Cal Kestis, a Padawan who survived Order 66, evolved from a traumatized scrapper to a powerful Jedi Knight. Trained by Jaro Tapal and mentored later by Cere Junda, Cal rebuilt his connection to the Force and faced the Empire’s Inquisitors across the galaxy. With his loyal droid BD-1, he explored ancient Jedi mysteries, forged a new lightsaber, and uncovered Tanalorr’s legacy—all while struggling to find balance between grief, anger, and hope.
Cal Kestis emerges as one of the few Jedi Padawans to survive the infamous Order 66, evolving from a scared apprentice into a determined survivor of the Empire’s Jedi purge.
Born on Coruscant, Cal was taken into the Jedi Order as a child and even trained under Grandmaster Yoda as a youngling. In his teens he became Padawan to Jedi General Jaro Tapal during the Clone Wars, forging a deep bond with his Lasat mentor.
This ordinary upbringing within the Jedi ranks would soon be shattered by galactic turmoil, testing Cal’s resilience and faith like never before.
Cal’s journey began in the twilight of the Republic. Discovered to be Force-sensitive in infancy, he was inducted into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and raised among fellow younglings.
There, the guidance of teachers like Yoda instilled in him the Jedi Code and basic Force and lightsaber techniques. As he matured into a teenager, Cal was assigned to Jedi Knight Jaro Tapal, who became both his mentor and a trusted father figure.
Under Tapal’s tutelage, Cal served alongside the clone troopers of the 13th Battalion during the Clone Wars, forming friendly ties with the soldiers he fought beside.
This period of camaraderie and growth was foundational for Cal – he learned how to utilize his lightsaber and honed his connection to the Force while embodying the Jedi ideals of courage and compassion. Yet unbeknownst to Cal, these peaceful beginnings were the calm before a storm that would change the galaxy and his life forever.
In 19 BBY, the Clone Wars abruptly ended with Darth Sidious’s execution of Order 66, branding all Jedi traitors to the Republic. Caught in this sudden betrayal aboard their starship, Cal and Master Tapal were ambushed by their own clone troopers.
Tapal fought fiercely to protect his apprentice, but the overwhelming blaster fire mortally wounded him and even shattered his double-bladed lightsaber in half.
In his dying moments, Tapal passed the broken weapon to Cal and urged him to trust in the Force. Traumatized and barely escaping the carnage, the young Padawan watched his beloved mentor fall.
This loss and the clones’ treachery left Cal deeply scarred with survivor’s guilt and grief. He had not yet completed his training and suddenly found himself utterly alone, deemed an enemy by the new Galactic Empire. Cal’s narrow escape during Order 66 marked the end of his childhood innocence and the beginning of a lonely fight for survival.
In the aftermath, Cal did the only thing he could – he went into hiding.
Fleeing to the scrapyard planet Bracca, he concealed his Jedi identity and found harsh work with the Scrapper Guild cutting apart derelict starships.
For five years Cal toiled as a rigger on Bracca, keeping his head down and using only the most minimal Force powers to stay sharp. He clung to Jaro Tapal’s damaged lightsaber as a precious memento but dared not ignite it, as Imperial Inquisitors scoured the galaxy for any surviving Jedi.
Cal became quiet and withdrawn, haunted by nightmares of his Master’s death and tormented by the belief that he had failed Tapal. He refused to speak of his past and tried to live as an ordinary scrapper. Over time Cal made only one real friend – a kindly Abednedo rigger named Prauf, who became an older brother figure to the guarded young man.
Prauf often urged Cal to move forward with life instead of just surviving in fear. Cal’s years on Bracca were defined by isolation and internal struggle: he was safe from the Empire’s gaze, but directionless and burdened by trauma.
This all changed when fate forced Cal out of the shadows and onto a new path.
After years in hiding, Cal Kestis’s quiet life is upended at the start of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. A catastrophic accident on Bracca forces Cal to reveal his long-suppressed Force abilities to save Prauf from falling to his death. T
his act of heroism does not go unnoticed – within hours the Empire dispatches the Inquisitors to hunt him down.
Cal’s dormant Jedi destiny is reawakened as he narrowly escapes Bracca and embarks on a thrilling quest across the galaxy.
Along the way Cal finds new allies, confronts terrifying enemies like the Second Sister, and rediscovers what it means to be a Jedi in an age of darkness.
Cal’s journey truly begins with tragedy on Bracca.
When an Imperial probe droid witnesses Cal using the Force to rescue Prauf, the Empire responds mercilessly. The Second Sister – a ruthless Inquisitor – arrives with troops, publicly executing Prauf to flush Cal out.
Overcome with anger and sorrow, Cal ignites his late master’s blue lightsaber in a desperate attempt to avenge his friend.
The Second Sister easily parries Cal’s reckless attack and nearly kills him, but Cal is saved in the nick of time by two unlikely allies: Cere Junda, a former Jedi Knight, and Greez Dritus, captain of the starship Stinger Mantis.
Cere and Greez extract Cal from Bracca aboard the Mantis and reveal they have been searching for surviving Jedi.
Traumatized and unsure of his future, Cal reluctantly joins their crew, realizing this might be his only chance to escape the Empire’s wrath.
Thus Cal heeds the call to action – he leaves Bracca behind and steps back onto the Jedi path, guided by Cere’s promise to help him fulfill his lost training. It is a fateful decision that propels Cal into a galaxy-spanning adventure and gives him a new purpose.
Throughout Fallen Order, Cal is relentlessly pursued by the Second Sister, who is revealed to be Trilla Suduri – Cere Junda’s former Padawan turned dark side agent. Trilla’s personal vendetta makes her a terrifying adversary. She ambushes Cal on Zeffo and later on Bogano, testing his skills in multiple lightsaber duels.
Each encounter pushes Cal to grow stronger in the Force. Trilla taunts Cal with his past failures and even exposes Cere’s secret: Cere once gave in to darkness under Imperial torture, inadvertently leading Trilla to the Inquisitors.
Despite these mind games, Cal’s resolve only hardens. With help from his droid BD-1, he survives Trilla’s traps – at one point BD-1 heroically activates a laser field to save Cal from Trilla’s killing blow. Their final confrontation unfolds in the Fortress Inquisitorius on Nur.
Cal bests Trilla in a hard-fought duel, managing to disarm and wound her. In that moment, Cere arrives and urges her former apprentice to let go of her hate. Trilla hesitates, briefly rediscovering her old self – only for Darth Vader to suddenly appear and execute her for her failure. Cal and Cere barely escape the Sith Lord’s fury after a harrowing chase.
Cal’s trials against the Second Sister not only prove his growing prowess, but also teach him valuable lessons about the destructive power of anger and the importance of compassion, even for a fallen enemy.
To rebuild his connection to the Force and find a path forward, Cal travels to several pivotal worlds in Fallen Order. Guided by clues left by Jedi Master Eno Cordova, Cal explores the windswept planet Zeffo, where he delves into ancient tombs of the Zeffo civilization.
These tombs test Cal with puzzles and visions, helping him relearn abilities like wall-running and Force push. On Kashyyyk, Cal allies with rebel extremist Saw Gerrera and his Partisans to liberate Wookiee slaves from an Imperial refinery.
Cal’s courage in battle earns Saw’s respect and an invitation to join their resistance, highlighting Cal’s natural leadership and desire to fight oppression. Cal also faces the hulking Ninth Sister Inquisitor on Kashyyyk and, in a fierce duel high in the treetops, defeats her – a major victory that removes one of the Empire’s Jedi hunters (at least temporarily). Later, Cal journeys to the forbidding world of Dathomir.
There he encounters the last Nightsister, Merrin, who initially attacks him out of hatred for Jedi, blaming them for the massacre of her clan years ago. Cal also meets Taron Malicos, a fallen Jedi manipulating Merrin and the Nightbrothers while dabbling in the dark side.
Dathomir forces Cal to confront his inner demons – a spirit trial in the Nightsister’s tomb brings Cal face-to-face with a vision of Jaro Tapal, through which Cal finally accepts his master’s death and forgives himself.
Emerging more centered, Cal repairs his broken lightsaber using parts of Cere’s saber and a new kyber crystal from Ilum, forging a twin-bladed weapon that can split into two – a symbol of his completed training and the merging of his past and present.
With Merrin’s change of heart (after Cal helps expose Malicos’ deceit) and Malicos defeated with Merrin’s aid, Cal gains a powerful new ally in the Nightsister. By journey’s end, Cal has grown from a hesitant fugitive into a full-fledged Jedi Knight, having overcome trials of mind, body, and spirit.
While Cal’s journey is filled with action and peril, it is the friendships and bonds he forms that truly shape him.
Uprooted from the Jedi Order, Cal essentially builds a new “family” with the crew of the Stinger Mantis and others he meets. These relationships give Cal strength, wisdom, and something to fight for beyond mere survival.
Cere Junda becomes the closest thing to a new Master for Cal.
A former Jedi Knight who cut herself off from the Force due to past trauma, Cere sees hope in Cal and decides to train him to Knighthood. Their relationship is complex but deeply caring – Cere is haunted by her failure with Trilla, and Cal initially struggles to trust Cere after learning she momentarily fell to the dark side.
Despite this, Cal and Cere develop a mutual respect and even a familial bond. Cere provides guidance in relearning the Jedi arts, pushing Cal to confront his fears in Jedi meditation visions. In one pivotal moment on Bogano, Cere knights Cal as a Jedi, completing the training he never finished under Jaro Tapal.
This informal Knighting (using Trilla’s fallen lightsaber) is a profound gesture of trust and belief in Cal’s growth. Alongside Cere, Greez Dritus – the four-armed Latero pilot of the Stinger Mantis – adds a more lighthearted but steadfast presence.
Gruff, superstitious, and fond of cooking, Greez treats Cal like a kid he wants to protect (even calling him “kid” affectionately). Greez provides comic relief and warm meals, but also courageously helps the team by piloting through danger and even facing his gambling debts with the Haxion Brood to save Cal.
In short, the Mantis crew becomes Cal’s surrogate family. Aboard the ship, Cal experiences belonging again – sharing meals, trading stories, and supporting each other’s burdens. These bonds give Cal the emotional support he needs to rediscover his identity as a Jedi.
By journey’s end, Cere’s faith and Greez’s loyalty have helped forge Cal into a wiser, more confident hero than the lonely scrapper they rescued on Bracca.
No companion is more constant for Cal than BD-1, the tiny red-and-white explorer droid who rides on his back.
Cal first meets BD-1 on Bogano, where the droid had been waiting loyally as the keeper of Eno Cordova’s secrets. BD-1 quickly befriends Cal, deciding he is the trustworthy partner the droid was programmed to find.
From that moment on, BD-1 seldom leaves Cal’s side. In gameplay and story, BD-1 is indispensable – a true extension of Cal.
The droid provides tangible support through his many tools: he projects holographic maps and Cordova’s recordings, slices locked doors with his scomp link, activates panels, deploys a handy spotlight in dark areas, and most importantly administers stim canisters to heal Cal’s wounds in battle. BD-1’s ability to dispense healing stims at Cal’s command has saved Cal’s life countless times, making the droid literally a life-saver during tough fights.
Beyond these utilities, BD-1 shares a deep emotional bond with Cal. The droid exhibits a bold personality – curious, playful, and brave – which beautifully complements Cal’s more reserved demeanor.
On Zeffo, BD-1 even risked himself to protect Cal by activating a force field between Cal and the Second Sister, foiling her attack. And on Ilum, when Cal felt hopeless after his lightsaber crystal shattered, BD-1 played a final recording from Cordova that revealed the droid had willingly erased its own memories to safeguard Cordova’s messages until a worthy Jedi came along.
This act of sacrifice and trust deeply moved Cal, renewing his resolve to continue. Moved to tears, Cal called BD-1 “buddy” for the first time, truly accepting the droid as his partner. From that point, their friendship only grew stronger. BD-1 often chirps and dances excitedly when Cal accomplishes something, sharing in his victories.
The droid’s antics (like hopping off Cal’s back to poke at curiosities) provide much-needed levity in dark times. Yet BD-1 also experiences loss and anger – in Jedi: Survivor, when Bode’s betrayal leads to Master Cordova’s death, BD-1 angrily lunges at Bode in an attempt to shock him, demonstrating how much heart this little droid has.
Cal literally grabs BD-1 mid-leap to prevent the droid from getting itself blown up in the ensuing explosion. It’s a poignant reminder that BD-1 is not just a gadget but a true friend with feelings. As Respawn’s narrative lead Aaron Contreras put it, BD-1 is “your best pal” who experiences the entire story alongside Cal.
Through every high and low, BD-1’s unwavering loyalty and optimism help Cal keep pushing forward. In many ways, this adorable droid heals Cal’s spirit just as much as he heals Cal’s injuries.
One of Cal’s most remarkable relationships is with Merrin, a Nightsister of Dathomir. They begin as unlikely foes – when Cal first trespasses on Dathomir, Merrin furiously attacks him, summoning undead Nightsister spirits to drive him away.
Merrin’s hatred of Jedi is understandable: as a child she witnessed General Grievous (serving Dooku) exterminate her entire coven, but she was led to believe “Jedi” were responsible.
Cal, who also knows the pain of losing his people, empathizes with Merrin even as they clash. On his second visit to Dathomir, Cal reaches out to Merrin not with violence, but honesty.
He lays down his lightsaber and explains that the Jedi were nearly wiped out too, and that he is on a mission to prevent such horrors from happening to others. This gesture and Cal’s sincerity begin to thaw Merrin’s anger.
When Merrin overhears the manipulative fallen Jedi Taron Malicos trying to corrupt Cal, she realizes Cal was truthful about Malicos’s deceit. Merrin intervenes to help Cal defeat Malicos, and in doing so, she finally lets go of her hatred.
Free of Malicos’s influence, Merrin chooses to accompany Cal and the Mantis crew off-world. Over the next years, Merrin and Cal develop a very close friendship – trading banter (Merrin’s dry wit plays well off Cal’s earnestness) and watching each other’s backs.
By the time of Jedi: Survivor, their bond has blossomed into romantic love.
Cal Kestis’s journey is not just a physical trial but a spiritual and emotional one. As a Jedi survivor, Cal grapples with heavy psychological burdens – guilt over surviving when so many perished, fear of failure, and the rigid doctrines of the Jedi contrasted against the realities of the galaxy.
This section examines Cal’s internal struggles with the philosophy of the Jedi and how he evolves beyond some of their limitations.
We look at how Cal wrestles with guilt and attachment, ultimately finding balance, and how he learns key lessons from the Force and from the memory of those who fell before him. Cal’s story is as much about healing from trauma and forging his own Jedi path as it is about battling Imperial foes.
Cal’s growth is guided by wisdom passed down from those who came before – whether through the Force or recorded teachings. Over the course of his adventures, Cal experiences powerful visions and trials that impart lessons crucial to his development.
One recurring experience is Cal’s connection to his deceased Master, Jaro Tapal, through the Force. While Tapal is gone, Cal’s memories of him become living lessons.
On Dathomir, Cal undergoes a rite of passage in the form of a dark side vision of Jaro. In this hallucination, an embodiment of Cal’s own fear and doubt (taking Jaro’s form) confronts him, calling him a failure. Cal is initially overwhelmed and his lightsaber crystal is destroyed as a result of this failure in the vision.
But this low point becomes a turning point – with BD-1’s encouragement, Cal realizes he must accept the past. Cal emerges from the vision with renewed clarity, saying “I’m not afraid of the past anymore.” He repairs his saber using Jaro’s and Cere’s hilts, symbolically combining his masters’ legacies into a new weapon.
The lesson here is acceptance: Cal lets go of the trauma’s hold on him. From Jaro’s sacrifice, Cal gleans the virtue of selflessness and trusting the Force even in dire moments. Cal also learns much from Eno Cordova, the Jedi Master who set up the Bogano vault.
Cordova, though long dead, effectively mentors Cal via BD-1’s holorecordings. At critical junctures, Cordova’s messages provide guidance – whether instructing Cal on seeking out the Zeffo temples or sharing philosophical insights that reignite Cal’s resolve.
For example, when Cal is despairing on Ilum, Cordova’s final recording reminds him that BD-1 sacrificed its memories for this mission and that Cordova had faith the next generation (Cal) would continue the fight. This restores Cal’s hope. Later, Cal meets the living Cordova on Jedha in Survivor, gaining the elder’s counsel in person briefly before Cordova is tragically killed.
Even Cere Junda, in her death, imparts one last lesson to Cal. During the final confrontation with Bode on Tanalorr, Cal remembers how Cere faced Vader – with bravery and calm resolve – and this memory helps Cal center himself. He ultimately defeats Bode not out of hatred, but out of necessity and with a promise to care for Bode’s daughter after.
By the time of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, set five years after the events of Fallen Order, Cal Kestis has matured from a scrappy Padawan into a battle-hardened Jedi Knight.
Survivor thrusts Cal into an even darker galaxy – the Empire’s grip is tighter, and Cal finds himself tested in new ways.
Cal’s character development in Survivor is significant; he becomes more powerful in the Force and more versatile with a lightsaber, but also more burdened by the cost of rebellion. Ultimately, Cal’s journey in Survivor pushes him to the brink physically and emotionally, paving the way for the next chapter in his story.
In Jedi: Survivor, Cal enters with far greater abilities than he had as a fresh Padawan. Over the five-year gap, he continued honing his Jedi arts, and it shows. Cal is now adept at multiple lightsaber combat stances, which he can switch between fluidly in battle.
He retains the single-bladed stance (a balanced style for dueling) and the double-bladed stance (ideal for crowd control) from his earlier adventures. But Cal has also learned to dual-wield two lightsabers independently, trading some defense for an aggressive flurry of strikes.
This dual-wield stance showcases Cal’s growing dexterity and speed, allowing him to overwhelm foes with rapid offense. Additionally, Cal gains a Crossguard lightsaber stance – modifying his saber with a heavy crossguard emitter (similar to Kylo Ren’s saber) that produces a longer, unstable blade. In this stance, Cal’s strikes are slower and more deliberate, but hit with devastating power and greatly enhance his defensive parries.
The crossguard stance essentially turns Cal’s fighting style into that of a medieval knight, and Cal “becomes a beast” in terms of raw strength while using it. Finally, Cal embraces a completely new approach by incorporating a blaster into his arsenal.
Cere’s new contact, Bode Akuna, gifts Cal an LW-896 blaster pistol, and Cal develops a hybrid stance where he wields his lightsaber in one hand and the blaster in the other.
The blaster stance allows Cal to engage enemies at range with gunfire while still engaging in close combat – a pragmatic adjustment to fighting an entire army.
Initially, the idea of a Jedi using a blaster might seem unorthodox (Obi-Wan’s spirit might tut-tut, “So uncivilized”), but Cal finds it extremely useful.
It exemplifies how Cal has evolved from a traditional Padawan to a more flexible warrior who will use every tool at his disposal to survive. Alongside these combat skills, Cal’s Force abilities have also grown exponentially. By Survivor, Cal can influence the minds of stormtroopers with the Jedi mind trick, turning foes against each other or convincing them to ignore him.
The Mantis crew that Cal once knew has scattered by the start of Survivor.
Cal spends the early part of the game mostly in the company of new allies – most notably Bode Akuna, a charming mercenary who fights alongside Cal during a mission on Coruscant.
Bode becomes a trusted partner, watching Cal’s back through several dangerous encounters.
In Bode, Cal sees a bit of himself – a skilled fighter driven by love for his family (Bode has a young daughter, Kata). Cal also reunites with old friends along the way: he finds Greez running a cantina on Koboh, and later rejoins Merrin and Cere on Jedha, where Cere has been helping rebuild a hidden Jedi Archive.
For a while, it seems Cal has a larger “crew” than ever, united in a common quest. However, Survivor delivers a gut-wrenching twist: Bode Akuna betrays Cal and the Jedi.
In a stunning reveal, Bode is exposed as an undercover Imperial agent – in fact a former Jedi himself – who had been leaking information to the Empire in exchange for the safety of his daughter. Bode’s treachery results in the Empire attacking the Jedha base, during which Master Cordova is killed and Cere heroically sacrifices herself holding off Darth Vader to buy Cal time.
The betrayal blindsides Cal and shatters his found-family. Overwhelmed by grief and rage at Bode’s deception, Cal struggles not to succumb to the dark side.
A central narrative in Jedi: Survivor is Cal’s pursuit of the lost planet Tanalorr amidst a galaxy in turmoil.
By 9 BBY, the Empire’s domination is nearly complete – Cal describes the state of the galaxy as “shattered,” with very few places left beyond Imperial reach. Cal’s fight so far, while noble, seems like an endless guerrilla struggle with no safe harbor.
This is why the prospect of Tanalorr ignites hope in Cal and his friends. Tanalorr is a legendary hidden world located in the deadly Koboh Abyss nebula. It was originally discovered during the High Republic era by Jedi Knight Dagan Gera and his friend Master Santari Khri. They dreamed of establishing a secure Jedi enclave on Tanalorr.
But history took a dark turn – the Nihil (space marauders of that era) attacked Tanalorr, and in the aftermath the Jedi Council ordered the planet abandoned and all navigational compasses to it destroyed. Feeling betrayed, Dagan Gera fell to the dark side and was put in stasis, and Tanalorr was lost to time. In Survivor, Cal effectively picks up the High Republic trail.
Early in the story, Cal discovers clues about Tanalorr on Koboh (thanks to a fragment of a compass and the droid Zee). He learns of Dagan Gera’s existence and inadvertently frees him from a bacta tank, unleashing an unstable fallen Jedi into the galaxy.
Dagan, along with his loyal Gen’Dai enforcer Rayvis, reforms the Bedlam Raiders on Koboh and obsessively resumes his centuries-old mission to reach Tanalorr.
For Dagan, Tanalorr represents the glory and power he was denied; he wants to use it as a fortress to build a force-sensitive army and exact revenge on the Empire (which he doesn’t fully comprehend, having missed centuries of history). For Cal, however, Tanalorr comes to symbolize hope and a refuge.
Beyond all the practical functions, BD-1 is a character with a big heart – and he forges a genuine emotional bond with Cal. In the Fallen Order storyline, we learn that BD-1 accompanied Eno Cordova in his final years.
Sensing his death approaching, Cordova programmed BD-1 to lock away certain memories (like the content of the holocron vault) until BD-1 found someone he could trust to carry on the mission. BD-1 then waited alone on Bogano for years.
When Cal arrives, BD-1 takes a leap of faith and decides this is the companion worth trusting. The fact that BD-1 willingly had parts of his memory wiped for a greater cause already imbues him with a sense of noble sacrifice. As Cal gradually earns BD-1’s trust (helping the droid with a damaged scomp link, etc.), BD-1 “unlocks” more of Cordova’s recordings.
The culmination of this arc is on Ilum, when Cal is at his lowest point. BD-1 projects Cordova’s final message, which reveals that BD-1 chose to sacrifice all his memories of Cordova so that one day he could guide the next Jedi (Cal).
Moved by BD-1’s devotion, Cal gently touches BD-1’s lens in a mirrored gesture (BD had earlier pressed his head to Cal’s to comfort him) and says, “You risked them for me. I won’t let you down, BD.”
Cal Kestis’s journey pits him against a gauntlet of formidable foes. From Imperial Inquisitors trained in the dark side to rogue Jedi from a bygone era, Cal has faced a diverse array of antagonists, each testing a different aspect of his abilities and resolve.
There are two major categories of adversaries that define Cal’s struggles: the Inquisitors (and the Empire at large) who hunt Cal as a surviving Jedi, and Jedi: Survivor’s new threats like Dagan Gera and the Bedlam Raiders, who bring High Republic echoes into Cal’s time.
Through these conflicts, we see Cal pushed to his limits and forced to make costly choices. Each antagonist also serves as a foil to Cal – Trilla showing what he could become if consumed by hate, and Dagan reflecting the danger of obsession – thereby enriching Cal’s character arc with every confrontation.
Cal Kestis’s journey through the shadows of the Empire is marked by relentless pursuit and harrowing confrontations with the Inquisitors—dark side agents trained to hunt surviving Jedi.
From the moment he revealed his Force powers on Bracca, Cal became a target, forced to flee across the galaxy in search of sanctuary and purpose.
His earliest and most traumatic encounter came with the Second Sister, a former Jedi Padawan turned Imperial enforcer whose tragic fall mirrored the fate Cal himself sought to avoid. Time and again, Cal found himself outmatched and on the run, evading blades and blaster fire in ruined temples, occupied worlds, and ancient vaults.
Yet each duel—with the Ninth Sister, the Fifth Brother, and others—honed his resolve and deepened his connection to the Force.
What began as a mission of survival evolved into a crusade for hope, as Cal shifted from fugitive to warrior, determined not only to escape the Inquisitors but to stand against the darkness they represented.
Jedi: Survivor introduces a new antagonist who intriguingly hails from the High Republic era: Dagan Gera. Dagan is an Arkanian Offshoot male and a former Jedi Knight who lived around 200 years before Cal’s time.
As mentioned earlier, Dagan discovered the planet Tanalorr and wanted to establish a Jedi temple there, only to turn to the dark side when the Jedi Council abandoned Tanalorr after a Nihil attack.
Master Santari Khri stopped Dagan’s rage by cutting off his arm and placing him in bacta stasis, effectively imprisoning him in a suspension for centuries. When Cal stumbles upon Dagan’s bacta tank on Koboh and releases him (thinking he’s saving an innocent survivor), Cal unknowingly unleashes a vengeful fallen Jedi upon the galaxy.
Dagan wakes to find the Jedi Order gone (he ironically remarks “The Order is gone? I am back. I must return to Tanalorr”). Fixated on completing his old mission on Tanalorr at any cost, Dagan becomes the primary villain through the first two-thirds of Survivor.
He shows Cal what a Jedi consumed by obsession looks like. With only one arm (which he later replaces with an artificial one through sheer dark side willpower, creating a phantom limb of Force energy), Dagan proves a dangerous foe.
He reactivates the local marauder gang on Koboh, the Bedlam Raiders, who follow the Gen’Dai warrior Rayvis.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Jedi: Survivor is how it weaves in lore from the High Republic era – a golden age of the Jedi set roughly 200 years before the films.
Cal’s adventure unexpectedly becomes linked to events and characters from this era, demonstrating that the past can cast a long shadow on the present. This connection not only enriches the story with cross-era depth but also serves as a thematic echo: the struggles of the Jedi in any era – be it the High Republic or Cal’s time – often rhyme with each other.
Tanalorr is the central MacGuffin of Jedi: Survivor – a mythical safe haven planet that could be a game-changer for Cal and friends if found.
Its story originates in the High Republic. Around 282 BBY, Jedi Knight Dagan Gera and Jedi Master Santari Khri embarked on an exploratory mission through the uncharted Koboh Abyss nebula. Navigating the deadly storms, Dagan miraculously discovered the planet Tanalorr, a veritable paradise untouched by the Republic.
Envisioning it as the perfect hidden stronghold for the Jedi, Dagan and Santari established a small outpost temple there and crafted special compass devices to safely traverse the Abyss barrier. Santari saw Tanalorr as a beacon of hope that could repel Outer Rim threats and carry the light of the Jedi further into the galaxy. However, this bold dream was never realized.
The nihilistic marauders known as the Nihil (villains of the High Republic novels) somehow invaded Tanalorr not long after its founding.
The assault caught Dagan and Santari off-guard. Though Dagan fought valiantly to defend the settlement, the Jedi Council ultimately decided that Tanalorr was too risky to hold.
Fearing that the Nihil had stolen one of the compasses and could return, the Council ordered Tanalorr abandoned and all Abyss compasses destroyed for good measure. realize that potential in some form in the Imperial era.
Cal Kestis’s combat prowess is a dynamic blend of lightsaber artistry and Force abilities, honed through necessity and training.
Unlike some Jedi protagonists who stick to a single form, Cal becomes proficient in multiple fighting styles, adapting to different challenges.
Meanwhile, his connection to the Force grows from shaky and limited (at the start of Fallen Order) to confident and versatile by Survivor.
Cal’s combat style reflects his personality: resourceful, ever-learning, and employing both finesse and raw power when needed.
Cal’s lightsaber combat training was cut short by Order 66, but through experience and remembering Jaro Tapal’s lessons, he effectively becomes a one-man Jedi battalion.
At first, Cal uses a traditional single-bladed lightsaber form, likely Form I (Shii-Cho) or Form III (Soresu) basics that most Padawans learn.
This single stance offers a balance of offense and defense and is how Cal fights early on. However, wielding Jaro’s saber – which was originally a staff – Cal soon (re)discovers the double-bladed configuration. When he repairs the second emitter on Dathomir, Cal begins using the Darth Maul-style saberstaff.
In practice, Cal’s double-bladed stance (gamewise) is excellent for crowd control: he can swing in wide arcs to deflect multiple blaster bolts or hit several foes at once. Lore-wise, double-bladed sabers require strong control to avoid self-injury, hinting that Cal’s coordination with the Force improved to handle it.
Cal’s form with the saberstaff likely draws on Tapal’s teaching; Tapal was proficient with it, and Cal emulates his Master’s moves (players see echoes of Tapal training Cal in the game).
Cal’s connection to the Force is fractured at first—trauma from Order 66 caused him to subconsciously block his powers.
Over time, especially through Fallen Order and Survivor, he not only regains foundational Jedi skills but also taps into advanced and rare abilities.
His powers grow alongside his personal evolution, reflecting a deeper mastery of the Force and occasional flirtations with the dark side.
Cal’s primary abilities include Force Push, Pull, and Lift.
He uses Push to stagger enemies or throw groups off ledges—eventually strong enough to smash walls and large foes. Pull lets him drag enemies or objects toward him, disarming or skewering them mid-drag.
By Survivor, he can control multiple foes at once, even chaining pull-push combos (like luring an explosive droid in and launching it into enemies).
Introduced early in Fallen Order, Cal instinctively slows a collapsing crane and later an Inquisitor. Over time, this ability matures into an area-of-effect time-freeze bubble, briefly suspending enemies and projectiles.
It’s a key tool for crowd control and reflects how much stronger his Force connection becomes.
In Survivor, Cal learns to influence enemies into fighting for him.
This “Confuse” ability even extends to some wild creatures, suggesting budding skill in Beast Control. He also uses calming techniques to ride animals like nekkos or relters, and in dialogue, can use persuasion to avoid conflict—especially notable during missions on Jedha.
Cal’s agility improves dramatically. He performs Jedi Flips (double-jumps), wall-runs, Force-assisted dashes, and fast climbs.
Underwater, he uses a rebreather and possibly the Force to swim at speed. These augmentations make him incredibly mobile in combat and exploration.
Unlike traditional Jedi, Cal embraces stealth. He executes silent takedowns, mind-tricks guards, and sneaks through enemy bases like on Nova Garon.
These skills likely stem from time spent in hiding and influence from characters like Cere and Merrin. He also integrates BD-1’s tech (like turret slicing) to complement his Force powers.
Cal’s rarest ability is psychometry—the power to sense memories from objects.
He had this talent even before the Purge, and it's a narrative tool that reveals past traumas or events. While not a combat skill, it enriches Cal’s empathy and deepens his emotional connection to the world around him.
In a pivotal moment during his duel with Bode, Cal briefly taps into the dark side, lifting and choking him mid-air while crushing his blaster—a move reminiscent of Darth Vader.
Though he pulls back, it marks a moment of emotional extremity and foreshadows the power he’s capable of. Later, he uses a milder form of this ability on droids, showing he’s learned to temper it.
Cal Kestis occupies a unique spot in the Star Wars canon timeline.
His adventures unfold during the largely unexplored gap between the prequel trilogy and original trilogy – specifically, after the fall of the Jedi Order but before the rise of the Rebel Alliance as seen in Star Wars Rebels and A New Hope.
This section clarifies when Cal’s story takes place, how it intersects with other major events, and what implications it has for the broader canon.
We’ll detail the timeline placement between the trilogies and consider how Cal’s existence and actions might ripple through the Star Wars universe, especially given that, as of 2025, Cal has not appeared in on-screen media but is very much canon.
Understanding where Cal fits helps appreciate the stakes of his journey and opens up tantalizing possibilities for connections with other characters and events.
Cal’s journey begins five years after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and roughly 14 years before Episode IV: A New Hope. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is set in 14 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin).
This is confirmed by official sources like Star Wars: Timelines which notes the Bracca incident and Cal’s emergence as happening in 14 BBY.
At this point in galactic history, the Empire is ascendant – it’s been five years since the Jedi Purge (Great Jedi Purge began 19 BBY) and remaining Jedi are scarce and in hiding. Notably, Cal is the same age (around 18-19 in FO) as other surviving Padawans like Kanan Jarrus (Caleb Dume) at that time.
His storyline runs parallel to, but separate from, the early formation of resistance cells (Saw Gerrera’s Partisans, for instance, whom Cal meets on Kashyyyk in 14 BBY). By the time of Jedi: Survivor, the story jumps to 9 BBY, meaning another five years have passed since FO.
9 BBY is a particularly interesting year in Star Wars canon – it is the same year the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series is set, where Obi-Wan faces Vader on Mapuzo and again on Jabiim, and young Luke and Leia are about 10 years old.
It’s also just shortly before Cal’s fellow Jedi survivor Kanan Jarrus meets Ezra Bridger (their first meeting is 5 BBY in Rebels).
So Cal is active in that in-between era. During 9 BBY in Cal’s story, he has been working with Saw Gerrera’s rebels (as per the timeline notes, Cal was with Saw’s Partisans as a highly wanted Imperial target), and Cere Junda has established an archive on Jedha (tying into the early Rebel efforts to preserve Jedi knowledge).
The timeline placement means Cal is about 23-24 in Survivor. Importantly, Cal’s adventures explain certain happenings in the wider lore: for instance, Survivor shows the destruction of the anchorites’ Jedha Archive and Cere’s death just before Rogue One era – this could help explain why Luke, in the original trilogy, has scant access to Jedi texts (because many resources were lost on Jedha).
The character of Cal Kestis was not only born within the Star Wars universe, but also crafted thoughtfully in our real world through performance and game development decisions.
This section peels back the curtain on how Cal came to life behind the scenes – from actor Cameron Monaghan’s contribution in giving Cal a voice and presence to the design and narrative choices Respawn Entertainment made in developing the Star Wars Jedi games.
Cal’s creation is a blend of acting, motion capture, writing, and game design. We’ll discuss Cameron Monaghan’s portrayal and how his input helped shape Cal, as well as insights shared by the game developers about why they structured Cal’s story and personality the way they did.
Knowing the intentions and creative process behind Cal’s character enriches our understanding of why he resonates with fans as a fresh yet authentic Star Wars hero.
By the end of Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis has come a long way from the frightened apprentice fleeing his past.
He has forged a new lightsaber, new friendships, and a stronger sense of identity. His battles against the Empire, the Inquisitors, and his own doubts reflect the challenges of surviving in a galaxy where the Jedi Order is all but gone.
Yet through loss, betrayal, and small victories, Cal chooses to keep fighting—not just to stay alive, but to protect what remains and rebuild something better. His story is still unfolding, but his impact on the Star Wars timeline is already clear.
