If you’re tuning into the new Disney+ limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi, chances are you’re familiar with the long, complicated history between Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former padawan, Darth Vader f.k.a. Anakin Skywalker. What you may not be aware of is all the cool details about new character Reva, played by Moses Ingram. Well here’s your chance to jump in and get to know Vader’s badass enforcer.
Who Is Reva?
Reva is one of the few Kenobi characters we haven’t met before. Her origin hasn’t been previously established in other media, so she’s a total mystery. What we do know is she has been assigned the high-priority task of hunting down Obi-Wan.
“Reva is a boss,” Ingram told Entertainment Weekly. “I mean, really like a full-on athlete. She is on a mission and will conquer that at all costs when given the opportunity.”
Glimpses we’ve seen of her in the trailers show an intense, loyal soldier who is hell-bent on being the one to bring down her boss’ former best friend. During the global press conference, Ingram explained that Reva’s “always 10 steps ahead.” Feels like she’s already going to be a fan favorite.
Who are the Inquisitors?
Inquisitors are force-sensitive warriors who joined the dark side and now work for the Galactic Empire hunting down Jedi. They are also known as Inquisitorius and Imperial Inquisitors. Within their ranks is a hierarchy of Brothers and Sisters, with Reva serving as Third Sister. They are led by the Grand Inquisitor, who will be played by Rupert Friend (Homeland) in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Why Reva is so important to the Star Wars Universe?
As much as I love Star Wars, I’ve had to wait a long time to see someone who looks like me. Princess Leia is awesome, but no matter how hard my mom tried, my hair was not going to stay in those buns. Lando Calrissian is the coolest guy in the galaxy, but I really wanted to see a Black girl kicking ass with a lightsaber. Well guess what? My childhood dreams have finally come true because now I’ve got Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka and Moses Ingram as Reva.
Ingram wanted to make sure the representation of her character was honored, so one of the first things she did was speak to the Kenobi creative team about Reva’s hair.
“I wanted kids to have their own hair at Halloween. And that’s huge If you look at all the Black kids with kinky hair,” Ingram told EW. “When they want to be Elsa, they got to put on a blond wig. There are so many kids that’ll be able to wear their hair at Halloween. That’s going to be really exciting.”
The actress notes that the series’ director Deborah Chow “was really great about moving from what the initial vision was for hair to what we arrived at for Reva’s hair.” This is a big deal, as a giant machine like Star Wars has specific marketing and merchandising ideas set for every major character. Changing course to create a more authentic look for a Black woman is huge.
“I know it’s going to mean a lot to a lot of people,” Ingram said. “It’s important that when we turn on the TV, we see the world that we live in reflected back to us in what we’re seeing. Representation is so important, and I feel so blessed that I get to be the vehicle that this character comes forth through. I am not worthy.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney+ Friday, May 27, with new episodes every Wednesday.