Boomstick: And sometimes, they're both! Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master of the Galactic Republic, from Star Wars.
Wiz: And Kakashi Hatake, the Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf and mentor to Naruto.
Mentors are commonplace in fiction, dry-witted ones moreso, and this season seven episode introduces two such characters, legendary masters of their settings' mystic natures who impart that wisdom unto others. Universal and personal energy collide, as do plasma and metal blades, signatures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kakashi Hatake, two more potential casualties to be tested through a death battle.
The first of the two mentors featured in the episode would be Obi-Wan Kenobi. At the age of three, Obi-Wan was brought under the tutelage of the Jedi Order, a sect of warrior monks tasked with keeping peace throughout the galaxy in the face of the threat posed by the Sith. He began training to harness the Force before being chosen as the personal protégé of the venerated Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn. Mentor and pupil developed a rapport with one another as they undertook countless missions for the Jedi order. Alas, their time together would be cut short when Jinn was slain by Darth Maul, a dark lord under the Sith. In his dying moments, Qui-Gon asked Obi-Wan that he train Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied chosen one who would bring order to the Force; despite the Order's reluctance, Kenobi stood by his master's final request. Time went on and Obi-Wan continued to earn higher ranking within the Jedi Order, eventually attaining the position of Jedi master. With a new title and a student of his own to train, Kenobi continued to serve the Order's needs, even in the face of the wars between the Jedi and Sith that were waged across the stars.
Obi-Wan has developed a mastery of combat courtesy of his training and no shortage of ways to partake in it. The lightsaber, a straight sword consisting of a plasma blade and hilt, is the traditional weapon used by Jedi and Sith alike; as such, Obi-Wan is heavily proficient in its use. The Jedi master is skilled in all seven disciplines of lightsaber combat, but his preferred method of fighting is Soresu; categorized as form three, it is a defensive style centered around capitalizing on a foe's mistakes. Already talented in melee, Obi-Wan is just as adept in more mystical affairs. A central element of the Star Wars cosmology is the Force, an energy said to bind all living things together as it stretches across the universe. Those closely attuned to the Force can draw upon its power to affect the world around them; telekinesis is the one of the most common applications of the Force, as are telepathically implanted suggestions. Other ways to use the Force can include casting illusions, protective barriers, redirecting energy, and even limited clairvoyance.
As one of the greatest within the Jedi legacy, Obi-Wan has accumulated a staggering number of feats in his journeys across the galaxy. Aided by the Force, he can maneuver through dogfighting ships approaching at lightspeed and even incoming enemy fire within nanoseconds. Other Force users Obi-Wan should measure to can hold together planets by channeling the Force, with others able to push black holes; even Anakin is a point of reference for Obi-Wan, given he can direct dreadnaughts to shield himself from incoming missiles. Meanwhile, his skill with a lightsaber is such that he can do battle while blindfolded, defeating entires armies in this state. Obi-Wan is indeed many things, a teacher, a warrior, a general, but above all else, he is still fallible. It is noted that while Obi-Wan seems to gain power from the terrain around him if on a higher elevation than his opponent, this ability is only speculative at best. As a member of the Jedi Order, he is also obliged to adhere to their code, affecting his judgment and actions. It was this adherence that cost him Anakin's loyalty, losing his own pupil to the dark side of the Force. Reborn as the Sith lord Darth Vader, Anakin would fight Obi-Wan numerous times. It would be in their final duel that Kenobi was finally slain, but in the process, so that his new successor Luke could become the hero Anakin was meant to be. Even in death, the Force gave Obi-Wan a means to aid other Jedi, his struggles and his mission to serve the Jedi Order truly never-ending.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: Strike me down, and I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine. (parries Darth Vader's lightsaber)
From Obi-Wan the episode moves on to Kakashi Hatake, prodigy of Konoha. Sakumo, Kakashi's father, was an accomplished ninja, and Kakashi was eager to follow in his legacy. The Hatake father was known for his heroics in the Hidden Leaf Village, but during one mission, Sakumo chose to abandon the task at hand to save his colleagues. For his actions, he was branded as a pariah and killed himself in shame; this tragedy only spurred Kakashi to apply himself further. He rose through the ranks of Konoha's ninja academy, attaining the highest position of jonin at age 12. It was at this young age that Kakashi was drafted into a world war alongside fellow prodigies Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha. The trio proved effective on numerous assignments, but Kakashi lost both of his allies by the war's end, adding further guilt onto his already troubled psyche. Years passed and Kakashi continued to serve the Konoha administration before he had the chance to forgive himself and his family's failures by returning to its ninja academy and becoming a mentor to a new generation.
It should be expected of any ninja that they excel in numerous forms of combat, and this does indeed apply to Kakashi. The Konoha shinobi has a history with taijutsu, classified as unarmed combat. That said, his only real specialty in taijutsu is his original technique, the One Thousand Years of Death; used, despite the name, more for comedic means in which Kakashi thrusts his fingers into a foe's backside. There is more to be said for Kakashi's familiarity with chakra, spiritual energy that exists within all living beings. Chakra is used by ninja primarily for ninjutsu, a wide school of ninja combat that covers all manner of mystical means. Creating duplicates of one's self and accelerating the rate of recovery fall under standard ninjutsu, but more commonly, ninja shape chakra into the five traditional elements for various attacks; Kakashi, while adept with all five elements, is naturally attuned to lightning. Kakashi then can mold this lightning into shapes, such as clones and dogs, or direct it through his Chidori jutsu. Upon using the Chidori, Kakashi envelops an object in a lightning chakra field intense enough to cut through seemingly any substance. The scope of Kakashi's repetoire is already impressive, but that scope intensifies as far back as his past with Rin and Obito; having lost one of his eyes during the shinobi world war, Obito willingly gave up one of his own to Kakashi. Being part of the Uchiha, Obito had an anomaly unique to his bloodline that Kakashi had then inherited: the Sharingan. Kakashi can use the Sharingan to detect the chakra in other beings, copy the jutsu of other ninja, and ensnare others in complex genjutsu illusions. By losing Rin during the war, the grief Kakashi endured from her death spurred the Sharingan to develop into the Mangekyō Sharingan. Normally, no two wielders of the Mangekyō Sharingan gain the same ninjutsu, but by taking Obito's eye, Kakashi gained his ability to cast Kamui, banishing anything caught into a pocket dimension.
A prodigy such as Kakashi has the potential to accomplish great feats; these expectations are ones he has lived up to. Kakashi is comparable to shinobi like the Sannin legend Jiraiya, whose Rasengan jutsu can tear apart mountains. His own Chidori can pierce similarly large stone monuments and can intercept actual lightning, putting Kakashi's speed at over two thousand times that of sound. In the way of combat experience, Kakashi can match other shinobi like Zabuza and a resurrected Obito on equal footing. To put it bluntly, Kakashi has the strength and skill needed to back up his reputation, but even he has his own limits. The chakra that fuels much of Kakashi's arsenal is not infinite; with higher-end techniques like the Chidori and Kamui requiring large amounts of chakra per use. Despite its power, the former jutsu also restrains Kakashi while in use, restricting his field of vision and limiting him to a straight path. These physical shortcomings may seem to match his personal ones, but Kakashi is still able to do his best despite them. Handling numerous threats to Konoha and the world at large, Kakashi proved himself worthy of the position of Hokage, head of state to all Konoha. Kakashi, even after these hardships, has ultimately proven he has the capacity to be as grand a ninja as Sakumo before him, if not moreso.
- Kakashi Hatake: Right now, all I can give you... is just death.
With that said, the two fighters of the episode are prepped and ready to go. One advertisement for Miller Lite beer later, and now, it's time for a death battle!
The serenity in the Hidden Leaf Village is disturbed by a vessel crashing from the heavens above. Perched atop a tree at Konoha's edge, Kakashi of the Sharingan is more preoccupied with an erotic novel than the commotion caused by the ship; a shockwave soon spreads outward from the impact, to his frustration. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi master, eases himself out the ship and prepares to enter Konoha. Kakashi, eyes still fixated on his book, touches down on a neighboring tree and asks the Jedi accompany him for questioning. Obi-Wan dismisses the request with a wave of his hand, suggesting Kakashi leave him be. The shinobi seems to fall for the Jedi mind trick and agrees to depart...
FIGHT!
... but not before he subdues the Jedi first. With Sharingan exposed and kunai drawn, Kakashi makes the first move in the fight, hurling the daggers towards the galactic hero. Obi-Wan prepares for battle by casting aside his robe; in the process, he also swats the kunai away. An azure glow reflects off Obi-Wan as he primes his lightsaber and beckons Kakashi to face him. The Shinobi becomes more focused on dealing with this intruder, tossing the book aside and forming numerous hand signs. A column of rock bursts out from the ground and launches the Jedi general's vessel into the heavens; Kakashi himself is shielded behind the monolith. With a leap forward, Obi-Wan slices the rock in half and channels the Force surrounding them. The boulder is suddenly thrust forward, but Kakashi, even as he immerses himself in the novel, bends over backward to let the stone pass above him. What follows is a frantic chase around the forest as the jonin evades every swipe of the lightsaber and Obi-Wan in pursuit. With another Force push, Kakashi is launched into the crater left by Obi-Wan's crash. As the Jedi reaches the crater to see the Hatake son recovering, the Konoha ninja sees the opportunity for a surprise attack. Obi-Wan brushes off the threat posed by the One Thousand Years of Death, but his confidence is shattered by the sensation of Kakashi's fingers being plunged within him.
The galactic general comes to his senses, but once more does his lightsaber hit empty air. Distracted by a Kakashi leaping away from him, Obi-Wan is yanked into the earth around him by a second ninja. A third Kakashi, this being the real one, steps before Qui-Gon's pupil and admires his misfortune. After a moment of brief struggling, the Force user closes his eyes and concentrates. Chunks of earth are uprooted, and Kakashi wisely backs away; immediately after, Obi-Wan breaks free, surrounded by a dust storm that begins to envelop the forest. Using the Force to track the jonin's position, the Jedi begins to chase Kakashi down. The Hokage admires Obi-Wan's ability, but is still keen on intercepting him; a flash of red surrounds Kakashi's left eye as the Sharingan wildly jerks about. Tossing the book aside, Kakashi rushes towards Obi-Wan while the Jedi is heading towards him; a diving kick sends Kenobi soaring across the woods. Getting back up, he sees Kakashi running headlong towards his position, soon getting hammered with a set of haymaker punches. It takes Obi-Wan recomposing himself to parry an incoming fist, shoving Kakashi aside and getting enough space for a Force push. Even as he skids against the ground, Kakashi keeps his footing before unleashing a plume of flame towards the Jedi. With a grunt of effort, Obi-Wan splits the fire jutsu in half, diverting the blaze safely away from him. The flames soon die out as Obi-Wan waits for Kakashi's next move, only for the scarlet glow of the Sharingan to be reflected in his eyes.
The skies darken as the general is thrust into the center of a crimson spotlight. A labored breathing, an ominous buzz, the sounds of Obi-Wan's fallen student approaching him give the warrior monk pause. Still, the Jedi master has enough sense about him to call upon the Force and dispel the genjutsu illusion. The image of Darth Vader dissipates, and in its place is Kakashi, ready to throw a lightning-charged knifehand strike. Casting his foe aside and knocking him towards the trees, Obi-Wan wills the lightsaber to his hand. The jonin shinobi channels Chidori through another kunai as Obi-Wan touches down upon the branch. A blast of lightning sends the Jedi away, but he repays the attack by Force pushing Kakashi into the air, where a series of lightsaber slashes sends him back to earth. Kakashi sees his opponent descending, and catches him with a flying tackle; however, said opponent reorients himself to push Kakashi away once more. A Force pull slingshots Kakashi back to Obi-Wan, giving the Jedi warrior an opportunity to run his blade through Kakashi's shoulder.
Once the pair land, the shinobi directs an electric surge out the lightsaber and through Obi-Wan. The lightning clone explodes, keeping the Jedi in place while Kakashi leaps from behind and primes the Mangekyō Sharingan. A black vortex manifests in front of Obi-Wan, but he escapes its radius before it implodes, the Kamui instead consuming the tree behind him. Even as blood trickles down his cheek, Kakashi directs a final Chidori through one arm and charges towards the Jedi; Obi-Wan taps into the Force and waits for Kakashi to reach him. With each warrior offering himself final words of encouragement, they prepare to exchange blows one last time. Obi-Wan closes a fist and ruptures the Sharingan eye, but it only exacerbates Kakashi's aggression. The pace of the ninja's sprint hastens as Obi-Wan swipes forward with the lightsaber the exact moment Kakashi plunges a hand towards him. The energy enveloping Kakashi soon dies down, and a few choking gasps escape him. His severed halves, wounds still glowing from the lightsaber's touch, drop to the ground. The Jedi master takes a moment to study Kakashi's corpse and another to massage his sore buttocks before expressing his contempt for the deceased shinobi's earlier prank.
K.O.!
In the aftermath of the fight, all its pieces are laid out. Kakashi had an advantage in versatility, in that his wider array of ninjutsu would consistently keep Obi-Wan on guard. However, Obi-Wan's array of Force powers was similarly diverse and had an advantage in being less specialized: the Force is a universal energy compared to chakra manifesting in individuals. This had a two-fold advantage in Obi-Wan's favor; he had no shortage of energy to draw from, unlike Kakashi's chakra, and being an external source meant Kakashi would be unable to replicate any Force techniques he saw Obi-Wan perform. In the way of physical strength, Kakashi scaling to the mountain-busting Jiraiya and Obi-Wan to the dreadnaught-shifting Anakin seems to put them on a similar level. However, other Force users that Obi-Wan is considered an equal to have performed feats of even greater magnitude. Even the Mangekyō Sharingan and Kamui are unlikely to clinch a victory for Kakashi; being several thousand times slower than Obi-Wan, and having greater reflexes still thanks to Force precognition. While Kakashi can use the Mangekyō Sharingan through both eyes and the powers associated with it, such as the Susanoo familiar, these instances are limited to when Obito has control over his body, putting it as outside help, forbidden in this series. Even then, Force users have been known to redirect black holes or directly crush internal organs, a level of strength and precision that Obi-Wan would have at his disposal, and one that Kakashi undoubtedly had no answer for. To put it another way, the code of honor Jedi are bound to limits the usage of their power on a moral level; in a fight to the death, as is the case here, these limits are suspended, and it becomes all too clear what happens when the full extent of the Force is brought to bear.
- Boomstick: In the end, Obi-Won.
Wiz: The winner is Obi-Wan Kenobi!
Obi-Wan Kenobi: From a certain point of view.
Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Kakashi contains examples of:
- Brick Joke: Early on in the fight, Kakashi lands the One Thousand Years of Death on Obi-Wan. It comes back for a brief reprise at the end when Obi-Wan shows the point of impact is still tender.Obi-Wan: So uncivilized.
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: Counting the remastered version of Boba Fett vs Samus Aran, Obi-Wan is the first victor from Star Wars since Luke Skywalker.
- Continuity Nod: Shatterpoint is listed as one of Obi-Wan's Force abilities and one of his advantages is that he could directly target Kakashi's vital organs; that's how Obi-Wan's own pupil had the advantage when he appeared back in season one.
- Everyone Has Standards: Boomstick reprimands Kakashi's One Thousand Years of Death, pointing out that if he used it on a kid in real life, like he did on 12-year old Naruto, he'd get Mistaken for Pedophile.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: While Kakashi is dodging the boulder, the book he's reading is open and facing the camera and, in one frame, the one line of text is mostly readable. The first three words: "HAHAHA PRETTY COOL" but the fourth is very hard to make out, since it is blurry.
- Irony: One of the few older shinobi to survive to the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War in near peak condition is slain by the poster boy for Mentor Occupational Hazard.
- Jedi Mind Trick: Obi-Wan attempts to pull one on Kakashi to make him leave after crash-landing near Konoha. It seems to work at first, but then Kakashi attacks, revealing that he only pretended to fall for it.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Inspired by the Traumatic Superpower Awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Wiz destroys Boomstick's entire stash of beer hoping for a similar effect. The payoff: he gets punched out and Boomstick steals all his money to buy more beer.
- Mentor Archetype: The main connection between both combatants is that they're mentors to the heroes of their respective works.
- Mythology Gag:
- Obi-Wan uses the Force to repel Kakashi's fire jutsu, just like he did with Durge's flamethrower.
- As befitting a Death Battle released on May 4th, the in-fight dialogue is littered with Star Wars lines. As well as the obvious "Don't try it!"/"I have the high ground!", Obi-Wan recites his "Be mindful of your thoughts..." note line when breaking the Genjutsu illusion. Even Kakashi comments that the Jedi extricating himself from being pulled into the ground was most impressive.
- Running Gag: The sheer abundance of prequel memes, Revenge of the Sith in particular, is lampshaded early on and exploited without mercy.
- Stealth Pun: From Boomstick, as ever: "Kakashi may've been able to beat Obi-Two note , but he just couldn't handle Obi-Wan."
- What the Hell, Hero?: Boomstick doesn't hesitate to call out Obi-Wan on lying to and manipulating Luke into trying to kill his own dad Anakin/Vader as a "dick move".
