The Knights of the Old Republic games are hands down some of the most beloved Star Wars games out there. Even as new stories are told and characters are introduced in games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, they simply have yet to capture the awe of Knights of the Old Republic’s Galaxy.
There are many reasons for this, of course. One of them is no doubt the unique setting, as KOTOR takes place 4000 years before the Skywalker Saga. With it so far removed, it allowed BioWare and Obsidian to tell new stories unexplored so far by other Star Wars media. The story of Revan, his fall and possible redemption, and the Star Forge, as well as KOTOR 2’s Jedi exile and her Wound in the Force, all struck the right chords.
However, it’s worth noting that, while both games were instant classics, it is Revan who would go on to leave a huge impact on the franchise. The Jedi Exile did not. It’s not that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s Revan is more interesting or that the Jedi Exile felt inconsequential, but perhaps the reason Revan overshadows the Jedi Exile is rather simple.
Knights of the Old Republic vs. Jedi Exile
Names are important in any franchise, with Revan long being a name of power in the Star Wars universe and in the real world. There’s a reason fans got excited when it was revealed one part of Palpatine's Final Order was named “The 3rd: Revan Legion.” It doesn’t really make him canon, but it might as well. There’s no legion named after the Jedi Exile, and in fact, many may not realize KOTOR 2’s Jedi Exile has a canon name.
Her official name is Meetra Surik, which doesn’t quite have the same simple and effective ring to it as Revan. Neither does the Jedi Exile, and that may be the simplest and most obvious answer. It’s not that the Jedi Exile is a worse character than Revan, it’s less likely to do something with KOTOR 2 being originally developed by Obsidian (as Revan matters in The Old Republic but so does he elsewhere), but it’s that the name just doesn’t quite connect on a level like Revan.
Of course, while Revan may be the star-studded character of the Old Republic era, that doesn’t invalidate the Jedi Exile either. Revan may overshadow her, but her story remains as one of the most unique in all Star Wars media. In fact, new Star Wars games could learn a little something about pushing the envelope of the Force as KOTOR 2 did.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 is available now on Mobile, PC, Switch, and Xbox.
