Summary
TheStar Wars: Rebelsreunion inAhsokahas been everything fans have wanted since the series ended in 2018. Fans who watchedThe Clone WarsandRebelsare reaping so many rewards, but those who only keep up with the movies might be a little confused with certain story points and characters. One such character is the little green-haired boy who heard Ahsoka clash with her former master.
Jacen Syndulla is a character who only brieflyappeared inStar Wars: Rebels. However, there’s a lot of context behind this character that can help the audience’s appreciation of him. He’s more than just some kid tagging along on the Ghost with his mother. He has ties to the Jedi, and more than that, he has ties to the defunctStar WarsExpanded Universe known as Legends.
Who Is Jacen Syndulla?
Jacen Syndulla first appeared in theStar Wars: Rebelsseries finale, and that was his only appearance until his live-action debut inAhsoka. Fans ofAhsokawho haven’t seenRebelsknow his mother is General Hera Syndulla, a Twi’lek ace pilot. That’s right, the human-looking boy with green hair is half Twi’lek. His human features come from his father, whom fans haven’t met unless they’ve seenRebels. That’s also where Jacen’sstrong connection to the Forcecomes from.
Jacen’s father was Kanan Jarrus, a human Jedi and leader of the Phoenix Squadron. Kanan trained as a Jedi padawan before the fall of the Galactic Republic, and survived the Jedi purge. He kept his Jedi training secret until he met Ezra Bridger on Lothal and sensed his strength in the Force. Kanan led many successful missions against the Empire. Unfortunately, he sacrificed himself to save his team and keep the mission going. Jacen never met his father, but has most certainly heard stories.
Jacen’s Connection with Star Wars Legends
Star Warsfans were considerably disappointed when they learned that Kylo Ren’s real name was Ben, not Jacen. Every “Extended Universe” fan,now coined “Legends,“expected Han and Leia to name their firstborn child either Jacen or Jaina, as those are the names of their first two children. Of the three children Han and Leia have in Legends, they don’t name any of them Ben.Star Warsreserved that for Luke’s son. That’s a topic for a whole other article.
Jacen, especially spelled that way, has a significant meaning inStar Wars. Not only is it the name of one of Han and Leia’s kids, it’s a character with an extensive story who goes through trials and tribulations of his own. Some of what the literary Jacen went through fans saw in Kylo Ren, but Abrams left a lot out. Dave Filoni’s knowledge ofStar Warslore runs deep. He knows about Jacen Solo and most definitely had that character in mind when he created Jacen Syndulla. It’s likely more than a simple nod toStar WarsLegends.
In Legends, Jacen Solo and his siblings go on to become padawans inLuke Skywalker’s new Jedi Academy. Jacen builds relationships with fellow padawans and go on many adventures of their own. He even loses a friend to the Dark Side, whom he fights to redeem throughout multiple novels. He goes on adventures with Luke and his parents, ranging from diplomatic missions to investigations.
Jacen eventually becomes a powerful Jedi and makes a name for himself in the galaxy. However, if it is more than a nod to Jacen Solo, it means fans are going to see a lot more of Jacen Syndulla going forward. On the flip side, that’s not entirely good news for fans or for the character.
Why Jacen Could Have a Dark Future in Star Wars
The looming question with all of these stories Filoni is weaving is: where were these characters in the sequel trilogy? Whether Jacen Solo’s story is adapted for Jacen Syndulla or not, it looks like Jacen doesn’t have a bright future ahead of him. If Jacen ends up in the care of Luke at his new Jedi academy, there’s a good chance he ends up dead with the rest ofLuke’s apprentices. If he survived Ben’s purge, then he ended up joining Ben and Snoke. What happened to Jacen after that, though?
If he ended up a member of the First Order, did he join the ranks of the Knights of Ren? If so, he would have been one of the knights that Ben killed inThe Rise of Skywalker. Either way, his path leads to death. Ending up wandering down a dark path isn’t out of character for Jacen’s namesake, as Jacen Solo followed a similar path in the Extended Universe novels.
Despite being an instrumental figure in the waragainst the Yuuzhan Vong, Jacen Solo eventually succumbed to the dark side of the Force and took the name Darth Caedus. Under this name, he betrayed everyone he loved and everything he believed in, despite believing what he did was for the good of the Galactic Alliance. He killed his uncle’s wife, tortured his former apprentice, and turned other students of Luke Skywalker to the dark side along with committing several atrocities.
Fans might witness Jacen Syndulla follow a very similar path. As stated before, spelling his name the same way Jacen Solo did is an intentional move by Dave Filoni. It wouldn’t be inconceivable forFiloni and crewto build up Jacen Syndulla as a good-hearted, well-intentioned, and beloved character only to show his fall from grace.
MORE:Star Wars: Ahsoka’s Absence In The Sequel Trilogy May Be Explained
