Highlights
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor introduced new characters like Kata Akuna, but the sequel should not focus solely on her.
- Cal Kestis should remain the main character and playable protagonist of the Star Wars Jedi series, with Kata's storyline tied to his journey.
- The next game can explore Cal's role as a mentor to Kata while delving into his own struggles as a Jedi.
One of the biggest strengths of the Star Wars universe is its vast array of colorful characters. Though it's a bit of a meme at this point, it's true that most characters on screen in a Star Wars movie have a whole fleshed-out backstory, even if they're only seen for one single frame, and though that is certainly funny it does a lot for Star Wars' world-building. A strong cast of characters is integral for any Star Wars project, and thankfully, the Star Wars Jedi series embraces that completely.
Over the course of two excellent games, players will meet a handful of now-beloved characters in Star Wars Jedi, from the hardened Latero pilot Greez to the last-of-her-kind Nightsister Merrin to the adorable droid companion BD-1. Toward the end of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a new addition joins the main Mantis crew. Teased to be a major part of any Star Wars Jedi sequel, Kata Akuna should definitely play a role in the series' next entry, but the game shouldn't focus solely on her.
Why Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Sequel Shouldn't Focus Solely on Kata Akuna
Throughout Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's main story, players are joined by a mercenary named Bode Akuna. A smooth-talking rebel, Bode will likely immediately remind fans of other iconic Star Wars scoundrels, which makes his Dark Side turn all the more shocking. After betraying Cal Kestis and the rest of the Mantis crew on Jedha, Bode retreats to his quarters on an Imperial Security Bureau base, where his daughter Kata is waiting for him. In a final confrontation on the hidden planet of Tanalorr, Bode is killed by Cal, and Kata is essentially adopted by the rest of the Mantis crew.
The end of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor leaves plenty of room for a sequel, with one of the most likely continuations focusing on Kata Akuna and her potential Force sensitivity. But while Kata and her story would probably be a great place to take the series, a Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sequel shouldn't make her the main star. Wherever the next Star Wars Jedi game goes, it's vital that Cal Kestis remain the main character of the story.
From the get-go, the Star Wars Jedi series has been intrinsically connected to Cal Kestis and his own journey as a Jedi. While Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order revolved around Cal Kestis becoming the Jedi Knight he was always destined to be, and learning to overcome his traumatic past, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor focused on Cal's desire to live a life without the Empire, and how that desire has affected those around him. And though both Star Wars Jedi games have their fair share of characters, they're all secondary to Cal Kestis and his own journey, and that should remain the case for a third game in the series.
The best way route for a Star Wars Jedi threequel to go is to have Cal Kestis and Kata Akuna's journeys tied to one another. A logical next step for the series, and for Cal Kestis' personal journey, would be having him attempt to train Kata in the ways of the Jedi. In doing this, the next Star Wars Jedi game could still explore Kata's journey with the Force and her own grief while keeping Cal Kestis as the main focus of the story, exploring how the character is handling being both a mentor and surrogate father to this Force-sensitive girl whose father he killed.