Before we get into this, there will be (minor) spoilers for the recently-released Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Read on only if you've already seen the latest Star Wars flick, or if you simply don't care about being spoiled. We all on the same page? Wonderful. Spoilers to follow.
The Rise of Skywalker, for better or worse, was a film that delivered fan service in spades. There were enough cameos, Easter eggs, throwbacks, and subtle references to keep the editors of Wookipedia busy for the next few years, at least. Perhaps one of the most unexpected treats tucked away in TRoS though, was a nod to BioWare's beloved RPG Knights of The Old Republic.
Yes, it would seem that JJ Abrams went ahead and made Darth Revan - the hero/villain of KoTOR - canon once again. As spotted by ScreenRant, the official Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary shares some juicy details on Emperor Palpatine's frankly unbelievably large fleet of Star Destroyers and Sith Troopers. Specifically, one 5,000-strong legion under Palpatine's command is known as "The 3rd: Revan Legion."
The book also reveals that Sith Lords Andeddu, Tanis, Tenebrous, Phobos, and Desolous had their own Sith Trooper legions named after them. You might recognise the names of Darth Phobos and Desolous from The Force Unleashed series. I never pegged Palpatine for such a sentimental cutie, but it's nice to see him paying tribute to his past, I guess.
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"Only the Sith Eternal cultists know the significance" of the names of these ancient Sith Lords, according to the Visual Dictionary. Intriguing, no? Fans will be aware that the events of KoTOR and its sequel were ultimately removed from "official" canon when Disney wiped the slate clean to press ahead with its sequel trilogy.
While the mention of Darth Revan doesn't outright confirm that everything from KoTOR is canon again, it's obviously exciting for die-hard fans to be presented with the potential that it could be, once more. If nothing else, it's thrilling to think that Revan was once out there doing his/her thing in the Star Wars cinematic universe, thousands of years before Anakin, Luke, and Rey all had their own adventures.
Last year, LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that Disney was looking to adapt the KoTOR games for the screen. Whether it would be for the big screen, or as a new Disney+ show in the style of The Mandalorian remains to be seen, but this new admission of Darth Revan's existence in the "official" universe is a promising start.
Featured Image Credit: EATopics: Bioware, Knights of the Old Republic