Summary
Many famous characters and species came out of the beloved video game seriesStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and despite the fact that the games themselves are no longer canon, some of them have been reintegrated into Disney’sStar Warscanon. Though the games were once considered canon to theStar Warsuniverse, after Disney purchased the property in 2012, the games were moved into theStar WarsLegendscontinuity. Despite this, some of the characters and concepts introduced in the series have remained, giving enthusiasts hope that someday the games might be returned to their canon status.
Originally released in 2003, the firstKnights of the Old Republicgame follows the story of Revan and their journey to stop Darth Malak from rebuilding theSith Empire. The game and its following sequels,Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic IIandStar Wars: The Old Republic,are best known for their focus on player agency, allowing for personalized stories with each playthrough. The amazing stories brought with them amazing characters, and these are some of the best that have been brought to or referenced inStar Warscanon in the years since.
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10Meetra Surik Bridged The Gap Between Legends And Canon
They Have Been Referenced In The High Republic Comics
Meetra Surik, also known as the Jedi Exile, is the player character featured inKnights of the Old Republic II.Upon the rise of the Mandalorians and the beginning of the Mandalorian Wars,Meetra stood up against the orders of the Jedi Council and participated in the war effort.Though they did not fall to the dark side like so many others, they were still exiled from the Jedi Order for their disobedience, no matter how noble their intentions might have been.
They made their way intoStar Warscanon through the popularStar Wars: TheHigh Republicbooks and comics, with their name being used as a popular exclamation. “Surik’s Blade” is mentioned by Master Sskeer and OrbaLin on separate occasions, implying that there was once a famous Jedi named Surik. Because the High Republic comics and novels take place hundreds of years after what would have been the time of the Old Republic games, it is possible that this is a reference to Meetra Surik.
9Naga Sadow Is An Imposing Sith Lord With A Long History
He Was Mentioned In The Rise Of Skywalker Junior Novel
Known best as a powerful Sith and alchemist inStar WarsLegends,Naga Sadow is already dead by the time ofKnights of the Old Republic.His tomb is heavily featured on Korriban, though ironically enough his body was never buried inside of it. Revan visits this tomb during their time at the Sith Academy, potentially killing Uthar Wynn, the leader of the Sith Academy, and even possibly redeeming another member named Yuthura Ban.
When it comes to Sith from the Old Republic, Naga Sadow is rather obscure, making his recent inclusion inStar Warscanon even more surprising. In Michael Kogge’sStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: A Junior Novel,a statue of him is shown to reside in the Sith Citadel on Exegol.His voice is counted among countless other Sith, heard by Kylo Ren on the planet’s surface.
8The Rakata Have Made Their Way To Star Wars Canon
The Ancient Civilization Was Mentioned In Andor
Being one of the first civilizations in the galaxy to reach the technological level of interstellar travel, the Rakata are an incredibly ancient species.They invented early hyperdrive technology as well as Infinity Gates that allowed instantaneous travel across the galaxy, but due to their use of the dark side of the Force, their civilization was corruptedand attempted to enslave everyone who was not Rakatan. They were brutal, ravaging entire planets and killing mercilessly if it suited their needs.
Although they have not made an official appearance in the series' canon, the Rakata were mentioned in the Disney+ seriesAndor.Here, it is said that they were the first to develop hyperspace travel. In keeping with their vengeful origins, Luthen Rael mentions an uprising against the Rakata that was staged in order to repel their invasion, then says that the Rakatans eventually went extinct due to their long-term use of the dark side.
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7HK-Series Assassin Droids Were Mentioned In Ahsoka
This Could Mean Fan Favorite HK-47 Will Become Canon
Although they were recently included in theAhsokaseries as a nod toKnights of the Old Republiclore, the HK-series of assassin droids actually has a longer history inStar Warscanon. They have also made brief appearances inStar Wars: Tales of the Empireas well asThe Mandalorian. These appearances stem from their roots in the firstKnights of the Old Republicgame, withthe first HK-series assassin droid being HK-47, a droid who was once an ally of Darth Revan.
Categorized as brutal killers first and foremost, these droids are unmatched when it comes to hunting down a target. After all, the HK in their name stands for “Hunter Killer,” a nod to their primary function. HK-47 was best known for his quick wit as well as his excellent combat skills, showing that these droids are more than simple-minded killers. There is something more human about them, like a more advanced version of the IG-11 seen inThe Mandalorian.
6The Cathar Are A Feline Alien Species Featured In KOTOR
Characters Like Juhani And Aric Jorgan Bolstered Their Popularity In The Old Republic
Feline in appearance and known for their loyalty, the Cathar faced countless hardships when their people were enslaved by the Mandalorians during the Mandalorian Wars. Although Juhani is possibly the best known Cathar in all ofStar Wars,her appearance inKnights of the Old Republicwas actually not the first. In fact, the Cathar’s origins can be traced all the way back to theStar Wars Holiday Specialwith the feline character Myhr Rho.
Despite the fact that Cathar have been seen all acrossStar WarsLegendswith many beloved characters being members of this species,they were not brought into canon until 2021 with Alexander Freed’sVictory’s Price.It took even longer for them to be pictured in theStar Warscomics. 2023’sStar Wars: Revelationsis their only canon visual appearance to date.
5The Selkath Have Made Several Appearances Since KOTOR
They Were Most Recently Featured In The Acolyte
Hailing from the oceanic planet of Manaan, this aquatic species was introduced inKnights of the Old Republicand expanded upon in later media.The Selkath were the only real manufacturers of kolto, the predecessor to bacta, and thus they played a pivotal role earlier on in the galaxy’s history.They were one of few species to remain neutral during the Jedi Civil War and later, but after bacta was popularized and kolto was no longer a viable business, their species was left abandoned until the time of theGalactic Empire.
Whereas many ofKnights of the Old Republic’scontributions to canon remain as references or subtle nods to the original source material, the Selkath have actually been featured in several differentStar Warsproperties. They were originally introduced into canon withStar Wars: The Clone Warsin season 3, episode 11 “Pursuit of Peace.” They would later go on to make a live-action debut inThe Acolyte,with Selkath being featured in the backgrounds of some scenes.
4Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders Were A Terrifying Product Of Mandalorian Rule
One Of Their Helmets Made Its Way Into The Clone Wars
Operating before the time of the Mandalorian Wars, the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders were a unified force operating under the banner of the Mandalorian’s leader, Mandalore the Ultimate. They operated in distinct contrast to the Republic, known for their cruelty and their incredible skill in combat.The group was disbanded once their leader was killed in the war, but they were reunited by Canderous Ordo, who was then going by the name of Mandalore the Preserver.
Although much of the context surrounding the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders is no longer canon, one of their long, uniquely shaped helmets can be found inThe Clone Warsseason 3, episode 22 “Wookiee Hunt.” In this episode, it is featured in the collection of the Trandoshan big game hunter known as Garnac. Though where and when these Mandalorians existed may no longer be canon, their existence can no longer be denied.
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3Darth Sion Was Referenced In The Ahsoka Series
The Eye Of Sion Brought Morgan Elsbeth To A New Galaxy
Featured as a powerful member of a trio of Sith inKnights of the Old Republic II,Darth Sion was the Sith Lord who cheated death. Known as the Lord of Pain, Darth Sion was a member of Exar Kun’s Sith Empire, butwhen he was supposedly killed during the Great Sith War, he was so motivated by pain and hatred that he effectively became immortal.Now no longer able to die, he lived on until the rise of the next Sith Empire, siding with Darth Revan and Darth Malak during their rise.
Darth Sion does not make an official appearance inStar Warscanon, but he is specifically referenced in the seriesAhsoka.The ship thatMorgan Elsbethbuilds in order to make her way to Peridea was named the Eye of Sion. Not only is it directly named after the dark lord himself, but it is also a reference to the fact that Darth Sion only has one eye.
2Darth Nihilus Made A Surprise Appearance In The Sequel Trilogy
His Statue Was Briefly Featured In The Rise Of Skywalker
Known as the Lord of Hunger inKnights of the Old Republic II,Darth Nihilus is perhaps one of the most frightening Sith to have ever come out ofStar WarsLegends.After surviving the detonation of a superweapon on Malachor V, Nihilus was cursed with a craving for Force energy that operated more like addiction. Eventually, this would lead him to consuming the Force energies of entire planetary populations, leaving countless dead in his wake.
Similar to the inclusion of Naga Sadow into the series' canon,Darth Nihilus was also featured on Exegol duringStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.A statue of the Sith Lord can also be found on Exegol, except this time he was featured on film and not just in one of the movie’s offshoot novels. Though he only appears in a very brief moment, this is still cause enough to say that Darth Nihilus is, at least in some way, canon to Disney’s timeline.
1Darth Revan Was Made Canon In The Novels
Darth Revan is one of the most famousStar Warscharacters of all time, operating as the player’s character inKnights of the Old Republic.After having their memory wiped by the Jedi,Revan forgets any memory they once had pertaining to their days as a Sith.This eventually leads them to assisting the Jedi in the defeat of Darth Malak.
Despite their almost cult status as a character, Revan has only appeared once in canon. They are mentioned in Adam Christopher’sShadow of the Sithnovel, with their name being chanted by Sith cultists on Exegol. This leaves plenty of room for Revan to return in further canon projects, and hopefully the entirety ofStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republicwill one day join him.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic tells the story of the Star Wars universe long before the Skywalker family altered the fate of the galaxy. The player assumes control of Revan, an amnesiac Force user who finds themselves thrown into the center of the ancient struggle between the Jedi and the Sith. An open-world RPG that allows the player to explore a galaxy of planets, KOTOR puts an emphasis on player choice: Revan must decide whether to save the galaxy, or conquer it.
