Star Wars Jedi: Survivor makes some interesting twists and turns in its narrative, but many of its key beats are either predictable or familiar if fans have been keeping up with modern AAA games lately. It is true that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor being leashed to the Star Wars canon means it cannot make any bewildering choices, but its introduction of the High Republic and its dissection of Jedi morality were fascinating to explore. In more ways than one, though, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Cal Kestis sits under the shadow of God of War Ragnarok’s Kratos.
Cal and Kratos couldn’t be more dissimilar when it comes to their backstories, let alone their general d, but their respective sequels have a lot in common. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and God of War Ragnarok are obviously both the sequels of their own franchises, but they instill the same beats in many ways through how their protagonists have developed since Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and God of War. Both games are likely to get sequels of their own, as well, and may therefore have the same trajectories planned for their protagonists.
Cal Kestis and Kratos Both Long for Purpose in a New World
Cal is still incredibly young, and therefore his life should be full of potential and joy, even if he happens to be alive during the Empire’s sudden reign throughout the galaxy. Finding purpose is what drives him in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s narrative, which is ironic since Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ended on the idea that he had found that with the Stinger Mantis crew.
Most of the crew is back together by the end of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and on the newfound planet of Tanalorr it seems clear that a sequel would have Cal and Merrin raising Kata Akuna. There is an obvious comparison to be made to God of War’s Kratos with Cal as a father figure, but there is an even greater similarity made when considering how Kata could be Cal’s new purpose, like how Atreus was Kratos’ purpose.
Atreus has left Kratos at the end of God of War Ragnarok, but his purpose is fulfilled once more when he learns that he could be revered as a benevolent god in Midgard. Either way, Cal struggled to find his place in a galaxy he found unfamiliar, just as Kratos struggled to find purpose in a new mythological realm.
Cal Kestis and Kratos Are Both Becoming Irrelevant in Their Franchises
Star Wars Jedi and God of War are both interesting franchises because they seemingly make their respective protagonists inseparable from the series. Cal is the Jedi that Star Wars Jedi’s franchise title refers to, though it doesn’t refer to him exclusively in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Similarly, God of War refers to Kratos as the eponymous figure, but he is not the only god of war. It would be simple enough for Star Wars Jedi’s franchise to replace Cal with another Jedi, but God of War’s franchise would be thrown off severely if Kratos was substituted with God of War Ragnarok’s Tyr, for instance.
Star Wars Jedi is essentially built around Cal as God of War is built around Kratos, but both protagonists seem to be getting pushed further out of the width of what those franchises need to continue and iterate upon themselves. Atreus is almost guaranteed to get a standalone game in a new realm, for example, and it is fully possible that Kata could become a playable protagonist in the Star Wars Jedi franchise’s future if Cal decides to settle down and retire his lightsaber.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.