Spoiler Alert: This article contains major spoilers for Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorStar Wars Jedi: Survivorbrought many fans to tears earlier this year with one of the most impactfulStar Warsgame plot twists since the “that moment” in BioWare’s Knights of the Old Republic. It was the perfect setup: Bode Akuna was a lovable companion throughout the game, Cal has already been through the wringer, and now Cal is forced to confront the traitor responsible for Cere and Eno Cordova’s deaths, all while Bode’s innocent daughter watches from the sidelines.
Game Rant sat down withStar Wars Jedi: Survivorsenior writer Pete Stewart and lead writer Danny Homan to discuss how the team carefully orchestrated this pivotal moment. They spoke about how one of the main challenges was the fact that Bode was present through nearly the entirety of the game, which forced them to be extremely meticulous when writing hours of dialogue. They also weighed in on whether or not Bode’s brotherly demeanor toward Cal was genuine or simple spycraft.
Delivering Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Plot Twist Was A Delicate Process
From the opening sequence of Coruscant, Bode Akuna is a constant companion for Cal. Whether he’s polishing a blaster in the Mantis' cabin, exchanging banter withGreez in Pyloon’s Saloon, or infiltrating a Lucrehulk with Cal, players have an eye on Bode through most of the game. This made it challenging for the writers to avoid spoiling the big surprise. However, Homan mentions that it was also important for players to have moments where they could look back and see Bode’s thought process unfold.
It’s an incredibly stressful thing to try to write a betrayal, let alone a betrayal across an entire game. If you have an hour and a half or two hours he’ll be featured, you can pick and choose your moments, but Bode is with you the entire time! Anything he says that we write incorrectly could ruin the surprise of the betrayal.
So we scrutinized every script from cinematics to seemingly innocuous conversation in Pyloon’s Saloon to really make sure that when you look back, you can see Bode and the betrayal. But for most people – not all but for most people – I think it’s a razor’s edge. He’s just likable enough but not unbelievable as a character, and there’s enough else going on with Dagan and Rayvis that hopefully you’re entranced by that story and you don’t see it coming.
Although therace against Dagan Geraand Rayis to reach Tanalorr was central to the plot, it also served as a way to keep players distracted from Bode’s true nature. The developers even cleverly used some game mechanics to bring them a false sense of security: players might erroneously assume that since Bode is present on Coruscant and the Lucrehulk to assist Cal, he’ll probably always be around when players revisit those areas.
Bode’s Feelings Toward Cal Kestis Were Genuine
When it comes to Bode’s true feelings toward Cal, Stewart says that they’re genuine — eventually. After all, Bode is an experienced spy who spent years as both an operative for Republic Intelligence and later on for the ISB, and he’s likely accustomed to feigning personal connection for the sake of the mission. This all changes when he meets fellow Jedi Cal Kestis and isaccepted by the Mantis crewwho become an extended family for Bode.
I think it’s genuine. Does he start out that way? I think that’s probably the crux of the question. I don’t actually know. I think some of the echoes at the end of the game actually talk about how he’s catching feelings, right? He’s trying to be a consummate spy, and he’s like, “Oh, snap out of a Bode, snap out of it!”
I think he gets there, which makes the tragedy of his betrayal even worse because he gets this thing. He’s like, “Oh, I have a family. I have what I could call an extended family, not just me and Kata.” Something that’s not so isolated, something that’s reminiscent of what it used to be like, and then he cuts the tie to that himself, which makes it even worse than if he was just mean and conniving the whole time.
When Bode introduces Kata to Cal at the ISB base, he tells her “This is my best friend,” and he truly means it. His genuine feelings for Cal and the Mantis crew make the betrayal even more devastating as he’s forced to make an impossible decision between Kata’s safety or the only semblance of a family he has. Whilemost final bossesare a cathartic moment of closure, Respawn Entertainment and Bode actor Noshir Dalal delivered a crushing moment that leaves Cal and the player feeling like they’ve just lost a dear friend.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
