Some of the greatest Star Wars video game characters were taken out of the franchise's canon and into Legends when Disney took over Lucasfilm in 2012, but it's time they made a comeback. While Star Wars continuity has changed drastically in the years since these characters made their debuts, there are ways they could be reimagined to feature in new stories. Many other Legends characters, like Grand Admiral Thrawn, have already been reintroduced into the new Star Wars canon, and the clones of Star Wars: Republic Commando's Delta Squad even featured in The Clone Wars animated series, so there's precedent for similar leaps to be made when it comes to characters introduced specifically in the galaxy far, far away's video games.
What is canon and what is Legends can be confusing for those not familiar with the terms or background of Disney's takeover of Lucasfilm. Canon is what is considered officially part of the Star Wars timeline. Canon is everything from the Skywalker Saga movies, The Clone Wars animated series and its follow-ups, as well as comics and novels published after 2012. Legends is the new name for the sometimes messy collective of games, novels, and comics that was formerly known as the Expanded Universe.
Exploring the catalog of classic Star Wars video games which are now Legends, there are several firm fan-favorite characters who really should become canon. These characters brought something new and exciting to the Star Wars universe, and could either be reinterpreted for the new continuity or be seamlessly brought across. This doesn't mean that they would have to star in their own Star Wars game, as they could simply appear in other canon material like the novels or comics, but it would be great to see them reimagined somehow.
KOTOR's HK-47 Should Be Added To Star Wars Canon
HK-47 was an assassin droid first seen in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, before returning in the sequel Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords and various other novels, comics, and games set in what is now Star Wars Legends. Built by KOTOR's Sith Lord Revan to hunt Jedi, both Revan and HK-47 had their memories wiped, and both served the Jedi Council. HK-47's personality made him a favorite with fans with his dry sense of humor and misanthropic personality.
HK-47 seems the most likely candidate to become canon because of his links to Revan and the role the droid plays within the core story of KOTOR. Revan is now considered canon with his inclusion in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary, and HK series droids became canon after their inclusion in the second season of The Mandalorian in 2020. In September 2021, Aspyr announced a timed PS5 exclusive Knights of the Old Republic remake, and while it's unclear if it will be canon or not, it may strengthen 47's chances of making the leap from Legends.
Force Unleashed's Starkiller Would Be Great In Fallen Order 2
Starkiller, aka Galen Marek, is another character who should be made canon and fit into the new Star Wars timeline Disney has created. Starkiller is a powerful force-sensitive human who Darth Vader takes as a secret apprentice to hunt down the Jedi who survived Order 66. Starkiller appears in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, released in 2008, and its 2010 sequel, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2.
Starkiller's journey through both games, from Sith apprentice to Rebel, would easily fit into canon. Sith Inquisitors are seen hunting force sensitives in the Star Wars Rebels animated series, and there were even plans from Dave Filoni to make Starkiller appear in the series as one of them. This has led some to hope that Starkiller could feature in Jedi: Fallen Order 2 as the game's antagonist, which would be a fitting way to salvage Filoni's scrapped plans from Rebels.
Bounty Hunter's Komari Vosa Would Be Great In Star Wars Canon
Komari Vosa is another interesting character who could easily make the jump from Legends to canon. Considered by many to be the predecessor to Asajj Ventress, Vosa was a padawan at the same time as Count Dooku. Vosa is a fallen Jedi who first appeared in the Star Wars: Bounty Hunter video game, which further expanded the cloning plot of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.
The game shows how Jango Fett became the template for the clone army and that links into his encounter with Komari Vosa. A bounty is placed on Vosa's head when she threatens Darth Sidious' plans, and Dooku is so impressed when Fett kills her that he decides to make the genetic template for the clones. Vosa fits neatly into canon as the story of the Jango Fett-led Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, although technically part of Legends, still works within the current Star Wars canon.
Kyle Katarn Likely Won't Return To Star Wars Canon
Kyle Katarn is a fan-favorite who appeared in all five of the Jedi Knight games. Katarn starts as a former Imperial Officer turned mercenary who takes on dangerous missions for the fledgling Rebel Alliance. Over the course of the series, Katarn learns to use the Force, eventually leaves it behind, and then goes on to become a formidable Jedi Master in Luke Skywalker's new order. The Jedi Knight games linked in well with the original Star Wars trilogy, with the first game, Star Wars: Dark Forces, having Katarn steal the Death Star plans.
However, as new films have been produced, the official timeline and events have changed. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sees new characters, Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, taking Katarn's place as the Rebel heroes who get the Death Star plans to Leia. These changes mean it is doubtful Kyle Katarn will be joining Star Wars canon anytime soon without some significant changes to his backstory, and while it would be possible to reimagine him in such a way - possibly as an unsung hero of the Rebel Alliance who was later discovered to be Force-sensitive - so many changes could impact negatively on the character.
Unfortunately, not all Star Wars Legends characters have backstories that will slot neatly into the new Star Wars canon. With changes to the Star Wars timeline, Kyle Katarn simply doesn't work anymore in his current form. However, HK-47, Vosa, and Starkiller would fit nicely into the new Star Wars canon with little fuss or retcons.