Recently three new Star Wars Jedi: Survivor action figures were unveiled, and one of these is a very familiar face from the Clone Wars: the B1 battle droid. Alongside an updated Cal Kestis figure and a KX security droid is a B1 battle droid sporting an unusual color scheme. Unsurprisingly the inclusion of a B1 battle droid has gotten fans speculating how and why it will make an appearance in the highly anticipated sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
The B1 battle droid was the primary weapon of the Separatist army during the Clone Wars, as seen in all of the prequels (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith). They were further expanded on and even given distinct personalities in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, which also changed how Star Wars depicted clones. After the fall of the Republic, all battle droids were decommissioned after the Senate banned them, although the Empire used various loopholes to continue using them. This can be seen with the KX security and DT-series sentry droids, which look suspiciously like dark troopers, as seen in Legends' Star Wars: Dark Forces and the canon Disney+ TV show, The Mandalorian.
Trying to ascertain the role of a character in a game simply from its action figure is a difficult. However, just like the figures of Cal Kestis and KX security droid, the B1 battle droid does offer some clues. Looking at the figure and taking into consideration what its presence may mean, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's new character might offer some hints for the storyline of Cal's next adventure.
Jedi: Survivor - What Battle Droids Are Doing After The Clone Wars
Battle droids are still seen in Star Wars post-Clone Wars, appearing in various comics and novels, such as Mister Bones in Chuck Wendig’s novel Aftermath. In the book Tarkin by Jame Luceno, a droid rights group called the Droid Gotra is mentioned, which includes a group of repurposed battle droids. These droids were known to serve as muscle for a group of crime families known as the Crymorah Syndicate. In the sixth episode of The Bad Batch, “Decommissioned”, the team visits a factory on Corellia where Separatist battle droids are being broken down. Battle droids have also been the subject of an episode of Star Wars Rebels in the sixth episode of the third season, “The Last Battle”. In the episode, Rex, Kanan, and Ezra find a whole ship full of classic creepy Star Wars droids whose tactical droid commander refused to follow the order to shut down.
With battle droids being a rarity by the time 9 BBY, the year Survivor is set, there are still a few ways Cal could encounter these relics of the Clone Wars. Some fans, like Star Wars Explained, are linking the B1 battle droid figure to the mysterious body in the bacta tanks in the Survivor trailer. The droids could be guarding the delict facility or could even be deactivated until Cal’s arrival.
Little is known about the figure in the bacta tank, and theories range from a fellow Jedi survivor - perhaps giving the sequel its name - to a new dark side foe. If the appearance of B1 battle droids and the figure are indeed linked, then another theory could be that the unknown person in the Jedi: Survivor trailer’s bacta tank is a Separatist. If the B1 droids are connected to the abandoned facility seen in the trailer, then perhaps Cal is there to hunt down some answers about how the Clone Wars ended. However, it is more likely that any B1 battle droids Cal comes across will be working for some previously unknown organization. The product description for the B1 battle droid figure on Forbidden Planet is as follows: “These variant B1 Droids have been reprogrammed and repainted to serve a new master years after the end of the Clone Wars and the Rise of the Empire.”
It is unclear whether that master refers to a crime boss or a rebel cell as the black, white, and red paint job gives little away. In the Star Wars timeline, Jedi: Survivor takes place five years after Fallen Order, meaning it has been 10 years since the end of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire. B1 battle droids would be rare but not impossible to find, but given the Senate ban, it seems more likely that any B1s that Cal would encounter would most likely be in the hands of criminals. Whether the B1 battle droids are enemies or allies, it will be fun for players to meet a new, albeit familiar, character in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Sources: Star Wars Explained/YouTube, Forbidden Planet
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Released:
- 2023-04-28
- Developer:
- Respawn Entertainment
- Franchise:
- Star Wars Jedi
- Genre:
- Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action
- Platform:
- PC, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5
- Publisher:
- Electronic Arts
- ESRB:
- T
- Summary:
- Following up after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continues the journey of Cal Kestis after surviving the aftermath of Order 66 and the mass execution of the Jedi. Five years after barely escaping the clutches of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire, Cal continues to live on the run with his robot companion, BD-1. Players will now assume the role of Cal Kestis as no longer a Padawan but a Jedi Master. Spanning several planets and further refining and evolving the lightsaber/force-powered Jedi combat in Fallen Order, Survivor will once again put players back into the ever-expanding Star Wars Universe.
- Prequel:
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- How Long To Beat:
- 14 hours
