Lit The Old Republic: Revan

Just started reading The Old Republic: Revan. I haven't read The Old Republic novel series yet because I generally don't like BBY material as much but I'm gonna give it a go. I know this was the third novel written in the series but I am going to go in chronological order so I am starting with Revan and will probably read Red Harvest after Deceived.

Because I never player Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic the back story for the novel is a little hazy. I did a little digging in Wookiepedia to familiarize myself but is there anything I should know or watch that would make the back story and novel make more sense? I'm not sure if they developed the novel series as a stand alone media or not.

 

I'll just refer you here

 

Just play the game and throw the book in the garbage.

 

Maybe play KOTOR for the backstory, but you can ignore KOTOR 2 because Karpyshyn sure did when writing it.

 

But KOTOR 2 is superior to the first one. Granted the game was rushed, but it's still fantastic.

 

Or the latter, at the very least. Literally the worst SW novel I've read.

 

i am the only one it seems that enjoyed kotor 2 more than kotor 1

 

No, you're not alone. In fact, I played the second game first, so it holds special memories for me.

 

Ah, KOTOR2....

 

Play both games and read the book.
And dont listen to the "I'm a star wars fan, But every star wars book and game and movie other then OT are garbage" People.

 

Play both games and read this book.

 

I loved the first KOTOR. I purshased an xbox, and that game in a dpressing time in my life. I played constantly, never getting tired of it. Had a dozen characters. The first one was special because it was a breath of fresh air for starwars fans. But the story and depth of the second game makes it superior.

 

What I love about KOTOR 1 is that it, in many ways, is a more successful attempt at what The Phantom Menace tried to do. It tried to copy the original Star Wars film and just fell flat in a few spots. But KOTOR 1, man was it strong. Sure, Carth was basically a humble version of Han, Bastila was Leia with a lightsaber, etc. But Mission Vao was a very unique character, as was Canderous Ordo who is just simply awesome. HK-47 is a fan favorite as well. T3 is basically an R2 rip-off and is a little useless after his initial usage, but is still a nice addition to the crew in the second game. I liked Juhani and Jolee quite a bit too. Juhani's redemption is touching, especially after you learn her backstory. The entire cast and story was marvelous. It basically took the original trilogy and crammed it into one story. Its "A New Hope" phase ends with the destruction of Taris. Its "Empire Strikes Back" phase ends with the, um, twist. The "Return of the Jedi" phase ends with the victory celebration and the destruction of the Star Forge, battle with Malak, etc.

And after all that, I still like KOTOR 2 more. Why? Because it was so, so dark. It's cynical atmosphere and sometimes depressing mood led to a more developed plot (at least in the restored content version). The characters are even more compelling this time. And they fight over you. If you're a girl, Atton and the Disciple will nearly duke it out over you. If you're a guy, Brianna the Handmaiden will get jealous of your connection to Visas Marr and will basically refuse to talk to you. Kreia is amazing. She's such a manipulative old woman. I would argue that she is the best Sith Lord in the EU. Canderous Ordo is back this time, but now as the leader of his own clan of Mandalorians. I will say that Atton is basically a direct rip-off of Han though. But his backstory is just so compelling. He's the most interesting one to delve into, because the skeletons in his closet are found out by Kreia, who uses that to manipulate him even further. It's great stuff.

In short, I simply feel everyone MUST play these games. Preferably the restored content version of the second game, though

 

And you forget the best part–almost all of them can be trained as Jedi! The whole point of most of their stories (Atton atoning for his crimes against the Jedi, Bao-Dur trying to find peace from what happened in the war, Mical's bitterness at the Jedi, Mira's "hearing" everything on Nar Shaddaa, etc.) all lead to them becoming Jedi. It's just awesome. IMO, Bao-Dur is the hardest to train as a Jedi because unless you have the exact right amount of Influence he doesn't talk to you until you do, whereas with Atton you can sort of make up any influence you lose via his backstory conversations.

 

My personal favorite thing about KOTOR 2 is the true identity of Kreia. I know this sometimes opens a can of worms, but I too (along with many others) believe that Kreia is Arren Kae (the handmaiden's mother). It just fits into the story too coincidentally to not be true.

 

KOTOR II + slight headcannon is probably my favorite part of Star Wars without headcannon it is still very good with a few exceptions that totally miss especially if Kreia = Kae.

KOTOR I is nice until you think about it. Then it starts getting a bit confusing/creepy.

You've got a lot of mental issues that likely leave a hornets nest of issues for the future. Does removing someones memories really change them for the long term? Aside from possible issues at a very young age the PC was generally well treated will he be hitting the Dark Side again in another few years if a threat comes or if more memories return?

Bastilla and Juhani are both flirting with the dark side yet the Council knowingly sends them with the player. Bastilla's Battle Meditation would have been an asset to the Republic fleet yet instead they send them with the player. Did they really feel Bastilla was that necessary to the player or did they feel that she was that damaged?

Jolee Bindo is most likely not what he claims to be at all. He knows from get go who the PC is and never mentions it until the PC does. He claims to be a hermit of the last twenty years and to not be in contact with the Jedi but that really can't be true. I suspect that it is likely that Jolee serves Vrook and has for decades.

 

The Arren Kae connection has been speculation for the nearly past ten years now. I feel like given the way the game was presented, it was supposed to be something implied but not stated.

Remember that scene where you get the Handmaiden to betray Atris and follow you? Then, Kreia has that odd moment where she says something to the effect of "Betrayal" and you can hear it all through the ship. It's fitting for her character given her dark side identity, but it still seems odd that she always seems to specifically manipulate the Handmaiden (more so than the others, disregarding Atton). Also, the Disciple says that Arren Kae was Revan's first and last master. Kreia said she was Revan's first and last master. I recall there being a point (in the restored content) where you basically ask the Disciple what happened to Kae (or maybe who Kreia really is) and he all of a sudden can't remember even after he starts to say it. The game leaves you all the clues, you just have to piece them together.

The only thing that wouldn't fit would be Atris' motivation for sending Brianna on their voyage. But now that I think about it, she didn't know Kreia was with them until later (when they meet before the final showdown).

Another thing to keep in mind is that Brianna was considered canon and Mical was not, even though the Exile had been declared female. Perhaps that has something to do with a possibility of the Ifamily connection between Kreia and Brianna?

No, Brianna, I am your mother!

Also, remember that Kreia manipulates Brianna into hating the Exile if he has more influence with Visas Marr than with Brianna. Perhaps that's her protecting her daughter? Also, Kae + Traya = Kreia

Does anyone else remember that rather awkward conversation where Kreia advises you not to "mate" with Brianna? That's always hilarious.


The thing with Jolee is interesting. I always assumed he could simply read people. Interesting thought. Maybe I'll think about that the next time I play.

That's what I love about these games. They're so layered!

 

If you cannot get a copy of KOTOR and you find the Revan book to be less than riveting, I recommend watching on Youtube Star Wars The Old Republic: Galactic Timeline Reports 1-12. It covers a vast amount of Jedi & Sith history, including the Mandalorian Wars and Revan. The length of the video is 48mins and by the end you will not feel you have wasted those minutes.

 

"Few are the thoughts that can hide in the shadows of your mind Exile."

I remember she had similar things to say about Visas too. And there's that bit about lightsabers:
"There is much weight, much craving attached to such a tiny thing of light. For the male, it seems to have inordinate importance. But we shall leave such male preoccupations for philosophers and cultural historians."

And she telepathically witnessed Atton imagining "certain base lusts, certain... indignities."

Kreia was a dirty, dirty old woman.

 

I don't doubt the Kae thing is correct it's quite interesting. The issue with it is how it much it makes Kreia be hiding. She's either ridiculously Echani or even more damaged than it initially appears. #1. Kreia got into a physical relationship with someone who was already involved with someone else. Causing a massive scandal and personal pain. Really, a dramatically not Jedi thing to do. #2. Unless she really respects strength chances are she hates the Exile and Revan. To die on Malachor V as a powerful Jedi chances are you'd need to have been with the Exile ( according to HK Revan sent the people that he didn't feel were loyal enough to him. So, her favorite apprentice sent her off to die/ turn to the dark side.) The Exile is the one (unless it's been retconned) who hits the button that either stranded Kreia or screwed up her connection to the force (Nobody living that cared could feel her so she either had to have lost connection or not had anyone that cared still living) or both. But, it gets even worse, the masters imply that all of Kreia's students were rotten that implies lots of them went with Revan. While some may have died with her others, may have followed Revan more closely and thus stayed with him. (Leading to her complaints about not being a leader.) Despite disagreeing with the Exile and putting the Exile in a position where they could likely die Revan still clearly respected the Exile and countermanded an order to kill the Exile. Revan had mercy/ a use for the Exile but he had nothing for his former master in the end. If Kreia had a functioning force connection she probably could still feel some things from Revan/ her apprentices which would further mock her as she was stuck on Malachor V. For an additional cherry on top Revan kills her lover (possibly under the whammy of the Sith Emperor). #4. Kreia isn't around her daughter enough for her to remember what she looked like. She was 16 when Malachor V happens and around 12 when the Revan and company fully entered the war. Even if she was busy during the war she could have been around during the first 12 years.

Combined with other things this leaves Kreia as probably a less than ideal Jedi with loads of damage or as an Echani that happened to have force powers as neither really fits my ideal view of her I tend to go off into headcannon a bit. A Summary of mine is the following:


Kreia was born on Eshan around 4,016 BBY on Eshan she grew up an orphan in the same city with Yusanis until age 16 when Duron Qel-Droma arrived and she was discovered as a force sensitive. As she had fit in poorly for the most part she left with the Jedi. She trained as a Jedi Shadow and was involved with her master in the Cleansing of the Nine Houses. After which She began working with the Jedi Archives on research and retrieval missions and generally was living a happy life with the exception of her masters death. On one such mission in 3984 (slightly retconing Revan's age down) she becomes stranded on an outer rim planet and met a 6 year old orphan Revan. She felt sorry for him and over the 3 years she was stranded she raised him and eventually began to train him. When she eventually managed to get back to the Jedi Revan and her other work impressed them and she was appointed Master but, Revan was assigned to several other masters to ensure his training was well rounded. Over the next few years she trained padwan's heavily focusing on puzzles and that helping others would cause them to help others and gradually cascade out to make a better galaxy. She and Yusanis met again in 3980 BBY and after his wife from his arranged marriage died they began to have a relationship and she gradually reduced her actions with the Jedi Order. As most of her students began to follow Revan the Council became alarmed and summoned her and kicked her out of the Jedi Order. She joined up with Revan and her apprentices because she felt they were doing the right thing but, that it was possible they were not following the right methods. In the end, the council was correct. Revan had perverted her technique of helping others and was using it to create echo's to power force techniques. He would launch lots of feints to confuse the enemy and draw on the emotions and death to shift the battle. As the war went on he began to experiment to see what emotions were the strongest and he found betrayal was the best. At Malachor V he brought his experiments to the extreme but it went farther than he could imagine or wanted instead of slightly twisting force users to his will all he had wrought was death, madmen, and wounds in the force that dampened his connection. ... Anyways that went longer than intended but, my head cannon would rather have a good jedi that is too trusting falling then a bad jedi falling.

 

you know what was so amazing about both games?! You could be on your 6th chracater playing for a hundred hours or more, and you still have conversation options that pooped up that you had never seen before. in KOTOR 2 you had these dramatic scenes when you went back on your ship, that played out based on what crew you had too. awesome. No one makes games like this anymore.

 

I completely agree! The depth and complexity of those games allowed for so many playthroughs that were never redundant.

 

just realized i said pooped instead of popped. lol

 

I actually thought it was supposed to be canon that both went with the Exile. Of course, since the game itself is non-canon now it doesn't matter anyways, but my personal belief has always been that both of them joined up with her even though that wasn't an option in-game. In the original game, it was supposed to be optional to get either Brianna or Visas (based on dark side vs. light side), not Brianna or Disciple (based on male vs. female), and you'd get Disciple no matter what. But I believe the sourcebooks or whatever canonized that all possible companions joined the Exile save for Hanharr due to the final confrontation between Mira and Hanharr on Malachor V, which obviously does not allow for both to have joined.

As to the Arren Kae thing, I have always loved the theory that Kreia was Kae. She seemed to know an awful lot about Brianna, so after I read all the theories, it just made total sense. I mean, Revan's first and last teacher, yes...and that's just one of the many clues. Plus Vrook said he thought Kreia died in the Mandalorian Wars, and Brianna said the same about Arren Kae.