date Posted: Dec 04, 2006 2:04 PM
Both Obi-wan and Gandalf, knowing that it was not their role to be the bearer of the resposibility of the quest, sacrifice themselves in a sense to make the hero to find the strength in themselves to go on their own path and fulfill the destiny bestowed upon them.
They both also became stronger in their own powers in doing so. Being reborn into something much grander than themselves.