Fans of the incredibly successful Star Wars: Jedi franchise had some bittersweet news this month, with the highly-anticipated third title being officially announced as the last in the series. While many fans will be sad to say goodbye to the titular protagonist, the final game is bound to be a well-deserved sendoff to this iconic Star Wars character. Picking up after the events of Jedi Survivor, there have already been some hints as to where the franchise is headed based on where it falls in the Star Wars timeline.

(Warning: This article contains spoilers for the story of the Obi-Wan Kenobi show)

Taking place five years after the original game, 2023's Jedi: Survivor follows an older and more experienced Cal Kestis, coming to grips with his responsibility as one of the last of the old Jedi order. Having faced off against the deadliest threat the Empire has to offer and survived, players see Cal's evolution from a fledgling Padawan into a full-blown Jedi Knight, with this final sequel wrapping up his story. While the series' events have already started to align with some interesting events in the franchise's history, the Star Wars timeline might hold the key to predicting Cal's fate.

Where The Jedi Series Falls On The Timeline

Cal Kestis Isn't The Only Hero Of His Time

If the third and final game in the series follows Survivor's method of a five-year time skip, it will land at just the right time to incorporate itself into the main timeline of the rebellion. In the five years leading up to the historic destruction of the first Death Star, the rebel alliance started to fully find its identity, with Andor and Star Wars rebels showing fans the initial sparks of rebellion. Even if the next Jedi game doesn't include another gap in time, that doesn't mean Cal couldn't be a key figure in aiding the foundation of the rebel alliance, or further solidifying the Hidden Path organization.

Both Jedi: Survivor and the Obi-Wan show take place exactly nine years before the Battle of Yavin, with inquisitor dialogue hinting at their simultaneous and fruitless hunt for the elusive Obi-Wan. 9 BBY was a particularly stressful year for Darth Vader, having failed to take down the Jedi responsible for losing an entire squad of inquisitors, on top of being defeated by his mentor-turned-rival for a second time. Aside from taking place at the same time, both stories are intertwined with each other through the Golden Path, as both series make frequent references to the organization, while introducing key characters from it as a main part of their subplots.

What This Could Mean For Cal's Future

Hints Towards The Story And Direction Of The Final Game

While the story of the final sequel is still up to speculation, there's a good chance Cal Kestis will cross paths with the rebellion and its key players, as long as nothing goes terribly wrong with his Jedi sanctuary. It's unlikely that Cal will take a backseat to any iconic characters in his third and final game, but that doesn't mean they can't still make an appearance. While Obi-Wan is busy watching Luke on Tattooine, the timeline matches up with Andor or the cast of Star Wars Rebels to be influential figures in the plot.

While Cal has experienced plenty of loss on his journey to becoming a Jedi Knight, he might be in store for even more hardships to come. Given the direction of the story, there's speculation that Cal may lose someone close to him again, prompting him to tackle the alluring dark side on a fruitless journey for revenge. With the two existing Jedi games showing Cal's evolution from Padawan to Jedi Knight, it would make sense for the third game to focus on him overcoming these hardships to achieve the full status of a Jedi Master, being a perfect sendoff for the character.

Other Directions The Star Wars: Jedi Series Could Go

Taking Inspiration From Another Jedi Facing The Empire At Its Peak

When Jedi: Fallen Order was first released, many fans were already comparing it to the cult classic Force Unleashed series, with similar combat mechanics and linear storylines. Following Darth Vader's apprentice Starkiller, players would go from slaying surviving Jedi en masse, to slowly turning to the light side and putting their bonds with Starkiller's new friends above all else. While the story behind Force Unleashed and Starkiller as a character have both been retconned due to plot holes and over-the-top force abilities, Cal might follow suit with some of his similar rebel allegiances or moral struggles.

If the developers at Respawn Entertainment wanted to take the next game in a different direction, Cal may follow the darkest and deadliest path that he's experienced yet. This could put the game even closer in-line with the comparisons made to the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed franchise, unlocking a wide range of brand-new force abilities for Cal to blast enemies to pieces with. There have already been hints of this direction by the inquisitors and their attempts to persuade Cal, on top of his master's past temptations of the dark side.

While the games themselves may be ending, fans might not have to say goodbye to the beloved Star Wars: Jedi protagonist just yet. With how much the games have started tying into film projects like the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, there's a new hope that Cal Kestis will make a return on the silver screen. With Cal himself already being a one-to-one model of the award-winning actor and motion caption artist, Cameron Monaghan, it would be incredibly easy to transition the character to film on any new Disney+ projects.