Star Wars fans are debating whether or not it was ethical for Obi-Wan Kenobi to use his powers to alter the trajectory of the life of someone who never asked for his help.
Goodbye-Nasty took to the r/StarWars subreddit to raise the issue of Obi-Wan’s (Ewan MacGregor) use of a Jedi mind trick on a death stick dealer, deftly manipulating him into rethinking his life.
OP is referring to Obi-Wan’s encounter with the Elan Sel’Sabagno a.k.a Elan Sleazebaggino (Matt Doran) at the Outlander Club in Coruscant shown in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Sel’Sabagno made a living selling death sticks to substance users and addicts. Obi-Wan used his Jedi powers to talk him out of his profession and influenced him to seek a more wholesome career.
MPMorePower suggested that Obi-Wan did not intrude upon Sel’Sebagno’s free will as he merely encouraged him to reflect on his life, leaving the choice to continue on his current path or not.
Emperifox pointed out that Sel’Sebagno chooses to opt out of dealing death sticks, finds a new career, and starts a family in Star Wars Legends and the Disney narratives.
10Hundred1 put forth that the contents of death sticks were a more intoxicating substance than tobacco cigarettes. With that in mind, they argued that Obi-Wan was effectively getting a drug dealer off the streets.
Thergbiv delved into the archives at Wookieepedia and shared that death sticks distorted the users’ world view and shaved years off of their life.
At first glance, Obi-Wan seems to have waded into a morally gray area through his intervention with Sel’Sabagno. After all, the death stick dealer never asked for or consented to Obi-Wan’s help. On the other hand, death sticks are highly addictive, and their use could lead to early mortality. In light of the dangers posed by death sticks, some might say that Obi-Wan’s use of a Jedi mind trick on Sel’Sabagno was a moral act because it served the greater good.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones is streaming on Disney Plus.