Greetings, Rebelscum fans! This week on the site we’re looking at the sequel to the beloved The Force Unleashed video game, book, and comic and speculating on what a third installment might have looked like. Stay tuned throughout the week for more articles, insights, videos, and information on all the coolest merchandise that you’ll want to look out for.


When The Force Unleashed was released in 2008, it was a literal “game changer” that sent shock waves through the Star Wars community of fans. A connected storyline told across a video game, book, comic, merchandising line, and other tie-in material hadn’t been attempted by Lucasfilm since 1996 with Shadows of the Empire. Like Shadows of the Empire, The Force Unleashed revealed secret information about the franchise’s history.


The formation of the Rebel Alliance was finally revealed in a twist that even long time fans may have not seen coming. The Force Unleashed had also been a technical achievement, featuring experimental gameplay and creative new ways of using the Force. It also boosted a storyline that fans actually cared about, with compelling characters played by great actors. New creations like Galen Marek, Juno Eclipse, Rahm Kota, Maris Brood, and PROXY instantly became fan favorites.



However, there was one major issue that the story team faced when they were called upon to craft a sequel: they had already killed off their main hero. Darth Vader’s former secret apprentice Starkiller had sacrificed himself to protect the growing Rebel Alliance, having been executed by his former master on the bridge of the Death Star. It was such a pivotal emotional moment that it couldn’t easily be retconned, so the writers came up with a creative way to continue Galen Marek’s story.


The Force Unleashed II centers on a new “Starkiller,” a clone of Marek that Vader has secretly developed on Kamino. Vader had grown to believe in Marek’s potential and was desperate to rekindle the same relationship, even though cloning a Force-sensitive being is a risky process. We end up seeing why; Starkiller’s clone possesses the memories of the original subject, and goes crazy in an escape from the rainy planet. He’s convinced that he must continue the same journey where the original template had left off.


Starkiller’s clone goes through an interesting character arc of his own. He’s left to question what his role in the universe is, and if he truly can be the same hero that he’s based off of. Since he still has the same memories as the previous version, he’s still desperately in love with Juno Eclipse, now a leader within the Rebel Alliance. He seeks his old master Rahm Kota, but also learns insights from Yoda during a trip to Dagobah.


The Force Unleashed II was released in 2010, and like its predecessor the storyline was told across a multiplatform game, comic, book, and merchandising line. Fans were divided on the improvements in the gameplay and the story direction, but there were still high hopes for a third project to complete the trilogy. The Force Unleashed II ended with a killer cliff hanger in which Darth Vader was captured by Starkiller and the rebels shortly before A New Hope, but sadly The Force Unleashed III still hasn’t materialized.

What do you think, Rebelscum fans? How does The Force Unleashed II compare to the original for you? What did you think of the cloning storyline? Let us know in the forums, and as always, may the Force be with you!

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