Star Wars Jedi Survivor ending explained

What happens in the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor ending? If you've made it to the endgame, but you're still a little confused, you're not alone. Here, we break down the ending of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and answer your burning questions about what's to come.

And, if you're still making your way through the game but are one of those folks who skims the last pages of a book so you can decide whether it's worth reading, you might want to check out our Star Wars Jedi: Survivor walkthrough to assist you as you traverse the galaxy.

Serious endgame spoilers ahead. You've been warned.

What happens at the end of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?

Throughout the game, players are led to believe the game's main antagonist is Dagan Gera, who is driven to fulfil his dream of beginning a hidden Jedi stronghold on Tanalorr, in defiance of the Jedi Council's wishes.

After Cal Kestis defeats Dagan (using a Force mirage of Santari Khri, who Dagan was close with) and recovers the compass to Tanalorr, it seems everything will fall into place. This compass could unlock a path toward would be a safe space for the Jedi to live out of the Empire's sight and free of its tyranny. However, things take a sharp twist when Cal's supposed "best friend" Bode Akuna steals the newly-repaired compass, killing Jedi Master Eno Cordova in the process.

Ultimately, we learn Bode is a spy, and was working for the Imperial Spy Bureau (ISB) the entire time. But, perhaps more importantly, we learn he's also a Jedi who can leverage the power of the Force.

This adds significance to the game's name, as Bode notes that Cal isn't the only Jedi survivor out there. Bode survived the Jedi Purge by Order 66 (as seen in Revenge of the Sith). As a Jedi, he went undercover and infiltrated the Empire. But, when the Empire's forces discovered his secret, they killed his wife. He struck a deal with them to spare his daughter, Kata, in exchange for him working as a spy for the Empire and thereby going undercover within the Resistance.

Bode's predicament is tricky because he did what he had to do to save his daughter. But upon hearing about Tanalorr, he began to dream of it as a place where he and Kata could escape from the Empire. In his mind, if it were open to anyone else, including others within the Resistance, it would open the floodgates for the Empire to follow.

However, the betrayal understandably infuriates Cal. Bode's rationale of protecting his daughter isn't enough to justify all the harm he's caused by killing Eno and leading the Empire directly to the safety house on Jedha. The Empire then attacks the archives that Cere Junda and Eno have worked so hard to restore and keep hidden in a safe environment.

Bode is directly responsible for leading Darth Vader's forces right to this important haven. Vader himself makes an appearance in the game to fight Cere, a sort of personal vengeance against all the work Cere has chosen to do on behalf of the Jedi. Cere cannot win this fight, and her death exacerbates Cal's pain, leading him closer to the Force's dark side. Ultimately, Bode is responsible for Cere's death as well as Eno's.

Bode set a trap so Cal would follow him to Nova Garon with the hope that his former best buddy would destroy the ISB base. Technically, it doesn't really matter whether Cal blows it all up or allows Lank Denvik, who runs the ISB operations, to survive. Bode would have been safe in Tanalorr regardless. But if Cal blew up the base, it would also help ensure no one else would know where Tanalorr is, or how to access it.

On Nova Garon, Cal can't, in good conscience, fight Bode in front of his daughter. This allows Bode to use the compass to take off to Tanalorr. It seems the crew of the Mantis has lost Bode, but with the devices that Cal discovered, the team soon discovers there's another type of compass pointing to Tanalorr, and that Khri built it into the Alignment Control Center on Koboh, showing the path when the arrays are aligned.

Armed with a pathway to the destination, Cal makes his way to Bode on Tanalorr. While Cal offers his former buddy the chance to stand down, Bode declines, forcing Cal to defeat his former friend, right in front of his daughter. It's a sad but important moment when Bode's blaster malfunctions and leads Cal to shoot his ex-bestie in the chest. The moment leaves Kata without a father, though she somehow seems to understand why this is the only choice.

With Bode defeated, Tanalorr can now become the hidden refuge for Jedi, Force-sensitives, and sympathizers, which is not only what Cal wants but also seems to be in accordance with Cere's wishes. Cal's hope is to use Tanalorr as a sanctuary for the Hidden Path, which is the underground network used to help the Jedi and Force-sensitives to escape the Empire's grasp.

At the very end of the game, Cere appears in a vision and instructs Cal to "guide her through the Darkness". The 'her' in this wish presumably means Kata, who may have powers of the Force due to her father's connection to it.

Cal also expresses that he wishes to be with Merrin, which is important because the Jedi Code doesn't allow attachment. Cal suggests this code no longer matters because the Jedi Order is no more, and he is free to do what he wishes. Considering that Merrin is beginning to bond with Kata, it seems this could create a potential family dynamic down the road for them.

What will happen after Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?

The story gives players glimpses of Cal's flirtation with the dark side, which is unsettling. Cal is acutely aware of what the dark side entials, but the fact that he's now able to use and leverage it demonstrates that this adventure has fundamentally changed him. Even Merrin expresses some concerns about Cal's experiences. It's practically a Star Wars trope that these difficult, character-defining moments are what lead some characters to stray from the light, so this could have serious implications in the future.

Cal's meddling in the dark side could also have some dangerous consequences. Assuming there's a sequel — and the game sets up that there most likely will be one — the conflict could involve Cal's flirtation with the dark side and how that could impact Kata. Bode blindsided us, so there's no reason to expect the next game wouldn't have Cal, Merrin, or even Kata blindside us as well. I wouldn't be surprised if a grown-up Kata could secretly wish to take revenge on Cal and Merrin for her father's death, for example. Plus, with two Star Wars Jedi games under our belt, both of which feature visits from Darth Vader, it will be interesting to see how his role comes to the forefront in any potential sequel.

That's our interpretation of the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor ending, which also paints a picture of what's to come. And if the story doesn't tug on your heartstrings, I think you must have the emotions of an Empire droid.

Anyway, if you're still working your way through the story or trying to 100% the game, you may want to check out our Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Koboh collectibles guide, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Nova Garon collectibles guide, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Jedha collectibles guide, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Coruscant collectibles guide, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Shattered Moon collectibles guide, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Tanalorr collectibles guide to help you on your path.