Are The Star Wars Disney+ Shows Setting Up A Jedi: Fallen Order Crossover?
It has already been well over two years since we've seen a "Star Wars" movie on the big screen, and it's going to be a while before we see another one. For the time being, a galaxy far, far away largely exists on TV, thanks to the success of "The Mandalorian." Disney and Lucasfilm are now doubling down on small screen "Star Wars" adventures, with "The Book of Boba Fett" wrapping up its run earlier this year, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" on the way, as well as "Andor," "Ahsoka," and several other shows coming down the pipeline. But could it be that these shows are setting up for a major connection to another medium — specifically video games? And to be even more specific, might these shows be setting up a crossover with "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order?"
We're not just putting on tinfoil hats and guessing wildly at something that might be cool to see. The fact of the matter is, more and more pieces are being put into play within the framework of these shows that suggests an overlap with EA's much-beloved game from 2019. It's just a matter of how the stories overlap, whether or not the characters from the game ever meet the heroes of these other stories, and what medium the crossover happens in. Let's examine the evidence, shall we?
A refresher on Fallen Order
The story of "Jedi Fallen Order" takes place approximately five years after the events of "Revenge of the Sith." The bulk of the game's story focuses on a former Jedi padawan by the name of Cal Kestis, played by former "Gotham" star Cameron Monaghan. He has been lying low ever since Order 66, with most of the Jedi wiped out and the rest in hiding across the galaxy. Yet, one fateful event puts him square in the crosshairs of the Empire, setting him on a quest to complete his training and rebuild the Jedi Order, all while staying ahead of the Inquisitors.
For those who may not be familiar, Inquisitors are an interesting addition to the "Star Wars" canon. Largely working with Darth Vader, these are Force-sensitive, trained assassins whose sole purpose is to hunt down and kill the remaining Jedi, cleaning up what could not be accomplished during Order 66. Aside from the game, they have also appeared in the popular animated series "Star Wars Rebels" and are poised to debut in live-action very soon, particularly in the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" show, as they will be hunting down Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan.
The timelines match up
One of the biggest things in favor of seeing these corners of the "Star Wars" franchise converge has to do with the timeline. As mentioned, "Fallen Order" takes place about five years after Episode III, with the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" show set to take place ten years after Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader. It's also worth pointing out that Cal was very young at the time of the Jedi purge — around 12 years old or so. That means he's only about 17, maybe 18 (not necessarily accounting for any crazy space math that affects age as we understand it) during the bulk of the game. So during "Obi-Wan Kenobi," he would be in his early 20s. Not for nothing, Monaghan is currently 28, so the actor could easily play him in live-action if he were incorporated into the show.
That accounts for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" timeline. But that series is taking place far away from the bulk of the so-called Mando-verse. "The Mandalorian" takes place about six years (give or take) after the events of "Return of the Jedi." The "Ahsoka" show will also be taking place around this same time, which is roughly the same period as the events of "The Book of Boba Fett." That means we would be looking at about a roughly 25-year gap from the events of "Jedi: Fallen Order." That would put Cal in his 40s, but there is no doubt he could still be around during that period. Sure, you would need an older actor (or to age up Monaghan), but that is very doable. From a canon perspective, it checks out.
The pieces seem to be in play
Beyond the timelines, other key pieces of the puzzle seem to be in play here, and in the "Star Wars" universe, oftentimes where there is smoke, there is fire. And we're not talking about people going off the deep-end theorizing about Snoke, but rather looking at some actual evidence on the table that's worth reading into. (And I mean no disrespect — I was very much a Snoke theorizer myself.) We have some very real, tangible puzzle pieces to play with that point toward a "Jedi: Fallen Order" crossover, both of the physical and thematic sort.
One thing fans were quick to point out came in "The Book of Boba Fett" when an unnamed BD model droid showed up (seen above) that looked suspiciously like Cal's trusty companion, BD-1. The potential connection is never addressed, but droids sure do seem to have a way of sticking around in this galaxy, and it wouldn't be surprising for Amy Sedaris' character Peli to be the one to come across the lovable little guy. Another big clue comes in the form of the Inquisitors themselves, who played a gigantic role in the game. Could we see some crossover with the Inquisitors who were hunting Cal and the ones hot on the tail of Obi-Wan? Or maybe even some loose references from the Inquisitors to the events of "Jedi: Fallen Order?" It doesn't seem out of the question. And let us not forget that Cal dueled with Darth Vader. That provides even more connective tissue to him and Obi-Wan.
Another big piece comes into focus when looking at the end of "Jedi: Fallen Order," which sees Cal destroy a holocron that contains data about many force-sensitive children who are scattered about the galaxy. He ultimately decides to leave it to the kids to either find their way to the Jedi Order, or not. He leaves it up to the will of the Force, as it were. That becomes interesting when thinking about Grogu, AKA Baby Yoda, who ends up on a path that collides directly with Luke Skywalker, all without any intervention from Cal. The weight of Cal's decision gets even more intriguing to consider when you recall that Luke's new Jedi temple was destroyed and all of the Jedi kids were either killed or recruited.
The point is, Cal's decision to let the Force guide these children instead of intervening directly may well tie into one of the biggest storylines in the Mando-verse. Thematically, that could carry a lot of weight if/when a crossover between the shows and the "Jedi: Fallen Order" universe happens.
How likely is this?
Here is what we know for sure. A sequel to "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" is indeed on the way. For now, details remain frustratingly vague, and it hasn't even been confirmed whether or not this new story will follow Cal again, or if we're going to pick up with a new Jedi and a new story entirely. But if we are to assume (somewhat safely) that it would be a more direct continuation, that may provide our best chance for an actual crossover, and let's explain why.
While it might be more exciting to imagine Cal Kestis showing up in "Obi-Wan Kenobi," or an older, grizzled Cal swooping in for some adventure in "The Mandalorian" season 3, it seems far less likely that Lucasfilm would bring a video game character into the fold in that way. Yes, everything is connected, but that might run the risk of alienating people who didn't play the game. On the other hand, being able to bring characters like Ahsoka Tano or Obi-Wan Kenobi into "Jedi: Fallen Order 2?" That seems incredibly appealing from both the standpoint of the player and the giant corporation that wants to make money.
If we're looking at Vegas odds, it seems likely that some sort of crossover is coming. But if I were to hazard a guess, I would say it seems far less likely that said crossover will involve bringing the video games into live-action. Instead, it could be about setting the stage for more recognizable "Star Wars" characters to make their way into a big sequel to a hit game. I'd love to be wrong about that, though, so we'll just have to wait and see what connections Lucasfilm and EA have up their sleeves.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi" is set to premiere on Disney+ on May 25, 2022.