These Amazing 'Star Wars' Video Game Characters Deserve To Be Canon
Star Wars video games got a bad rap for being very mediocre for a long time. Most of the early games were reimaginings of movie elements and not much more. And with 8 or 16-bit graphics, that was not much. Thankfully, things began to change for the better in the early 1990s with new advancements in gaming technology. And with those advancements came better, more expansive stories exploring new characters and situations.
Unfortunately, many of those great new characters fell by the wayside when the new canon started in 2014. On the bright side, there have been several cases of Legends characters getting a second life in the new canon. If Star Wars games are all canon now, why not bring in some Legends game characters? At least ones that deserve it. This is a list of Star Wars video game characters that deserve to be canon.
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The first one that comes to mind immediately is Keyan Farlander. Fans of the 1993 X-Wing Space Combat Simulator (a classic that is arguably the best Star Wars game ever created) will recognize this name. This name may not appear on the top of everyone's list, but it should be. The story of Farlander joining the Rebel Alliance and the events surrounding his first mission was told in The Farlander Papers, a novella by Rusel DeMaria, which was included with limited edition early copies of the game. DeMaria further expanded Farlander's story and established him as the game's player character in X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide. Farlander was retconned into A New Hope and Return of the Jedi but would not appear until the New Jedi Order. If Rogue Squadron ever gets made, it would be awesome to hear that name again.
Starkiller is one of two really obvious choices. Originating in The Force Unleashed game for PlayStation2 in 2008, Starkiller wielded Force power like no other. The idea of Starkiller/Galen Marek was conceived as what Luke Skywalker would have become had he joined Darth Vader at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Starkiller was based on the voice and appearance of Sam Witwer, best known for his role as Darth Maul in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Marek was taken in by Vader and taught the ways of the dark side after Vader murdered Galen's father in a lightsaber duel. In the end, Starkiller perished in an attempt to overthrow The Emperor. Nevertheless, Galen Marek is too interesting of a character not to bring back in some capacity.
The next super obvious choice is Revan. Seems like every Star Wars fan from Alaska to Australia wants Revan to be canonized. And why not? Revan first appeared in Knights of the Old Republic (the 2nd best Star Wars video game of all time). For the two people who have never played the game, you begin as Revan, but you don't know who you are yet. As the game unfolds and you meet friends along the way. Then, you realize you are Revan and were a Sith Lord. Revan appeared later in a novel called Revan, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords video game, and in a deleted scene of The Clone Wars. Bringing back Revan would not affect anything that has been established in the current Star Wars canon.
If Revan graduates to canon, then his arch-rival Malak must as well. Malak and Revan began as friends fighting for the Republic in the Mandalorian Wars. As Jedi, Malak saw Revan as his teacher and would follow him as both fell to the dark side. However, when Revan came back to the light, Malak did not. The two would duel with Revan prevailing. Again, reinserting Malak into canon would not change anything, but maybe it could influence The High Republic.
Hailing from Dark Forces, a 1995 first-person shooter game, is Kyle Katarn. Katarn was a stormtrooper who defected to the New Republic (sounds familiar?). Since Dark Troopers, who first appeared in Dark Forces, are now reintroduced into Star Wars canon, bringing back Kyle Katarn makes perfect sense.
Pulling again from Knights of the Old Republic, Bastila Shan should be brought into Star Wars canon. Bastila was one of the strongest Jedi of her time and a friend to the reborn Revan. Shan was found to have an exceptional gift in battle meditation, which helped shape the outcome of a battle. Bastila and Revan realized that they shared a Force bond that allowed them to share visions of Star Maps. Incidentally, Jennifer Hale, who voiced Bastila Shan, also provided the voice for Aayla Secura in The Clone Wars.
Listen meatbag! HK-47 should be in Star Wars canon. Failure to do so will result in your termination! HK-47 was a Hunter-Killer assassin droid built by Revan towards the end of the Mandalorian Wars, where it dispatched his enemies with absolute joy. HK-47 was such a popular character. He won "Original Character of the Year" in the 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards and "NPC of the Year" award from the 2003 Computer Gaming Awards.
Another one to bring into the era of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett is a guy suffering from imposter syndrome, Jodo Kast. Kast first appeared in the 1988 RPG game Tatooine Manhunt from West End Games. After Fett's "death," Kast painted his own armor and impersonated Fett, essentially dragging his name down. When Fett re-emerged from the Sarlacc, he got his revenge on Kast. Hearing his character in The Book of Boba Fett would be very cool.
Asajj Ventress ranks as one of the most popular characters in Star Wars (go read Dark Disciple if you haven't already and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?). Who better than to bring back than the video game character who inspired her creation, Komari Vosa? Vosa, a Force-sensitive Human female, was a fallen Jedi who served as leader of the Bando Gora during the final years of the Galactic Republic. Vosa was initially apprenticed to Count Dooku, but later became a cult leader with connections to powerful crime lords. Much of Vosa's story elements were reused for Ventress and her lightsaber design.
Before anyone loses their mind, Delta Squad, from Republic Commando, appeared in the canon series The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch. Honorable mentions are literally everyone else from Knights of the Old Republic and The Force Unleashed video games. What are your thoughts? Who did I miss?
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Source(s): Wookieepedia