Summary
Star Wars Jedi: Survivoris likely to receive a sequel, and the question of who its main villain will be is already on the minds of many of its fans.Star Warsvillains often become icons, from Darth Vader to Grand Admiral Thrawn, so it’s essential thatStar Wars: Jedi Survivor’s sequel gets it right. The villains in the previous games were memorable in their own right, and it’s very likely that the sequel will follow suit.
Much of the currentStar Warsproperty is set within the same 60-year period and has a tendency to reuse the same characters and villains over different stories. With the Sith’s Rule of Two, this means that Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine tend to appear as villains incredibly often, but this also happens even years after their deaths, such as inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The Setting of Star Wars: Jedi Doesn’t Mean Palpatine is Essential
Star Wars: Jedi Survivortakes place during the reign of the Empire, making Darth Vader or the Emperor the perfect candidates as the end boss. Darth Vader has appeared inbothStar Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderandStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, and a third appearance would be overkill. Emperor Palpatine is another character who has been overused in otherStar Warsmedia, withThe Rise of Skywalker’s infamous line, “Somehow, Palpatine returned” still fresh in the collective memory of theStar Warsfandom.
Like all good mysteries, Emperor Palpatine’s power and mystique would be ruined by knowing too much about him. He’s best served in small bits, which is whyPalpatine’s single battle inThe Clone Warsagainst Maul and Savage on Mandalore had so much impact. Palpatine isn’t the final boss in a story for every Jedi inStar Wars. It’s a big galaxy, and there are plenty of other threats that either already exist, can be drawn from the Expanded Universe, or can be created for theJedi: Survivorsequel.
A villain created specifically for Cal and his companions would be far better narratively and thematically than one that already exists, no matter how expected or iconic they are. The villain or antagonist of the story needs to stand in opposition to the protagonist, and Palpatine is too mythical a figure, and too far away, to work as aboss inJedi: Survivor’s sequel. A more personal antagonist, such asStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s Trilla andJedi: Survivor’s Bode, would be far more appropriate forStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s sequel than Palpatine.
New Lore is Essential for Star Wars
Another problem that arises with reusing the same villains is that it makes a story world feel smaller. TheStar Warsgalaxy is a massive place, and there are many opportunities toexpandStar Wars' lorein new and exciting ways that haven’t been explored yet. Instead of leaning on the Sith and Jedi, Mandalorians, or bounty hunter outlaws, which have all been depicted at length, theJedi: Survivorsequel and a video game would be the perfect time and medium to bring in new ways of using the Force, or new enemies from unexplored places in the galaxy who could challenge the Jedi in combat.
This would also go far in makingCal’s story feel meaningful, especially as gamers know that he is ultimately unsuccessful in overthrowing the Empire thanks to the movies andStar WarsRebels.Star Warsis in desperate need of more lore to make the galaxy feel more immersive and rich thanks to its recent fixation on the same themes and factions, and bringing in new enemies and new groups would go a long way.Star Warsneeds to return to taking risks, rather than playing it safe with factions and characters that studios know audiences are familiar with.
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.
