KotOR 2 - True Neutrality, Kreia

HiddenX

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TechRaptor's Robert Grosso talks about the KotOR 2 character Kreia:

Character Select - True Neutrality, Kreia

[...]
Kreia as a character is rather difficult to understand, because for the entire game she represents several different points of view that are emblematic to the Star Wars brand while simultaneously deconstructing the core themes of the franchise. At first, she seems to be a philosopher and mentor to her student, the self-named Jedi Exile that the player creates. She is also a great manipulator, using her powers to slyly coerce other characters, including the Exile, to fulfill her personal goals. Both aspects follow standard Star Wars tropes—the wizened mentor and power-hungry dictator, contrasting each other into one character and representing both the light and dark side of the force vividly for the player. It is the final bit of her character that is most interesting, however, and that is her dedication to true neutrality. In the very poignant twist in the game, Kreia is both a Jedi and a Sith, both light and dark, and an enemy to what she blames as the source for all suffering in the galaxy: the Force itself.
[...]
Kreia is ultimately unique: a mentor and manipulator, a constant companion yet cunning adversary throughout your adventures with the Exile. She is complex in her emotions but simple in her motivations; she is adamant to her convictions and never waivers from her ultimate goals. She is both villain and hero, and neither at the same time—a true neutral character with unclear intentions from the get-go. Using a philosophical stance of true neutrality to question the very notions of what is truly light or dark make Kreia in all of her incarnations a memorable figure in the Star Wars universe.
Thanks Farflame!



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I disagree strongly that Kreia was neutral. She was dark side aka evil depending on what alignment system you look at.

Although she was careful to conceal it for most of the game and manipulated expectations, Kreia (Darth Traya) had evil intent.

Consider this plot summary of KOTOR 2 from Wikipedia:

"If the player aided the Jedi Masters, they prepare to strip the Exile of their Force connection permanently, as the Masters fear that these teachings could result in the actual death of the Force, but Kreia reveals herself to be the former leader of the Sith and murders them all in retribution. If the player killed the Jedi Masters, Kreia attacks the Exile and leaves. Tracking Kreia to Telos, the Exile fights and defeats a corrupted Atris, from whom it is learned that Kreia plans to strengthen a massive wound in the Force made ten years prior. This wound had been created by the Exile during the Mandalorian Wars, when they activated a superweapon in order to end the battle on the planet Malachor V, causing mass death and destruction. Before following her to Malachor V, where Kreia had since rejoined the Sith as Darth Traya, the Exile stops a Sith invasion of Telos, defeating one of Traya's former apprentices, the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus. On Malachor V, the Exile is separated from their companions and fights through hordes of monsters on the planet's surface and the inhabitants of a large Sith Academy that survived the cataclysm. On the final floor of the academy, the Exile kills the Sith Lord Darth Sion and confronts Darth Traya in the planet's core."
 
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In my playthrough I didn't trust her from the very beginning...
 
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In the game I played she was definitely not neutral. More like a psychopath trying to justify her utterly selfish behavior.

A lot more plausible than typical romantic Star Wars characters, but of course that’s why it wasn’t Star Wars.

Apparently, Avellone didn’t care for Star Wars, so he ignored the point of it never being intended as a plausible universe but pure escapism.

Ironically, a lot of fans seem to prefer that.....
 
What's to talk about here?
Kreia is the very reason dartagnan hates Obsidian and finds their writing lower than mediocre.

I mean, compared to Bioshock 3 Elizabeth, Kreira is yet another forgettable copypasted seen everywhere filler.
 
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I like Kreia a lot as a character, but she's not a "grey Jedi" beyond her in-game light/dark meter, similar to Jolee Bindo (who is also not neutral, despite being grumpy about the Jedi).
 
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She just came off as a schemer with a hidden agenda to push. I didn't find her character all that interesting; just an inconvenience who would eventually betray you.
 
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My greatest lesson I took from Kreia was that it was ok to lie to bad people as a lightside Jedi.

In regards to the game in general, for much of the start of it I thought I was still my character from the first game :0\
 
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The concept of a Grey Jedi is a hard one to pull off. Kreia was definitely not it.

If you mean the idea of a Grey Jedi = Sociopath that slaughters everyone equally, then fine... she was it. Didn't really love her character but wasn't the worst either. Kinda saw the betrayal coming.
 
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She just came off as a schemer with a hidden agenda to push. I didn't find her character all that interesting; just an inconvenience who would eventually betray you.

I feel this way about people who read a lot of Ayn Rand.
 
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