The Obi-Wan Kenobi show has finally dropped, and one of the more anticipated figures is a Jedi hunter known as the Grand Inquisitor. At first glance, he may seem like a Sith thug: standard fare in Star Wars. Killing him prematurely certainly doesn't do much to change that impression. However, there's more to this pale-faced villain than meets the eye.
The Grand Inquisitor has actually appeared in several pieces of Star Wars media. Here, he's privy to several pivotal events in a galaxy far, far away. Audiences would never know that by his comparatively meager presence in this show. That's why they owe it to themselves to read up on this imposing antagonist, as his role makes for some of the more engrossing Star Wars tales in recent years.
7 He Originated In Animation.
The Grand Inquisitor is another in the increasing line of animated characters jumping to live action. He first emerged in Star Wars Rebels, a series about ragtag heroes forming a larger resistance against the Galactic Empire. Voiced by Jason Isaacs, he's the overarching villain of Season One. Throughout the show, he pursues the Rebels across the planet Lothal and seeks to root out potentially Force-sensitive children.
Those exploits ultimately prove his undoing. The finale sees the Grand Inquisitor confront Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger in a climactic duel. Though defeated, he forgoes surrender by flinging himself to a fiery death. Better that than answering to Darth Vader.
6 He's From Utapau.
He may look like Darth Nosferatu, but the Grand Inquisitor is actually a native of Utapau. Viewers briefly see these creepy residents in Revenge of the Sith, where Bruce Spence of Mad Max fame cameos as their administrator. The Grand Inquisitor's ancestry with them is plain to see in Rebels. He sports an elongated head, vertical markings, and sharp teeth.
These features are barely present in his live-action appearance. His head has a normal shape, and the vertical lines are only visible on top. His razor teeth also aren't nearly as prominent. With these aspects dialed back so much, audiences might assume he's just a creepy-looking human.
5 He Was Once A Jedi.
The second season of Rebels finally sheds light on its villain. Visions reveal that the Grand Inquisitor was once a Jedi Knight, specifically a member of the Temple Guard. These guys maintain the sanctity of the structure and the archives within. This, in turn, reveals his presence in a previous show.
The Inquisitor was one of the very guards in The Clone Wars during its Season Five finale arc. He and his masked brethren are seen in the background while a framed Ahsoka Tano pleads her innocence to the other Jedi. They later escort traitor Barriss Offee to the Senate trial to answer for her crimes. This background explains why the Inquisitor is ideal as a Jedi hunter.
4 He Can Identify Jedi Based On Fighting Style.
As a Temple Guard, the Grand Inquisitor had intimate knowledge of the Jedi Archives. He's well-versed in various forms of lightsaber combat, which obviously comes in handy when hunting the fugitive Force users. He can pinpoint their exact style and, thus, exploit their weaknesses.
Fans see this in action during his first appearance in Rebels. After a few seconds of dueling Kanan Jarrus, the Inquisitor correctly guesses that he trained under Depa Billaba. He then uses this information to psyche out his opponent and gain the upper hand. You have to admire someone good at his job.
3 He Knighted A Fugitive Jedi.
Speaking of Kanan, he's instrumental in helping the Grand Inquisitor achieve some measure of redemption after death. In the same vision that reveals him as a Temple Guard, the former Sith servant helps Jarrus realize an important truth: he can't protect Ezra forever. He must let his apprentice go and trust him to make his own moral decisions.
Just when this seems to prompt a killing blow, the Inquisitor gently lowers his lightsaber onto Kanan's shoulders, dubbing him a Jedi Knight. He then delays the other Inquisitors to aid in the heroes' escape. In short, it couldn't be more different from their previous encounters.
2 He Killed Another Fugitive Jedi...And Kept Her Remains.
Luminara Unduli was among the few Jedi to survive Order 66. Sadly, she soon faced imprisonment, albeit a short-lived one. The Grand Inquisitor is present for her execution, and that should have been the end for her. Instead, he finds a creatively twisted use for the Jedi Master.
He preserves her skeleton and makes a secret recording of her incarceration. He then leaks these to underground transmission channels to lure any wayward Jedi into a trap. It works on the Rebels crew and likely did the same for others before them. It's all the more ironic since the Inquisitor later became a post-mortem pawn himself.
1 He Fought Luke Skywalker.
The Grand Inquisitor thought he could escape Darth Vader in death, but the Sith Lord doesn't let him off so easily. Somehow, he traps his servant's spirit and puts it in a Jedi outpost. The apparition would then attack anyone seeking knowledge or resources from that place. Yeah, this strains credulity even by Star Wars standards, but it comes from a comic book. Plenty of weirder scenarios have unfolded in that medium.
More unbelievable is that this ploy draws in the ultimate prize: Luke Skywalker. Following his defeat by Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, the aspiring Jedi journeys to this outpost for a new lightsaber. Here, he battles the Inquisitor, who belittles him for his altruistic beliefs. Thankfully, Luke vanquishes his spectral foe and gains a new perspective on the enduring Jedi Order. That's the second prominent Jedi whom the Grand Inquisitor's aided from beyond the grave.