There are no shortage of iconic Star Wars protagonists as Luke Skywalker, Rey, and many others have become household names over the years. Looking to join them will be the protagonist of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Cal Kestis. The newly introduced character was created specifically for the game, but appears to be just as nuanced and fun as the heroes seen in the films. Since we already looked at the other characters, check out everything that we currently know about the Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order protagonist.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | Played by Cameron Monaghan
The protagonist will be played by the 25-year-old actor Cameron Monaghan. Despite being quite young, Monaghan has plenty of experience and acting chops. He began his career when he was just five by starring in commercials and eventually took roles in plays. This led to several television and film roles. He’s best known for playing Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska in Gotham (who has been heavily hinted to be the Joker) and Ian Gallagher in Shameless.
Despite being a fan of video games himself, this is the first time that Monaghan has been involved in a game’s production. He was impressed by the motion-capture experience and said, “It’s much more in-depth [than you would think]. You can pick up really subtle changes in a body that’s really nuanced and detailed.” He also described the opportunity to be a Jedi as “every kid’s dream.”
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis| Humble beginnings
Despite being a Jedi, Cal doesn’t have any sort of special upbringing. Instead, he had to hide his skills due to the group being branded as traitors by the Imperial army. As such, he found work as part of the scrapper guild. Prior to going on the run, he did dangerous physical labor that involved taking apart starships. Due to his secret, he made sure not to make any friends during this time as he didn’t want to put innocent people at risk due to knowing him.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | He has a special lightsaber
While developer Respawn Entertainment was very tight-lipped on the topic, it did tease that the lightsaber that Cal obtains is a very special one. It looks to have been heavily used in the past as it looks worn out and heavily damaged. It’s said to reflect Cal throughout the game and that it will evolve and change alongside him. Whether or not that means a potential dark turn for the character remains to be seen.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | His best friend isn’t human
As mentioned previously, Cal chose to alienate himself from others due to his secret of being a Jedi. While he didn’t have many human friends, he eventually opens up to a droid called BD-1 (voiced by BD-1). The robot quickly becomes his best friend and the two are viewed as equals in each other’s eyes rather than the droid being a tool used by Cal. However, that’s not to underplay the usefulness of the cute robot as it has a spotlight and several other tools that can be upgraded throughout the game.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | Forever an optimist
Despite being hunted by Inquisitors due to Order 66 and being forced into hiding, Cal doesn’t have an overly negative view on life. This was one of the reasons why Monaghan was attracted to the role. “He immediately jumped off the page,” said the actor. “[Cal] felt really distinct. He has a sort of grit to him. He’s street smart, weary, and then there’s an optimism to him. He’s a good-hearted person even though he’s experienced tragedy. The story felt very human and relatable.” This sort of quiet optimism is exactly why Cal is able to become a hero.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Cal Kestis | He becomes part of a dysfunctional group
After having to go on the run due to Inquisitors figuring out he’s susceptible to the Force, Cal eventually finds a group to team up and explore the galaxy with. Included is Cere (played by Debra Wilson), a former Jedi Knight that serves as a mentor to the younger human. Despite there being plenty of mentor relationships in prior Star Wars media, Respawn said that Cere and Cal have a very different relationship and act as if they were part of a dysfunctional family.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | He’s being hunted by the Second Sister
Unfortunately for Cal, he’s being hunted by a fearsome foe in the Second Sister. This Inquisitor soldier is specially trained to take out Jedi and is joined by a group of Purge Soldiers. In the initial trailer, we were shown just how clever she is as she uses the Force to disrupt his ship’s steering. Second Sister will play a recurring role throughout the game as she tracks and tries to kill the star of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Cal Kestis | His combat abilities will improve over time
Respawn Entertainment described Fallen Order as an “action melee” game and that Cal will be using his lightsaber and Force powers to overcome the threat of enemies. Despite being powerful, this is not a button masher. Instead, Cal will have to thoughtfully use his abilities, that can be upgraded as the game goes along, to target weak points and take them out. It was important to the development team that the game was easy for anyone to play, but that there was also plenty of depth to make sure that players are continually learning new things. However, we haven’t seen the game in action yet.
While that is all we currently know about the main star of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, there is still plenty worth being excited over. After all, actor Cameron Monaghan is passionate about the role and is a great performer in his own right, so Cal will look to join the pantheon of other great Star Wars heroes. We’ll get to learn plenty more about the young Jedi when the action game releases November 15, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
