Star Wars Jedi: Survivor TV Tropes [All 10] - 33rd Square (2024)

What Are TV Tropes?

Authors actively employ tropes to conveniently convey familiar events to readers. Moreover, anyone with a narrative to tell can skillfully utilize tropes as their storytelling tools.In addition, cliches and tropes represent distinct concepts. Notably, they can either appear overdone and unoriginal despite being brand-new or seem novel and creative despite their age.Furthermore, artists effectively use tropes as tools to actively communicate their ideas to the public. It's worth noting that tropes are neither inherently good nor harmful. Writing a tale that is completely free of tropes is truly difficult.Moving on to Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, a TV video game set in the legendary Star Wars world, it expertly utilizes classic storytelling tactics to actively keep fans engaged. This enthralling video game skillfully employs tropes such as the hero's journey and the wise mentor.

1. The Hero‘s Journey

For millennia, storytellers have utilized the hero's journey, a traditional literary and film trope. In Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, the main character, Cal Kestis, a surviving Jedi of Order 66, exemplifies this trope. The hero‘s journey follows a standard narrative arc: the hero starts in the common world, receives a call to adventure, crosses the threshold into the new world, faces tests and trials, reaches the climax, and returns with the "elixir" that allows them to help society.

Throughout the game, Cal actively overcomes multiple obstacles and confronts his internal demons to achieve his goal of restoring peace to the galaxy. He begins as a Padawan in hiding, receives visions that compel him to reconnect with the Force, leaves behind his safe existence, travels the galaxy on daring missions, and ultimately gains the wisdom and power to defeat the evil Inquisitors. Cal‘s growth into a Jedi Knight who rebuilds the Order epitomizes the Hero‘s Journey. The player travels beside him on this mythic path, echoing those taken by Luke, Anakin and other legendary Jedi heroes. This allows fans to immerse themselves in the ultimate Star Wars fantasy fulfillment.

2. The Chosen One

The Chosen One represents a hero foretold by prophecy to bring balance and harmony. This trope gives greater weight to the protagonist‘s quest by suggesting a mystical, destined quality. Once again, Cal Kestis fits this mold through the positioning of his struggle against the Empire in the context of the Jedi Purge and hope for the Light Side‘s revival. Fans are cued to see his actions as part of the grand arc of the Force, threaded through the entire Star Wars mythos.

References are made to Cal‘s potential destiny when Cere detects immense power within him. His growth in the ways of the Force and specifically the rare psychometric ability also hint at a special role he may play. The Chosen One is a powerful trope used often in fantasy and sci-fi stories, including with Anakin Skywalker in the prequel films. Applying this trope to Cal allows the game to further link his hero‘s journey to the epic Star Wars tales that viewers already resonate deeply with the franchise.

3. The Wise Mentor

A wise mentor guides the hero by passing down wisdom to help overcome challenges met along the journey. In stories where the hero is young or inexperienced, the lessons from this elder, which can relate to anything from battle techniques to deeper philosophical ideas, provide direction through tests that prepare the protagonist to eventually succeed on their own.

Former Jedi Master Cere Junda plays the classic role of the wise mentor for Cal Kestis. She teaches him forgotten Force abilities and provides counsel about avoiding emotional pitfalls like fear and anger that can pull Jedi to the dark side. Her knowledge steeped in the traditions of the now destroyed Order gives Cal a vital lifeline to that culture now lost. Cere‘s wisdom both in philosophical matters and living through the painful past provides a crutch for Cal to lean on in early stages of his quest as he himself grows into the fully realized leader the Jedi will need if they are ever restored.

4. The Reluctant Hero

Unlike heroes who eagerly jump at the call to adventure, reluctant heroes avoid responsibility because they feel unprepared or inadequate. Often, they have to overcome their own uncertainty or self-doubt in order to accept the challenge.

At the beginning of Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis is in hiding and willing to risk only furtive missions against the Empire to help refugees escape. Haunted by trauma from Order 66 and seeing the might of Imperial forces, he shuns the burden of taking up the Jedi cause once more. Cal‘s reluctance speaks to a very human tendency to reject the unknown and dangerous based on past pains. Ultimately though, his growing connections with allies old and new will compel him to embrace his destiny of rebuilding the Jedi Order. Seeing this arc play out ties neatly into the Hero‘s Journey while generating greater empathy for characters that audiences recognize a bit of themselves in.

5. The Love Interest

The love interest describes a romantic subplot involving the protagonist, which adds a layer of emotional intimacy separate from the main plot events. Han Solo and Princess Leia from the original Star Wars trilogy stand out as one of the most memorable silver screen couples.

In Jedi: Survivor, Nightsister Merrin and Cal Kestis develop a close bond from having suffered similar traumatic losses to the Empire‘s violence. Their rapport offers relieving moments of lightness that contrast with the ever-present danger. And the death of loved ones that bind their shared histories adds poignancy. Merrin also represents the family that Cal lost, giving him an opportunity to regain surrogate kinship. This blossoming relationship funnels the game‘s action and intrigue into the wider, archetypal vein of a heroic quest tale where protagonists often fight hardest for those they love.

6. The Big Bad

No great adventure story lacks an archvillain to menace the heroes and become the prime target for defeat. In Star Wars, Darth Vader established himself as the ultimate big bad and prototypical antagonist generating fear and hatred in equal measure.

Jedi: Survivor introduces Galactus, a Gen‘Dai warrior who commands an army of mercenaries called the Grim Marauders. His disfigured appearance and crimson lightsaber blade signals menace, while early details point to violent raids on civilians. Galactus will apparently stop at nothing to destroy Cal Kestis and his followers. This powerful nemesis gives the game heightened drama and stakes, promising an epic final showdown that Cal must win to succeed on his quest. By tapping into fan expectations for intense stand-offs between opposing Force users, Galactus fills the shoes left by Vader and later villains like Kylo Ren.

7. The Redemption Arc

Though starting as a champion of evil, characters on redemption arcs realize the error of their ways and set out to make amends through acts of good. The desire to be absolved of past sins can motivate tremendously stirring transformations.

Jedi Master Cere Junda‘s history follows this trajectory. As a survivor of the Jedi Purge, she initially descended into bitterness and rage. Her plan to use dark side powers against the Empire nearly came at the cost of losing herself. But seeing hope in Cal‘s heroism pulled Cere back into the light. Now determined to guide the next generation, she puts her energy into making the Jedi return a reality. Cere‘s voice adds credibility when she warns Cal to stay vigilant of fear and anger, having herself struggled greatly with these emotions. Hers is a sobering redemption story.

8. The Sacrifice

The sacrifice entails a character giving up something of great personal value for a cause or person deemed more important. Obi-Wan‘s selfless act against Darth Vader in A New Hope enables the others to escape, while allowing him to guide Luke on his hero‘s quest as a spirit.

Jedi: Survivor sees Cal repeatedly place duty before self, beginning by abandoning his anonymity to help refugees and later risking his life infiltrating an Imperial base. With Cal focused on rebuilding the Jedi Order, players can likely expect more sacrifices that ratchet up narrative tension while signaling his commitment to the role of hero the galaxy needs. Whether that means sacrificing connections, limb, or life itself, these profound acts of selflessness Never fail to inspire and offer glimpses of his increasing wisdom.

9. The Training Montage

The training montage allows writers to shorthand the repetitive process of acquiring new skills through a sequence showing gradual progress set to rousing music. Saber practice under Master Yoda in the Dagobah swamps helped Luke rapidly advance with only brief clips.

Jedi: Survivor incorporates various minigames that function as de facto training modules where players guide Cal through combat challenges to upgrade Force talents. Set among backdrop events alluding to him becoming battle-ready, these segments speed Cal‘s transformation in game time. As another nod to Hero‘s Journey storytelling, the training montages chronicle his swift rise into a formidable warrior able to face the Empire head-on.

10. The Epic Battle

The standout lightsaber duels of Star Wars provide ideal epic battles that channel the ultimate showdown between good and evil. After many games emphasizing Jedi stealth, fans eagerly anticipate the developers enabling more direct confrontations with enemies on Cal‘s quest to revive the Order.

Teases of Cal brandishing his azure blade against deadly foes including the imposing Galactus promise climactic fights once he completes training. As the journey approaches its end, players can expect multi-stage boss battles that will test their combat expertise while bringing the game‘s narrative to an emotionally-charged crescendo. Jedi: Survivor has a chance to deliver lightsaber action eclipsing even the Prequel Trilogy, capped off by a long-awaited duel with Galactus himself to determine the fate of Cal and the Jedi legacy.

Closing Remarks

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor incorporates numerous classic storytelling tropes that tap directly into core elements of the Star Wars franchise‘s DNA. By featuring a hero‘s quest, wise mentor, redemptive arcs, epic battles and more, the game achieves an instantly familiar resonance. But the presence of fresh characters like Cal Kestis and Cere set on reviving a lost order also provides connection points to invest in emotionally. The developers expertly blend the conventional and new in using proven narrative tools that lend mythic qualities fans expect from the galaxy, far, far away. For those seeking to experience their own heroic journey amidst the legends, this fresh Star Wars chapter awaits.

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