Cal Kestis and Bode Akuna’s final battle, during the ending of Jedi: Survivor, left many questions to be answered with some of the biggest characters moving forward. But perhaps the most intriguing is where Bode’s daughter could now end up. So, what will they do with Kata in the next Star Wars Jedi game?
Looking back at the storytelling in Jedi Survivor, Bode Akuna was definitely one of the most intriguing characters that was introduced in the new Star Wars title from EA and Respawn. We learned more about him as he went on, but his primary concern throughout was the safety of his daughter and how he could build a better life for her.
However, with the revelation of Bode being a former Jedi, and the result of their duel in the temple on Tanalorr, this means that Kata’s future also becomes quite an intriguing loose end from the Jedi Survivor ending. It also gives the Respawn narrative team plenty of options for this character in their next Star Wars Jedi game.
Who is Kata in Jedi Survivor?
Kata Akuna was the daughter of Bode Akuna, a companion for Cal Kestis in much of the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor story. After Bode’s time in the Jedi Order, he met a woman whom he fell in love with instantly, leading him to settle down with her and start a family. Bode raised Kata despite the inherent risk of his past identity catching up with him.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened and Kata’s mother was eventually captured by the Empire. Bode revealed in-game that her death gave him and Kata the chance to escape. Later on, fearing his daughter’s safety, Bode cut a deal with the imperial officer Lank Denvik, who promised to keep his past a secret if he became his weapon. This deal used Kata as a bargaining chip by keeping her on Nova Garon’s imperial base, while Bode was reporting on the activity of Cal Kestis, Cere Junda, and Eno Cordova.
So, Kata has been growing up on the run and in relative captivity for much of her life, but she had a surprisingly mature personality during all of Cal’s interactions with her, both on Nova Garon and in the final sequence on Tanalorr.
Will Kata be a Jedi?
As Bode was a member of the Jedi Order before Order 66, he must have been quite strong in his use of the Force. Kata will be quite likely to have the same potential when it comes to force sensitivity as she grows older. So it is quite possible for her to become a Jedi.
She also seems to be of good heart from what we’ve seen at her young age. At times in the story, she was attempting to convince her father not to go down the dark path he had chosen. She was also extremely perceptive, deducing that Cal was not an imperial officer almost instantly from the way he carried himself. From what we’ve seen so far, Kata’s character would align with that of a Jedi.
The question is if she will be able to complete the training with a Jedi Master with all of the constant interruptions from the Empire. Similarly to Grogu in The Mandalorian, Kata would actually be quite an intriguing and exciting prospect to develop a narrative around, or she could possibly feature in The Mandalorian’s universe, 20 years on from the events of Jedi Survivor.
Will Cal Kestis train her?
As of now, it seems that Cal Kestis is best suited to train Kata to become a Jedi, although he was never officially granted the rank of Master, he has had enough experience by this point to take on a Padawan of his own. Cal has spent over five years, from the end of Fallen Order, as a Jedi Knight and faced all manner of foes, including Vader, Dagan Gera, and the Inquisitors.
He may not have to do it alone, however, as Merrin is still expected to help force sensitive children on The Hidden Path after Jedi Survivor. Although her Nightsister Magic varies quite a bit, she still manipulates the Living Force and could give any of Cal’s students a more balanced view of how these abilities can be used for good.
Also, with hints that The Hidden Path may play a bigger role in the next title, any surviving masters involved, such as Quinlan Vos, could also provide her and other force sensitives with the necessary training to pass the trials and eventually become a Jedi Knight.
What will new Jedi game be about?
The Star Wars Jedi game series is one that director Stig Asmussen hopes will be a trilogy, according to his IGN interview. So, with the success of Jedi Survivor, it is reasonable to expect another title to be greenlit and in production over the next few years.
This new game should focus on building Tanalorr and the temple into the end destination of the Hidden Path, living out the dream that Dagan Gera had always hoped for the Jedi Order to see through. This isolated world would make the most sense for the overall narrative and could explain the absence of all other Jedi during the sequel movies and other Disney Plus shows, down the line.
The game could also focus on the early stages of Cal training Kata and potentially exploring more of the galaxy on the other side of the Koboh Abyss. Could also expand further on characters involved in the hidden path, bringing all the people together and potentially handling any conflict that might arise within their ranks. We won’t know for sure until more information is released but there is plenty to speculate about.