How does Reva know who Anakin is?

Warning: Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5

Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5’s Reva twist doesn’t actually explain how she knows Darth Vader’s true identity. It was through Moses Ingrams’ Star Wars character that Obi-Wan discovered the startling truth about Anakin’s survival. Knowing her words would shock him, Reva told Obi-Wan that Anakin survived his defeat on Mustafar and is now hunting him as Darth Vader.

Her knowledge of the fact that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are one and the same naturally raised some big questions about her character, especially since his identity was supposed to be a secret. In Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5, what she knew about Anakin turned into a major plot point. After making an issue of it, Obi-Wan put two and two together and figured out that Reva was a Youngling who survived the massacre at the Jedi Temple perpetrated by Anakin during Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Reva then confirmed Obi-Wan’s assertions and admitted to her plans to betray Darth Vader. So while Reva is still a Star Wars villain, it’s not known that she was never really on the Empire’s side. She was simply pursuing Obi-Wan to serve her own interests.

After the big twist, there was a sense that the mystery of how she knew Darth Vader’s secret was solved. However, this explanation doesn’t fully answer the question. Even if she witnessed his killing spree and his potential for evil in Revenge of the Sith, that alone shouldn’t have confirmed that he’s Darth Vader. This would have been a reasonable assumption for her to reach from his slaughter of the Younglings only if the Empire hadn’t tricked the world into believing Anakin was dead. Since she must have heard that Anakin died on Mustafar, it makes sense that she would believe that Darth Vader is someone else. After all, he wouldn’t be the first Force-sensitive person to embrace the dark side.

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s shocking Reva reveal went a long way in shedding light on her Star Wars backstory, but at least one piece of the puzzle hasn’t been filled in yet. Unless this is a plot hole, something must have happened for Reva to connect Anakin to Darth Vader. It is possible for her to have learned the truth, but what Obi-Wan Kenobi revealed in episode 5 isn’t enough to properly clear up the mystery.

There are different ways she could have found out, such as hearing a clone refer to him as “Darth Vader” at the Jedi Temple. Alternatively, Reva may have stumbled upon the Empire’s efforts to hide Anakin’s survival and then put it all together from there. Since Reva managed to survive a lightsaber stab wound at the end of the episode, the Obi-Wan Kenobi season finale will get an opportunity to explore this aspect of her backstory and how she rose from a Jedi Youngling to an Inquisitor in the Star Wars universe.

More: What Happened To The Grand Inquisitor?

Obi-Wan Kenobi releases new episodes on Disney+ on Wednesdays.

Warning! SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2.

Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 revealed Reva knew Darth Vader's greatest secret: that he is really Anakin Skywalker. Emperor Palpatine kept Darth Vader's true identity in Star Wars a closely guarded secret, in part because it amused him to do so and in part because he believed a mysterious, monstrous being was far more terrifying. Only a handful of people knew the truth that Darth Vader was really Anakin Skywalker: key figures in the Empire and leaders in the Rebel Alliance who'd learned from the Jedi.

According to James Luceno's novel Tarkin, rumors swirled about Darth Vader's origin. Some claimed he was a counterpart to the Separatist leader General Grievous, held in reserve by Chancellor Palpatine during the Clone Wars in case the Jedi betrayed him and brought out after Star Wars' Order 66. "Many believed that the Emperor’s willingness to grant so much authority to such a being heralded the shape of things to come," Luceno writes, "for it was beyond dispute that Vader was the Empire’s first terror weapon." Given this is the case, many viewers were surprised when Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 saw Reva reveal she knew Darth Vader's true identity. Sensing Obi-Wan's shock when she mentioned Lord Vader, Reva confirmed Anakin Skywalker was still alive - also showing she knew what had happened on Mustafar.

The clear implication is that all the Inquisitors knew Darth Vader's true origins, which is indeed something of a surprise. Still, it does make sense from an in-universe perspective. Inquisitors were not Sith, but they served the Sith's purposes, trained in many dark side arts to hunt Jedi across the galaxy. They worked closely with Darth Vader himself, and they'd presumably have access to a top secret database, allowing them to plot the movements of all known Order 66 survivors. Obi-Wan Kenobi was a high-level target, one believed to be the last surviving Jedi Master, and it's reasonable to assume they were given information on his last known movements. That would inevitably include his duel with Anakin Skywalker on Mustafar.

Reva isn't just bragging when she name-drops Anakin Skywalker, of course. She's taunting Obi-Wan, hoping to provoke the Jedi Master into doing something stupid. It's clear Reva is unique even among Inquisitors, because she possesses unusually potent empathic abilities, allowing her to sense the emotions of her targets. Even so, she shouldn't have been able to get a read on a Jedi Master quite so easily, indicating just how out-of-practice Obi-Wan has become at keeping his emotions in check.

Obi-Wan has also unwittingly revealed a little about how he has hidden, because his ignorance of Darth Vader indicates he has been isolated - most likely on the Outer Rim. Reva can count her attempt to flush Obi-Wan out of hiding as a success. She's proven a connection between Obi-Wan and Star Wars' Senator Bail Organa, one that can be used against him. Now the Jedi Master has given her a hint of where he's been hiding up till now. The rest of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ TV show must see the Jedi Master try to get the Empire off his trail again.

More: Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 2 Easter Eggs & Star Wars References Explained