The Inquisitorius commenced the search for Obi-Wan in 9 BBY as part of the Great Jedi Purge. Their target was the fugitive Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Reva Sevander, also known as the Third Sister, orchestrated the capture of young Leia Organa to lure Kenobi out. She had discovered his prior connection to Leia's adoptive father, Bail Prestor Organa, dating back to the Clone Wars. Sevander's true motive was to exploit Kenobi as a pathway to approach and assassinate Darth Vader, seeking vengeance for the slaughter of her fellow Jedi Initiates during the siege of the Jedi Temple.
As a Jedi, Kenobi was officially charged with high treason against both the Empire and its predecessor, the Galactic Republic. This decree was issued by the Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine. During the mission to Daiyu, a bounty was placed on Kenobi, promising payment upon confirmation of his capture. Despite the combined efforts of bounty hunters, stormtroopers, Sevander, and Vader, Kenobi managed to reconnect with The Force and ultimately prevailed against the Empire's forces. Palpatine eventually called off the hunt, cautioning his apprentice that his obsession with revenge against his former master, and his inability to let go of the past, would necessitate intervention. In response, Vader asserted that Kenobi was insignificant to him and reaffirmed his loyalty to his Sith Master.
Following the events of the Battle of Naboo, Obi-Wan Kenobi committed to training Anakin Skywalker, a young boy hailing from Tatooine who was prophesied to be the Chosen One of the Force. Obi-Wan took Anakin as his Padawan in accordance with the dying wish of his Master Qui-Gon Jinn, who had perished in a duel against the Zabrak Sith Lord Darth Maul. Over the years, Obi-Wan and Anakin forged a close bond, with Obi-Wan regarding Anakin as a brother. However, Anakin succumbed to the dark side in 19 BBY and played a key role in initiating the Jedi Purge. He led an assault on the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during Operation: Knightfall, commanding the clone troopers of the 501st Legion. During Order 66, Obi-Wan narrowly avoided death on Utapau after being targeted by an All Terrain Tactical Enforcer. He later reunited with Yoda, and upon breaking into the Jedi Temple, the two Jedi Masters discovered Anakin's betrayal. He had not only led the attack but also murdered numerous Jedi within the temple and embraced the mantle of a Sith Lord. Horrified by this revelation, Obi-Wan was dispatched to Mustafar to confront Anakin, while Yoda chose to confront Darth Sidious.
On the volcanic world, Obi-Wan dueled his former apprentice, ultimately achieving victory. Anakin suffered the loss of an arm and both legs, left to burn in the lava. Obi-Wan departed the planet with a wounded and dying Padmé Amidala. Darth Vader survived his grievous injuries and was rescued by Sidious, who transported him to the Grand Republic Medical Facility on Coruscant. There, he was placed in a life support suit to ensure his survival, solidifying his transformation into Darth Vader as he embraced Sidious's role as his Sith apprentice. Shortly before her death, Padmé gave birth to twins: Luke and Leia. To ensure the twins' safety, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Prestor Organa agreed to separate them until the opportune moment. Obi-Wan took Luke to Tatooine to be raised by the Lars family, while Leia was adopted by the House of Organa on Alderaan.
During the siege of the Jedi Temple, Jedi Initiate Reva Sevander, along with her clan, were attacked by clone troopers while being trained by Jedi Master Minas Velti. Master Velti shielded the initiates, but she ultimately fell, leaving Reva and the other younglings to fend for themselves and escape the temple. During their escape, Reva and the other younglings encountered Anakin Skywalker, who swiftly cut them down. Reva was stabbed by his lightsaber. Although the other younglings perished, Reva survived and managed to escape, receiving cybernetic enhancements to heal her injuries. The Jedi survivor developed profound survivor's guilt, leading her to embrace the dark side. Driven by a desire for revenge against Anakin, now Darth Vader and Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Military, Reva joined the Inquisitorius, a group of Jedi hunters tasked with eliminating all surviving Jedi. Her goal was to get close enough to Vader to assassinate him. She was accepted, earning the title of Third Sister, although the Grand Inquisitor only admitted her due to her dark side abilities, viewing her as the "least among them" due to her origins in "the gutter".
By 9 BBY, the ten-year-old Princess Leia Organa had cultivated a habit of venturing outside to observe various starships arriving at and departing from Organa's homeworld of Alderaan with her toy droid L0-LA59 (affectionately called Lola). One day, during a royal event, Leia once again sneaked out of the royal palace and into the nearby woods, where she encountered a human stranger named Vect Nokru, the leader of the Black Mask mercenary group. Sensing their ill intentions, Leia immediately fled, pursued through the woods by the criminals.
During the chase, her parents noticed her absence and dispatched members of the Alderaan Guard to locate her. One of the guards eventually caught up to Leia, who cried out for help, but he was swiftly shot dead by Nokru. After she was finally surrounded, Nokru placed a bag over Leia's head and transported her back to the group's ship. Following her abduction, Leia was confined to the ship's brig as the Black Mask departed from Alderaan.
The pursuit of Obi-Wan Kenobi forms the central narrative of the 2022 Disney+ television miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi.