Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s ponchos are some of the least popular in-game fashion items in recent memory. So much so, it seems the devs themselves want to burn them. While back on the Mantis, one of the idle conversations between crew members sees them come to agreement about finally burning Carl’s ponchos. Given fan reaction to the garment, the crew likely wouldn’t be short of volunteers to light the match.
In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the customisation options are far more robust. Probably because of complaints that the ponchos were a bit rubbish all around, you can now change Cal’s jacket, undershirt, and trousers, as well as customising his hair and facial hair. The ability to change the lightsaber’s beam is available from the very first workbench too. However, if you’re a purist, there is a way to unlock Cal’s Fallen Order look, poncho and all.
Just watch out it doesn’t get burned. During a mid-game mission, Cal will be on the Mantis with Fallen Order crewmates Greez and Merrin. The idle conversation starts over a strange smell on the ship, which Greez (attentive housekeeper that he is) takes offence to. Naturally, Greez throws the blame onto Cal, suggesting he doesn’t even wash his clothes, prompting Merrin to advocate for burning the ponchos. Considering most players won’t be wearing, or possibly won’t even have unlocked the poncho at this point, it feels like Merrin has a bit of a grudge against them.
The ponchos were supposed to channel the old space western days of Star Wars, with Cal one of the last Jedi survivors with nowhere to turn. They recalled the look of Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name in The Dollars Trilogy, which culminated in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - the latter two being fitting descriptions for the ponchos. You’d have to think that players would feel more at ease calling the ponchos ugly to Cal’s face than to Clint’s, mind.
These ponchos just can’t catch a break. Not only do the crew suggest burning it here, but the recently released novel Star Wars: Battle Scars also takes a potshot at the capes. The book stars Merrin, but this time it’s Cal himself joking at the poncho’s expense. When facing an opponent wearing a ridiculous helmet, Cal mocks him, then reflects that he probably shouldn’t go after anyone’s dress sense when he used to run around in a pink poncho.
Fans hoping to experience this moment for themselves this weekend might need to clear some space though, as Jedi: Survivor takes up a huge 150GB of storage space, so large that physical copies can’t fit it all on the disk. Xbox Series S users will only need 44GB of space. As you might expect with a game that size, it can be a little rough around the edges, and our reviewer (hey, that’s me!) noticed some jank and a couple of crashes.
Still, at least these references feel like a charming understanding of community jokes, and come after upgrading the customisation system ten-fold. When you see what the Star Wars movies are doing, with endless spin-offs, callbacks, and cinematic universes, maybe we should be grateful the most divisive thing in the Jedi games is Cal’s fashion sense. Now, who’s got a match?