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Why did Obi Wan Kenobi disappeared after been hit by Vader's lightsaber?
And why did he let Darth Vader kill him? It has no sense!!!!!!!

that's the problem... it's the ghost trick...

GL said that to solve it, you had to "crack" this one...

"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerfull than you can possible imagen"

still, there is nothing final about todays theories, it will be explained in 2005, or so Mc Callum claims...

Most people think it has to do with the prophecy

The point is, Vader didn;t kill Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan faded first.

Obi-Wan knew that escape was difficult from where he was, and Luke and co were too busy watching him to move. He knew that if things came to the worse he could always do the ghost trick and carry on teaching Luke. And it suddenly occurred to him that he was actually better off doing it right there and then- VAder would think him dead, but in fact he was free to keeo helping Luke in ghost form!

And hence the Dark Side was outwitted.

and yoda and vader?

Yoda was just dying anyway.

How Anakin did it is the key to the mystery.

But all that isn;t important to this particular question, as to why Obi-Wan let Vader 'kill' him.

if it was "just dying" GQJ would have disapeared to, and if you can explain every of these jedis disappearing, you have it solved

How do you know he faded first?

because if he got hit by the sabre he would have been cut in two, reference to the Wampa, the alien in the Cantina who's name I forgot, etc.

Yoda died and then disappeared.

No, he disappeared before he died.

There was no contact made with Obi-Wan.

What are you talking about, Ush?

Yoda died. I don't know what movie you were watching. He was dead. He had his eyes closed and he was breathless.

I think that if they are prepared for their death, they can give themselves to the force and join the force completely just beforehand, whereas QGJ was not ready/expecting to die so he just died.

if that's so, it's a known trick amongst Jedi and Anakin/Vader would have known it, so he wouldn't be surprised in ANH

Unless, it's not widely known amongst all Jedi, only those Really strong or Jedi Masters, Anakin will not have been taught this and will not have been a Jedi Master, so obviously Vader will not have know either.

why wouldn't he know? Masters etc. die all the time, people wouldn know that, almost everyone would know that if it was true

I have another theory then, maybe it is something that only years of meditation would allow you to find, old Ben hidden away on tattooine was able to find the time and energies to find himself in the force more and thus find the answer on how to do this, Vader was just surprised that Obi-Wan was so much more in tune with the force that he imagined.

if you can reach it with years of meditation, it would also be found by others in the Jedi Temple, there are enough Jedi that meditate for long time, so people would also know about it

And that doesn't explain Anakin.

And people don't just die instantly like that, To. A person dying of old age, or even of disease, does not instantly die when he has just been talking. Yoda slipped into the Force before he died.

That is a load of crap, my grandma did. She talk about the good life she had had and then her eyes just stared empty into the air and she was dead.
About Yoda I would also say he faded away and died before he dissapeared, and we never see Anakin dissapear at all.

Faded away and died before he disappeared? That makes no sense; you had him fade tiwce.

If you say your grandmothjer died like that then I can hardly contradict you but in 99% of cases people do not die from consciousness like that unless suffering a sudden death like an axe in the head or a car crash. You fall unconscious and then die later.

But anyway, it isn't that important and if you want to believe they died 'first' then feel free.

Anakin, meanwhile, was seen in ghost form and so almost certainly disappeared.

I meant to say his life faded and died then he dissapeared

Gotcha. Well, maybe.

i feel the reason that qui gon didnt disappear is simply because he didnt know how to..and in episodes 2 and 3..when the jedi start to be killed off..yoda...obiwan..and a few of the remainin jedi learn to come back cuz they know they will need to...and thats why obi wan knows how and jin doesnt...
i think

They said it would be answered in Numero Dos. So the world may actually never know.

obi-wan was one with the force when he was slashed be vader.....
qui-gon wasn't when maul shoved his red stick through himhttp://ruinsmiley.tripod.com/MyStarWarssmileys_files/maulsaberA.gif

well I think it's all because of how good a jedi you are.

vader being the chosen one, is of course able to fade
OB1 is one of the best jedi who are left in the OT so he fades
Yoda, doesn't need more explaining if it's this theory

how much I love QGJ (ask yerss I think the guy owns) he wasn't powerful enough a jedi to fade

It's NOT that theory, otherwise it would happen in history as well. It has not.

could be, well I don't know the entire history so sorry

didn't know u used E.U. ush, else I need to hear or see somethin' in the movies about other jedi fadin, except those 3.

I didn't hear or see it, but it could be

"Someday I will even learn to stop people from dieing"
Anakin, EpII

yea maybe

so that could strenghten the idea that it is about the prophecy

yea possibly, actualy the chances that it's related to the prophecy are pretty big

What prophecy?

that someone will bring balance to the force

It's nothing to do with EU, Fire.

Everything we have in the films makes it clear that the disappearing trick is NOT something that Jedi normally do. The crux line is

"Strike me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine," followed by Vader's confusion at the disappeared body.

This is not something that has happened before; it is unique to the Jedi in those films.

yea so it might have to do with the prophecy, but it still is possible that those three are special jedi for some reason, not alone the prophecy

too much luck I think

maybe, but still that's why they call it luck

nha now for real prolly has to do with the prophecy

"In my experience there is no such thing as luck"

I think it has more to do with Anakin, the Skywalker family, and the Prophecy of the Chosen One. I don't know why, it just makes more sense than the other theories.

But the line that Ush keeps repeating has somethin to do with it, likely.

Maybe Obi-Wan had done many years of meditation on Tattooine and had discovered how to become one with the force or had re-discovered and old Jedi trick of doing so/

Now that this thing appears to have been made a major plot point, I doubt that. And again, if it could just be discovered like that, someone would have done it before.

right on, and especially by the Siths who spend loads of time on their own. Being only two that is

didn't think he ever learned

Keep in mind this is only another theory. Maybe yoda knew it and wanted it to be only used for emergencies, so when the Jedi where all but exterminated he taught this to obi-wan just in case something was to happen to him and he needed to do something else of great importance. And Darth Vader probably figured it out how to do it in Ep V.

I doubt Vader had any idea until he was Anakin again.

A very interesting mystery we seem to have on our hands...I always wondered about Yoda and Obi-Wan vanishing upon their deaths. Yet allegedly the reconverted Anakin did the same,leaving only the Vader armour behind. However, if one checks out an obscure passage in "Champions of the Force"(the final book in the Jedi academy trilogy by Kevin Anderson), Luke Skywalker wondered why his body did not vanish when he thought he was dead,following the betrayal of one of his students at the academy. He thought it meant he was not a true Jedi Master. However,as we all know,he wasn't really dead,it was only a trick by the Sith Lord in the book. So whatever the reason behind the disappearing,Luke did not know how to do it.Which only serves to enhance this liitle mystery of ours...

Not that we can count EU sources.

Apparently,some do, judging by several of the entries stored in this database.

Their mistake.

Let's not nitpick over technicalities. Either way, it is a most fascinating subject,to be sure.

still is EU and as ush said not countable

As a child growing up on with the original Star Wars(aka A New Hope), I was always fascinated with Obi-Wan's famous disappearing trick seconds before Vader's lightsaber blade cut him in half. I never understood why or how he just vanished like that,unless it was so he could continue to direct Luke in the ways of the Force,and eventually send him to Dagobah,as in ESB.

You Fools if you watched the third movie(6th one made) it says at the end that quigon-jin figured out a way of revival so maybe obi-wan made contact with yoda and darth sidios showed darth vader how to do this as well explaining all your problems. And they could just bind their spirit through the force

Originally posted by ravish
i feel the reason that qui gon didnt disappear is simply because he didnt know how to..and in episodes 2 and 3..when the jedi start to be killed off..yoda...obiwan..and a few of the remainin jedi learn to come back cuz they know they will need to...and thats why obi wan knows how and jin doesnt...
i think

How much further could this prophecy have been from the truth!

If people even watch ANH anymore, Obi-Wan disappears before Vader connects with him, because his cloak doesn't get cut in half. And about the disappearing trick, I agree that only Jedi ready for death do it, and we don't hear about it in the past because it has no relavence to the storyline. And plus, any Jedi can learn the pathway to immortality and ghost form, I.E. Qui-Gon didn't fade away, but he figured it out, and taught the others. That's just my two cents.

Yeah, nice going in bumping a years old thread there.

(sighs)

Please do try and exhibit sense when posting.

SB- clear and canon from GL himself, the vanishing/ghost trick has NEVER been done before.

"because it has no relavence to the storyline"

Totally wrong- it had GREAT relevance because it is important that Vader didn't know what Obi-Wan could do.

Wow, old argument revived...heh...

Do you think it's possible that, as Qui-Gon did with Yoda, Yoda or Ben or even Qui-Gon came to Vader and taught him how? Or that it was just simply that he was the Chosen One and did not need to learn it?

Well maybe they taught him in the afterlife, and it doesn't seem like it's hard to learn, just to perfect, as Yoda learned it in what? 20 mins of convo? But he had all that time to perfect it.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
And that doesn't explain Anakin.

And people don't just die instantly like that, To. A person dying of old age, or even of disease, does not instantly die when he has just been talking. Yoda slipped into the Force before he died. I think Anakin automatically became a Jedi Spirit cuz he was the Chosen One.

when the Jedi are at peace when they die, or prepare to, they become one with the Force and disappear

How can people have seen all the films now, and still think that?

When Yoda talked to Obi-Wan about this (this is cut out from the movie, but I still see it as cannon), he said that Obi-Wan under the training of Qui-Gon could learn how to keep his conciousness when he transforms into the Force and "maybe" his physical self. And that is the reason why Qui-Gon probably didn't have his physical self when he transformed into the Force, cause there is no certainty you would get it. Maybe strength indeed has something to do with it. In the database it says that Anakin did indeed return with the help of Obi-Wan and Yoda. I guess it takes more time to learn it by yourself than with the help of others.

Originally posted by Council#13
when the Jedi are at peace when they die, or prepare to, they become one with the Force and disappear If you are a good guy, you'll go to heaven.
And Qui-Gon Jinn discovered the magical ghost technique.

Vader quickly became a good guy and was rewarded with a young body.
Palpatine should've done that too!

The reason Anakin is still young as a ghost, is because this can only be accomplished by compassion. Anakin died as a Jedi in ep III, he is reborn as Darth Vader and died as Darth Vader. So Anakin's soul comes back young cause like I said he died young.

It's symbolic but still nonsensical.

yeah Qui-Gon said that it was a technique that could only be performed by compassion not greed, that is why no Sith can do it. And I'm not sure if the death of Anakin is completely symbolic. As religious people, the Jedi are Anakin's spirit dies. There is only Darth Vader.

did qui-gon return also even though it isn't shown in the movies??

Qui-Gon did return, but he was not able to keep his physical self. Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda could

but why? and thanx for the info..

There are still some things I don't understand aboot that so called "ghost trick" for one, do you need to be dead to achieve the state. Second when does ones body fate? How did Qui Gon Jinn do it anyways, I mean he was dead already, wasn't he. Vader is of course a good question. It doesn't all fit I believe.

one thing about Qui-Gon, why he didn't dissapear is simple...that is because he only discovered the secret while he already joined the Force...but the others knew the secret before they died and they dissapeared to keep their physical self. Darth Vader didn't dissapear either because he didn't know how to keep his physical self but he did return and kept his, thx to the help of Yoda and Obi-Wan when he joined the Force.

why didn't yoda and obi help qui-gon and he didn't show up?

qui gon showed em all how to do it then hit queeqs and has been there ever since invisible drinking everyones drinks when they arent looking....I wanna be just like him when I go...lol

Why didn't they help Qui-Gon? Simple, Qui-Gon couldn't do anything anymore. All hope was in Luke and Leia. And it was the living Obi-Wan who would take care of Luke. Since he died later he was the only one who had a connection with Luke, Qui-Gon hadn't...so why disturb him?
He's dead, let him sleep in peace in the leaving Force. He's done all he can. lol

That is also why you don't see Qui-Gon appear in the end of ROTJ, Luke had no connection with him, he only saw the ones he had a connection with. The whole Jedi council could have apeared lol and they would be standing there like monkeys saying "what are we doing here???" and Luke would be thinking "Who are those guys!".
Gets the point?

http://www.endorsystem.com/ClieggLars2.jpg
"This topic's dead,son.Accept it."

"To find my topic..."

got it! thnx

Originally posted by fjord
Why did Obi Wan Kenobi disappeared after been hit by Vader's lightsaber?
And why did he let Darth Vader kill him? It has no sense!!!!!!!

In short, Obi-Wan Disappeared and came "one" with the force witch explains why he comes back as a force ghost and partaily helps luke by giving him tips, take hoth for example he shows up and tells him to go to dagohbah.

Episode III answered this question finally - this thread can be put to rest now.

The reason that Obi Wan let Vader kill him was because Luke had to confront Vader. If Obi Wan would have fought Vader, Luke may have never gotten the chance and therefore would have never known that Vader was his father and he never would have got to confront him. I don't know what to say about the disappearing thing though. I agree with Corran. Maybe Obi Wan and Yoda joined the force as they died, becoming one with it so that they could help Luke.

uh...ya..thats kinda the point. Supposedly, Qui-Gon was supposed to appear in Ep3, but Liam Nesson didn't want to for some reason or another, and so like always, GL came up with a half assed explanation on the spot. But I agree that he didn't show up at the end of ROTJ because Luke didn't know him so what would the point be?

OB1 gave himself to the force, and Yoda just slipped in to the force. Ive heard that Vader disappears "off-screen" but who knows. And I heard that they used young Anakin because thats the last time he was physically whole. Had he appeared old (like he originally did) he would have no legs and two half arms....kinda funny looking, don't you agree? So thats why, at least thats what i think....but you could say its symbolic as well.

They were smart not to show Qui-Gonn in RotS. It'd pretty much ruin the ending.

Obi-Wan used the immortality ghost trick to become one with the Force. It's as simple as that...

See, i would think he would have to become one with the force before he could do the force ghost trick. Maybe thats the way you meant it, but i don't know. I think that he gave him self to the force(letting vader kill him) so he COULD become the ghost to help luke in times he wouldn't normally be able to. I also always figured that once they become one with the force that they learn things about the force they could not know while alive. kinda like anakin saying , "I know there are things about the force they aren't telling me." So they didn't know to tell him, but since he was the chosen one, he could kinda sense that there was something "more" out there. Know what i mean?

It's been referred to as "becoming one with the Force" for a LONG time, long before The Phantom Menace. Come on, people.

Furthermore, yes, you must become one with the Force to become a Force ghost.

How did the Sith do it then? Did they do what the "hated" Jedi do, and become one with the Force that they abused?

It's actually ironic and was explained in the clone wars tv series, created by Lucas. In III, Yoda had pretty much just got back from a journey qui-gon led him to in order to understand the light side of the force enough to "keep one's identity" after death, and not just become part of the cosmic force. Qui-gon wasn't able to finish this training so he could only speak to the living, but Yoda learned to form an image of himself. At around the end of III, you'll remember Yoda telling Obiwan that he has to teach him something specific taught to him by Quigon before he went to be a hermit/guardian on Tatooine. This was that training. I guess the ironic part is that although the dark side seems more physical and powerful.. plus the emperor promised this power to Anakin.. the light side was the only path to immortality.
Obiwan let Vader kill him because in that moment he realized he could train Luke much faster and better if he was within his mind, which was a trick of being an immortal, communicating with only one person at a time.. in the trilogy, Obiwan could tell when Luke was in need of some words of wisdom, or a just reminder to use the force. He couldn't have helped Luke destroy the death star in IV if he hadn't have done it.

8 years later.

lol well for closure's sake.