: Re: How can I handle a powerful mentor character without killing them off? I'm writing a book series that involves people with various superpowers. One of these characters and is more or less the

@Samaraweera193

Obi Wan and Yoda are archetypal examples of the "spiritual guide" - the knowledgeable elder used as a device to reveal wisdom to the protagonist (and the reader) as the story progresses.
In Star Wars, the reason these characters don't simply fight all Luke's battles for him, is that even they are not powerful enough to defeat the enemy. It turns out, Luke is destined to ultimately grow stronger than his guides and to do that, but they have to die along the way while facilitating his growth, and it is Luke's development upon which the whole story is pinned.
This is much the same in Harry Potter, in which Dumbledore is super-powerful but ultimately Harry is more so and Dumbledore's role is to facilitate Harry's growth, and impart his wisdom to Harry until such time as Harry is powerful-enough to do the job himself.
Another classic way a of limiting the impact of an all-powerful superhero character, is to give them a profound and fundamental defect. Achilles is an example, whose ankle was not invulnerable, unlike the rest of him. But this might equally be a mad genius or an alcoholic father or whatever. Dumbledore was once mighty and still is, but he is an old man and no longer fit for embarking upon quests - the same with Yoda. It's a great scene where Yoda reveals his incredible Jedi fightings skills, even as a frail old Yoda. But his days of physical combat are over, really - by now he thinks, guides and teaches. Same with Xavier in X-Men - he has a brilliant mind, but his body is useless. These paradoxic characters are interesting because we marvel at them in real life - see Stephen Hawking or John Nash.
Another method of sidelining your mentor, is to give them some huge battle to fight. This is seen in Lord of the Rings, where Gandalf the Grey declares "You cannot pass, flame of Udûn" to the Balrog. Then cries "Fly, you fools!" to the party as he plunges into the darkness below, after the Balrog's whip catches his ankle. This serves to disappear him for a good while, returning later as Gandalf the White. In a way, one might liken this to Obi Wan's battle against Vader in which he dies, but instead of returning later (aside from as a glowing ghost), Yoda takes up the spiritual guide role where he left off.
Where you talk of having "flaws and character arcs", multiple bits of paraphernalia sounds woolly and confusing. It's going to detract from your protagonist's journey if a load of nonsense is going on with the mentor. Better in my view to have one almighty awesome kaboom that leaves us in awe of them, or perhaps something dark and mysterious - maybe they have a bigger battle to fight. But who knows and who cares, as long as it's simple - this isn't the mentor's story , it's the mentee's.
Another device you coudl use, is to make your mentor entirely powerless other than acting through your protagonist(s). How about you keep your mentor at bay by restricting their communication with them. Maybe the mentor comes to them in their dreams and they only catch snippets of what he is trying to lead them to. Then part of the story's mystery is working out where (s)he's leading them.

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