Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 Can Make Starkiller An Inquisitor

The official sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is still yet to be announced, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that it may feature the return of a fan-favorite character, Galen Marek (aka Starkiller), who was the protagonist of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a 2008 video game from LucasArts. While purely speculation at this point in time, there is precedent for characters from Star Wars‘ Legends continuity (the name given to the old Expanded Universe prior to Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm) to be brought back into canon. Characters from the old comics and novels are now regular fixtures in the new Star Wars canon, and there’s no reason why old video game heroes couldn’t make a similar journey.

Dave Filoni considered including The Force Unleashed‘s Starkiller in Star Wars Rebels as an Inquisitor, but eventually decided against it. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order occupies a similar space in the Star Wars timeline, between A New Hope and Revenge of the Sith, and also features Inquisitors, so there might be a way for Filoni’s scrapped Starkiller resurrection to be depicted in its sequel. Including Marek in Fallen Order 2 would generate a lot of hype, as fans of The Force Unleashed have longed to see its protagonist in the spotlight of Star Wars canon once again. There’s plenty of cause to believe that he could return, and while there are likely less significant Legends characters who will make the leap back into canon before Galen, he’s definitely one of the more deserving.

While currently not a part of the official Star Wars canon, and The Force Unleashed3 nowhere in sight, the lore of Starkiller is extremely interesting. Galen Marek was once Darth Vader’s secret apprentice. He was raised in the Wookiee world of Kashyyyk by two Jedi knights until, following the Jedi Purge, Darth Vader uncovered their whereabouts and killed them. However, Vader sensed Galen’s powers, and decided to take him in as his own secret apprentice. Galen trained as a Sith under Vader, earning the codename Starkiller in the process. Vader had planned to use Starkiller to betray the Emperor, but after his plot was uncovered, he betrayed his old apprentice. Galen found his way back to the light side and eventually sacrificed himself to save the rebellion.

Fallen Order 2 Can Bring Starkiller Back Into Star Wars Canon

There are multiple ways that Starkiller could be reintroduced into Star Wars canon, but doing so in a video game like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 would probably make the most sense. Elements of Starkiller’s games have already been repurposed for the new canon, as was the case when a Force Unleashed stormtrooper featured in TheMandalorian. A slightly less powerful Starkiller could make a similar leap to the new Star Wars canon, like Dave Filoni planned in Star Wars Rebels. Galen could be a skillful Force user and Sith Inquisitor in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2, perhaps even serving in his original role as Vader’s secret apprentice, as shown in this art by Daniel de Almeida [via ArtStation].

Considering how Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ended, it stands to reason that Darth Vader will be sending everything at Cal Kestis and his friends in the sequel, and this would be the perfect place for Starkiller to come in. Fallen Order 2 could also include Ashoka Tano, Vader’s former apprentice during his days as Anakin Skywalker, and show a lightsaber battle between both apprentices. Both have similar characteristics, and also employ dual lightsabers in combat, so seeing them go toe to toe would be exciting.

As of right now, Starkiller has not been referenced in the official Star Wars canon, but there is hope that his journey will be completed. With games like the timed PS5-exclusive Knights of the Old Republic remake reintroducing Legends stories, anything is possible. Either way, when compared to other Legends characters, Starkiller seems like a more natural choice to be integrated back into Star Wars continuity, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 could be the perfect place to do it.