The SWtOR community has been buzzing recently about the new details regarding the “play what you want, how you want” gearing system that is Spoils of War. While I, too, have been caught up in the whirlpool of hype (and confusion), I am choosing to wait until we actually get to see this new stuff in-action on the PTS before I offer my thoughts on it here.
Instead today I’m turning my attention to something I care about far more than gear, and that’s the in-game story characters. I’ve been thinking a great deal about who I’d like to see, either brought back or introduced for the first time, on Onderon and Mek-Sha and I just thought “hey, why not make a post about it?”
Obviously, some characters are a given. Darths Krovos and Malgus, Empress Acina, General Daeruun, Jonas Balkar, Major Anri, Moff Pyron, NR-O2, Tau Idair, and Vowrawn are all definitely going to be back in some way or another, either because of their prominence or their popularity. I’m also considering Alec Ranin and Lord Izar from the Hearts and Minds mission to be certainties since the two outreach programs would be well-used at various points in the new story.
I am also not thinking of the remaining missing Companions because 5.0’s cycle is still not over and I don’t want to include them here just in caseBioWare surprise us and they all turn up in 5.10.4.
I doubt it, but I’m sticking to that rule anyway!
Beyond this lot, there are quite a few names (and one concept) I’ve come up with. I don’t hope to see all of these characters with the initial launch, but I would certainly like to see them at some point in 6.0’s story cycle.
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Galactic Republic
Commander Narlock
This is what happens when the Republic goes to war and we have no idea who besides Daeruun is actually in a position of command nowadays – I end up clutching at straws to find at least one eligible character who is not killable.
Happily, this is the case with the Mon Calamari commander of the transport ship The Esseles, Narlock. He doesn’t die or get put in a position where he’s either disgraced or betrayed unlike a lot of other NPCs from Flashpoints, and it would just be great to see him again. Hopefully, if he does appear, he’ll also have had a promotion or two in the whopping seven and a half years since his first appearance?
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Galena Rans
Ordinarily I would assume that the appearance of the overall leader of the Republic would be a certainty, but BioWare haven’t exactly had the best track record with Supreme Chancellors. We know of four at this point who have been around throughout the game’s story, but we’ve only seen two of them so far – Dorian Janarus and Leontyne Saresh. Jebevel Madon had his name dropped a few times... and never showed up.
It’s time to rectify this with Galena, I feel. Maybe also time to give Madon a cameo, perhaps?
If the name “Rans” sounds familiar, it may be because Galena is the wife of the original Supreme Commander of the Republic Military, the Rans who currently lacks a first name, whom Jace Malcom eventually replaced. That alone at least earns her more than just a name-drop here or there. Supreme Commander Rans was an excellent character and it would something of a shame to not continue following this family’s powerful influence in some way.
Even something as small as a hologram message would satisfy me here.
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Lina
“Lina who?”
For those who remember the wookiee smuggler Jakarro, he was partnered with a droid by the name of C2-D4. C2 was a member of the court of Queen Lina of Onderon, serving as her translator. Now, we know from the official announcement of Onslaught that Onderon has a “newly-crowned king”, but what does this mean for Lina?
Did she step down, was she forced out, is the new king her husband, was she assassinated, or is something else at work? It would be interesting to find out exactly what’s been going on on Onderon (so many “ons”) and Lina could be an interesting vessel to explore it through provided that she’s still alive.
I’m considering her as Galactic Republic because Onderon is (or was) affiliated with the Republic, but the Onslaught announcement heavily suggests that the new king might be about to change things in that regard.
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Master Cedral Gend
I’ve expressed my desires to see Gend return before, so I’ll repeat them here.
Cedral Gend is the Jedi who sends you on your way with the Seeker Droids, and – much like Narlock from the Flashpoints – he is pretty much the only NPC to walk away unscathed from the two 2.0 side-quest-chains. Evie Bo ends up with her memories purged, Deena Riss can be killed, and we of course know what became of Acina!
Now that we’re moving back to the war between the Republic and the Empire it would be great to get a good sense of where the Jedi are, as well as of course the Sith. Seeing several recognisable NPCs from across the game’s history would be a good place to start, and as far as we know Gend is still a part of the Jedi Order and wasn’t killed on Coruscant during the Zakuulan tyranny.
He’s also now one of the the only few non-Companion Jedi NPCs whose survival is not determinant, so this actually sets him up to be a very good candidate for the new Grand Master of the Order. Many other Jedi who are more important and who may have been left can die at some point but BioWare are proving capable of featuring different characters in the same role now, so who knows?
That said, what ever became of Shol Bestros, the Jedi who sends you on your way to deal with Soa in the Eternity Vault? It’s implied from the Jedi Consular snippet on Rishi that he became a part of the Jedi Council, but he hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Yeah, add him to the list as well.
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Master Gnost-Dural
Okay, so we got Gnost-Dural in 5.10 at long last, but that’s not enough for me. We know he survived the Republic version of the Ossus story so it would be great to see him come back again, even if it is in a small capacity.
I’ve highlighted him for a comeback not only because I’m still keen to coerce him into joining the Alliance (he knows he wants to, really) but also because of his connection with Tau Idair. I enjoyed the dynamic the two shared and I’d love to see them interact with one-another again particularly as I for one still feel Tau needs time to shine and develop as a character.
He may also factor into my next character…
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Tau’s Padawan
Towards the end of Jedi Under Siege, Gnost-Dural prompts Tau to think about taking on a Padawan (again), which leads to him insisting that after the evacuation they would convene and select someone. Since Gnost-Dural escaped Ossus for Republic players it is highly likely that he would have continued with this insistence until finally she gave way. Alternatively, she could also choose a Padawan to honour his memory in the occasion of his death or capture by Imperials.
Regardless, she should by now have that Padawan.
Tau having a Padawan would enable us as players to see how she has developed as a Jedi since we last saw her. She’s become a patriotic war-symbol since we last saw her, mainly through the banners which Daeruun himself is said to have painted, but this is not going to be indicative of her evolving as a Jedi. As said above, there is some potential for Tau’s character to grow and this would be an interesting way to show it, particularly as outside of the player-characters we haven’t actually seen a single familiar Jedi take on a new Padawan learner.
Yeah, almost eight years in now and the only Force-users we’ve seen actively taking on a new apprentice are our characters and their own masters. But then we haven’t really had much exposure to many major Force-wielding characters who would be in this position and aren’t killed off besides Satele Shan and Lana Beniko…
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Sith Empire
Darth Anathel, Darth Shaar, and Darth Xarion
These three characters are the only known Dark Council members we’ve yet to see in action. Shaar might be a quest-giver on Belsavis but we don’t know a thing about her personality. Anathel and Xarion started life as mere “warlords” identified only in a Diplomacy mission (yes, really) so just actually seeing them would be a start!
The one who several players, including myself, are unlikely to see in their seat is Darth Shaar, who only ascends to the Council if Empress Acina is killed on Iokath. Otherwise, the Sphere of Civil Administration is still overseen by Darth Vowrawn.
Darth Xarion’s appearance would also be particularly interesting for Imperial Agents, since Xarion is the new head of Sith Intelligence as part of their new Sphere of Galactic Influence. Anathel’s position in the Sphere of Sith Doctrine would be of interest to Warriors and Inquisitors, especially as the latter was the former head of that Sphere’s ‘component’ of Ancient Knowledge.
Also, can we please not have any Dark Council members killed off this time? We’ve only just got to know who the new Council is and already they need a new representative of the Sphere of Biotic Sciences. My bet is still on Lord Hargrev from Oricon filling that seat, so consider this Hargrev’s official mention in this particular list.
Speaking of that particular Sphere…
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Malora
After leaving Ossus (at least for Imperials), Malora has of course left her seat on the Dark Council vacant. What has she been up to since then? Still continuing her experiments? Moping in a dingy bar? Taking out her frustrations on any poor fool who happens to cross her? All of the previous?
Like Gnost-Dural, I’d be happy just to see her in a minor capacity just to learn where she stands for future events and maybe joining an Imperial-aligned Alliance at some point. Just because, you know?
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Watcher Three
Or just any of the old Imperial Intelligence crew who are still definitively alive and / or in-service. The original Keeper is retired by now and the former Watcher Two can actually die, so this just leaves the motley side-crew who never really amounted to much other than just… the crew, really. I’d like to learn what became of the Watchers when Imperial Intelligence shifted to become Sith Intelligence – whether or not Lana and now Xarion re-employed them all or if they all vanished into obscurity.
I might never get an answer, of course, but it’s still something I’d at least appreciate knowing at some point.
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Miscellaneous
Brogol the Hutt
Brogol is the new “Sovereign Magnate” of the Hutt Cartel. While the Hutts have been fairly silent throughout the Zakuulan conquest they’ve since broken away from the Republic and formed a new substantial underworld empire. I’m not imagining for a second that we’d actually get to meet him – like Galena I’d just be content with a hologram or something broadcasting a message.
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C2-D4 and Jakarro
What, you thought after the brief mention above I wouldn’t include them here?
Considering that we’re visiting Onderon where C2 was originally stationed I would say that it would be highly possible to view their appearance as a given. I’m hedging my bets for now considering that (former?) Queen Lina’s fate is currently uncertain – but then if she was assassinated or deposed by the new monarch I can see C2 ‘persuading’ Jakarro to aid potential revolutionaries.
The main thing I’m curious to see if they bring these two back is how they handle the two factions. Several of these characters will definitely only appear for certain characters (at least in a friendly capacity), but C2 and Jakarro have already appeared for everybody through Forged Alliances and Shadow of Revan. Presumably, this would mean that everyone would meet them again (and maybe add them to the Companion roster?) on Onderon regardless of what their faction’s story on Onderon is.
Regardless, I hope we see them again, no matter how they handle it.
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Khomo Fett
The Mandalorians are in a particularly interesting place right now…
Officially, the Mandalorians are affiliated with the Alliance because of Mandalore herself (potentially) being an integral part of it. However, war is of course erupting again and I can’t see all of the clans happily sitting by and following the Alliance without a few grumbles.
If ever the Mandalorans become “an issue” they cannot involve Shae Vizla, since not everyone can or does have Shae as a Companion – as a subscriber bonus they’re unlikely to take her away by putting her in a situation where she can be killed or imprisoned. Thus, if there is ever any point at which the Mandalorians attempt to break away, I have elected Khomo Fett as the most-likely candidate to lead them into another glorious war on their own terms. It seems like it would suit him and it would mean I could finally give him that punch he deserves.
Or, even better, his own unmarked grave.
…
I am not a petty person.
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The one character I’m not sure about in any capacity here is Satele Shan. The former Grandmaster of the Jedi Order has just completely disappeared apart from very brief appearances in Chapter IX: The Eternal Throne and the Flashpoint The Nathema Conspiracy if you leave Theron to die. Certainly I’d love to at least learn what’s happened to her, not least because I’d also really like to know whether or not someone has officially replaced her by this point. We have a new Dark Council, so it’s time to get a new Jedi Council as well!
Would I want to actually see her, though? Probably not, all things considered. Satele has really had her time in the spotlight by now and I think retiring her character, or at least putting her seriously on the back-foot, is an okay thing to do.
Of course, with Satele there’s also the question about Darth Marr. Like Satele I feel he’s had his time, and in fact both characters have had their outlooks changed so much by Zakuul’s reign that neither can really fit in to either faction anymore. They’re both their own characters by now, and if either ever does return I hope they remain entirely separate from the conflict.
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In general, I for one am not a huge fan of just how easily more Republic characters came to my mind than Imperial ones. But then that’s largely because the Empire has just haemorrhaged so many characters from itself beyond the ones that we already know who we’re already getting that coming up with additional major characters is actually quite difficult.
Indeed, I already mentioned Lord Hargrev but it’s characters like him who I can easily think of as being left. Just minor side or one-time characters who never really had much to do other than be a small stepping-stone in some form; Charnus, Maiya Vix, Trazen, just very minor side-characters who may not have had much focus or even played second-fiddle to another more prominent character. Heck, all five of the new Dark Council members originally started out this way! Who’d have thought that Malora of all people would have risen so high after encouraging going behind Lord Renning’s all the way back on Korriban?
We’ll see how both factions develop over the course of Onslaught. For now, I’m content in the knowledge that after so long of both factions just existing in the background we’re finally beginning to delve into them again. We still have a fair bit to go, but I’ll take what I can get.
Are there any identified characters who you would like to see appear in Onslaught that I haven’t mentioned here? By all means, post them in the comments!
