How Strong Is Cal Kestis in ‘Jedi: Survivor’ Compared to Other Characters?

Back in the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, we met Cal Kestis, who was still just a Jedi Padawan that was still re-learning the basics and fundamentals that were taught to him by Jedi Master Jaro Tapal. Of course, while he became strong enough to take down the Second Sister in Fallen Order, he had five years to hone his talents and skills before the events of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. So, just how strong is Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?

Cal Kestis is certainly stronger in Survivor than in Fallen Order because he has already mastered the fundamentals he had to re-learn in the first game. However, as strong as he has become, he is still no match for Darth Vader, who overwhelmed and killed Cere Junda in Survivor.

While there’s no doubt that Cal is strong, he isn’t necessarily the strongest Jedi and isn’t even one of the strongest we’ve seen in Star Wars. But that is the best part about him, as he is very human and has his own flaws and weaknesses both as a person and as a Jedi. Now, let’s talk more about how strong Cal Kestis is in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Cal Kestis Is Stronger in Survivor Than in Fallen Order

In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal Kestis was first introduced as a teenage Jedi Padawan. Back then, he was on the run from the Empire and was able to hide the fact that he was Force-sensitive for five years before the Inquisitors finally caught up to him. However, the problem was that hiding for five years dulled his skills as he never used his Force powers or his lightsaber combat abilities since escaping the events of Order 66 because he had to keep his identity a secret.

As such, a good part of Fallen Order was spent trying to allow Cal to re-learn all of the things that he learned when he was still learning under Jaro Tapal before the fall of the Jedi Order. But at the conclusion of the first game, Cal had become strong enough to take on other Force users, such as the fallen Jedi Master Taron Malicos and the Second Sister. Jedi Knight Cere Junda also knighted him and was now a true Jedi Knight that mastered all of the basic skills that the Jedi need to know.

Five years went by between the events of Fallen Order and the sequel game, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. In the five years that went by, Cal spent his time working with another crew of insurgents directly under Saw Gerrera. He and his new crew took it to the Empire by attacking bases and crippling some of their supply lines. As such, in those five years, Cal was able to hone his talents and skills as a Jedi.

That means that Cal is now stronger than he was during the events of Fallen Order, as his body, skills, and emotions have already matured. From the very start of the second game, he could do the things he already knew back in the first game. In that regard, there is no longer a period of re-learning that he has to undergo, as Cal is now capable of taking on Inquisitors on his own.

In Survivor, Cal Kestis was strong enough to take on the Ninth Sister on his own and even overwhelm her with his dual-wielding stance by countering her moves. After that battle, he easily countered her final attack to decapitate her in an instant, as it was obvious that his skills had improved since the last time they met. Cal could also take on a High Republic-era Jedi Knight named Dagan Gera. It was during the High Republic that the Jedi were said to be at their peak, and that means that Cal’s skills had improved well enough to match the powers of a High Republic-era Jedi.

Cal’s affinity with the Force also improved because he was already capable of using Force pull and Force push quite easily. On top of that, he mastered the art of using the Force to slow time down. As such, Cal is no doubtlessly strong enough to match the power of any Jedi Knight or even a Jedi Master that lived during the final days of the Jedi Order.

How Does Cal Kestis Compare to Other Characters?

To truly determine how strong Cal Kestis is, it is important to compare him to the other Force users that were still alive during the setting of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Darth Vader

Of course, Darth Vader was always a looming figure during the era of the Empire as he was the emperor’s enforcer and was the one who had direct control over the Inquisitors. Vader appeared in the final scenes of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as an overwhelmingly powerful boss that Cal Kestis wasn’t meant to defeat or even hurt. As such, the gap between them was so wide that all that Cal could do was run away.

Despite the fact that Cal had improved so much in the five years between Fallen Order and Survivor, Darth Vader is still light years ahead of him in terms of his power as he was able to easily defeat Cere Junda, whose strength and skills are similar to Cal’s. Vader is still an untouchable enemy and should still be too much for Kestis to handle because the gap between them is simply too wide.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

The events of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series take place during the same year as the events of Survivor. While Kenobi and Kestis never crossed paths, it was clear that Obi-Wan’s own character arc was focused on his journey toward reconnecting himself to the Force after spending ten years blaming himself for the downfall of Anakin Skywalker and the destruction of the Jedi Order.

While Obi-Wan was weaker during the earlier part of the series because he lost his connection to the Force, he eventually reconnected with the Force and overwhelmed Darth Vader in their duel. That means that Kenobi, as a defensive specialist and a Jedi Master, is still a better duelist and stronger Force user than Cal Kestis. Of course, it helps that he understands Vader’s style and way of thinking, but the fact that he could defeat his former Padawan is proof that he is stronger than Cal.

Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor was probably the strongest Force user behind only the likes of Vader, Kenobi, and Maul during the period of 9 BBY. As the leader of the Inquisitorius, the Grand Inquisitor’s authority was behind only the likes of the emperor and Vader. He was a former Jedi Temple Guard that ended up falling to the dark side after Darth Vader recruited him and several other former Jedi to become part of his Inquisitorius.

While Cal Kestis and the Grand Inquisitor are yet to cross paths, it is possible that they are just about the same in terms of their powers and skills. That’s because Kanan Jarrus, whose journey mirrors Cal’s own journey, was able to defeat the Grand Inquisitor during the events of Star Wars: Rebels. As such, it is likely that Cal also has the skills that would allow him to defeat the Grand Inquisitor.