Many things have changed for the Star Wars franchise over the past decade, with new games taking place in a galaxy far, far away. The buyout of Lucasfilm to Disney was the catalyst for major changes to the franchise, including much of the Expanded Universe being ousted in favor of newer stories being made officially canon. This included new video games that were developed and released following the buyout, which became part of the new Disney-Lucasfilm era canon, some of which were made by Electronic Arts. To many fans, these games included what most consider to be the best new character created within the new era, with a story that is among the best to come from any Star Wars game before or since.
When Respawn Entertainment released Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, they gave us the character of Cal Kestis. Portrayed and voiced by actor Cameron Monhagan, Cal has become a focal point for Star Wars fans that continue to play video games. His story is not only an epic tale that is closely tied to the prequel trilogy, but provides enough new ground to explore in game while still paying homage to the original trilogy of the franchise. Because of this, Star Wars fans can't get enough Cal Kestis, and want to see more done with the character in future stories. Here's why Cal Kestis is the best Star Wars game character within the canon of the entire franchise right now.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
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Sci-Fi
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OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 84/100 Critics Rec: 87%
Released April 28, 2023
ESRB T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s) Respawn Entertainment
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Franchise Star Wars
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DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Familiar ties to the past
But enough new stuff to enjoy
If you've never played Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order before, then you missed out on one of the better stories to come from a Star Wars video game in a long time. Its relevance is complimented by the follow-up from Respawn Entertainment with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which took many gameplay aspects and mechanics even further while expanding the story of the first game. Their popularity and success have paved the way for a third, and final game to focus on Cal Kestis, which is said to bring an epic conclusion to his story. But why did so many Star Wars fans resonate positively with Cal Kestis and his arrival in the galaxy? It comes down to a few key things.
The origins of Cal Kestis go back to many familiar aspects of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and more specifically, parts of Revenge of the Sith. Like other Jedi who were able to appear in stories set after the film, Cal is a survivor of Order 66, the infamous event that brought the end of the Jedi Order. This is a part of Star Wars lore that fans love to go back to and explore further, not just because of its brutal relevance to how it changed the franchise, but also for how it shows the rise of the Empire from the original trilogy of films. Cal Kestis is a survivor of the event, but is not destined to be the one to make things right in the galaxy, and instead is forced to live through its aftermath in a galaxy at its darkest point. The Empire is on the rise towards its dominance over the galaxy, and right now the new hope that everyone is waiting for is still very far off.
This works to the benefit of both Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor because of how much time is open for Cal's story to explore. Star Wars has stories that take place after the events of Revenge of the Sith, but not many of them deeply explore the events after it through the lens of other Jedi characters not directly tied to the Skywalker legacy. The ones that do, however, don't have the same impact as what we see happen with Cal Kestis, a boy who grew up in the Jedi Temple with his master and is forced to deal with the fallout of the Empire's rise. What Cal does and who he meets along the way is still closely tied to what happened, but removed far enough to still feel like new territory for a game to show us what the galaxy is like at that point in time.
Cal Kestis is very likable
Everyone grows to care about him
What makes some of the best characters in video games and other forms of fiction are those that are likable by the audience. Not necessarily because they do what the audience wants them to, but because aspects of their personality, the decisions they make, and why they do so are relatable and understandable. Cal Kestis is a boy who grows up in the shadow of the Galactic Empire after losing everything he knew as a child. But in spite of how grim things get following the fall of the Republic, Cal remains a good soul that the audience can rally behind. He's a Jedi padawan that eventually grows bold enough to fight against the Empire in ways that keep him alive, even though his efforts are far from bringing the galaxy back to how things were before.
But beyond that, Cal Kestis becomes likable to the audience because we see how he struggles through everything. We see his range of emotions and mistakes when dealing with all the obstacles that block him throughout each game. At the start of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal doesn't have a strong connection to the force because of his need to hide from the Inquisitorius, force-sensitive warriors that work for the Empire. He goes through hardship and challenges that help him remember his training as a Jedi padawan, opening up his abilities with The Force and making him stronger. It's a progression that people can relate to and take in gradually, as we follow Cal Kestis throughout the story, watching a survivor of Order 66 become a seasoned Jedi Knight that has a chance to stand up against the opposition in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
At the same time, what we see from Cal feels like a real person that doesn't have all the answers at the start. In the same way that Luke Skywalker began as a farm boy that was oblivious to aspects of the galaxy, Cal Kestis has a similar starting point and upward trajectory as the story of Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor go on. He's not powerful like Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader, he's someone trying to make his way in the galaxy as things go from bad to worse for everyone. And how he comes through each hardship is something that audiences can get behind and want to see him succeed, even when facing the terrifying forces of the Empire, or clashing lightsabers with Darth Vader himself.
Building up with those around him
The supporting cast uplifts
As much as people may take a liking to Cal Kestis himself, he's made that much better by the supporting cast around him. Many of the secondary characters that appear throughout Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor have interesting backstories themselves, but they also compliment Cal Kestis' journey in different ways. We don't see Cal broken down or outshined by them, nor does he do so to any of them in both games, but instead grows alongside each of them in ways that make the story better. The focus is still on Cal the entire time, but is made better with everyone else interacting with him in ways that allow them to shine as well.
Some of the fan favorites that do this the most throughout both games would be Merrin and Cere Junda. While Cere is the mentor that teaches Cal Kestis throughout both games, becoming a bond that was similar to what Obi-Wan had with Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, Merrin is someone that builds a strong relationship with him in both games. Star Wars fans have enjoyed seeing the two of them become a couple in the deeper parts of the story in Jedi Survivor, but it was a bond that wasn't rushed or forced into the story for the sake of being there. We got to see Merrin go through her own journey starting in Jedi Fallen Order, and eventually grow to a point where both her and Cal Kestis could compliment each other through the challenges they faced together. Merrin was a strong Night Sister that could fight the Empire, but seeing her with Cal working together and interacting made everything better about them.
Similar things can be said about other supporting characters that appear in both games. Cal's friendship with Greeze is fun and chippy, with a lot of banter that echoes some of the same things we saw from other Star Wars films, while his hostility with the Second Sister offers a great antagonist to foil Cal at different times. Other characters and their interactions with Cal Kestis throughout both games make him appear layered, and not always in the best light. It's something that feels more authentic to the universe of Star Wars as a franchise, making characters feel more three-dimensional instead of one-note wonders. And the best part is that nothing is done at the expense of the other, making it all come together nicely by the time the end credits roll on Cal Kestis' story.
A great addition to the new canon
It's going to be very interesting to see where and how things come to an end for Cal Kestis in the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Fans of Star Wars have resonated with Cal as a character and enjoyed where his journey has gone so far, both the good and the bad. For Star Wars games, Cal Kestis is one of the best characters to come into existence for the franchise in a long time, and is comparable to many of the classic Star Wars game heroes that people have loved. Over time, many will look back at the video games he appeared in and eventually see him as one of the best characters in Star Wars from the new era of canon.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star
Like
Action
Adventure
Systems
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 83%
Released November 15, 2019
ESRB T for Teen: Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s) Respawn Entertainment
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Franchise Star Wars
Where to play
Close
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Powered by Expand Collapse