Although the game has yet to be officially announced, developer Respawn Entertainment is already hard at work on a sequel to Fallen Order sequel will have a new name, according to insiders, but is still expected to continue the story of Cal Kestis, the first game's protagonist. There's no guarantee that the Fallen Order sequel will be darker, but its something of a tradition for Star Wars sequels, and the original left its narrative in a place where the danger to Cal and the crew of the Mantis is likely greater than it ever was during the first game.
The Empire Strikes Back is practically the archetypal example of a sequel that gets much darker than its predecessor. The main characters have essentially lost to the Empire by the end; Luke is bested (and has his hand severed) by Darth Vader, Han has been frozen in carbonite, and Death Star II is well underway after the Rebel base on Hoth was destroyed. The Last Jedi takes a serious turn, and even Attack of the Clones ends with Yoda's ominous "Begun, the Clone War has" quote right before the Imperial March is heard for the first time in the prequels. Granted, Episode III (and the ridiculously dark Revenge of the Sith game) is even grimmer, but the entire prequel trilogy is a gradual descent into the Sith ruling the galaxy.
It wouldn't be a shock for Fallen Order 2 (or whatever new name Respawn has come up with) to embrace this Star Wars trope, especially given the original's ending. Cal was initially being hunted by Imperial Inquisitors, who are exceptionally dangerous in their own right but pale in comparison to Darth Vader, who is now personally involved in the story. Vader is perhaps Star Wars' most iconic character, and the Fallen Order sequel offers an opportunity for him to really demonstrate his power. Additionally, Fallen Order came very close to killing off some of its central characters, and that possibility seems more likely once the sequel has given them some additional development.
Fallen Order's Sequel Has Lots Of Chances For Dark Star Wars Story Arcs
In a recent interview, Cal Kestis voice actor Cameron Monaghan expressed a hope that a Fallen Order sequel can explore a darker Cal, building off of the original's themes of the protagonist working through his past traumas as they relate to his old Jedi Master and the events resulting from Order 66. With Cal's established character, it seems unlikely that he would fall to the Dark Side, but there seems to always be a risk when exploring one's connection to the Force. This could potentially be a throughline in Fallen Order 2, but seeing as Cal's flashbacks were a major narrative component to the first game, the sequel might opt to let its darker elements come from sources outside of its protagonist.
With the first game taking place five years after the Great Jedi Purge, the Galactic Empire is still very much on the rise. Cal and the rest of the Mantis crew will conceivably attempt to do their part in resisting the continued power consolidation by the Sith, but the original films have already shown how powerful the Empire becomes. The Imperials aren't known to shy away from humanitarian atrocities, and the sequel will be perfectly situated on the timeline to show a galaxy succumbing to fascism. When Fallen Order 2 is officially announced, some questions will finally be answered, but the first Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has already laid the groundwork for a more serious turn.
