It’s time for Star Wars to consider Knights of the Old Republic canon again. In 2003, BioWare and LucasArts released the hugely influential Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic role-playing video game. Set almost 4,000 years before the prequel trilogy, this introduced players to a time before even the Sith Rule of Two – when Jedi and Sith numbered in their thousands. The setting was wonderfully immersive, and the gameplay was addictive. KotOR won 18 out of 39 Game of the Year awards, cementing its place in popular culture.
KotOR was a vital part of the old Star Wars Expanded Universe, complemented by a range of novels and comics. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the House of Mouse made a difficult choice; the Expanded Universe was declared non-canon, or “Legends.” Sadly, that included KotOR. But, surprisingly, the evidence is building that this particular part of the EU should really be considered canon again.
Disney’s Star Wars Keeps Drawing On KotOR For Inspiration
It’s impossible to overestimate how important KotOR is to the Star Wars franchise as a whole. Even George Lucas – noted for his inconsistent relationship to the old EU – considered integrating elements of KotOR into canon. One episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars originally featured a scene with the spirits of ancient Sith Lords Darth Bane and Darth Revan, the latter of whom is a key figure in KotOR lore. Lucas ultimately cut the Darth Revan cameo - he was persuaded it didn’t fit with his philosophy of the Jedi and Force ghosts – but the very fact it was thought about is remarkable.
In the current era, Lucasfilm’s relationship with the old EU is frankly even more complicated than Lucas’; Legends content is essentially treated as a mine for new concepts and ideas, with Lucasfilm integrating the best of them into their new canon as it takes shape. It’s frankly quite astounding how many elements of KotOR have wound up canon, ranging from characters to ancient Jedi relics. Revan may not have made his way into Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but he was officially recanonized via Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; Palpatine’s Sith legions were named after different Sith, and one was named after Darth Revan. Another key KotOR character is canon again, too – Meetra Surik, the protagonist/player character of 2004’s Knights of the Old Republic II. She was name-dropped in one canon Star Wars comic, with writer Cavan Scott confirming it was a deliberate reference.
But the most high-profile KotOR reference to date was in Andor, when rebel leader Luthen Rael – who ran an antiques business as a cover – mentioned the Rakatan invaders. In KotOR lore, the Rakatan Infinite Empire spread across the galaxy over 25,000 years ago, until their darkness was opposed by the rising light of the Je’daii Order. Luthen didn’t go into detail, but his comment clearly confirmed the Rakata are canon. Surprisingly, Star Wars set up Andor’s Rakata Easter egg years earlier, including their homeworld Byss in a galactic map. It all seems rather intentional.
Knights Of The Old Republic Is Still An Active Part Of Star Wars
Disney essentially wiped the slate clean after acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012, and stories since then have been set in a new continuity. The old Legends stories have been largely abandoned – with the striking exception of KotOR. Disney is reviving the KotOR brand, launching a new game in 2023 courtesy of a new partnership with Aspyr.
As delightful as this decision may be, it’s also quite a surprising one. It technically means Lucasfilm is telling Star Wars stories set in two different timelines. Lucasfilm will no doubt be careful not to confuse audiences by causing continuity problems with the KotOR remake; while hardcore fans can be expected to navigate multiple timelines with ease, casual players will be bewildered. Indeed, that may well explain why Lucasfilm is slipping in so many KotOR references of late; a subtle way of binding the continuity together.
Lucasfilm’s “Legends” Designation Allows KotOR To Become Canon Again
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Over a decade after the Disney acquisition, Lucasfilm seem to be getting a lot more relaxed about continuity and canonicity. Something this is causing problems; there’s no real way to reconcile the multiple origins of Jedi Kanan Jarrus, for example, now told in both comics and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. But it also means Star Wars Legends is beginning to matter again, with some recent stories carefully navigating the space between the two timelines.
Expanded Universe stories set in the distant past now occupy a strange position. The “Legends” designation is proving more true than anyone expected, because several sourcebooks treat these stories as actual in-universe legends. Describing Ossus, the homeworld of the Jedi in Legends, the Star Wars: Force & Destiny sourcebook Nexus of Power explains:
“Scholars debate the historicity of Ossus as a real place. Many believe the world is merely the mythic setting of the Qel-Droma Epics, using familiar tropes found in other mythological frameworks of the gods. Some believe the Jedi adopted a world and named it after a fictional planet. Others insist Ossus exists exactly as the stories claim.”
It's amusing to imagine in-universe scholars debating questions of canonicity with the same eagerness as fans (and it is perhaps significant that Lucasfilm has confirmed Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Temple is on Ossus, subtly changing the terms of this debate). The same appears to be true for KotOR as a whole, explaining the strange way classic KotOR elements are being referenced in canon. The only real question is whether the KotOR stories should be considered an accurate representation of galactic history.
It's Time For Lucasfilm To Make Up Its Mind About KotOR
Lucasfilm can easily settle the debate, simply by officially stating KotOR is canon – perhaps through the upcoming Star Wars: Timelines book, which has been confirmed to discuss the origins of the Jedi and the Sith. Such a statement would delight fans, and would serve as a massive profile boost to KotOR 3.
Lucasfilm has absolutely nothing to lose by officially confirming KotOR is once again part of the canon Star Wars timeline. It’s an active part of the franchise, after all; writers are being careful not to contradict it and are even integrating elements back into the lore. Hopefully a decision will soon be made, and Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic will be officially canon once again.