) and that name just stuck? if obi wan actually changed his name i would think yoda would have done the same.
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iamspoturnot
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date Posted: Mar 19, 2007 6:28 AM
3PO's memory was wiped because he spoke english like humans, R2D2 only beeps and no one can understand what he's saying without a translator.
neither of the twins went with yoda or kenoib because it would make it easier for vader and the emperor to find them. keeping them far apart and with non-force sensatives would decrease the change of the sith finding them. look how long it did take for luke to be discovered? and it took vader even longer to figure out he had a daughter.
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Darth_Hiram
A Journey into The Force
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date Posted: Mar 19, 2007 9:52 AM
Good thought Kyle ... I have pondered this question myself. Why didn't he change his last name? you're right, there can't be that many Kenobi's out there in the GFFA. But then, Vader really didn't want to re-visit Tatooine, so Ben surely felt comfortable in hiding out there. Perhaps he was trying to leave the old Jedi order behind for good, and his most recognizable name (Obi-Wan) needed to get left behind too. hmmmm....
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cavy_fan
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date Posted: Apr 06, 2007 2:25 AM
Maybe Kenobi was a fairly common surname, like Smith?
My suggestion is that if he "officially" changed his surname, there'd be an official document somewhere saying that someone called Kenobi changed their surname to Cabbage (Not necessarily Cabbage... Bluemilk wouldn't be bad either). So Darth Vader would immediately think "A Kenobi who changed his name... suspicious."
Perhaps he thought he'd arouse less suspicion by NOT changing his name.
Maybe he changed his name to Ben not to hide but because he hated himself so much for something, for example thinking he made some mistake which caused Anakin to turn to the Dark Side ("I have failed you Anakin"??).
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Master Nasha Sunrider
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date Posted: May 14, 2007 7:01 PM
Maybe a clue about this comes from the Emperor himself...
Vader was obsessed on finding Obi-Wan. And he would probably do it, but Sidious often instructed him to forget about it. He used to say that Vader needed to forget about his former "me", Anakin Skywalker... this included the refered obsession about Kenobi.
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