Exploring the Greatest Written Game of All Time - Why Star Wars' KOTOR 2 Was So Ahead of its Time 

Kreias voice actor also deserves a lot of credit. Even though its "just a game" she gives the character enough gravitas to convey her ideas in earnest.

This game is *the* reason I like Star Wars in the first place. It gives the universe an incredible richness of depth and life which I haven’t seen equaled in any other Star Wars property. Also making Kreia angry is funny.

Kreia is the best possible antagonist for a Star Wars story. A philosophical anti-Jedi that wants the death of the Force because it has a will that it imposes on the galaxy. It's thematically perfect, the apex of Sith desire for freedom tempered with actual wisdom.

Kotor 2 was always my favorite not because of the gameplay but because it’s story always encouraged me to think deeper and more critically than any other game and that was something I enjoyed especially when the conclusions I came to applied to me personally in some way that made me a better person as a whole. It’s not often that video games make someone a better person but Kotor 2 made me better at a time when I needed to improve and for that it will be my favorite game for all time

When it comes to Kreia's philosophy, I feel freedom was ultimately her final goal. She was a broken woman who felt her dependency on the power of the Force had robbed her of her life and freedom. She is right for advocating the strength that comes from within, to denounce the dogmatism of the Jedi and the pointless thirst for power of the Sith. Her extreme individualism is where she becomes flawed... She was a very lonely person, and in a sense it gave her strength but also made her quite bitter. She needed, much like the companions of the exile, to heal herself. But she couldn't let people in because she was maybe afraid... I feel this is part of why Kreia is so well liked by people. She is relatable on a visceral level. The desire for freedom and independence, the hidden hurt and the fear of letting people in for it could result in further pain. The bitterness and feeling your life wasn't your own, the will to try and get it back yet you cannot escape the past. Many of us carry this kind of pain and we all face it in different ways. Kreia's path is one followed by many, consciously or not. Fewer follow the path of the Exile. Healing is hard and painful, letting people in is terrifying... In the end, I think what matters is the will to try and heal, to confront the demons and darkness within, whichever path we chose to follow.

It’s important to note that the lead developer of Knights of the Old Republic II was Chris Avellone, the man who wrote for Jedi: Fallen Order and was responsible for developing games like Fallout 2, the undeveloped Black Isle Fallout 3 (Van Buren), and New Vegas. His writing has always been top-tier.

Interestingly, Chris Avallone (the game's director) didn't like Star Wars at the time as there were elements within it he was not fond of. However, he approached it in a great way. He didn't do as others do, taken it as an opportunity to trash what they don't like or turn it into something else, cutting it off from what it was and alienating the fans. He put everything that should be in a Star Wars game into Kotor 2, and through all these things that made Star Wars so great, used it to show us what he finds flawed about it. He gave us exactly what we want, but showed us something we hadn't seen or thought of before. People that can do that are few.

I always say that this game is a master class in storytelling and is the proper way to tell a Last Jedi style story.

Imagine how much better this already great game could have been had they had time to finish it

SWJKA and KOTOR 2 made me realize I had no choice but to keep star wars #1 in my heart. Honestly miss their aesthetics, atmosphere, settings -- hell I miss all of it.

Absolutely one of the greatest scripts for a story, in general, ever. Bao Dur and Kreia just steal every scene they are in. I love this video. Great work.

"I do not have the years required - nor the desire to indulge you" - hot damn, Kreia coming out SWINGING !

I think it’s no exaggeration that you could practically write a book on how deep KOTOR 2 was as a game and story. It is a travesty that we will probably never get another Star Wars story like it, at least while Disney’s still around.

There is a rare scene in which Kreia praises a light side action, because you encourage another to help others in turn. Because she acknowledges that you strengthened both of them.

I was basically raised on this game. When I was 7, my uncle bought my brother and I a game each: He bought me Sonic Heroes and my brother KOTOR 2. I soon became bored of Sonic (cos the last Emerald is damn impossible to get) and jumped into KOTOR. I initially found Kreia to be an irritating old crone, constantly yelling at me for helping people. But soon I started listening to her words and I soon understood what she was trying to teach me. Always look at the consequences of your actions, whether you mean good or ill. Work hard to better yourself, don't accept shortcuts offered by others. But most importantly, always be open to new ideas and opinions but always test to ensure they are valid and true. Kreia was one of my mentors (the other being Iroh). It is from them I am the person I am today.

4000 BBY to 3950 BBY, give or take maybe a decade, is probably the best set of Star Wars stories ever told. 100% my singularly favorite period in all of Galactic history.

I only now realized just how this game has effected me as a person. I constantly try to live like I played the light side PC. Always trying to make some one else’s life a bit better. Being human sometimes makes that hard. Well regardless, I would like to see a video on the philosophies you guys touched on.

Personally I feel Star Wars became so much more outside of George Lucas trilogy, it had to. The art outgrew the artist as they say. These are the Star Wars stories that I adore, so rich with lore and fantastic ideas that could never be shown in a 2 hour movie.

What the hidden Sith empire could have been gives me chills, especially with Darth Nihilus running around: Nihilus could feel any gathering of Force users and drain them and the planet they were on…and he makes no move on the other Sith. Either they had the power to hide themselves from that force of nature, or he was saving them for when he was able to confront them.

I love how the game nails its atmosphere down perfectly. You can never escape the feeling that there's some sort of danger stalking you in the shadows of the Galaxy. You actually feel hunted throughout most of the game, until you and your companions decide to face the Sith on Telos.

I played the retail copy of this game when I was young. It came straight out of the box so didn't have any of the restored content, and I was still too youthfully ignorant to fully understand some of the themes; Kreia's nietzschian outlook on the force, the nuance lacking in the classic good vs. evil tales we see in traditional SW stories. But even so, I still found it to be a masterpiece that left a huge impression on me. It continues to be refreshing for me to see so many others singing its praises to this day, because this game definitely deserves it.

Thank you very much for showing love to one of my all-time favourite games.

kotor2 is literally my favorite piece of starwars media.

One correction: Visas Marr is not the last Miraluka. Katarr wasn't their homeworld. It was a miraluka colony. It did make them more rare and almost gone in that part of the galaxy though, as their population isn't large to begin with.

I really enjoyed your video, as Kotor 2 is my favorite game of all time. One thing I'd say is that Kreia did not kill the former Jedi masters, rather she completely drained them of the force. They were alive, but the shock of losing the force was basically like losing all 5 senses, which turned them into empty husks unable to perceive anything.

Meetra was in a sense able to turn her wound from a black hole that consumes into a white hole that gives. The most basic explanation of her wound is finally complete

Glad you uploaded this again, I only got to hear half of it last time 😄

The Senate had a time machine with how ahead of his time he was.

This game is in my top 10. Such a well written game. Darth Traya is one of my favorite all time villains.

Exploring the best written (Star Wars) game of all time.

FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE HAS RECOGNISED THIS FOR THE MASTERPIECE IT IS!

Kreia didn't really kill the jedi masters-the Force did-she implanted the same thing that was sewering the exile from the force on to them-they had a Choice: to sewer their ties to the force and live or to keep the force and die-they choose the later.

Kreia is the prime example why this game is great. She is the perfect antagonist as she constantly challenges the player's beliefs. And still, I wouldn't say she is pure evil. If you act too cruel during the game, she dislikes it the same way she dislikes charity. At one point she even claims that she never wanted the Jedi to die. Being defeated, but not dead. I wouldn't even say that she is a Sith. As she said to Atris, they both aren't what their titles suggest. I always saw Kreia more as an entity of her own. Of course, she is a villain and does horrible things during the game. She manipulates and kills people, she is even willing to commit genocide when it helps her to achieve the goal (but she also has no problems with harming herself, like when she stabbed herself on Dantooine to teach the Exile a lesson and in the end she even sacrifices herself. That's something a Sith would never do). Her idea of killing the force itself is really unique. But whenever she speaks and challenges you, she has a point. I learned a lot from her and her philosophy.

This game works incredibly well in tandem with its predecessor. Talk about standing on the shoulder of giants! My original favorite game

i was so immersed in this story. such a beautiful game.

From what I am getting from what Kotor 1 & 2 has set up from dialogue and narrative set up the Kotor 3 Sith antagonists were supposed to be a truly terrifying dark faction. With Sith Lords more powerful then Darth Nihilus and to them Dark Side Wound in the Force nexuses like Malachor V were a common environment to them. So powerful to scare Revan and Malak into seeking the Star Forge. And with the vibe I am getting from what Kreia and Ajunta Pall say there could have been a far greater force or power behind this faction of megapowerful dark Sith. Kreia with her comments about something outside the galaxy that Revan saw. And Ajunta Pall he explains something out there which gave him and his fellow dark lords their power to rule the Ancient Sith. This gives me the idea that whoever or... whatever... the true antagonist Kotor 3 was intending was going to be greater then anything we saw before. Perhaps a primordial or even eldritch being. Something to threaten the entire galaxy and drive Revan into such fear of preparation against it to set out to find the Star Forge and convert the entire galaxy to becoming a dark side nation under his leadership. A force of nature worse then Nihilus yet not mindless or bound to a hunger. But has a drive for a era of chaos and war before going dormant until it's time comes again. Like the whole cosmic balance the Force demands which Kreia rebukes and hates. And the hidden true Sith revere it. Now that to me sounds like a great antagonist. Less like a person and more like a ancient evil which is above the Sith but unites even the most chaotic and deadly of Sith Lords under it's banner and doctrines like a synagogue. A power greater then Vitiate and would make even him submit to it's rule if he did exist in the similar conditions that he did in Swtor. Like Abeloth but different. "The Force betrays" “I am a timeless chorus, join your voice with mine and sing victory everlasting” - Gravemind

I agree. KOTOR2 is the most well written piece of Star Wars media...when it works. It might be the most unstable game I've ever played and since I'm playing it on the Xbox, there's no chance at downloading patch mods.

One thing I feel deserves more recognition is KOTOR 2’s music. It does a fantastic job enhancing the tone of the game and I truly believe that it’s the single best Star Wars score not composed by John Williams.

This video was very well done and the maker’s commentary was on point all the way through. I remember when I first started playing the game, I was skeptical at first. Running around with a droid and a Han Solo wannabe looked bleak at first. But wow - little by little, you peel back the layers and its one of the most profound and entertaining stories ever written, much less in a video game. My favorite aspect of the game are the companions. Their backstories and development as the game goes along really adds a ton of depth to the story as a whole. They’re not just a bunch of side-kicks. They end up being a key part of the quest. Its a story where the main character, the Exile, doesnt really “progress” or “develop”, except as his/her companions develop. That’s unique and fresh dynamic. And everything ties together - the Exile, the past, the antagonists, the companions - it all ties together for a complete story. Anyway, well done on the video. How I wish the “content” we are given nowadays had 1/10th the depth, thoughtfulness, and connectivity KOTOR2 had.

Loved your analysis of this game. KOTOR2 is imo, the best RPG game ever made. Sure it's very dated, but the story and characters were so well done, that I even play it today and still get immersed in this brilliant game.

KOTOR 2 is the best!!! Bar none!! Cheers Geetly🍺🍺🍺🍺😎🎸

This was an amazing video. My favorite part is the “Healing together” chapter starting 34:24. I like how you delved into the individual deep traumas that each companion carries. One of the biggest themes in this game is trauma and overcoming it to become stronger & wiser. The exile exerts powerful influence over her companions to help them “come to terms with their past” as you said. Opening them to the force is the most beautiful outcome to this…

You’re the main Star Wars channel I watch, and I love your deep dives! I’d really love it if you went more in depth into how the true sith were foreshadowed by kotor, I’d also love to hear more about your take on the revanchists

Kreia is the best written character in history 👏 hands down 🙌 👏 every word that comes out of her mouth is litery gold!

Drew Karpyshyn, the writer who wrote the first two Mass Effect games before abandoning the series, also wrote KOTOR 1, which he also abandoned. His abdication opened the way for the KOTOR 2 team to create the masterpiece storyline of Kreia and The Exile. You are correct--it is the best SW narrative ever written. Because Kreia says plainly that Revan was superseded by The Exile in power and importance, Karpyshyn, in a fit of jealousy, jockeyed into position as the lead writer of SWTOR, and used that position to completely undermine and unravel the story created by KOTOR 2. In my opinion, Drew Karpyshyn is the equivalent of D&D (GoT) and Kathleen Kennedy and her Sith minions in terms of abusing the writing position to destroy a spectacular and higher quality franchise concept.

Hands down the best video on KOTOR 2 I've seen, and I've seen a lot of them! Clear, concise and somewhat unexpected in its conclusion. Good work.

You're the goat for this upload 🙌

Omg I died when you said 12 characters and then showed the disciple. I've literally beaten this game like 7 times. I've never gotten him... I had no idea that was a thing

I love how your intro explanations of the planets could each be the start of a novel. Really shows how much worldbuilding went into the plot.

Personally, I think the most amazing thing about this game is how the developers and head writer went about this story. In interviews, Chris Avellone admitted that he was never a fan of Star Wars before this game. Obsidian didn't even really want to make the game. They could've just slapped together something haphazard that didn't go against the status quo. A simple hero's journey. But they didn't. Instead, he and the team consumed every piece of Star Wars media they could get their hands on, doing their best to truly understand the world they were expected to create. And it shows in their handling of the game. With how rocky the development of the KOTOR remake has been, I say give it back to Obsidian. They've been dying for a chance to handle this tale again and finish it properly, as they wanted without all the pressure from the head honchos. This story is by far the best. It's my favorite game. And that's as is, as unfinished as it is (And no one can deny that it's unfinished, even with the Restored Content Mod, though that mod does definitely help smooth things out). Imagine how amazing it would've been had Obsidian been allowed more time with it? And I'd definitely love a longer video really digging into the meat of this game! It deserves the recognition and discussion!

This channel's ability to effortlessly switch between short, fun videos and longform deep-dives is incredible. So excited for more content from you guys, long and short!

KotOR accomplishes spectacularly what Episode 8 tries and absolutely fails at.

No npc or star wars character challenges you and your decisions like krea. 20:25. 22:41. 25:10. 27:45.

Kreia has such understandable motivations, she reached the height of both jedi and sith, and realized the force itself dictates lives and free will is false. So she wants to kill the force.

Great deep dive. Love exploring the concepts of these games. Definitely interested in anymore deep dives in the topic

I like the long winded monologues. It's soothing but always a hidden darkness and everyone is broken in some way.

its great that Kreia thinks the Force itself has a 'plan' for things - and as such she wants to wage war on God. George Lucas wanted to explore this with his Whills of the Force in the sequel trilogy. Interestingly, Stargate SG1 last few seasons dealt with the idea of 'force ghosts' and how much effect they are allowed on the mortal realm - far better than anything Star Wars has ever done.

Another great video, my friend. I watch these to occupy my time and broaden my knowledge of the Star Wars Universe, and to fall asleep at night. They are great for both.

Between you and Noxxarian, there's hours of content on KOTOR 2 lore.

For the love of anything left sacred in the SW universe, we need a good series or movies that can cover this time period. Sorry for the barrage of posts. I have been writing a KOTOR based Star Wars D20 table top game that starts 5 years after KOTOR 2 ends. I have been devouring Old Republic lore like crazy and this channel has been instrumental in getting me back into it. Fantastic videos and commentary. Keep on slaying it.

Thank you for the interesting video. I have, however, many reservations about the section on Chodo Habat. Essentially, the way you present that particular conflict misses both Kreia's actual point and the reason why there is a conflict between Habat's position and Kreia's. This missing the point is enshrined in your own admission that Habat's point is 'simple'. If Habat's point were so simple and unambiguous, this would not only make Kreia's resistance against it futile (as you try to pass it off). It would also dismantle the very narrative of the game. Habat's point would be well received if all Kreia's reflection amounted to were to strike a balance between the dogmatist dickishness of the Jedi Council, and the cartoonish evil/lust for power of the Sith creed, by giving into the ways of both on an alternate basis. If that were the case, Habat's position would be arguably the more sensible one (and the game would be over, thematically at least). But Kreia's viewpoint goes beyond the mere rejection of Jedi/Sith distortions and shows that Habat's position is itself limited, finite, approaching the issue only from a particular standpoint while surreptitiously raising it to the correct position. Kreia's stance is directed against the force itself. There is a longstanding conception of viewing Kreia's philosophy as essentially Nietzschean. Leaving aside matters of interpretation on Nietzsche's philosophy itself (and especially on his posthumous work Die Wille zur Macht), some traits of Kreia's position appear undoubtedly Nietzschean. In particular, the rejection of dependence on others and the idea that the only valuable strength is the one the agent produces by itself. However, there is a much wider point in Kreia's philosophy that is often neglected and frequently only tangentially expressed. Kreia's stance endorses an almost Kantian defense of the idea and value of rational autonomy. This is the original sin of the force. The force, its existence with its seemingly unstoppable will, is the ultimate affront to the rational autonomy of the subject. Every living creature becomes a mere tool, a simple expendable pawn to be used by the force and its inscrutable biddings. When Kant writes his second critique, the general position in western philosophy on the topic of free will (and on theodicy, the question of reconciling the benevolence of God and the existence of evil) was the Leibniz-Wolff perspective of pre-established harmony. What happens in the world and what human beings do in the world is so according to God's plan. However, this completely undercuts the idea that the human being is a rational, autonomous creature. There is nothing rational nor autonomous in behaving in accordance with what is essentially an external constraint, an authority that cannot even be recognized as such by the subject because its rationale is completely transcendent to the actual world. This is what the force is for Kreia. To be open to the force means the complete rejection and abandonment not only of freedom but of reason, of moral worth. Now what one does is nothing but a minimal expendable cog in the greater architecture of what the force wills. There is no space to be a man, a woman, or an agent here because what one does and what is affected by one's actions are always already beyond the possibility of rational evaluation. This is also where the Nietzschean interpretation of Kreia's philosophy shows its weakness. A Nietzschean perspective, notwithstanding its talk about authenticity or freedom, wouldn't see the force understood this way as something to be resisted or fought. The admittedly sometimes overblown irrationalism of Nietzschean philosophy would view the force as the destiny (the Shicksal, a concept extremely important in the Lebensphilosophie of 1920s Germany that Nietzsche influenced) that awaits those who are worthy of it. To a Nietzschean, it doesn't ultimately matter if there is something transcendent that cannot be rationally comprehended and that undermines rational autonomy (the sometimes forgotten coda to 'God is dead' is 'and you have killed him') as long as this entity establishes a distinction in the worthiness of the subjects under its control which provides the significativity of values in the world. This is where your analysis also reveals itself as simplistic. Kreia's stance is not trivially individualistic as you claim it to be. She would remain a Sith if that were the case, and she'd need much less rationalization than what she provides in the game. The mistake you and many others make in reading the philosophy of Kreia is to conflate individualism and autonomy. this ends up painting her as a kind of Ayn Rand figur more than anything, something she's clearly not (Rand loathed Kant's concept of autonomy, because it carries with it an entitlement to responsibility. And this is the key of Kreia's position: owning up to one's own choices as rational autonomous commitments, not instead as something that can be explained away by external forces acting on the subject). If Kreia were simply a Nietzschean or a Randian, she would stop at the rejection of jedi and sith sects. But no, she rejects the force altogether. And this is why Habat's position is something she rejects as well. What does it mean to heal the planet through the force if this healing also means opening Telos again to that same endless Spiel that brought it to ruins in the first place? If Telos is brought back in contact with the force, the kind of healing it and its inhabitants achieve will be swept away, and with it its significance, at the next turn of events that the endless carousel of the force requires. The only real, factual healing that can be achieved is not by the mere semblance of a temporary improvement brought about by that thing that doomed Telos in the first place. The only real healing that can be achieved is via the rejection of the terms and conditions of the force's game. But Habat cannot understand this, because he approaches the situation as if it were a mere conflict of opposites in a neutral setting. Kreia's position sees through Habat's simple alternative because its simplicity reveals nothing more than a mystification of what's at stake. Of course, in the game, and at that point of the game, this cannot be understood by the player, nor spelled out by Kreia adequately, simply because it is too early for both the Exile and the player. Both the Exile and the player think at this point that the issue at hand is again a new iteration of the light/dark conflict (and it is also presented in this way, with the antagonist played by Czerka at this point). The Exile still thinks her being severed by the force was a punishment by the (light) Jedi Council for other dark side choices. The game instead shows that the whole setting where these conflicts arise is the root of all the suffering endured by the galaxy. There can be no case for the light in KOTOR II, because the light cannot win its case on the terms of the force. On a side note, Kreia's perspective becomes clearer when one keeps in mind that Kreia is essentially Chris Avellone's mouthpiece in the game. Avellone, before becoming lead designer of KOTOR II, didn't really like star wars, and especially rejected the received conception of the force as somehow neutral, disinterested, or worse of all, supposedly trying to strive for a balance that at the same time mysteriously aimed at eliminating completely one of its counterweights. Kreia is Avellone's way of achieving a capacity for self-reflection of star wars on itself. And in essence, Kreia is never proved wrong in the game. The only problem is that the final act of the game makes it look like she's defeated because, after the encounter with the masters on Dantooine, the game loses its plot and fails to make its point. Essentially this is because the game needed a conclusion, and it must be a conclusion that remains within the boundaries of Star Wars. How could have the game progressed once Kreia's lesson had been accepted? The only possible way would have been for the Exile to go into exile again and renounce the game of the force on her own terms. But this does make for an anticlimactic ending. However, the fact that this would have been a more sensible way of ending Kotor II's story can also be seen in the fact that until almost before the game was ready, Atris was planned to be Darth Traya, and not Kreia. Atris would have revealed how her dogmatic adherence to the jedi order was nothing else than the corruption and treachery bred by the sith teachings. However, once Atris is vanquished, there would be no way to move the story further: how can the jedi order be rebuilt? It cannot; it has to be abandoned. Why should the Exile go find and help Revan against the True Sith? the attempt is nothing else than an additional futile move in a game that needs to be abandoned. In fact, it would undercut one of the main narrative plots of the game, the fact that Revan had not simply fallen to the dark side but had recognized a greater peril that could only be met by going beyond jedi teachings. Remember, it is this revelation that gifted us the character Revan as we know and appreciate now, the fallen hero, a complex character that allowed us to revisit the story-line of the first game in a different light. Before this, Revan's story, while entertaining, was not much different than many other Fall/Redemption story-line that we see in star wars (somebody said that Kotor I's storyline had been prequelified, and the old republic era had already a redemption story in Ulic Qel-Droma). By destroying the grip of the force on the Star Wars universe, even Revan's crusade becomes a mere accident, something eliminable that will run its course according to the will of the force.

this is the best video Ive heard explainging KOTOR II. its not a 3 hour long video that over complicates basic star wars concepts but it also doesnt skip anything too important.

I loved this video. I played KOTOR 2 so much when it came out. Thank you for posting this

This is also why kreia is my favorite Star Wars character by a long shot. If there ever was a “grey” Jedi it would be her. She understood that light and dark are just 2 sides of the same coin. 2 halves of the whole picture. Such an interesting character and some incredible writing!

I consider myself one of the biggest and most knowledgeable star wars fanatics in the world and KOTOR 1 and 2 is where it all started and to this day they remain the greatest pieces of star wars media ever created. My love of these games simply cant be overstated. Thank you for this video and here's to hoping the the KOTOR Remake is a huge success so we may one day get a KOTOR 2 remake as well 💯💪🏾

Phenomenal analysis! I really appreciated how you showed how the game's events counter Kreia's perspective on the Force. Your discussion about Force bonds and connection being true power reminds me of the abilities that Luke and Mara discover together in Timothy Zahn's Vision of the Future novel. KOTOR 2 is brilliant, and I think you did a great job of showing how the story's dialogue tells you one thing through Kreia, but its actions and events tell you another.

KoTOR and KoTOR 2, is still one of the best storyline/decision based games I've ever played. I'm glad that many others have enjoyed these games as well. It brings a lot of missing points of view tat isnt normally seen in other Star Wars games or movies. Good work on your content, keep it up.

The story of KOTOR 2 really went over my head on my first playthrough of the game so this video was very useful in helping me finding further enjoyment in this Obsidian classic. I Still don't understand the beginning of the game whatsoever, but ultimately it doesn't matter too much. Very nice video

another great thing to come from these games was Jedi Battle Meditation - a 'seer' class Jedi using the force to harmonize the space fleet - the opposite of Emperor Palpatine who used the dark side to control his battle fleet (i think that was in the Timothy Zahn books) which fell apart when his mortal body was destroyed by Vader.

Love, love, LOVE the writing in this game! IMO, one of the best stories of all time! Thank you for your in-depth analysis. This was great.

This game was the first one I completed multiple times. I went through it so often, when I started a new game almost 14 years later, I remembered almost every outcome of decisions you can make

(And we're back in this.) TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance, the Dark Forces Saga, and Republic Commando are still king/queen in my eyes though. Also, Episode I: Racer.

The title alone already makes this a banger

2:00 - The Restored Content Mod is practically official game content now anyway; when the game was released on Steam they made a point to add Stream Workshop compatibility so the game could be modded easily, and the Switch port was *supposed* to get the Restored Content Mod as official DLC, though whether that plan is still happening is up in the air at this point.

One of the best video essays that I've ever seen and heard! Phenomenal !

The art of these titles carry so much nostalgia and realizing of the amount of work those games required to be as memorable as they are

Great video. Totally agree. My favorite game in the Star Wars universe. 😊

I really like Kreia. I think a great part about her is that she is wrong in the totality of her beliefs, but there is some wisdom to learn. Not every thing you think is being good on a surface level is going to have good consequences. That part where she tells you off for giving some thoughtless charity to someone and then see that person get attacked for it really stuck with me. Maybe she meant it as don't give charity, but my take was more about needing to help systems, not just an act to just feel good. Just like you said about the whole codependence can strengthen everyone involved. Relying on others is not just a weakness, as just any strength equals being stronger. Also the thinkingbof Jedi in black and white terms being something really flawed. Probably why I felt so strongly that the sequel triology should have brought an end to the Jedi and start of something new.

A godly video made by one of my favorite RU-vidrs, and my personal true favorite Star Wars RU-vidrs. I hope you do what you suggested at the end of the video, as this video was an actual masterpiece.

Dang. Now that is a story right there. And a very good one by the sounds of it. And one with a very good message. Power you steal never lasts because you'll always have to steal more when you start to run out. All that power does is, like Kit Fisto once said, "Consume you in the end." But power willingly given and shared between others always regenerates and can come back. It almost never ends. That is ultimately the difference between the philosophies of the Sith and Jedi, even though sometimes the Jedi mess up because some become too ridged and dogmatic, their hearts are usually in the right place. Sith are all about mistrust and taking, while Jedi, generally since again some do mess up, are supposed to be compassionate, trusting, and always trying to help those in need. That is the ultimate strength of the Jedi and the Light Side, because when you help others, they may just help you when you need it, helping each other be better and protect things. One candle may not be able to eliminate and purge all the darkness, but by sharing its light with others, one candle can become a thousand, which can purge the darkness which is always alone. This kind of philosophy can be seen in several aspects between the Jedi and Sith, like how they both make and use Lightsabers. In both Canon and Legends, Jedi find Kaiber Crystals, which are living things, they bond with these Crystals through the Force, becoming partners and maybe even friends, with a mutual trust and respect, both blade and Jedi work together trusting each other, and not fighting against each other, working with each other for not just their own benefits but the benefits of their friends and allies. The blade wants to help them, so when they willingly give themselves over to it and the Force when there in serious trouble, they know full well the blade will help them to protect themselves and those they care about. Whereas the Sith are the opposite. In Canon, they steal someone else's Crystal and torture it until it submits to their own will and does whatever they want. Whereas in Legends they use artificial Crystals, which I assume aren't alive, thus the only will involved is that of the Siths. In both instances, they see the Lightsaber as just a tool, much like they see everything, something to use for their own goals and nothing else, something to be simply replaced after its served its purpose. They refuse to submit to anyone else will, because they think the other doesn't have their best interest in mind. But as the Jedi show, the blade wants to help you not control you, and by working together in harmony a Lightsaber wielder becomes there absolute strongest, more strong than they could be if they fought alone just using their blade without working with it. The moral of this lesson and story is, people bring out the best in each other. We saw this a lot with Anakin during the Clone Wars, sure he would sometimes give into his darkness, but when he was with his friends and family, they always managed to reign him in and bring out the best in him so he could do so much good during the Clone Wars. They all help each other be better. Iron sharps iron. Power friendship. All that good stuff. That's why I still support the Jedi despite their flaws.

Don't you dare take this down again, I want to watch it after my American turkey day festivities

This is how I got into Star Wars lore. I played this game for hours, and prior to that I used to not like Star Wars very much. This is the game that showed me how deep the lore went.

As if I couldn’t love this game even more. I’ve often praised this game for how it tackles Kreia’s unique philosophy but never really looked at home it also provides an opposite. Furthermore I had not considered the more practical aspects such as war, and trauma. Amazing Video

Do the Revan and true sith vids mentioned pls

Honestly, I think Kreia has a bit more depth than all that. The Kreia philosophy video does go into the depth about it, but essentially Kreia is a plot device. She is a master that teaches the Exile the foundation of really what all Jedi should be, and indeed she chooses to martyr herself as the "villain" for her belief in the exile as the "hero". A true Jedi in my mind is the Ubermench parallel. One who is not dependant on the power of others, but uses the power of others to change the world for the better rather than submit to nihilism. And yet, does not enforce or harmfully change the world or those in it. The Ubermench isn't intended as an isolated and atomised individual, but an entity people aspire to be like and as a bettered group go toward the future. One great example of the Ubermech ideology from another series was, admittedly initially, Griffith from Berserk. One the opposite end of the spectrum, especially what we see with radical elements within the Jedi Order, is the Last Man. A being who even is aware of the world's suffering and has enlightenment, but chooses not to use their power to better the world and those in it. They choose nihilism, content and find comfort with how things are. A great many Jedi prior to and even during the Clone Wars is the biggest example of these radical Lightsiders, in this case due to being heavily subsumed in the hierarchy and expectations of Republic politics.

As soon as I heard you recommend stop watching and play the game if you haven't yet, i subscribed. Your love for the game and people experiencing it outweighs your desire for views on youtube, and passionate creators like you deserve support. Kotor 2 will likely always remain my favorite game of all time. Thank you for encouraging others to experience it.

It truly is a testament to how amazing this game really is being that it was released in 2004 and it still being discussed to this very day. Phenomenal writing, phenomenal, storytelling, phenomenal characters, phenomenal plot, phenomenal music, and an overall phenomenal game. I played this game when it was first released when I was a kid and I had fun playing it. It’s much more interesting being an adult now (26 years old) looking back at the game, and seeing the deep subtexts and nuances of each individual character, and why they did what they did. Watching videos like this is somewhat therapeutic for me.

There was a conversation between Krea and Atris where Atris had as much hatred for the force as Krea did, only masked as attempting to save the force and restore it. The Atris story might be one worth diving into deeper as she is wounded as well.

I really enjoyed KOTR and KOTR2.

i absolutely love these videos, and i tottally agree that this was one of if not the best star wars story hands down. i cant think of a better one.

KOTOR 2 gave us a better depiction of the Jedi's self-righteousness and blinding arrogance than the entire prequel trilogy. That was one of the key plot points from the movies that Lucas handled too clumsily and ineffectively. Jedi pride, dogma, hypocrisy, efforts to avoid conflict in the face of an antagonizing force, and their unwillingness to do any introspection or make reforms all caused their own demise and trillions of deaths. That, along with the depiction of the aftermath of 3 catastrophic wars and how complex the morality and characters are, really sealed the deal for how much I loved KOTOR 2 above any other Star Wars story outside of the original trilogy. It gave us a new, more nuanced perspective on the cost of war and the light vs dark relationship.

The thing that makes KOTOR 2 so unique is that Kreia is a teacher, but not a teacher to the Exile. She is a teacher to the player.

Big take, calling this the best story ever. But considering it's a story set during the darkest time in Jedi history until The Great Jedi Purge, you play as a Jedi Exile who lost their connection to the force, and are combating the three strongest Sith in history, it's easy to see why this story is the best. And that's before taking into consideration everything else about the story aswell.

amazing content. Thanks for that. keep doing more videos about KOTOR II please

I played this game for the first time recently, absolutely amazing combination of atmospheric storytelling with personal interactions. I'd love to see a Knights of the Old Republic movie series made one day.

Hello Geetsly’s team, I’d like to ask again that my work be credited in some form, in a comment or the caption of the video. however unlikely that’d be, it would be great to see my work in your content and be excited however each attempt I have made asking for my work to be credited has been met with deletion. my HK 47 art has been used for the thumbnail and my signature was removed. Previous videos featuring my work also featured cropped images of my work to exclude my signature. I still appreciate your content, however the uncredited use of my art has been a thing for a while now. sure they appear on google but when my signature and name is clearly -resent its hard to imagine a scenario a simple “art by” would be out of the question. thanks in advance, I know this will likely be deleted, but if you choose to respond and make it clear the artists who’s work is being used in the future many of these creators would be over the moon to be featured.

Kreia didn't actually straight up kill the jedi masters. She gave them a choice. Die or live life without the force. They chose death.

He also wrote Planescape Torment which I'd argue is a strong contender. But definitely set the bar for star wars

Thank you for correctly understanding the plot and what Kreia is all about. There are some multi hour videos out there (you know the one) and many people that uncritically accept everything Kreia says at face value, even though she's an obvious liar, hypocrite, and master manipulator. Her might makes right ideas are reprehensible in both Star Wars and real life, and it's bizarre to see so many people buy in to nazi-like ubermensch ideology as long as it's framed in terms of "both sides are wrong" nonsense and fantasy terms.

As much as I love KOTOR 2, tossing away KOTOR 1 as just a "what you'd expect from a Star Wars story" is completely off for me. The story of Revan and the dynamics between the protagonist, Bastila and Malak are incredibly deep and anything but a simple Star Wars story.