Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has Cal Kestis and company continuing their fight against the Empire, while also contending with new foes that seek to disrupt what little peace they've found in the galaxy. These new antagonists, an unnamed High Republic era Jedi and a Gen'Dai marauder named Rayvis, have received most of the attention in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's promotional material. There may be an Imperial threat that the game has been hiding in plain sight, however, and it may also be an Imperial threat that has been much more prominent in another ongoing Star Wars project.
In some of the earliest gameplay footage for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, fans could see Cal battling with a large, Imperial droid. This droid is a DT-series sentry, first seen in Star Wars Rebels as personal protection for Grand Admiral Thrawn. These Imperial sentry droids share a connection to another notable Imperial figure, however, as their design is based on dark troopers according to Star Wars lore. As The Mandalorian has shown, wherever dark troopers are, Moff Gideon is never too far behind. If Cal is going to take on Imperial sentry droids that resemble these troopers, he may also encounter Gideon as well.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Underlying Imperial Threat
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's trailers have largely focused on the Gen'Dai Rayvis and the mysterious Jedi that Cal finds in stasis from a narrative perspective, but the Empire is still a present threat. Stormtroopers have been present in much of the gameplay, and Survivor's first teaser trailer showed an Imperial senator with a particular interest in Cal Kestis. This senator has seemingly gone missing since that teaser, but it could be the game's way of ensuring it doesn't reveal its hand on some of its bigger reveals - especially if one of those reveals includes the involvement of The Mandalorian's Moff Gideon.
How Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Could Emphasize the Galactic Threat of Moff Gideon
Episode 23 of The Mandalorian showcased the return of longtime series antagonist Moff Gideon, who was suggested to have escaped imprisonment early on in season 3. His escape was confirmed with episode 22, and the newest episode revealed how Gideon has been hiding on Mandalore, building a force of Beskar-armored stormtroopers. At the episode's climax, Gideon also showed off a new set of armor for himself, described as the final evolution of the dark trooper program. It's this armor, and the dark trooper program itself, that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor could use to include Gideon in the story.
Jedi: Survivor takes place long before The Mandalorian, when Gideon likely hasn't reached the level of power we see in the show. With the appearance of the DT sentries in Survivor, however, Cal could cross paths with a younger Gideon as he works on the dark troopers. Gideon is intimately familiar with the dark troopers in The Mandalorian, and considering the DT sentries' connection to them, Cal's dismantling of these droids could fuel Gideon's future designs. He may not play a pivotal role in the game, but it would demonstrate how Gideon has evolved to become the threat fans see in The Mandalorian.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor looks to pit Cal against his greatest challenge yet, but trailers have not been very forthcoming on how the Empire will play a role. If Moff Gideon does make an appearance, it could expand the legend of the villain even further, establishing a connection to his most recent efforts in The Mandalorian. Actor Giancarlo Esposito is no stranger to video games, and if he gave even an ounce of his talent to Survivor, it could elevate the story beyond what anyone could have expected. If one thing is true, it's that Gideon's appearance in Survivor would be a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor releases April 28 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.