One Character in the KOTOR Remake Could Be a Great Counterbalance to Star Wars Jedi’s Cal Kestis

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 15, 2024 5 Views 6 Min Read
One Character in the KOTOR Remake Could Be a Great Counterbalance to Star Wars Jedi's Cal Kestis



Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was groundbreaking for Star Wars in fundamental ways, including its use of characters and themes, as well as how it challenged core concepts that were foundational for Star Wars until that point. One of the most subversive characters it introduced was Jolee Bindo, who was a Force user who was neither Jedi nor Sith.




Jolee and Cal Kestis are similar in that they both served in a war while they were serving the Jedi. Jolee ended up voluntarily leaving the Jedi forever, while Cal survived Order 66 and sought to restore the Jedi. Both have very different opinions of the Jedi based on their experiences, but Jolee’s stands out because his opinion is distinctly different from Star Wars‘ core view that the Jedi are fundamentally a just and right group. Jolee offers a more nuanced view, but the Knights of the Old Republic Remake needs to get it right to do it justice.

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Jolee’s Introduction in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

It’s essential that the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake gets Jolee’s character right. If so, he’ll prove to be the perfect counterpoint to Cal Kestis. Both characters are Jedi who were once Jedi, but have reacted to their circumstances in very different ways, and this highlights just how subversive Jolee is as a character, without being facetious or deriding the Jedi as a concept.


Jolee is first encountered in the depths of Kashyyyk as a homage to Luke’s encounter with Yoda on Dagobah. Rather than finding an old Jedi master, the player finds an old man who’s proficient at using the Force but is neither Jedi nor Sith. Jolee’s morally a good character, and was trained as a Jedi, but left the Jedi after he found fault in their judgment several times during the course of a war. The final straw for him came when he deliberately broke the Jedi’s own rules, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people and, instead of receiving punishment, his forgiveness and wellbeing were valued higher than the consequences of his actions.

In disgust, he left the Jedi, and refuses to return to them after the player character meets him. Over the course of Knights of the Old Republic‘s story, he encourages the player character to question their path, to think for themselves, and to face the pitfalls of seeing the Jedi as infallible. This kind of thinking was completely unheard of in 2003 when Knights of the Old Republic was released, and it was done with nuance and respect rather than dismissing the Jedi entirely.


Cal Kestis and Jolee’s Differing Perspectives in Star Wars

Cal Kestis, on the other hand, was just a child when Order 66 happened, and the Jedi were his safety net and representative of peace in the galaxy, even though he served them as a soldier. Cal’s main goal in the Star Wars Jedi games is to revive the Jedi Order, and it’s a goal that many players and Star Wars fans would agree with.

Jolee’s perspective on the Jedi wouldn’t necessarily argue for dismantling the Jedi completely, and not in the manner of a Jedi Purge like Order 66 was, but would challenge the perspective of them as an infallible institution, particularly in the case of the Jedi Masters and other senior members of the Order. The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake‘s Jolee should be able to give a great counterpoint to Cal’s goals, particularly if the player is roleplaying a light side character.


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