The Empire is one of the strongest and most intimidating military powers in the Star Wars canon. The sheer size of the Galactic Empire cannot be understated, and its industrial might is clearly present throughout Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Despite this, seeing the Empire at the pinnacle of its power doesn’t happen often. With Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 on many fans' minds as 2022 gets closer, a sequel could work the Empire in and show its full strength better than the first Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order did.
Doing this would provide a stage where Star Wars fans are able to experience how strong the Empire is firsthand. The original Star Wars trilogy was able to relay the military might of the Empire through the construction of two Death Stars, but the overall story showed a political and military power that was clearly on its downfall. As the Rebels won more battles and ultimately defeated the Empire, fans weren’t able to see the oppressive force that Darth Sidious and Darth Vader were able to construct and maintain in the years following the Clone Wars.
The Absolute Strength of the Empire
Star Wars fans who have kept up with the series consistently are aware of everything the Empire inherited from the Republic, but what has been shown is often inconsistent depending on the media. One of the best ways to visualize the extent of the Empire and its might comes from recent games like Star Wars Battlefront 2, in which the Emperor's spoils can be seen in the game's campaign. This helps highlight the scale of industrialization, and the chokehold the Empire has on its members shows how it grew substantially after the end of the Clone Wars.
This is touched on more in recent installments like The Mandalorian when abandoned bases and repurposed facilities are visited, but very little compares to what’s seen by Cal Kestis as he dismantled Republic cruisers on Bracca and navigated around imperial mining equipment on Zeffo. Even during the Galactic Republic’s time, the idea to singlehandedly transform a world overnight was not something that was often considered feasible.
Showing this side of the Empire in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 could help frame the whole Empire as a greater enemy in the franchise. While it’s always clear the Empire is the antagonist, it's often a point made through the eyes of the Jedi and their allies. As a result of this framing, many Star Wars stories also focus on the Sith aspect of the Empire. In the first Jedi: Fallen Order, this allowed players to experience Cal’s journey as a Jedi as he undertook it in direct conflict with the Inquisitors, but with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 a more direct approach from Cal and the Mantis crew should be used when combatting the Empire.
Doing so could help fans visualize the magnitude of the situation anyone with anti-Empire sentiments would find themselves in. At its core, the Empire was about power and control, making anyone who hoped to stand against them feel weak. Showing this through the eyes of Cal Kestis as the Inquisitors' avenger, trying to fight the Empire and its worst supporters, could highlight how even though there are those who want to resist, in the face of the Empire’s might it could look like a hopeless battle.
The Empire's Expansion
Depicting the Empire at full strength could open Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 up to worlds of new possibilities. The first Jedi: Fallen Order excelled when it came to expanding Star Wars lore. It drew on the series’ ancient past and explored some locations that have otherwise gone unused, but Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 focusing on the Empire at its strongest could explore its effect on more star systems. At its height, the Empire had no problem colonizing portions of the Outer Rim and expanded far into the reaches of known space. Simultaneously, it needed to tighten its grip on former Republic and Separatist territories like Kashyyyk in Jedi: Fallen Order.
The Outer Rim territories were often dangerous space, home to some of the most influential and vile crime bosses. The Hutt family as well as the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate ran by Darth Maul operated in these locations, making a lucrative living off of illegal trade. While they each had their ties to the Empire, they were also disposable pieces of the galaxy in its view. The testing and industrialization that occurred in these territories confirmed this, and the rule by fear ideology that Darth Sidious and Grand Moff Tarkin adopted with the construction of the Death Star cemented the truth.
Showing how these planets so distant from the core existed in contrast with major systems like Coruscant could reinforce the idea of what the Empire was in its prime. Star Wars animated series have shown this as characters like Ahsoka Tano struggled to help those in need find peace and freedom. Experiencing these scenarios in an interactive format could solidify the Empire as more than a nefarious extension of Darth Sidious’ plans. It could demonstrate the deep inequalities that plagued the galaxy, some of it left over from the time of the Republic and earlier.
This is an aspect of the Empire that isn’t always present in Star Wars stories, but it’s an important one to remember. The massive imperial machine of the Empire could start projects like the Death Star and mine planets like Illum until their scars were visible from space. Even though the Empire’s legacy in the Star Wars sequel trilogy falls flat, its force during Cal Kestis’ life and following the Clone Wars was unmatched.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 is reportedly in development.