Cameron Monaghan Teases Cal Kestis’ Growth in Star Wars Jedi Survivor

During the late 2010s, when it appeared like Star Wars video video games would turn into extra notable for his or her controversies quite than the video games themselves, Respawn Entertainment launched Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. That sport resonated with audiences that it each let EA create extra Star Wars video games (and different studios take a stab on the property), and assured a sequel within the type of Jedi Survivor.

Ahead of its gameplay trailer on the Game Awards earlier within the week, actor Cameron Monaghan (who performs Fallen Order and Survivor lead Cal Kestis) spoke to Entertainment Weekly in regards to the incoming sequel. Survivor picks up 5 years after the unique sport, and as one of many final surviving Jedi within the galaxy, he’s turn into one of many Empire’s most high-value targets. “We’re putting Cal into circumstances that are challenging to the point of even being hopeless,” mentioned Monaghan. “Trying to find that fight, and how you’re supposed to fight within a seemingly hopeless situation, is an interesting question we wanted to launch into immediately.”

Since Cal’s turn into extra infamous within the five-year hole between the 2 video games, Monaghan indicated that’ll change the way in which he interacts with the world and his outlook on the galaxy. He admitted to eager to see “what a number of years of fighting in a desperate situation would look like for the character.” In a separate interview with IGN, he additional added that Cal could be affected by being on his personal for thus lengthy; the Stinger Mantis crew has gone their separate methods, and Cal’s main companion has been his trusty droid BD-1. “Going from planet to planet and seeing just an increasingly desperate situation must be very, very lonely. […] Desperate times are calling for desperate measures and it becomes very difficult for him to even understand what it is that he is fighting to protect, or where he should go.”

Lonely he could also be firstly of the sport, Cal gained’t be fully on his personal throughout Survivor’s playtime. In addition to reuniting with the Stinger crew—fellow Jedi survivor Cere Junda (Debra Wilson) is seen within the trailer—Cal will even make some new allies throughout his second journey. Right now, crucial, as proven within the trailer, is Bode Akuna. Played by Horizon Forbidden West’s Noshir Dalal, Monaghan instructed EW that he and Cal are “like brothers in arms…I think they have a mutual respect and understanding for each other.” Jedi Survivor is a single-player affair like its predecessor, however it appears like Bode will likely be hanging round for a spell: we see him save Cal from falling to his demise, and the 2 carry out a tag-team takedown on a stormtrooper.

Monaghan mentioned to EW that Survivor could be a extra “mature…darker” story in comparison with Fallen Order, however it might nonetheless maintain the adventurous spirit that made the story of the primary sport so enjoyable. It was vital to seek out that spirit within the sequel, he added, whereas additionally difficult Cal and his views on the galaxy. “You don’t want things to be grim for the sake of being grim… [Cal] will ask some really big questions I think people are going to be surprised by. Hopefully we’re able to hit people with a couple of gut punches along the way.”

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 17, 2023.

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