Summary
Villains have always been a strong suit of theStar Warsuniverse. From Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine in the original trilogy, to Darth Maul and Count Dooku in the prequels, to General Krell inThe Clone Wars, toDarth Malak inKnights of the Old Republic,Star Warshas always had some strong villains to help drive the story along and bring some gravitas and stakes to the franchise. The same has been true for theStar Wars Jediseries.
With two excellent entries now under its belt, Respawn’sStar Wars Jediseries has proven that it can offer some of the best narrative beats in the entire franchise, and much of that is due to the series' compelling cast of characters. The young Cal Kestis has quickly become a fan-favorite Jedi, while fellow Mantis crew members like Merrin, Cere, and Greez have all been used well to cement the games' familial undertones. ButStar Wars Jedi’s villains represent the other half of the puzzle, and the next game in the series is going to have a tough time finding a worthy adversary.
The Next Star Wars Jedi Villain Could Face a Tricky Problem
An Original Villain for Star Wars Jedi 3 Would Have a Lot to Live Up to
All ofStar Wars Jedi’s villains so far have offered exactly what their respective games have needed. In the case ofStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Trilla perfectly fit the tone and narrative themes of the game. A young Jedi Padawan duringthe events of Order 66, Trilla was betrayed by her tortured Master and chose to use her anger to hunt down fellow Jedi as one of the Empire’s Inquisitors. That hatred for the Jedi Order acts as the perfect foil for Cal Kestis' journey to reconnect with the Force and become the Jedi Knight he was destined to be.
Being a long-anticipated sequel, fans were expecting some big things fromStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s villain, and by most accounts, the game delivered. A former Jedi from the High Republic era, Dagan Gera has a natural air of mystery and intrigue around him, making him feel much more impressive than the Inquisitors that came before. But Dagan Gera is just one ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s main villains.
Introduced as a new ally, Bode Akuna is a pivotal cog inStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s story, representing the game’s themes of trust and safety. Bode’s eventual betrayal of Cal and the rest of the Mantis crew towards the end ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivoris a twist that’s given some strong narrative weight through context, as Bode only does so in an attempt to keep his daughter safe from the Empire. Bode is simply doing what he needs to survive. It’s going to be a difficult job for the nextStar Wars Jedigame to feature another original villain that not only feels unique but also represents the sequel’s themes in such a concise and compelling way.
Using a Legacy Villain in Star Wars Jedi 3 Could be a Double-Edged Sword
Being the third game in the series, fans are already expecting even grander things forthe nextStar Wars Jedigame. That includes the biggest and baddest villain to date. To up the ante properly, the nextStar Wars Jedimight need to lean a bit more on legacy characters. Darth Vader has already appeared in both entries, with two relatively quick but impactful cameos. But it’d be a bit of a double-edged sword to use him or any other legacy character in a more prominent role in the next entry.
On one hand, using Darth Vader or another legacy villain would increase the stakes of the nextStar Wars Jedigame right off the bat. But on the other hand, it could feel a bit cheap to rely on a pre-established character, especially as the last two entries have featured some great original villains.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
