Summary

• Pablo Hidalgo, a Lucasfilm executive, said George Lucas fully supported the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show and considers it one of his favorite things from Star Wars.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi demonstrated a love for the character that rivaled George Lucas' own fondness of the Jedi Master, which likely helped make it one of his favorite projects.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi also links Lucas' trilogies together perfectly and enhances them both, which was likely an addition he appreciated.

George Lucas has mostly stepped away from Star Wars since Disney purchased Lucasfilm, but a new interview from one of the company's executives revealed Lucas' true thoughts about the Obi-Wan Kenobi television show. Obi-Wan Kenobi follows its titular character during the part of the Star Wars timeline between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and the original Star Wars, which was later retitled A New Hope. Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't very high on the ranking of Star Wars shows, and Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2 seems unlikely. Still, many enjoyed the Star Wars show, including the franchise's creator.

In an interview on the Full of Sith podcast, Pablo Hidalgo, a Lucasfilm creative executive who is considered the company's "Star Wars lore advisor," said that George Lucas thoroughly enjoyed Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Early on there was a conversation had with George [Lucas] over what his thoughts were, and whether or not, honestly, he bought the whole concept, and he was one hundred percent supportive. And I’ve heard tell it’s one of his favorite things that’s come out of Star Wars.”

Hidalgo made a point of saying that Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of Lucas' favorite Star Wars projects, which is exceptionally high praise. Lucas has largely remained silent about Disney's tenure over Star Wars in the past, but he has commented on some recent projects that he particularly enjoyed, such as when Lucas praised Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It's such a rare occasion that getting Lucas' seal of approval is often a major accomplishment for any Star Wars project.

Why Did George Lucas Love Obi-Wan Kenobi?

Later in the interview, Hidalgo explained that Lucas loved Obi-Wan Kenobi so much, "Because he recognizes so much of what he did in the prequels, basically brought forward and celebrated in a way that I'm sure surprised him." The Star Wars prequel trilogy was heavily criticized when it first came out, but in the years since its release, it has come to be loved by a new generation of Star Wars fans. Obi-Wan Kenobi was a very tangible view of just how beloved Lucas' prequel trilogy now is, and seeing a show that wouldn't have been possible without the effect his creation has had on so many viewers was surely a special feeling.

George Lucas has also displayed a clear love for the character of Obi-Wan in the past. Obi-Wan was one of the most prominent characters in both the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies, and Lucas clearly considered him important. The admiration he holds for a show dedicated to one of his favorite characters seems natural, especially considering how much its creators cared for the character. Obi-Wan Kenobi depicted the Jedi Master incredibly faithfully and understood his personality and character extremely well. The show brought Lucas' character back to live-action after 17 years in a way that did him justice, which he understandably appreciated.

Lucas also likely enjoyed Obi-Wan Kenobi so much because of how it treated the character. Obi-Wan Kenobi tells one of the most important stories that took place between Lucas' trilogies: Obi-Wan's realization that Darth Vader had survived. The whole show is a natural continuation of the story Lucas created, and it gives one of his most beloved characters a real opportunity to shine and grow as a person. It also serves as a great way to merge Ewan McGregor's younger, bolder version of Obi-Wan with Alec Guinness' older, wiser version of the character, which meant Obi-Wan Kenobi enhanced both trilogies.

Source: Full of Sith podcast