Star Wars games are beloved by fans for a couple of reasons. Of course, it’s exciting to experience iconic battles, but many games also expand the Star Wars universe with compelling stories and details.
Certain concepts have become fan favorites, so much so that even after Disney removed them from official Star Wars continuity, they’ve been brought back into the story. Leslye Headland, the creator of The Acolyte, has even highlighted Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 as a major influence on the series, particularly when it comes to the main villain.
Recently, a lot of movies and TV series have referenced stories and details from older games. Some have even used old storylines in new ways, which is really exciting for fans like me who have been following this for a long time.
Okay, so I’ve been thinking about it, and it’s awesome how many things first showed up in Star Wars games before becoming official parts of the story. Here are 10 details that started as game content and eventually became canon!
10. Darth Revan – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Everyone’s Favorite (Ambiguously-Canon) Sith Lord
Okay, so Revan is seriously one of the coolest characters in Star Wars, and I’m like everyone else – I’m always hyped to see anything about him outside of Knights of the Old Republic. It’s a bummer to hear that he was almost included in some of the bigger Star Wars stuff, but those plans ended up getting scrapped. Still hoping we get more Revan content, though!
During the Clone Wars, a scene was planned where Darth Revan and Darth Bane would try to convince The Son, a powerful being from Mortis, to choose the dark side. However, George Lucas removed this scene near the end of production. He decided that Sith Lords shouldn’t be able to become Force ghosts, as he felt it didn’t align with his vision of how the Force works.
Revan, a popular character from the Star Wars video games, was originally planned to make a cameo in The Rise of Skywalker. The plan involved showing Revan as a statue alongside other fan-favorite characters from the games. Although the scene was ultimately removed from the film, it was included in The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, which also revealed that a whole legion of Sith Troopers was named in Revan’s honor. While it’s a small detail, it suggests Disney acknowledges and respects the character’s importance to fans.
9. Malachor V – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2
Home of the Most Traumatic Event in Star Wars’ History
Malachor is a dark, terrifying planet that is the closest thing to hell in the Star Wars universe.
The planet Malachor V served as the site of the climactic battle in the ancient Mandalorian Wars. During that conflict, the Jedi used a devastating weapon called the Mass Shadow Generator, which destroyed the planet and killed everyone on it. This catastrophic event deeply affected The Exile, causing them to disconnect from the Force, and left a lasting trauma on all who survived.
The ominous planet reappeared in the Star Wars: Rebels series, where the crew faced a memorable battle against Maul, several Inquisitors, and Darth Vader. Officially, Star Wars lore was revised to portray the conflict with the Mandalorians as a war between the Jedi and the Sith. Ultimately, a powerful weapon was unleashed on the planet, destroying everyone still there.
This might not be the original Malachor, or one of its planets, but the name and the strikingly similar conflict are difficult to overlook.
8. Dark Troopers – Star Wars: Dark Forces
The Homework Mandalorian Season 2 Copied From
Released in 1995, Star Wars: Dark Forces was a groundbreaking game built on the same technology as Quake. Despite its age, it’s had a lasting impact and continues to inspire Star Wars stories even now.
You take on the role of Kyle Katarn, an ex-Imperial Stormtrooper now working as a mercenary. The Rebel Alliance hires him to steal the Death Star plans. Along the way, you’ll uncover a hidden project called Dark Trooper, masterminded by the compelling Star Wars villain, General Rom Mohc.
The game’s influence extended beyond becoming part of the Legends collection; it also served as inspiration for the second season of The Mandalorian. Similar to the character Katarn, the bounty hunter Din Djarin, clad in Beskar armor, uncovered the Empire’s Dark Trooper project, led by the compelling Moff Gideon.
7. Delta Squad – Star Wars: Republic Commando
The Original Elite Clone Force
Before we really got to know individual Clones during the Clone Wars era, there was Delta Squad in Star Wars: Republic Commandos. These guys weren’t just faceless soldiers; they each had their own skills and personalities. I remember playing as Boss, the leader, and relying on the rest of the squad – Sev was the sniper, Scorch handled all the explosives, and Fixer was our tech guy, able to slice into anything. They really felt like a team, and it was awesome.
They each offered unique perspectives on the battles of the Clone Wars and strongly supported the Republic. However, after Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2021, their official place in the Star Wars story became uncertain, especially considering how much The Clone Wars series was already changing established lore.
Delta Squad didn’t appear on the show until its third season. Scorch also became a recurring villain in the TV series The Bad Batch, often opposing Clone Force 99.
6. Operation: Cinder – Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Emperor Palpatine’s Scorched Earth Contingency
Sheev Palpatine is famously one of the most wicked villains ever created. So it’s not surprising that, instead of ensuring a powerful continuation through a worthy successor, he chose to destroy everything after his death.
Palpatine devised a ruthless plan called Operation: Cinder as a final act of vengeance. Intended to punish the Galactic Empire for his death, it involved destroying the Empire’s most important planets. Dedicated Imperial forces would use satellites to trigger devastating natural disasters – like massive storms and tsunamis – to obliterate these worlds.
Operation: Cinder first appeared in the 2015 comic series Shattered Empire. However, Star Wars: Battlefront II showed what it was like from the Empire’s side, highlighting the devastating impact it had on important Imperial worlds and its citizens.
The story of Operation: Cinder was alluded to by the character Migs Mayfield, played by Bill Burr in The Mandalorian. Mayfield was a former Imperial soldier who became a mercenary, and he was deeply affected by his involvement in the operation.
5. The Dyad – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Series
Why Ben Skywalker and Rey are Linked
The strong connection between Kylo Ren and Rey in the recent Star Wars films might have felt strange to some viewers, but fans who played the older Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) games recognized it as a clever reference to that series.
We don’t fully understand the connection between Rey and Kylo Ren until Palpatine reveals they are a Dyad in the Force in The Rise of Skywalker. But fans familiar with the Knights of the Old Republic games had already seen a similar dynamic between Revan and Bastilla, and the Exile and Kreia.
A Force Dyad is a very rare connection where two people strong in the Force become deeply linked, almost becoming one with the Force itself. In the Knights of the Old Republic games, Bastilla and Revan experience this when she saves his life after Malak’s betrayal. This creates a powerful bond allowing them to share thoughts and sense each other even when they’re far apart.
The connection between the player character and Kreia is first established in KOTOR 2. Unbeknownst to both of them at the beginning of the game, they form a link that allows them to communicate across distances. Kreia uses this connection to offer advice, and sometimes criticism, remotely. The bond also enables them to share physical sensations, such as when the player character feels Kreia’s pain when she loses her hand in combat.
4. Battle of Jakku – Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Explaining the Ship Graveyard in The Force Awakens
Jakku isn’t the most exciting planet in the Star Wars galaxy, but the many crashed Imperial Star Destroyers hint at a fascinating past. We first saw Rey scavenging through these wrecks in The Force Awakens, but the story of the battle that caused them wasn’t fully revealed until the game Star Wars: Battlefront 2.
One year after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic fought a final, conclusive battle against the remnants of the Empire. This victory came at a cost, leaving a huge field of wreckage scattered across the planet Jakku.
The final mission in Battlefront 2’s campaign, The Battle of Jakku, puts you in the role of Iden Versio. You’ll team up with the New Republic to fight off the remaining Imperial forces, and ultimately, play a key part in defeating your father, a high-ranking Imperial officer. This large-scale battle emphasizes the loneliness Rey likely experienced on Jakku, a planet haunted by the remnants of the fallen Empire.
3. TIE Defenders – Star Wars: TIE Fighter
A Callback to the Classic Space Simulator
Released early in the Star Wars video game series, TIE Fighter offered a rich experience for fans with its detailed backstory. Players take on the role of an Imperial pilot following the events of The Empire Strikes Back. The game is notable for including Grand Admiral Thrawn, a fan-favorite character from the novels of the time, and features the powerful TIE/D Defender spaceship.
This TIE Fighter design later appeared in the Star Wars: Rebels series with the introduction of the character Thrawn. The storyline featured the crew of the Ghost ship going undercover at an Imperial factory on Lothal, where the advanced TIE/D Defender was being manufactured.
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Okay, so it’s not super obvious, but the way they brought Thrawn into the show, tying him to this incredibly powerful ship, really shows the people making it are huge fans of the original stories. It’s a cool little Easter egg for us long-time players, you know?
2. Teräs Käsi – Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
Qi’ra’s Impressive Martial Arts Skills
The Star Wars fighting game Masters of Teräs Käsi is widely considered awful, so the fact that it’s been jokingly referenced in newer Star Wars stories is actually pretty funny.
This 1997 fighting game became well-known for its unique fighting style, Teräs Käsi – a martial art created to fight Jedi. Essentially, it allowed Star Wars characters to engage in fast-paced, Tekken-style punches without feeling out of place alongside lightsaber battles.
This fighting style is referenced later in the story when Qi’ra mentions Dryden Vos, the film’s villain, taught it to her after subduing a guard on Kessel. More recently, it appeared in the series Star Wars: The Acolyte, showcased in a skillful fight between Jedi Master Sol and the villain Qimir.
1. Rakata – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The Mysterious Crystal Luthen Gives to Andor
The show Andor is filled with hidden references to the larger Star Wars galaxy, often subtly placed in the backgrounds and through brief mentions in dialogue. The character Luthen, who collects rare items, allows the show to display artifacts from various planets and locations, including some very obscure and detailed nods to longtime fans.
Luthen gives Cassian a Kuati Signet, a “Blue Kyber” crystal, as an advance payment for the Aldhani heist. This crystal, Luthen explains, commemorates the rebellion against the Rakatan invaders. Luthen asks for the crystal back after Cassian completes the job.
Viewers unfamiliar with the term “Rakatan” quickly looked it up, while fans of the original Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) game felt a sense of satisfaction. The Rakata are an ancient, amphibious species known for their cruel rule over the galaxy long ago. Some older stories suggest they were the first to invent hyperspace travel, which fueled their desire to build an empire.
This once-powerful civilization fell into ruin after turning to the dark side of the Force, ultimately destroying itself. By the time Revan found them, almost all were gone, and they had lost everything that once made them great.
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2026-04-23 00:15