How KOTOR Became Star Wars

It was fifteen years ago today that fans took their first steps into the wondrous world known as the Old Republic.

Set in Star Wars’ distant past, Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) was the first Star Wars story to introduce us to characters and events that had nothing to do with the mighty Skywalker bloodline and the evil Galactic Empire.

There were no X-Wings, Tie-Fighters or Stormtroopers. There was no Millennium Falcon or Death Star. The most iconic characters, factions, and ships, the things most defined Star Wars, were now missing from a world that claimed to be Star Wars.

Therein lies the biggest hurdle the game had to clear. Convincing fans that they were living in the Star Wars universe and not some generic sci-fi world with charcters wielding laser swords instead of lightsabers.

KOTOR was released on July 15, 2003 when the prequels were still being made. Although that story wasn’t finished, the prequels created enough of a foundation from which KOTOR could be built. In many ways KOTOR was the natural evlolution of the prequel era. A world where the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic, and a world where they faced not two Sith Lords, but an entire empire of Sith.

This ancient battle between Jedi and Sith was set on familiar planets such as Tatooine, Dantooine, and Kashyyyk. There were familiar archetype characters such as Bounty Hunters, card players, and scoundrels. There were classic aliens such as Transdoshans, Wookiees, and Rodians. There were blasters, lightsabers, podracers, and starships launching into hyperspace. All of this came together to create the veneer of Star Wars.

Without the right story though, all of this was just window dressing. What really made KOTOR Star Wars was the idea that heroes do not defeat evil on their own. They have friends to help them along the way. Luke needed Han and Leia to help defeat the Empire. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme did their level best to defeat the Separatists in the Clone Wars. In the case of KOTOR, Revan, Bastilla Shan, HK-47, and host of others worked to defeat Darth Malak.

Toss in a compelling twist for the game’s main character, Revan, and you have all of the elements that make KOTOR unequivocally a Star Wars story.

Knights of the Old Republic was a resounding success. In time characters like Revan and HK-47, and worlds such as Taris worked their way into the fabric of Star Wars lore. The Last Jedi virtually canonized Revan, albeit in a vague and peripheral way. An object in Luke’s home on Ahch-To can be traced back to the Jedi Crusader’s, aka the Revanchists. The Crusaders were a group of rogue Jedi who split from the Jedi Council to follow Revan during the Mandalorian Wars.

Taris was the focus of an Interlude in Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath, and Tynnra Pamlo from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a Senator from Taris.

Wendig also wanted to write an Interlude that focused on HK-47, but the idea was nixed. Instead he settled for having his droid creation Mister Bones pay homage to Old Republic’s favorite homicidal droid.

Mister Bones: “PREPARE TO FIRE ALL CANNONS. COMMENTARY: I SAY WE BLAST THE MEATBAG AND SAVE YOU THE TROUBLE, MASTER.”
Nora: “Bones, are you all right?”
Mister Bones: “SORRY, MASTER TEMMIN’S MOM. GLITCH.”

Rian Johnson is working on a new Star Wars trilogy that will be set in a part of the galaxy that has never been explored. In an interview with the LA Times, Johnson talked about the challenge of defining Star Wars outside of the Skywalker story.

“It’s fun because it’s kind of thinking, ‘Okay, outside of the Skywalker story and outside of the recognizable iconography, what is this? What is “Star Wars?”‘ Or what do we need to retain from that, to pull forward for it to still be ‘Star Wars’ — and what can we leave behind?” Johnson explained.

 

“They’re all the big questions that need to be thought of. And even the ones that we don’t know the answers to are things we need to figure out if ‘Star Wars’ is going to be vital and alive moving forward and not just be a waxworks. We’re going to have to figure out how to tell vital new stories.”

As Rian Johnson attempts to figure this out, he may want to book a trip to Austin, Texas. For BioWare, who are now writing stories for Star Wars: The Old Republic, answering the question “what is Star Wars outside the era of the films”, is just another Tuesday for them. With fifteen years of experience under their belt, they might just have the answers that Johnson is looking for.

It’s hard to believe that KOTOR is now fifteen year’s old. If you’ve never experienced the game you can find it on places such as Steam. The story still holds up today, and you won’t be disappointed if you give it a try.