The final Star Wars Rebels duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul was meant to close off wayward continuity, not add to it. Still, some of Obi-Wan’s words to his fallen adversary wound up confusing fans, for which Star Wars writer Pablo Hidalgo clarifies who the true “chosen one” is.

You’re warned of full spoilers for Star Wars Rebels Season 3 from here on out, but however brief the final duel between Obi-Wan and Maul proved, the sight of Obi-Wan cradling his dying enemy was a powerful one. In his last moments, Maul accepted defeat, and used his final breaths to ask Obi-Wan the reason for exiling himself to Tatooine:

MAUL
Tell me … is it the chosen one?

OBI-WAN
He is.

MAUL
He … will … avenge … us.

As “Twin Suns” would later confirm, the two were referring to young Luke Skywalker, though some fans raised an eyebrow at the assertion. In canon, Anakin Skywalker is typically seen as the “chosen one” bringing balance to the Force, albeit in the roundabout manner of falling to the dark side, and destroying Emperor Palpatine in a last act of redemption.

So then, was Obi-Wan’s “chosen one” remark a gaffe, or an attempt to rewrite continuity? Neither, according to Star Wars story group member Pablo Hidalgo, who addressed the question in a post-finale Rebels Recon:

Obi-Wan is mentioning who he believes is ultimately going to defeat the Sith, and if you watch the original trilogy, you know that Obi-Wan’s complete belief is in Luke Skywalker. He doesn’t believe that Anakin can be redeemed. Anakin’s gone, as far as he’s concerned, but Luke thinks differently, and I think that’s what makes Luke … Luke.

We’ll quietly sidestep why Obi-Wan put “complete belief” in Anakin’s male child as the “chosen one,” without ever meeting Leia (who’s already fighting the Empire at this point), but consider the mystery solved. There are plenty more Star Wars connections to be forged in Season 4, including some major Rogue One returns.

We’ll learn more at Star Wars Celebration, so stay tuned for more Star Wars Rebels.

Check Out 100 TV Facts You May Not Know!

More From KLAW-FM