One of the most integral parts of the Imperial Security Bureau agent, Alexsandr Kallus. Kallus is morally complex and has perhaps one of the most well-written, satisfying character arcs.
Linguistically, Star Wars does not shy away from giving characters names that reflect their true intentions or foreshadow something about their fate. General Grievous’ name translates to his terrible actions, while Han Solo is a loner who prefers to work, well, solo. Agent Kallus is no exception.
When introduced in Rebels, his name alone gives the impression of someone harsh and by the book, which winds up to be accurate — at least in the first two seasons. In both the comics and series, Kallus makes it his mission to hunt down and capture the rebels, proving to be a smart and capable adversary.
Agent Kallus Was a Thorn in the Rebels' Side for Years
His Main Goal Was to Bring Insurgents to Imperial Justice
Kallus was introduced in the very first episode of Star Wars: Rebels, entitled “Spark of the Rebellion: Part 1.” As a high-ranking member of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB), Kallus’ main task is to eliminate the rebel presence on the planet Lothal. He is intelligent, calculating, and strategic, making life difficult for the titular rebels — Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, Zeb Orrelios, Ezra Bridger, and Chopper the droid. Kallus is constantly on their tail, no matter what move they make. However, despite their best attempts, the rebels get the best of Kallus almost every time.
In the first two seasons of Rebels, Kallus is loyal to the Empire to the point where he captures people he considers friends. The 2015 comic strip Kallus’ Hunt, written by Martin Fisher with art by Bob Molesworth, focuses on Kallus capturing Javon, an old friend. When Kallus is told that Javon is a traitor to the Empire, he hunts the man down, engaging in physical combat, blaster exchanges, and ultimately, an airborne chase. When Javon crashes, Kallus pulls the unarmed man from his ship. Javon asks his old friend to show mercy, to which Kallus replies, “There is no mercy,” before stunning his enemy.
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Kallus’ relentlessness and blind loyalty to the Empire even earned him commendations from Darth Vader in another Fisher and Molesworth comic strip, No Sympathy. Kallus captures an internal ISB traitor and chastises her for betraying the Empire, saying that the rebels will never succeed because they do not have something to fight for. In this way, Kallus was always at a disadvantage because he truly did not understand his enemies and how ionate they were. Kallus and Zeb have a particularly volatile relationship, as Kallus was part of the Imperial assault that led to the genocide of Zeb’s kind, the Lasat, and the destruction of their planet.
A Single Experience Opened Kallus' Eyes to What the Rebels Really Were
The Idea of the Rebels as a Family Never Crossed His Mind
While Kallus is a valiant and dangerous enemy against the rebels, blindly devoted to the Empire, a shift starts to occur in season 2, episode 17 of Rebels, entitled “The Honorable Ones.” Kallus and Zeb find themselves stranded in a deep underground cave on the desolate, freezing moon of Geonosis. Upon impact, Kallus breaks his leg and assumes that Zeb will finally take what he wants and end Kallus’ life. However, the two wind up bonding, with Kallus ultimately revealing that he was completely unaware of the Empire’s intention to mass murder the Lasat and has lived with crushing guilt ever since.
When the Ghost crew lands to rescue Zeb, it is the first time Kallus witnesses that the rebels are more than just a random group of insurgents; they are a family who love each other deeply and would sacrifice anything for one another. Upon his own rescue, Kallus realizes that none of his colleagues cared — let alone noticed — that he was missing and returned with a broken leg. That moment was integral to Kallus’ character development, as he started to realize the flaws in the Empire’s rule after that.
The Rebellion Needed Kallus as Much as Kallus Needed the Rebellion
From Imperial Servant to Rebel Spy
Early on in Rebels, it is established that a secret agent who goes by the code name “Fulcrum” transmits Empire intelligence to the Rebel Alliance, helping them decide missions. Eventually, Ahsoka Tano is revealed to be Fulcrum, but after she is seamlessly lost during her duel with Vader on Malachor in the season 2 finale, “Twilight of the Apprentice,” the Alliance is left without their most valuable spy. However, a new Fulcrum begins transmitting after Ahsoka’s disappearance, ing valuable Imperial information along. In season 3, episode 15, “Through Imperial Eyes,” Kallus reveals to Ezra and Kanan that he is Fulcrum, much to the Jedi’s surprise.
After his experience with Zeb on the Geonosian moon, Kallus becomes disillusioned with the Empire, especially when Grand iral Thrawn is brought in to fight the rebel presence in the Outer Rim. Thrawn’s tactics are brutal, and, oftentimes, he mentally breaks his enemies. When Thrawn deduces that Kallus is a double agent, he tortures and beats Kallus while launching an assault on the rebels’ secret base. However, the Ghost crew stage a rescue and take Kallus in as one of their own.
The day I betrayed your Empire, Governor, was the day I finally stopped betraying myself.
-Star Wars: Rebels, Season 4, Episode 14: "A Fool's Hope"
After his extraction from the Empire, Kallus was most frequently stationed on the rebel base on Yavin 4. His knowledge of Imperial agents, policies, and movements was essential for the rebels' strategic planning. However, he does not only stay on Yavin 4, frequently accompanying the Ghost crew on the very ship he tried to capture time and time again. In the ultimate twist of fate, Kallus was a key player during the Battle of Lothal, helping to liberate the planet he once oppressed.
Kallus' Redemption Was Made All the More Satisfying Thanks to the Lasat
One Revelation Relieved the Crushing Guilt that Had Been Hanging Over Kallus' Head for Years
Following the end of the Galactic Civil War, Zeb brings Kallus to the Lasats' new home planet, showing Kallus that he had not in fact had a hand in the Lasat genocide. The Lasat eagerly embrace Kallus and bring him into the fold of their community, bringing Kallus’ story full circle in the most touching way. Kallus’ eventual life with the Lasat is a testament to how far he came, going from a man who blindly follows orders and never asks questions to an essential player in the rebellion.
Kallus went from steadfastly believing that the rebels would never win because they had nothing to fight for, to being one of the rebels himself and fighting for a cause way bigger than himself.
When Kallus witnessed Hera, Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, and even Chopper lovingly embracing their friend and welcoming him home after their experience on the moon of Geonosis, he realized that everything he thought he knew was wrong. Kallus went from steadfastly believing that the rebels would never win because they had nothing to fight for, to being one of the rebels himself and fighting for a cause way bigger than all of them. His redemption arc is slow and done in a realistic way, making Kallus one of the most interesting and well-written characters in Star Wars.
Star Wars Rebels
- Network
- Disney Channel
- Showrunner
- Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg
- Directors
- Dave Filoni
Cast
David Oyelowo
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Tiya Sircar
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Dave Filoni, Greg Weisman
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
