For decades, Star Wars fans have been wishing for the franchise to offer some more gritty, mature tales within the Galaxy Far, Far Away, and with release of Andor on Disney Plus, their wish has finally come true. Taking place about five years before the events of Rogue One and Star Wars: A New Hope, Andor sees the initial spark of rebellion gradually spread across the galaxy, and begin chipping away at the Empire's restrictive grasp. Finally capitalizing on the franchise's darker elements, Andor could lead naturally into the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Announced officially earlier this year after months of speculation, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the upcoming sequel to Respawn's extremely successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Though just one trailer has been released so far, it seems as though Star Wars Jedi: Survivor may take a slightly darker route than its predecessor. With Andor coming to an end in late November, and Jedi: Survivor rumored to release in March 2023, the coming months could be a major bridge into an age of more mature Star Wars stories.
How Andor's Tone Could Lead Right Into Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Andor has finally delivered the grim and gritty take on Star Wars that fans have wanted for decades. With brothels, foul language, grounded and gloomy locations, murder, and slavery, Andor is a surprisingly serious show, and is arguably the darkest piece of Star Wars media put to screen. Of course, Andor is still only rated TV-14, so fans shouldn't expect to see any gore, nudity, or extreme violence, but Andor is still remarkably mature in tone, and that bold new direction is making the show really stand out from the rest of Disney+'s Star Wars offerings.
While The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Book of Boba Fett were all fun journeys in the Star Wars universe with plenty of fan-service, they weren't exactly hard-hitting dramas, nor did they really flesh out the universe. Andor, on the other hand, uses every minute of its runtime to cement just how manipulative and dangerous the Empire actually is, showing forced labor prisons, death squads, and an Imperial Security Bureau that doesn't shy away from using torture to gain information. While the Sith and Inquisitors have been shown to be evil, and the Empire is also described as this menacing entity, fans haven't really seen it in gritty detail until now.
Andor has now laid the groundwork for future Star Wars spinoffs to go a little darker, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor may just be one of the first to make use of it. Based on the brief teaser trailer released so far, it seems as though Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is maturing alongside its protagonist, Cal Kestis, who's looking a little older and wiser this time round. Taking place five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Survivor is set just nine years before the Battle of Yavin, meaning that the Empire is at the height of its power.
Naturally, it would make sense that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a little darker than its predecessor. Cal may have more experience now, but the threats he's up against are even stronger than before, and if the game's title is any indication of its themes, then Cal could be in for a harrowing, dangerous journey. With Andor putting the spotlight on the Empire's cruelty, it's now up to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to take that thread and run with it, exploring more of the Empire's sinister aspects while also bringing the Inquisitors and the Sith into play.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is currently in development.