I have to be honest: after the credits rolled on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, I couldn't stop thinking about Bode Akuna. Not just because his betrayal stung, but because his story felt like a puzzle missing half its pieces. In 2026, with Respawn reportedly working on the next chapter of Cal Kestis's saga, I keep wondering: what if the best next step isn't forward, but backward? What if we need a Bode Akuna prequel?

Bode's Betrayal Still Haunts Me

Throughout most of Jedi: Survivor, Bode is the brother Cal never had. He fights beside him, jokes with him, and confides in him about his daughter, Kata. He lost Kata's mother, Tayala, and his only goal is to keep his little girl safe. That's why Tanalorr sounds like a dream: a hidden planet where the Stinger Mantis crew could disappear from the Empire. But when Cal suggests bringing the Hidden Path there too, Bode panics. Too many Force-sensitives in one place? That's a beacon for Darth Vader. So Bode steals the Koboh compass, betrays the crew to the Empire, and indirectly causes the deaths of Eno Cordova and Cere Junda.

Heartbreaking, right? But here's the twist that made my jaw drop: Bode wasn't just a mercenary. He was a former Jedi Knight from the Clone Wars. The Inquisitors killed Tayala because she wouldn't give up his location. He spent years on the run with Kata before reluctantly reaching out to Lank Denvik, his old mentor from the Clone Wars who became an Imperial Security Bureau commander. Bode made a deal to protect Kata, and that deal turned him into a spy inside Cal's operation.

Why a Prequel Would Work So Well

In Jedi: Fallen Order, I loved exploring Cal's past as a Padawan through flashbacks with Jaro Tapal. But Bode? He's non-playable in Survivor, so we never get those flashbacks. We only learn about his past through dialogue and post-game Force Echoes. Those echoes are fascinating, but they mostly show Bode manipulating the crew or reporting to Denvik. They don't show the man before the Empire sank its hooks into him.

A prequel could change that. Imagine playing as Bode during the Clone Wars, a Jedi Knight working with Republic Intelligence alongside Denvik. What was their mentor-mentee relationship like before either of them served the Empire? What made Bode trust Denvik enough to risk exposing himself years later? And what about Tayala? How did they meet? How did they fall in love? How did they react when Kata was born?

These aren't just fan questions. They're the emotional foundation of Bode's tragedy. If I understood his love for Kata and his fear of the Empire on a deeper level, his betrayal in Survivor would hurt even more. And honestly? That's the mark of great storytelling.

Gameplay Could Be a Spy Thriller

Here's where a Bode prequel could get really interesting. Yes, he's a former Jedi, so lightsaber combat is a given. His final duel with Cal proved he's skilled. But Bode's role in Republic Intelligence opens the door to something different: espionage.

What if the game played more like a Star Wars spy thriller? Undercover missions, dialogue choices, manipulation, infiltration. You'd have to earn trust, blend in, and decide when to reveal your true allegiance. Star Wars Outlaws already showed how much fun it can be to navigate criminal alliances with dialogue and reputation systems. A Bode prequel could take that idea into the shadows of the Clone Wars and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

I can already imagine the tension: Bode is a Jedi pretending to be a loyal Republic officer, but he's also a man terrified for his family. Every choice could carry weight. Do you complete the mission, or do you protect your cover? Do you trust Denvik, or do you start to see the cracks in his loyalty?

It Would Mirror Star Wars' Best Prequel Trick

Star Wars fans know the power of a good prequel. Darth Vader started as a mysterious villain in the original trilogy. Then the prequels showed us Anakin Skywalker's fall, and suddenly every breath through that mask carried more weight. Bode is similar. In Survivor, we meet him as a charming ally, then watch him become a desperate antagonist. A prequel could show us the events that forged him: the Clone Wars, the loss of Tayala, the years on the run, the deal with Denvik.

Would knowing his fate make his story less suspenseful? I don't think so. It would make it more tragic. We'd watch him make impossible choices, knowing they'll eventually lead him to Tanalorr, to Cal's blade, and to Kata's tears. That's not a spoiler. That's dramatic irony at its finest.

A Table of Two Journeys

Final Thoughts

So, am I saying Respawn should abandon Cal's story? Absolutely not. I want to see where Cal, Kata, and the Hidden Path go next. But I also think Bode's story is too rich to leave in Force Echoes. A prequel wouldn't just fill in gaps. It would deepen everything we thought we knew about Jedi: Survivor.

In 2026, Star Wars games are expanding in exciting directions. But sometimes the best way forward is to look back. Bode Akuna deserves that chance. And I, for one, would play the hell out of a heartbreaking, espionage-fueled Jedi prequel about a father who lost everything and made all the wrong choices for the right reasons. Wouldn't you?