So I’ve been thinking about Episode IV and how the details it gives us work when in the same universe as Episode III and the post-Order 66 Imperial understanding of the Jedi.

When Luke is talking to Obi-Wan, setting aside the things Kenobi says that are outright lies, he casually mentions having been a Jedi and having fought in the Clone Wars. Now, I could understand him telling Luke he fought in the Clone Wars, that could be super innocuous. But why would he casually throw out he was a Jedi? And that Luke’s dad had been? The Jedi were outlawed and declared traitors, even on the Outer Rim people knew that as early as 14 BBY, it makes no sense to me that Luke wouldn’t immediately be suspicious of Kenobi from that point, instead of treating him like a hero.

I was wondering if there is a canonical explanation for this, or if it is just an issue of one story coming later than another.

Similarly, how do the other Imperials know Darth Vader had been a Jedi?