Agreed Obi Wan did a half assed job of trying to talk Vader down as opposed to Luke. But Obi Wan was trying to talk to Anakin. Pointing out how much he has changed, what he has become. I didn't say Obi Wan did a great job, he most certainly did not but think back to AOTC. Obi Wan was a lecturer. He was NOT a good teacher. Compare the way he treats Anakin as opposed to the way Qui Gon teaches Obi Wan in TPM. He talks down to Anakin alot in AOTC constantly referring to him as "My young padawan." "My very young apprentice" "You will do as you're told." It is a failing that Obi Wan recognizes in himself to Luke many years later.Vympel wrote:Obi-Wan simply lectured at him- he didn't make any attempt to engage him as Luke did, nor as Padme did.Stravo wrote: I disagree. Obi Wan did not come there with just killing Anakin in mind. It was Anakin's blind rage and suspicion that spun the situation out of control. He immediately tried to kill Padme and then went right into his tirade "if you're not with me you're agianst me." Obi Wan was trying to talk to him first but Anakin was not having any of it.
All I'm saying is that in Obi Wan's half assed way he was trying to point out to Anakin that what he was doing was wrong. After all why try to point out that Palpatine was evil and say "I have failed you Anakin. I have failed you." It is when Anakin says without hesitation that the Jedi are evil that Obi Wan says "Then you are lost." If he was going all out to kill Anakin he wouldn't make such a statement. Anakin should have already been lost when he stepped on Padme's shuttle.
Also GL wanted to portray the duel as Obi Wan trying to hold on in the hopes that Anakin eaither calms down or makes a mistake. Gillard tried to explain it as a husband and wife fight with Obi Wan in the role of the wife hoping her hubby calms down before he hurts her too bad. Frankly it didn't come across that way to me but that was in one of the books I read (Making of Revnge of the Sith perhaps?)
Obi Wan does turn his back on Anakin and leaves him to roast only after declaring Anakin is Truly Lost when he says the Jedi are evil. As an aside there is a nice taunt in the Ep. III game that Obi Wan hurls at Anakin when they duel "The Light is calling you home."