Silly Questions About 'Star Wars': Is Ben Kenobi related to Obi-Wan Kenobi?

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© 1977 20th Century Fox Film Corporation
Ben Kenobi and Obi-Wan Kenobi are the same individual.
“Ben Kenobi” is an alias that the former Jedi Master and General of the Grand Army of the Republic adopted soon after arriving on Tatooine 19 years before the events depicted in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Due to the fall of the Republic and the rise of Sheev Palpatine’s First Galactic Empire, the once-respected Obi-Wan must go into self-imposed exile on the desert planet of Tatooine and assume the role of a “crazy old hermit” to (a) keep an eye on Anakin Skywalker’s son, Luke, and to escape the attention of the Empire and its sinister agents, including Palpatine’s enforcer Darth Vader.
Lucas, of course, is not trying very hard to keep that fact hidden from the audience. I mean, if his intention was to mislead anyone but the in-universe Luke Skywalker, he’d have picked an alias that didn’t include Kenobi’s surname. The ruse might fool, oh, I don’t know, a seven-year-old child with no previous experience of a story where characters have assumed secret identities, but it certainly doesn’t fool anyone else.
Furthermore, in many licensed products released after the film came out in May of 1977, the character was often identified thusly:
Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi
Check out the movie credits at the end of Star Wars; even though the script (and Luke) refer to Obi-Wan as Ben, the credits also list Alec Guinness as playing
Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi
Action figure depicting Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi © 1978 Kenner Toys. Character © 1977 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
See what I mean?
If you still need proof that Ben and Obi-Wan are one and the same, here’s the “reveal” scene as it was written by The Maker himself, George Lucas, in 1976:
    

  1. Artoo moves even tighter into the shadows as the slight swishing sound that frightened off the Sandpeople grows even closer, until a shabby old desert-rat-of-a-man appears and leans over Luke. His ancient leathery face, cracked and weathered by exotic climates is set off by dark, penetrating eyes and a scraggly white beard. Ben Kenobi squints his eyes as he scrutinizes the unconscious farm boy. Artoo makes a 
    2. 

  2.                slight sound and Ben turns and looks right at him.
    3. 

  3.  
    4. 

  4.                                      BEN
    5. 

  5.                          Hello there! Come here, my little friend. Don't be afraid.
    6. 

  6.  
    7. 

  7.                Artoo waddles over to where Luke lies crumpled in a heap and begins to whistle and beep his concern. Ben puts his hand on 
    8. 

  8.                Luke's forehead and he begins to come around.
    9. 

  9.  
    10. 

  10.                                      BEN
    11. 

  11.                          Don't worry, he'll be all right.
    12. 

  12.  
    13. 

  13.                                      LUKE
    14. 

  14.                          What happened?
    15. 

  15.  
    16. 

  16.                                      BEN
    17. 

  17.                          Rest easy, son, you've had a busy 
    18. 

  18.                          day. You're fortunate you're still 
    19. 

  19.                          in one piece.
    20. 

  20.  
    21. 

  21.                                      LUKE
    22. 

  22.                          Ben? Ben Kenobi! Boy, am I glad to 
    23. 

  23.                          see you!
    24. 

  24.  
    25. 

  25.                                      BEN
    26. 

  26.                          The Jundland wastes are not to be 
    27. 

  27.                          traveled lightly. Tell me young Luke, 
    28. 

  28.                          what brings you out this far?
    29. 

  29.  
    30. 

  30.                                      LUKE
    31. 

  31.                          Oh, this little droid! I think he's 
    32. 

  32.                          searching for his former master... 
    33. 

  33.                          I've never seen such devotion in a 
    34. 

  34.                          droid before... there seems to be no 
    35. 

  35.                          stopping him. He claims to be the 
    36. 

  36.                          property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he 
    37. 

  37.                          a relative of yours? Do you know who 
    38. 

  38.                          he's talking about?
    39. 

  39.  
    40. 

  40.                Ben ponders this for a moment, scratching his scruffy beard.
    41. 

  41.  
    42. 

  42.                                      BEN
    43. 

  43.                          Obi-Wan Kenobi... Obi-Wan? Now thats 
    44. 

  44.                          a name I haven't heard in a long 
    45. 

  45.                          time... a long time.
    46. 

  46.  
    47. 

  47.                                      LUKE
    48. 

  48.                          I think my uncle knew him. He said 
    49. 

  49.                          he was dead.
    50. 

  50.  
    51. 

  51.                                      BEN
    52. 

  52.                          Oh, he's not dead, not... not yet.
    53. 

  53.  
    54. 

  54.                                      LUKE
    55. 

  55.                          You know him!
    56. 

  56.  
    57. 

  57.                                      BEN
    58. 

  58.                          Well of course, of course I know 
    59. 

  59.                          him. He's me! I haven't gone by the 
    60. 

  60.                          name Obi-Wan since oh, before you 
    61. 

  61.                          were born.
    62. 

  62.  
    63. 

  63.                                      LUKE
    64. 

  64.                          Then the droid does belong to you.
    65. 

  65.  
    66. 

  66.                                      BEN
    67. 

  67.                          Don't seem to remember ever owning a 
    68. 

  68.                          droid. Very interesting...
    69. 

  69.  
    70. 

  70.                He suddenly looks up at the overhanging cliffs.
    71. 

  71.  
    72. 

  72.                                      BEN
    73. 

  73.                          I think we better get indoors. The 
    74. 

  74.                          Sandpeople are easily startled but 
    75. 

  75.                          they will soon be back and in greater 
    76. 

  76.                          numbers.
    77.

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