Some spoilers for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order aheadCentral to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s plot is the mysterious and enigmatic Zeffo alien race. An ancient Force-using civilization, the Zeffo were created specifically for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, playing an important role in the story of ex-Jedi Knight Cal Kestis. Cal’s mission in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order took him and the crew of the Mantis to various Zeffo ruins throughout the galaxy as they searched for a Jedi holocron containing the identities of force-sensitive children. Cal would eventually succeed in his quest, destroying the holocron to keep the children safe from the Empire. With the conclusion of Cal Kestis’ mission, there is no longer an immediate need to break into Zeffo vaults. This leaves an opening for Respawn Entertainment to find another reason for Cal to explore the Zeffo’s mysteries and their place in the Star Wars galaxy.
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The Zeffo Are Very Similar To Knights of the Old Republic’s Infinite Empire
The Zeffo were an ancient civilization of Force-users, often incorporating the Force into their technology and architecture as was the case in the various ruins visited by Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. To access the Zeffo vault, Cal needed to face a variety of challenges that could only be completed by someone strong in the Force. They were clearly an expansive civilization with structures on planets around the galaxy including the Wookie homeworld, Kashyyyk. To anyone who has played Knights of the Old Republic, this description sounds eerily similar to the Rakata, the ancient alien race that founded the Infinite Empire.
Similar to the Zeffo, the Rakata were Force-users that used the Force in their technology and architecture. Their empire spanned the entire galaxy, leaving behind ruins and technology on planets such as Tatooine, Dantooine, Manaan, and even Kashyyyk. In Knights of the Old Republic, the player would undergo a similar journey as Cal Kestis, traveling to each of these planets and uncovering the secrets of the Rakata. Some 20,000 years before the films, the Infinite Empire had enslaved and conquered much of the galaxy with their powerful dark side-fueled technology. Many species such as the Jawas of Tatooine and the Wookies of Kashyyyk would preserve traces of the Rakata through their legends.
With two separate species falling under the “ancient galaxy-spanning Force-using civilization” category, fans of both games are certainly hoping to learn more about the Zeffo and how they fit in with the Rakata or if they are an outright replacement. For now, Knights of the Old Republic is Legends content while Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is considered canon, so it’s possible that the Zeffo are to be a repurposed Infinite Empire. This would give Respawn plenty of room to innovate and come up with their own story for the Zeffo without worrying about stepping on the toes of similar ancient alien races.
Cal Kestis Could Learn More from the Zeffo in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Cal Kestis is a young ex-Jedi Knight during the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, spending much of the game relearning the basics of the Force as he faced the trials in Zeffo ruins. As a Jedi, Cal will naturally want to learn more about the Force, and the only person around him with knowledge of the Force is ex-Jedi Master Cere Junda, who has been cut off from the Force. If Cal is to train further in the Force, one of the best paths to take would be to continue following the Zeffo’s footsteps. There are likely many more planets with traces of Zeffo civilization and this would be a great opportunity for Cal to face new trials.
There has also been at least one other case of Force users learning from the Zeffo which took place in the High Republic era 200 years before The Phantom Menace. In the canon comic The High Republic Adventures – The Monster of Temple Peak 2, Jedi Padawan Klias Teradine mentions that his master showed him Zeffo teachings. This establishes that the Jedi have been learning from the Zeffo for at least a few centuries prior to Cal Kestis’ journey. Perhaps Cal Kestis may play a part in reestablishing the Jedi Order by learning more about the Zeffo and their mastery of the Force. It would be a serious missed opportunity to move on from the Zeffo after introducing such an intriguing civilization with a seemingly important role in galactic history, especially now that the Zeffo have been referenced in other Star Wars media.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.
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