That's not exactly what he said, and the details are very important in "A New Hope" dialogue.
There were two things he said:
1. "Obi-Wan Kenobi? Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time."
That's pretty vague. How much time is "a long time?" Is it a year, 10 years? We can't know what Ben considers to be a long time.
2. "I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since, oh, before you were born."
Saying that he hasn't gone by that name means that he hasn't introduced himself to anyone as Obi-Wan and that this is not a name he chooses to use. But that line doesn't prevent someone from his past from using it. Bail knew him as Obi-Wan and continued to call him Obi-Wan. That truth does not contradict what Ben Kenobi said to Luke.
reply
share