Unveiling the Dark Legacy: The Bitter Path of Star Wars Jedi and Outlaws

Highlights

Games in the Star Wars franchise, such as Jedi: Survivor and Outlaws, face the challenge of not significantly influencing the overarching narrative of the franchise because their main characters do not appear in the existing Star Wars content.

Survivor and Outlaws, despite their limitations, still possess captivating narratives and intriguing characters that justify their exploration, regardless of foreknowledge.

There remains a glimmer of possibility for notable figures like Cal Kestis and Kay Vess to appear in other Star Wars mediums. Exploring eras that have not yet been extensively traversed in current media could potentially unlock an array of opportunities for profound storytelling in upcoming games.

Following the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a new game called Star Wars Outlaws was announced. This aligns with Disney's strategy of merging Star Wars content into its canon across various mediums. While each game's protagonist is known to have a predetermined fate due to their placement within the existing timeline, both Cal Kestis and Kay Vess have not been referenced in any other Star Wars content. As a result, their impact on the overall narrative of the franchise remains obscure.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor set a high standard for modern Star Wars games, successfully incorporating new and captivating characters while maintaining connections to the iconic figures and imagery from the movies. The adventures of Cal Kestis and the Mantis crew create a thrilling, galaxy-altering storyline that aligns with the grandeur of the mainline Star Wars heroes. However, this also presents a challenge for the story of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Fans are already familiar with the events that occur before, during, and after the game, and there is no existing lore that weaves the legendary exploits of the fugitive Jedi Cal Kestis beyond the two well-received games by Respawn. Unfortunately, Kay Vess faces similar limitations and challenges.

A Story With a Spoiled Ending is Still Worth Telling

The upcoming plot of Star Wars Outlaws is plagued by unnecessary elements. Despite the vast journey of Kay Vess through the criminal underworld of Star Wars, the story is set between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, with a predetermined conclusion. The outcome of the Galactic Civil War is already decided, and the most significant impact Kay Vess can make is by retroactively aiding the Rebel cause, similar to the theft of the Death Star plans in Rogue One.

However, this doesn't mean that adding stories between arcs in the expansive Star Wars narrative is inherently flawed. Examples like Rogue One and its prequel series, Andor, demonstrate that it can be successfully executed and become some of the most well-crafted and unforgettable content in the Star Wars universe. Nonetheless, it slightly diminishes the suspense of more intense moments when we know that regardless of the Empire's advantage at certain points in the story, they will inevitably be defeated by the Rebels, and later by the New Republic in the following generation.

Star Wars Has Endless Paths to Build Out Its Lore

There is hope that the legends of Cal, Kay, and others will not fade into obscurity within the Star Wars universe. Under the leadership of Dave Filoni, the franchise is embracing obscure fan-service characters, potentially giving these rising video game heroes a chance to transition into a new medium. There are rumors suggesting that Cal Kestis might even make an unexpected appearance in the ongoing Ahsoka show. While this theory is likely false, it remains a fact that both Cal and Kay are portrayed through motion capture and based on the likeness of their voice actors, which opens the possibility for their introduction in live-action form in the future of the franchise.

Another solution to addressing the recent dissatisfying trend in Star Wars video games is exploring eras that are not as firmly established in existing media. Quantic Dream's upcoming Star Wars Eclipse will delve into the High Republic era, which is set centuries before the events depicted in the movies and television shows. Hopefully, this approach will allow for a less constricted storyline, freeing it from the fringes of Star Wars' overarching plot. Furthermore, future titles could explore the years following the culmination of events in The Rise of Skywalker. While Disney is more likely to develop this era through feature films, there is potential for these films to be complemented by video games that have a more significant impact on the ongoing narrative of the franchise.

Star Wars Outlaws is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2024.