Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order protagonist Cal Kestis is a human -- a human with a really big jaw and, in our opinion at least, a very punchable face. But what if the hero of the upcoming adventure title wasn't human? What if they were one of those blokes with tentacle heads? Or the little weird aliens with hand-feet? Well, this was apparently a discussion that developer Respawn Entertainment had.
In an interview with Game Informer, director Stig Asmussen says that the team talked about the possibility of having an alien protagonist. "Ultimately we didn't go with an alien race because we felt like -- no pun intended -- that it would alienate a lot of people. We wanted to make sure that there was a real human connection to the character we have in the game," says Asmussen. "Although, I personally I think it would be really cool to have an alien protagonist," he adds.
It's maybe a bit of a shame that the developer didn't end up with a weird alien lead, but it sounds like despite Asmussen's enthusiasm, a human protagonist was the most straightforward choice. As for why Respawn went with a human male rather than a female, Asmussen says that it just made sense, given that Rey is essentially the main character in the new Star Wars films. We suppose the studio didn't want its project to draw too many comparisons to the ongoing movies.
Would you prefer an alien lead in Star Wars Jedi? Give us some Star Wars lore in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 31
"Ultimately we didn't go with an alien race because we felt like — no pun intended — that it would alienate a lot of people."
Read: "We know people would've been fine with it but EA said no."
it's sad that we live in a time where a cinematic video game causes controversy for having a human male lead character
it's a video game that's just trying to tell a story, when will people realize (or should that be realize AGAIN because in the 90's and early 2000's no one cared) that the race and gender of the character isn't important, it's WHO they are not WHAT they are
@KALofKRYPTON precisely. A shame for sure!
I haven’t seen any they don’t let you have some character customization. Let us choose to be human or alien. I would choose to be human, almost always do, but it would’ve been cool.
Not if it was a Gungan.
Enough human washing! Too much Xenophobia! Alien life matters! {insert all usual BS}
Of all the possible objections I have to the content of this article, it's the use of the phrase "a very punchable face" that makes me really disappointed in PushSquare.
What a horrible precedence, and a disgusting turn of phrase.
@RogerRoger My thoughts exactly.
Also, kind of reminds me of unattractive guys trying to bring down good looking dudes who attract female attention, while they don't.
Literally ANYONE /THING besides another white guy would be cool. 🙄
@naruball @RogerRoger Sock him right in his big jaw
@ShogunRok Wow.
And you wonder why the quality of comment section discourse has been taking a nosedive of late.
@RogerRoger Sorry, what's going on? How did we end up taking this so seriously?
He is an alien, Star Wars isn't set on Earth so he's definitely not human.
His reasoning though just illustrates why today's gaming in the AAA space often lacks the imagination of years gone by
To be fair, this is something that affects Star Wars as a whole, not just this game, but it's still disappointing that I can probably count the number of alien protagonists on one hand.
@carlos82 - Pretty sure being from earth doesn't make you a human; it's just a coincidence that irl, humans happen to be born there.
@FullMetalWesker name one other planet with humans on it 🤔
@carlos82 In the Star Wars universe? Corellia, Coruscant and Naboo all have indigenous humans (who, yes, are called and call themselves "human").
@ShogunRok You literally opened your article with a mean-spirited and unnecessary criticism of a real person's face, and you can't see the problem...?
Maybe you think it's funny to advocate physical violence towards those who look a certain way. I don't.
@RogerRoger What? It's a jibe at how a fictional character looks. Cal looks like a punk kid. In no way was that opening statement meant to be an attack on anyone in real life, not even the actor, who I feel no urge to punch.
I thought it was clear that it was meant in jest, but I suppose not.
I demand to play through this game as jabba the hutt.
@viciousarcanum sure, but it also represents the overwhelming majority of people that will play this game. To put anyone or anything else in his place is risky. EA doesn’t take risks.
@FullMetalWesker you do know this isn’t real right?
Can't say that I'm a big fan of his design. Maybe because his face reminds me of Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker.
@Pretzel_Jones - If that's a response to my lack of variety comment, I should mention that I'm talking from a visual design standpoint, not a 'aliens lives matter' perspective. Using aliens in Star Wars basically allows for more variety in visual design, and occasionally character design as well, and if there's one thing that sets Star Wars apart, it's its visuals.
@Pretzel_Jones Let's watch the language please.
@Tasuki excuse me? What language?
@ShogunRok
It was really clear it was meant in jest. But I have to say, I also disagree with your choice of phrase "a very punchable face".
It's just wrong. It's a very slappable face.
i'm quite surprised they didn't allow at least a male or female protagonist - like 'Hawke' in Dragon Age 2.
@RogerRoger
Very late to these comments but I agree with you its not the first time I've seen this expression by PushSquare previously in the comments so theres persistence here.
I don't understand what's funny in it and wouldn't even repeat it for I think it should be moderated.
Not a fan of drama crap but being straightforward that's how I feel.
@JJ2 Thank you; means a lot, especially given the author's first decision to double-down on the "joke" instead of rushing to address two users' concerns. Seeing the majority of folks around here like his subsequent replies only reinforces my point.
I can't stand internet drama either, which is why I kept my first comment brief and didn't tag anybody with it, but it was the immediate repetition of the "joke" which upset me. Not because I've been a victim of similar mean-spirited, unnecessary and hurtful statements in the past... but because I've used them myself before, and seen the damage they can cause first-hand.
Use of the phrase demonstrates a lack of consideration for others, consideration that PushSquare once demonstrated in spades. I'm not out to create a humourless society (heck, @ShogunRok is often the first to comment on or highlight my own gags around here) but I'd never make a joke at another's expense. Turning around and saying "but he's a fictional character" doesn't wash when, thanks to the incredible realism of today's graphics, said character looks identical to the real-life actor portraying him. Observing that, I don't know, Mario has "a very punchable face" might not have evoked such a strong reaction (no matter how distasteful it may be to rank appearance in such a way, full stop) but Cal is a photo-realistic Cameron Monaghan. It basically says that people with "big jaws" or people who look like him in other ways (redheads? Freckles?) are deserving of a punch.
And this is also a written piece, devoid of any tone or vocal inflection that reinforces humourous intent. If a friend of mine dropped something beside me and I chuckled, lightly saying "you idiot" whilst helping them pick it up, it's a whole different story to them texting me about it and me brutally replying, without context or humanity, the same two words. Written jokes need to recognise this, and I'd thought that enough politicians, actors and executives had been fired for similar in the past couple years to make everybody aware of the danger... alas here, it seems not.
I wasn't gonna post any of this (again, can't stand drama and don't wanna come across as a nanny state instigator... I can't even begin to imagine how many thumbs-down my comments have already gotten) but your reply this morning cheered me up and motivated me to do so. Might not make me popular, but hey.
In the same week Instagram's new A.I. asks people to stop and think before posting nasty words, it was disappointing to see this "joke" lead an article on one of the few remaining nice corners of the internet. Is ten extra seconds of thought between typing and posting really too much to ask?
@RogerRoger
Yea you got a few thumbs down but it's not important.
If it's a one off bad joke then I just roll my eye so to speak but that happened before:
ShogunRok
8ShogunRokSat 8th Jun 2019
@JohnnyShoulder He's definitely got a punchable face.
Just imagine people start calling Ellie or other characters in similar terms following the repeated 'funny' joke....
@JJ2 Absolutely; there'd be outcry.
If it's something you wouldn't say directly to somebody in real life, why is it okay to write it and post it on the internet?
Thanks for helping me realise this wasn't just all in my head.
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