Why Didn't Obi-Wan Kenobi Recognise R2-D2 In A New Hope?

Why Didn't Obi Wan Kenobi Recognise R2-D2 in a New Hope?

During Obi Wans first appearance in a new hope, Kenobi claims that he has in fact never owned a droid, apparently not recognising R2-D2 despite their history during the prequels. So was Obi Wan suffering from some kind of memory loss or is there another explanation? To find the answer we must pay close attention to both the context of the conversation and Kenobi's exact wording. Obi wan's goal during that encounter was to gain Luke's trust: he did not want him asking too many questions about himself. Instead of admitting that he did know R2-D2, he claimed that he couldn't remember owning a droid and never actually said he didn't recognize R2. This diverted the conversation away from awkward questions and bending the truth just slightly, as he did with Vader's true identity.

#kenobi #obiwan #obiwankenobi #starwars

[VadersFortress]

What Were Obi-Wans' Thoughts After Discovering Darth Vader Had Survived Mustafar?⬇️

[TetsuShima]

Imagine how insulted R2 felt when the man he saved so many times in the past told Luke he didn't recognise the droid

[bj.bruner]

He said "I don't remember owning a droid."
Obi-Wan never owned R2

[elgatolopez]

"R2?"
"Do you know this droid?"
"Yeah he was your father's property"
"Did you know my father too?"
"Darth Vader? Never heard of him"

[HMSGT]

"... what I told you was true, from a certain point of view."

[Juice_the_Guru]

"I don't remember owning a droid."
R2: wow. thanks step dad.

[dylancool]

Alternative answer: they didn't think about this in 1977

[Ocelot]

"Instead of admiting there might be plot holes in the thing I love, I'm gonna do an astounding feat of mental gymnastics"

[kobediamantevlogs]

Obi Wan: I couldn't remember owning a droid before.
R4: *sad droid noise

[cornman]

Obi wan: I don’t remember ever owning a droid R-4: sad droid noises

[BBountyHunter]

Obi-Wan was a master of “from the certain point of view…”

[AricGonzales]

In the book from a “certain point of view’ while on the falcon obi wan puts his hand on R2 and says how glad he is to see him

[MegaManDBZX]

So what he said was true. From a certain point of view.

[Mannchini]

“I don’t seem to remember ever owning a droid”

He avoids lying to Luke while also avoiding having answer any follow up questions on how he and R2 are acquainted.

[DavidNovak]

Because that's what happens when you make a series of moves backwards lol

[kapitankapital]

"or is there another explanation"
Yeah the fact that they made the film 20 years before the prequels came out.

[minicle]

* R4 gets decapitated *

"Oh dear...anyway"

[itslouiemoo]

Actually the way Obi-Wan says the line, it's like he's reminding R2-D2 to keep things quiet and don't say too much.

[hunterkiller]

Imagine how the waves of feels and nostalgia when he sees R2, only to see the owner of R2 a few hours later.

[GypsyDanger]

I would have like to seen a “it’s good to fly with you again old friend”, scene.