A/N:
I have always loved Obi-Wan, even the old version. He had so much potential as a deep, intricate, though-provoking character that George Lucas never showed us.
I love doing introspective fics and character studies, and Obi-Wan is honestly the perfect character to do those things with.
I hope you like it!
Enjoy!
My Name
By Rennwood Phoenix
"I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since oh, before you were born."
Ben.
My name is Ben.
Ben Kenobi.
Changing names was hard, even for Obi-Wan. He had used aliases before. That wasn't hard. But altering his identity; giving up his life's studies because his old padawan's secret wife died after giving birth to twins? That was hard.
He reasoned that "Ben" sounded enough like "Obi-Wan" so he wouldn't have trouble responding to it, but different enough that he hoped people wouldn't recognize the connection. But the differences in the meanings were significant.
Obi-Wan was a Jedi. Ben was an old hermit. Obi-Wan was a warrior. Ben was a pacifist. Obi-Wan trained the father. Ben watched over the son.
Ben's purpose in life was to be absolutely sure Luke led the most normal life possible. The galaxy couldn't afford another Anakin. He planned on watching from a distance—feeling continually for tremors in the Force that would mean Luke became aware of a part of his strange heritage. He planned on not meeting the boy until absolutely necessary. It would be too much to handle—the pain of what happened to all the Jedi was still too raw.
But when a tiny blond child with his father's eyes tugged on Ben's coat, whispering in terror that he lost Aunt Beru, Obi-Wan regained his identity for a split second.
Suddenly he stood a bit taller, felt his old padawan braid tickle his neck, reached for his Master's Force presence, and almost introduced himself as Obi-Wan.
But then the moment ended, and once again he was Ben Kenobi, the crazy hermit whose sole purpose in life was to protect the boy in front of him.
Half a decade and far too many dust storms later, a speeder arrived at his home. He was surprised to see recognition in the boy's eyes when he opened the door. Luke's face lit up with excitement, despite the vicious-looking sand storm approaching. Maybe he had more of his father in him than Ben had hoped.
And like before, Obi-Wan was transported to the cargo bay of a Nubian cruiser and the excited eyes of a boy thrilled to be meeting another Jedi.
Owen and Beru didn't trust Obi-Wan, and were wary of Ben. But the boy was too much like his father. Nothing fazed him. Not Beggar's Canyon, not sand storms, and most definitely not crazy wizards. Ben was fairly sure the boy would start podracing if given the chance. But he knew Luke's more thoughtful, realistic side—probably inherited solely from his mother—was also one of his stronger traits.
So Ben was equal parts shocked and amused when a lanky, adolescent Luke came begging for help fixing his beloved T-16 before Owen found out that he crashed in Beggar's Canyon.
That time, Ben nearly gave up trying to protect his identity. The eyes were too familiar; the skill with mechanics too similar; even the smile nearly brought Obi-Wan, the hardened warrior, to tears.
Obi-Wan knew human attachment was dangerous, but Ben found himself realizing that he loved Luke, just as he had loved the boy's father.
And that thought absolutely terrified him. Obi-Wan hadn't been strong enough—too weakened by love—to kill Anakin: the biggest threat in the galaxy. Because of his weakness, Darth Vader had driven all remnants of the Old Republic to the farthest corners of the galaxy. Now he ruled with an iron fist next to his master. The good, love, naïve boy called Anakin had morphed into a steely, evil, hideous monster . . . all because Obi-Wan loved him as dearly as a brother.
Ben wouldn't let that happen to Luke.
Claiming a new identity wasn't as hard as stepping back into an old one. Ben hadn't heard his old name spoken since he'd stood by Padmé's bedside, holding her son. Hearing that same boy, now nearly an adult, say the name "Obi-Wan," released a flood of memories Ben had spent years trying to forget. He considered for a moment denying his identity like he'd done all his time on Tatooine. But if Luke was telling the truth about this droid—which he had no doubt of—he would need to know about his heritage and Ben's history.
So, for the first time in nearly eighteen hears, Ben allowed himself to accept the name that seemed to carry the weight of the universe.
Obi-Wan may have been Anakin's master, but Ben was Luke's. He realized with a start that over the hears, he had been more a father to Luke than the man standing in front of Ben, lightsaber prepared to rid the world of Obi-Wan Kenobi forever. Ben's eyes rested on that picture of Luke screaming the name he knew Obi-Wan as all his life. A smile spread across Ben's face as he lowered his lighsaber.
The highest demonstration of love is giving one's life to save someone else. And that was something both Ben and Obi-Wan would have done without a second thought. Because somehow, despite all his expectations, Luke had become more dear to Ben than even Anakin had been. Luke was the embodiment of all that his father could have been. And Ben and Obi-Wan were very proud of him.
"I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father."