Darth Vader returns in first look at Hayden Christensen’s Sith in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series

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Hayden Christensen promises a "very powerful" Darth Vader

Star Wars fans are feasting well. We’ve already had the first Obi-Wan Kenobi series trailer, complete with a Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) hunting down the remaining Jedi scattered around the Galaxy. Now, the first look at Hayden Christensen’s return as Darth Vader has been released.

The shot comes courtesy of Entertainment Weekly – and you can see the full image in the tweet below. The iconic Star Wars villain is looking menacing, with his trusty meditation chamber – first glimpsed in the original trilogy – at his back.

While Christensen isn’t spilling all of his secrets ("I’m sworn to secrecy," the actor tells EW on whether Vader removes his helmet), he does tease that we’ll see "a very powerful Vader."

On the Sith Lord’s presence in the series, writer Joby Harold said, "His shadow is cast across so much of what we do. 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."

It’s not yet clear, then, how Vader factors into Obi-Wan’s pre-A New Hope adventure. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has already promised the "rematch of the century"”, though Ewan McGregor’s Jedi might have a few more Sith-shaped roadblocks in the way before he can Force his way into a reunion with Anakin.

For more from the new Obi-Wan trailer, check out our complete breakdown – including all the details you may have missed. Plus, here are all the upcoming Star Wars movies currently in the works.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.