De acordo com a novela oficial do filme, Obi-Wan sentiu que Palpatine e seus homens já estavam na aproximação final ao planeta logo após o duelo terminar. Dado que Padmé precisava de atendimento médico de emergência, Obi-Wan decidiu sair imediatamente, em vez de enfrentar a chegada de outro inimigo e atrasar ainda mais.
Isso significa que apenas alguns minutos se passaram entre o final do duelo e a chegada de assistência médica para Anakin / Vader. Mesmo assim, Palpatine considera que não é nada menos que um milagre que ele ainda esteja vivo.
A flash of metal through the sky, and Obi-Wan felt the darkness closing in around them both. He knew that ship: the Chancellor’s shuttle. Now, he supposed, the Emperor’s shuttle. Yoda had failed. He might have died. He might have left Obi-Wan alone: the last Jedi. Below his feet, Darth Vader burst into flame. “I hate you,” he screamed.
Obi-Wan looked down. It would be a mercy to kill him. He was not feeling merciful.
He was feeling calm, and clear, and he knew that to climb down to that black beach might cost him more time than he had. Another Sith Lord approached.
In the end, there was only one choice. It was a choice he had made many years before, when he had passed his trials of Jedi Knighthood, and sworn himself to the Jedi forever. In the end, he was still Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he was still a Jedi, and he would not murder a helpless man.
He would leave it to the will of the Force. He turned and walked away. After a moment, he began to run.