This article contains spoilers for the main story of Star Wars Outlaws and The Acolyte.
Star Wars Outlaws goes beyond the typical good-versus-evil Star Wars narrative by embracing a more nuanced, Rashomon-style approach to its storytelling. This article was inspired by an excellent post by Dyads in the Force, where they discussed how The Last Jedi employed this storytelling method in recounting the events between Luke and Ben the night the Jedi Temple was destroyed.
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Similarly, The Acolyte explores a Rashomon-like narrative in the relationship between Sol and Osha—where, despite the context for Sol’s actions, there’s still a question of whether lying to Osha for her whole life was truly the right decision. These examples beautifully illustrate how Star Wars media grapples with the ambiguity of its heroes and the consequences of their actions, even when their intentions seem justified.
For me, while The Last Jedi isn’t my favorite movie, this kind of analysis opens up a new way of appreciating the franchise. Seeing The Acolyte and other stories take on these complex ideas helps me love more of the Star Wars universe—something that’s influenced my life in so many ways. With Outlaws, the consequences of choices aren’t brushed aside, and the game deepens that reflection as you continue to live in the galaxy post-main quest. The story doesn’t just end at the final showdown—it keeps you thinking about every decision you’ve made, for better or worse.
Star Wars Outlaws begins its exploration of Roshomon in its portrayal of a galaxy where the moral lines aren’t as clear-cut as “Rebels vs. Empire.” The game opens with Kay Vess (Humberly González) being left for dead in a heist orchestrated by the Rebellion—the very people fighting against the Empire. This moment reveals an uncomfortable truth: even the “good guys” make questionable decisions in the name of a greater cause. While Kay eventually aids the Rebellion, it doesn’t erase the fact that they put her life at risk, all for the sake of a grander fight. The ends may justify the means, but the damage is real.
This echoes a sentiment often missed in The Last Jedi, specifically during Finn and Rose’s journey to Canto Bight. The wealthy casino planet’s patrons profit off both sides of the conflict, selling arms to the Resistance and the First Order alike. Yet, despite DJ’s attempt to introduce moral ambiguity, the film doesn’t dive deeply into the idea that not all decisions are clear-cut.
However, since only Finn hears this from DJ and not Rose as well, the film misses the chance to fully explore the consequences of the Resistance’s morally ambiguous decisions. DJ is meant to be an unreliable narrator, but without thoroughly examining the Resistance’s actions, the Canto Bight subplot feels less impactful despite the film’s otherwise beautiful storytelling. In contrast, Outlaws delves deeper into these moral gray areas, holding characters accountable for their actions and decisions.
While the evils of the Empire are undoubtedly more severe, Outlaws asks players to consider whether the ends truly justify the means. The decisions of the Rebellion, like leaving Kay to die, don’t just disappear because their cause is just. Kay is left to grapple with these choices, and it becomes clear that good intentions aren’t always enough to right past wrongs. In this way, Outlaws feels like a more grounded and reflective Star Wars story—one where the heroes must face the consequences of their actions, just as the villains do.
But Star Wars Outlaws isn’t just about Kay Vess’s story—it’s about the galaxy itself and the countless stories it contains. From holorecordings left by the previous owner of Kay’s ship to iconic locations like Tatooine and the discovery of a forgotten BX droid on Akiva, the game invites players to dig deeper into the remnants of conflicts and characters long past. The galaxy is filled with traces of forgotten battles, unresolved missions, and relics of a time before the Empire’s reign.
Finding the BX droid expert on Akiva, for instance, introduces a desperate story about Separatist droids still trying to complete their mission long after the Clone Wars ended. Kay, younger and unaware of this history, uncovers these narratives even after the game’s main quest concludes. These are more than just side quests—they’re stories that remind us that Kay’s journey doesn’t end once the immediate threat is over. It’s just her, Nix, and ND-5 (Jay Rincon), and the galaxy still has more secrets to offer.
ND-5, in particular, offers a fascinating lens on droid autonomy. His character feels deeper than even K-2SO from Rogue One, a fan-favorite film known for its moral grey areas. ND-5’s backstory as a former Clone Wars combatant adds emotional weight to his journey, showing us that droids, often relegated to side roles in the galaxy’s conflicts, have just as much at stake. The post-main-quest exploration with ND-5 serves as a testament to how Outlaws excels at revealing hidden layers to even the most forgotten characters and their untold stories.
The game also presents other forms of media in the galaxy, like holodramas, which vary from soap operas to superhero stories, all with a distinct Imperial propaganda slant. For someone like Kay Vess, who grew up without the Rebellion’s influence and was left to fend for herself on Canto Bight, this media presents a skewed view of the galaxy where the Empire is portrayed as the necessary order.
It’s a subtle but powerful way of showing how deeply the Empire has influenced the minds of the galaxy’s inhabitants, making Kay’s choices all the more difficult. Should she trust the Rebellion after they left her for dead? Can their moral compromises be forgiven? The game’s use of holodramas adds layers to the larger Rashomon-style narrative, where everything is viewed from a particular point of view.
For Kay Vess, who grew up on Canto Bight after her mother abandoned her, these holodramas might have been the only stories she had access to, shaping her understanding of the galaxy. Suppose these are the kinds of tales filling the galaxy’s airwaves. In that case, it becomes much more complicated to simply “choose the good guys” when those heroes should also be held accountable for their morally questionable decisions. These holodramas serve as a reminder that Star Wars has always been about perspective. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi said, “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view.” In a way, this is Outlaws’ take on the Rashomon storytelling method that has been so prevalent throughout Star Wars—everything depends on which side of the story you hear and accept.
More than just the propaganda holograms, Kay Vess encounters actual transmission through her travels and exploration. These transmissions include everything from smuggler communications and Separatist dispatches to the personal accounts of ordinary citizens grappling with the aftermath of the Clone Wars. They offer valuable context, shedding light on the galaxy’s diverse experiences and how large-scale conflicts ripple through the lives of everyday individuals. These glimpses into different perspectives make the galaxy feel alive and interconnected, highlighting the long-lasting effects of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire on ordinary people’s lives.
Throughout her journey, Kay must navigate not only the Rebellion and the Empire but also the galaxy’s many criminal syndicates. For me, personally, the Pykes have always been an easy choice to oppose. Their history in The Clone Wars and The Book of Boba Fett leaves a bad taste, and in Outlaws, they’re portrayed as opportunists with clear ties to the Empire. Avoiding them and aligning with other factions feels like my own personal way of rebelling against the Empire without necessarily fighting on the Rebellion’s terms.
This choice-driven approach is one of the game’s greatest strengths. It harkens back to the freedom offered by games like Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars Galaxies, where players could carve out their own path in the universe. There’s no binary “good versus evil” here—just factions with their own agendas and alliances, and Kay has to choose which ones align with her own values. Even something as simple as playing Sabacc can reveal new layers to the world, with shifting strategies and deeper AI interactions keeping things fresh long after the main quest is complete.
Outlaws shows that Star Wars isn’t just about the grand battles between Jedi and Sith or Rebels and Empires—it’s about the personal stories caught in the crossfire. Kay Vess isn’t a Rebel general; she’s someone making her way through a galaxy at war, deciding when and where to fight. But her story is just one of many in this universe. From holorecordings left behind by the previous owner of your ship to forgotten droids on Akiva, Outlaws brings these stories to the forefront. These small narratives weave together to make the galaxy feel truly alive.
In many ways, Outlaws taps into the same spirit as the struggles against Imperial control seen in earlier Star Wars eras, like the efforts of Ezra Bridger’s parents in Star Wars Rebels. They used underground radio to break through the Empire’s propaganda and spread the message of rebellion. The holodramas Kay Vess encounters in Outlaws highlight the Empire’s powerful grip on the galaxy after the Clone Wars, constantly shifting narratives between different historical periods. As Kay learns alongside you, the player, these holodramas make you appreciate the Star Wars eras that were actively resisting this kind of Imperial manipulation.
It’s a reminder that had Kay’s life taken a different path, maybe she could have been a Rebel leader herself. But in the present, she’s an outlaw, forced to navigate the galaxy on her terms, and her own truths are called into question just as much as anyone else’s as the story progresses. Outlaws captures that complexity, asking the player to engage with the galaxy’s moral ambiguity as deeply as its characters do.
This exploration of moral ambiguity and its consequences is why Outlaws stands out as one of the best Star Wars stories in recent memory. Even after the main quest is complete, I keep coming back to the game because there’s always something new to explore, some new secret to uncover, whether it’s unlocking sabacc strategies or discovering new holodramas. The game doesn’t end when the credits roll—it keeps pushing you to ask tough questions about the choices you’ve made and the galaxy you’ve helped shape.
In all, Star Wars Outlaws strikes a chord with its Rashomon-like approach to storytelling. For me, this game goes beyond the typical good-versus-evil narrative and dives into the messy, morally ambiguous realities of its galaxy. This resonates with how The Last Jedi and The Acolyte use Rashomon-style storytelling to uncover different layers of truth and morality.
While The Last Jedi touched on these themes with Finn, Rose, and DJ on Canto Bight, I felt it didn’t fully explore the impact of their morally gray decisions. The film hinted at some deep questions but left me wanting more insight into the Resistance’s choices. Outlaws picks up where they left off, leading to confrontations of the real consequences of every decision, even those made by well-meaning characters. By delving into the complexities of the heroes’ choices, Outlaws offers a mirror to our own world’s struggles with right and wrong.
So while The Last Jedi started to explore these deeper themes, Outlaws brings them into sharper focus, making them a core part of the experience. The game doesn’t just wrap up with the final battle; it keeps challenging me with new secrets and moral dilemmas. It’s this depth and ongoing reflection that make Star Wars Outlaws stand out to me, pushing me to think more deeply about the galaxy far, far away, and my own place in it.
