Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order mostly hit all right the notes back in 2019, but one glaring element has irked me since then. Developer Respawn Entertainment took players on a meaningful journey of self-discovery and courage, but in the end, was it all worth it? I’ve been at odds with this for years, and with Star Wars Jedi Survivor on the way, I hope it makes Fallen Order’s ending worth it.
The Star Wars Jedi Survivor release date is fast approaching, ushering in a brand new chapter for LucasFilm’s legendary galaxy. Cal Kestis returns five years after Fallen Order, having reforged his connection with the Force and banded together with allies Cere, Greez, and Marrin. Yet, his return is a conflicted matter. The ending of Fallen Order saw Kestis destroy a Holocron containing the locations of Force-sensitive children in the galaxy.
Choosing to leave the destiny of these children to the Force, the moment was surely intended to signpost a vital change in Cal’s beliefs. In that regard, the ending does have its merits as a key character beat, but as a player, it felt extremely unsatisfying. Having travelled repeatedly between the likes of Dathomir, Kashyyyk, and Bogan, it all ends up feeling like pointless busy work to see this elusive object destroyed with the game’s final minutes. I’ve died countless times to Taron Malicos, winced at all the Wyyyschokk spiders, and for what?
Hopefully, if this Star Wars Jedi Survivor trailer is any inclination to go by, my issues with Fallen Order’s conclusion might be forgiven.
There is plenty to dissect in the latest Star Wars Jedi Survivor trailer. Mysterious Bacta tanks, Cere’s new Jedi-like aesthetic and the emergence of new Lightsaber stances. However, there is one moment that captivated me at 1:30. Seemingly a new big bad for Cal to defeat, this individual holds a golden device in their hands. While it could simply be a Comlink device like Qui-Gon Jinn’s lovely Gillette razor, it may just also be a copy of the Holocron, though in a more simplistic form.
It may seem careless of the Jedi to make a backup of galaxy defining item, but perhaps leaving the next generation of Jedi to the Force isn’t the right call after all. By reinstating this MacGuffin-like element back into the fray, we’re right at the centre of an even bigger personal dilemma for Cal. Not only would he, in a sense, feel our anguish for destroying it the first time around, but he’d have a serious moral battle to navigate. That is where Star Wars truly excels at storytelling, be it in games or movies.
The Force is all about the separation of moral light and dark. Maybe, when we cast our minds back post-Jedi Survivor, Fallen Order’s ending won’t feel so lacklustre after all.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor is one of many thrilling titles to release this year. Make sure you check out all the upcoming PS5 games in 2023, we look forward to moments like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 release date.