With Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order saw the return of single-player story-driven Star Wars games.
From new and now-beloved characters to strange alien worlds to even more lore about the Jedi Order. Taking place between Episodes III and IV, Fallen Order is now an integral piece for fans of a galaxy far, far away thanks to its many inclusions to the canon. Not only was it a strong Soulsborne-esque game in the same vein as Elden Ring but it was a canon entry to the Star Wars universe, introducing new characters and lore to this expansive world.
Force Slow
It has been shown that not all Jedi and Sith share the same Force abilities. Some have a natural affinity for rare abilities and Cal Kestis has several. Psychometry allows him to view and hear echoes of the past through the Force. A brand new ability was also given to Cal in the form of Force Slow.
Instead of freezing beings or objects in place, Cal can use the Force to slow them down immensely. It can allow him to dodge incoming attacks or get around a fast opponent.
More Lightsaber Colors
While Star Wars may be famous for its flashy Light and Dark Side powers, lightsabers have are equally iconic. With the many Star Wars Legends comics and novels no longer canon, many fan-favorite lightsaber colors were removed from canon as well. This changed thanks to the release of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
When Cal gets his Kyber crystal, the player can choose from a variety of lightsaber blade colors that bond to Cal's crystal. There are the canon colors of green, blue, purple, and light green; however, Fallen Order also provides Magenta, Orange, Yellow, and Indigo. Since Fallen Order, these colors have all been showcased in The Rise Of Skywalker and the High Republic material.
A New Kind Of Fallen Jedi
Fans have seen a Jedi turn to the Dark Side and become a Sith (such as with Count Dooku), but Taron Malicos is different. Emperor Palpatine and the Sith had nothing to do with his corruption; he simply descended to the Dark Side due to his prolonged time on the dark planet of Dathomir.
Malicos proved to be a unique wielder of the Dark Side who was both an enemy of the Jedi and the Sith. He was also quite powerful as one of the hardest bosses in Fallen Order, needing the combined forces of Cal Kestis and Nightsister Merrin to defeat him.
The Last Nightsister
Though Asajj Ventress did change over the years, she was still a darker anti-hero and nearly all of the Nightsisters were shown to be twisted s of the Force. The introduction of Merrin provided a new perspective, one that showcased that perhaps not all Nightsisters were evil.
Merrin is the last of her kind and she simply wants to avenger her sisters and mothers after they were wiped out during the Clone Wars. She bonds with the Mantis crew and even forms a friendship with Cal Kestis, using the Black Magicks that her predecessors used for good in the end.
Further Explores The Inquisitors
One of the best inclusions that the dark and sinister Sith Inquisitors. Fallen Order made the Inquisitors the main threat since Cal Kestis is a survivor of the dreaded Purge. Not only did fans get to see a familiar Inquisitor from the comics with the Ninth Sister but also a new one.
The Second Sister is not only a deadly Inquisitor but she is the main villain of the game. She is given a rich backstory that is equally as tragic as it is fascinating, allowing for the Inquisitors to be more than lightsaber-wielding thugs for the Empire.
The Origin Of Starkiller Base
For the most part, Fallen Order sticks to lore based around the prequel and original trilogy eras. However, the game does reveal something about the sequel era that fans of the Jedi lore will find both interesting and sad. The planet on which all new younglings go through their trials and get their Kyber crystals is Ilum.
If the player returns to Ilum post-story, the establishing shot of the planet reveals that it is the one that the First Order turns into Starkiller base. It makes sense due to it being a massive source of Kyber crystals, but it is also sad because it is such a sacred planet for the Jedi.
The Mysterious Zeffo
A large portion of Cal's journey focuses on him uncovering the mystery of a powerful Force-sensitive race of beings known as the Zeffo. The journey takes from the Zeffo homeworld to Dathomir to even the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk.
Not only is Cal trying to find a hidden Jedi Holocron, but he uncovers why the Zeffo vanished from the galaxy. It's refreshing to see, or in this case, learn about other Force-wielding cultures besides the Jedi. As a bonus, the ancientness of the Zeffo gives vibes of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Darth Vader's True Power
Fallen Order showed that the entire fight between Luke and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back was merely Vader toying with Luke. When Cal Kestis meets Darth Vader, there is no boss fight with him. The encounter with Vader is merely Cal trying to escape and not be killed by the dark lord.
Darth Vader shows how overpowered he is and uses the Force to completely destroy the environment, warp it, and make quick work of Cal. Sequences from movies such as Revenge Of The Sith and Rogue One were only a taste of what Vader is capable of.
BD-1 Is The Cutest Character
Over the course of the game, BD-1 helps Cal on his journey and the player sees their friendship blossom. Not only is BD-1 an adorable robotic companion but he's helpful; able to slice into anything, provide healing stims, and project a map for Cal.
BD-1 became such a beloved character that he possibly returned in The Book Of Boba Fett. On Tatooine when Din Djarin is building a new Razor Crest, he gets assistance from the same model of droid which Peli Motto directly calls, "BD." Is it BD-1 or a different BD model that looks uncannily similar? Fans will have to wait on that answer.
Cal Kestis Is A Perfect Hero
Fallen Order allowed fans to not only witness but experience a Padawan's journey to becoming a Jedi for the first time, as Cal starts as a fallen Padawan and then evolves into a skilled and wise Jedi Knight. The journey is arduous and Cal is not some overpowered superhero of a Jedi.
He's a regular Force-sensitive being who struggles to relearn the teachings of his master. As a result, he's a more grounded and relatable character that helps keep the player engaged with Cameron Monaghan giving a standout performance in the Star Wars universe. Many hope to see Cal make his way into the films and Disney+ shows.
