Star Wars unveils first look at return of Darth Vader in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi season 1 spoilers follow.

Star Wars has unveiled a new look at the return of Darth Vader in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

Disney has unveiled the Sith Lord emerging from the shadows (or, more accurately, the smoke) in advance of his showdown with one-time mentor Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor), via Entertainment Weekly.

While he's probably not technically in the suit in the photo below, Hayden Christensen returns to the Star Wars franchise to reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker now that he's fully turned to the dark side.

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Related: Star Wars confirms return of legendary John Williams

The actor told EW he is "sworn to secrecy" over whether Vader will be shown without his helmet over the course of his series, but this week's trailer has offered some clues on how he will be presented.

The presence of Darth Vader can be felt throughout the footage as if he were lurking just outside the frame at several different points. Series writer Joby Harold has confirmed this tactic is intentional.

"His shadow is cast across so much of what we do," the writer teased. "And the degree of his proximity to that shadow is something that we'll discover. But he is very much a part of the show emotionally for Obi-Wan, and possibly beyond that as well."

Obi-Wan has more than just his former protege to worry about. This week's footage has also unveiled Inquisitor Reva, one of the assassins sent to snuff out the remaining Jedis across the galaxy.

Reva has been described as "ruthlessly ambitious" by director Deborah Chow, though not much is actually known about the Inquisitor's origins at this stage. The character will be played by The Queen's Gambit star Moses Ingram.

The Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series will premiere on May 25, 2022, streaming on Disney+.

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