Cal Kestis is a weird protagonist. Honestly, when Respawn first showed him off, a lot of people thought he looked a bit "plain vanilla." But looking back at the Star Wars Fallen Order characters years later, it’s clear that the game wasn't trying to give us a powerhouse like Starkiller or a seasoned master like Obi-Wan. It gave us a traumatized kid.
He's a scrapper. That’s the core of his identity.
Most Star Wars games make you feel like a god. Here, you’re just trying to survive. The dynamic between the Mantis crew—Cal, Cere, Greez, and eventually Merrin—is what carries the narrative weight of the game. It isn't just about finding a Holocron. It's about a group of broken people trying to find a reason to keep fighting when the galaxy has already moved on without them.
The Trauma of Cal Kestis and Cere Junda
Cal’s journey is defined by the Bracca incident. You see it in the way he moves. Early in the game, his lightsaber combat is clunky and defensive. He’s literally forgotten how to be a Jedi because he’s spent years suppressing his connection to the Force just to stay alive. This isn't just a gameplay mechanic for unlocking skills; it's a narrative representation of PTSD. Cameron Monaghan plays this with a specific kind of quiet vulnerability that makes Cal feel grounded.
Then there's Cere Junda.
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Cere is arguably the most complex of the Star Wars Fallen Order characters because she’s already failed. She didn't just survive Order 66; she broke under torture and gave up her Padawan, Trilla Suduri. That’s heavy stuff for a Star Wars game. Her decision to cut herself off from the Force wasn't out of a lack of ability, but out of pure fear of her own darkness. When she tells Cal about her past on the Mantis, you can hear the exhaustion in her voice. She’s a mentor who is just as lost as her student.
Their relationship is a mirror. Cal is afraid of the future, and Cere is terrified of the past.
Why the Second Sister is the Best Inquisitor
Trilla Suduri, the Second Sister, isn't just a boss fight. She’s the personification of Cere’s guilt. Among all the Star Wars Fallen Order characters, she has the most tragic arc. Most Inquisitors in the Disney era are portrayed as one-dimensional hunters, but Trilla is different. She is sharp, cruel, and deeply resentful.
Her design is iconic—the cape, the mask, the way she uses psychological warfare before she even ignites her blade. But the moment on Bogano where she reveals her face? That changes everything. You realize she isn't a monster; she’s what happens when the Jedi Order fails its own. The final confrontation in the Fortress Inquisitorius is brutal not just because of the difficulty spike, but because you actually want to save her. And then, well, Vader shows up.
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BD-1: More Than a Gimmick
It's easy to dismiss the droid as a cute marketing tool. But BD-1 is the heart of the game.
Think about the level design. Without BD, Cal literally cannot progress. The droid provides the stims, the map, and the hacks. But narratively, BD-1 is the link to Eno Cordova. Through the "encrypted logs," we see a relationship between a master and his droid that mirrors what Cal is looking for. BD-1 chose Cal. That’s a recurring theme in the game: choice.
Greez Dritus provides the necessary levity. He's a Latero with four arms and a gambling debt. At first, he’s just the pilot who doesn't want dirt on his carpet. By the end, he’s risking his life for a bunch of "Force-using weirdos." He’s the audience surrogate. He doesn't care about the destiny of the Jedi; he cares about his friends.
Nightsister Merrin and the Shift in Group Dynamic
Merrin’s introduction on Dathomir completely changes the energy of the Mantis. She’s the last survivor of the Massacre of the Nightsisters (thanks, General Grievous). Like Cal, she lost her entire family to a war she didn't start.
Her inclusion is vital because it challenges Cal’s worldview. To her, the Jedi and the Sith are just two sides of the same coin that brought death to her planet. Her slow transition from antagonist to ally is one of the best-paced arcs in the game. She brings a different kind of "magic" to the crew—literally—and her dry wit balances out Cal’s earnestness. Honestly, the game gets 50% better the moment she steps onto the ship.
The Looming Shadow of Darth Vader
We have to talk about the ending.
Vader’s appearance isn't a cameo. It’s a horror movie sequence. Among all the Star Wars Fallen Order characters, Vader is the only one you cannot beat. You don't have a health bar for him; you just have an objective: Run.
This reinforces the power scale of the era. Cal is a survivor, a talented one, but he is nowhere near the level of a Sith Lord. Seeing Vader toss aside the Second Sister like she’s nothing reminds the player of the stakes. It justifies why the crew decides to destroy the Holocron in the end. They realize that they can't protect these children. Not yet.
What This Means for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re hopping back into the game or playing it for the first time, pay attention to the idle dialogue on the Mantis. Most players rush to the next planet, but the best character development happens in those quiet moments between missions.
- Listen to the Force Echoes: Don't just hunt them for the XP. They provide the backstory for the side characters and the villains that you won't get anywhere else.
- Talk to Greez: Seriously. His dialogue changes after almost every major plot point.
- Watch Cal’s animations: Notice how he becomes more confident and fluid as you unlock more of the skill tree. It’s a deliberate choice by the animators.
The strength of the Star Wars Fallen Order characters lies in their shared trauma. They aren't heroes because they’re perfect; they’re heroes because they’re all incredibly flawed and choose to try anyway. That's what makes the story stick.
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To get the most out of the narrative, focus on completing the optional conversations on the Mantis after you finish the story beats on Zeffo and Kashyyyk. These interactions bridge the gap between the major cinematic moments and make the final mission feel earned rather than scripted.