With the KOTOR remake being announced not too long ago, I decided to find out why so many Star Wars fans love Revan’s character.
I am a Star Wars fan. This is no secret for anyone that I know. I’m also a fan of the stories and comics. When I was a kid, I would hunt in the school library for anything related to Star Wars. In fact, I was probably the only person to actively check out and read all those comics. I was particularly a huge fan of Darth Vader growing up and was really intrigued by all of the lore between the films and shows. Star Wars is one of my biggest inspirations and it led me to want to write scifi and fantasy, which I finally do now as an author of The Fallen Age Saga.
Darth Revan, however, is a character that has more and more become my favorite. In fact, if I had a list, my favorites would be Revan, Vader, and Boba Fett. I felt Revan’s character was a strong one and was excited to hear that his character would finally be canon in the Star Wars Universe.
One of the more disappointing things was knowing that the Old Republic wasn’t canon. I’m a huge fan of exciting and engaging lore, but hopefully Revan’s introduction into the Star Wars world will pave the way for characters like Darth Nihilus to be introduced as well.
I was inspired to write this article after looking up information about the KOTOR remake. It made me wonder: Why do fans of Star Wars seem to love Darth Revan so much? What’s the deal behind Revan and his popularity?
1. Revan has a Powerful Backstory
When he was young, Revan was unnamed. The only thing really known was that he was training to be a Jedi about 4,000 years prior to the Star Wars universe we know in the main trilogy of films. During the Mandalorian Wars, he began to drift away from the will of the Jedi and fought against Mandalorian invaders. He was known as the Revanchist at the time, and upon donning the iconic mask, he shortened his name to just Revan.
To make a long story short, Revan went from being a Jedi to a Sith Lord, then to a Jedi again only to fight the Sith empire he had created. His redemption as becoming a hero of the galaxy, and his determination and willpower is what makes his character very interesting and engaging. He was developed well, to say the least.
His life and the path he took to becoming Revan is powerful and tells a lot about the Jedi and the Sith alike. Many consider Revan to be something in between Jedi and Sith, or a gray Jedi.
2. Revan was the Main Character in the Original, Popular KOTOR
The original Knights of the Old Republic was a very popular and well-loved Star Wars RPG that featured Revan as the main playable character. It was developed by BioWare, who are behind the popular Mass Effect trilogy. Video games are a unique story-telling experience. It allows for players to connect on a more personal level. So, when people played as Revan in KOTOR, they felt a unique bond with the character.
For the most part, video game characters are memorable for the amount of hours we spend with them. Think Master Chief, Captain Price, Ezio Auditore…you get the picture. These characters are memorable, recognizable, and beloved by fans.
The same can be said for Revan. He’s memorable and players of the original game will definitely be excited to see Revan in future projects again.
Players could shape Revan in the way they saw fit. It let people immerse themselves into the character, story, and world of KOTOR. It was certainly an experience for many Star Wars players.
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3. Revan Didn’t Align with One Side
One of Revan’s most recognizable characteristics is that he wasn’t really aligned on the dark side or the light side of the Force. In Star Wars, we typically see characters that are far too immersed in one side to think about the other. While some may say that one side is more justifiable, it’s intriguing to see a character that has done both and experienced both.
The fact that Revan had so much strife in his path shows that he’s not a cut-and-paste or generic good/bad guy; rather, Revan is a character that feels human.
4. Revan is Technically the Chosen One of the Old Republic
We tend to see in many fantasy and SciFi stories characters who are the “chosen one.” The thing is, we see so much of this character that we tend to feel a stronger connection with them.
If you look at Star Wars fan favorites, we see that Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker is definitely a top choice for many fans. You just know that the “chosen one” is going to have the most characterization, and if said characterization is good, then we see that character as being one of the best.
5. The Old Republic was Just that Good
Star Wars nowadays has unfortunately disappointed many fans with its recent trilogy. It’s sad to say that I wasn’t horribly impressed with it either. I felt like the older Star Wars had a much darker tone and more engaging characters.
For many Star Wars fans, The Old Republic was what Star Wars should’ve been. It was dark, had loads of conflict, and intriguing characters with powerful backstories.
The fighting of the Old Republic was also much stronger and more intense. There was just a different vibe to it that engaged the fans. I think that the nostalgia piece is also there. However, we can probably admit that the Old Republic was a bit more interesting at times.
Fans could connect well with the Old Republic, cementing it in their memories as being a peak moment for Star Wars.
Conclusions
Overall, I’m sure many Star Wars fans are hyped to know more about the KOTOR remake. You can check out the KOTOR remake trailer below:
The KOTOR remake is a timed PS5 exclusive that will release on PC as well. It will most likely release on Xbox within a year of its release. The original KOTOR was an Xbox and PC exclusive.
Don’t forget to check this out too: 5 of the Most Controversial Video Games of All Time
Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
