There are all kinds of beloved characters across the Star Wars universe from Darth Vader to Han Solo. While many of the most celebrated characters are canon, typically coming from one of the three different Star Wars trilogies, others find themselves outside of the canon. This is the fate for many of the older fan-favorite characters, especially for those from the older video games.

When it comes to Star Wars video game characters, Kyle Katarn is up there as one of the most revered by fans of the series. While many fans call for the likes of Starkiller to be made canon, calls for the same for Kyle Katarn aren’t too far off. The interesting dynamic this character brings to the Star Wars universe has kept him in the minds of fans so much that many hope he’ll be made canon sooner rather than later.

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Who Is Kyle Katarn?

Kyle Katarn is an Imperial Officer turned powerful Jedi Master who goes on the kinds of adventures that some feel can even rival Luke Skywalker in terms of excitement. He defects from the Empire to work alongside the Rebel Jan Ors as they attempt to bring down the massive power in whatever small way they can. After coming to terms with his connection to the Force, Kyle Katarn would eventually begin his Jedi training, slowly growing in skill until he would eventually become a Jedi Master on the Jedi Council of the new Jedi Order established by Luke Skywalker.

Just because Katarn turned to the light did not mean all the darkness within himself had gone. He struggled with the dark side throughout his life, so much so that he would work to sever his connection to the Force altogether. Katarn would return to the Jedi when the need arose, making him a valuable ally to the forces of good after the fall of the Empire. Much like many other high-profile Jedi of his era, Kyle Katarn was an essential warrior for the coming struggles. Whether it was the Yuuzhan Vong or any threat beyond, Katarn would stand at the ready to fight for the sake of peace in the galaxy.

Why Did Kyle Katarn Turn On The Empire?

The fact that Kyle Katarn would end up becoming a Jedi Master may surprise some people when they consider the fact that he rose to some level of prominence as a member of the Galactic Empire. He wasn’t just some standard reserve member of the Empire either, Kyle Katarn actively fought against the Rebels on the battlefield. The issue is that from the beginning, Katarn wasn’t entirely on board with the brutal tactics employed by the Empire. Adding to that, Katarn began to realize that he had some level of connection to the Force while he was serving under the Empire, something that indicated he may have a greater calling.

After an Empire attack on a Rebel base, Katarn begins to have internal doubts about his future with the forces of evil, something that only grows when he finally begins to become friendly with the Legends Canon Rebel Jan Ors. It is actually Ors, who would eventually become Katarn’s partner, that played the largest role in Katarn’s defection from the Empire. Upon showing him evidence that the Empire faked an attack by the Rebels, Katarn would officially begin his journey down the path to become one of the greatest heroes the galaxy has ever known. Kyle became obsessed with finding the people who killed his father, and that meant aiding the Rebels in their operations against the Galactic Empire.

Why Do Fans Love Kyle Katarn?

There’s actually a rather diverse set of reasons as to why fans love Kyle Katarn, with some of the most common being the impact of the games he’s featured in, the character’s writing and attitude, and the legitimacy he receives in the series in comparison to other Jedi. For a lot of people, Kyle Katarn is just a fun and cool character who is easy to get behind. He defects from evil to do what’s right, he finds a close set of friends, and he even struggles with the light and the dark at various points all while becoming a Jedi Master. His many appearances have allowed a lot of his personality to shine through in a variety of complex situations from open war to intimate battles. His down-to-earth nature shines through in a bit of dialogue from Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy:

Over the course of Kyle’s adventures, he’s not simply some overpowered Jedi God like some immediately seem to become. Kyle struggles against even the most basic of Stormtrooper enemies and is aware that he can’t safely run headfirst into most battles. This requires a bit more of a tactical approach for a character of lesser skill than many others in the Star Wars universe. It’s this novice skill level of Katarn, with most of his initial skill just coming from Empire training, that turns into mastery of the ways of the Jedi that fans love. Kyle Katarn isn’t stagnant, he is a constantly changing and growing character, something that makes him unique in many respects in Star Wars.

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Star Wars

Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.

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