#asara star wars outlaws

[legomocfodder]

Star Wars Outlaws

Kay Vess and her crew, plus a couple others

1st picture: Asara Deyn, ND-5, Nix, Kay Vess, Gedeek Obaz, and Ank Parako

2nd picture: Vail Tormin, Silro Barsha, Jaylen Vrax, and Riko Vess

[mohnaka]

Asara Deyn and Riko Vess Concept Art (via Iuliia Misiul on ArtStation)

[by-glass-and-waves]

So when I was making the whole Kay and ND-5/Orpheus and Eurydice comparison post, things got...convoluted. To the point where I had to cut my analysis into pieces. So here's another slice. Spoilers for the end of the Star Wars Outlaws and a ton of word vomit, of course.

Whereas the descent into the droid factory was similar to the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, the infiltration into the Revelator is more of an inversion of it. Well, I like to think so, anyway.

Tl;dr: I flip the myth turnways, I look at how ND-5, the Eurydice figure, has at least some agency despite the restraining bolt at the end of the game, and theorize how Jaylen uses that agency to make ND comply with his orders anyway

Kay descends into the Revelator, an underworld in a metaphorical sense (imprisonment there meant certain death). Gedeek doesn't fill the role of Charon. Instead, he becomes the "coin" that allows her to enter the underworld. Funnily enough, it's Sliro who "ferries" Kay to her destination.

After watching what transpires, Kay sees ND-5 standing between Jaylen, the new Director of the ISB and leader of the Zerek Besh, and Asara, the captive "ruler" of the underground rebel base.

When Kay says she's there for ND, Jaylen lets her have him without asking for anything in return—by commanding him to hunt her down. His shade is what he was before he met Kay, a prisoner to the restraining bolt and nothing but another battle droid. And it's this shade that makes constant reminders that he's close behind her, as opposed to Orpheus not hearing Eurydice's footsteps behind him.

ND-5 himself isn't willing to leave with her either. Maybe it's the restraining bolt obligating him to stay, maybe he truly believes that he shouldn't be saved. His lines contradict each other, reminding her that he's nothing but a battle droid and begging her to leave one moment then mocking and threatening her the next.

One line even dehumanizes her to nothing but a target to eliminate: "Enemy in sight."

In his worldview, Kay looking back, coming back for him only meant that the underworld would doom them both. Her, by taking her life. Him, by making him irredeemable and reinforcing his belief that he's nothing but a droid ("your death will be on my conscience").

So, ND said that what he wanted hasn't mattered for a long time. But now, he wants nothing more than for Kay to escape. And the only way she would do so is to chase her out himself.

Jaylen hasn't been oblivious to how the dynamic between Kay and ND-5 evolved over the course of the game. It was especially interesting to see how ND resisted his initial command to shoot Kay on the Trailblazer and still tried to speak as himself over the restraining bolt. It was fascinating to watch. Useful to know.

The perfect lesson in loyalty.

Here is where I suggest that Jaylen told ND-5 that while the objective was to eliminate Kay, he would allow Kay to live on one condition: If saving her life meant making her fear and hate him—for his closest friend to find him so repulsive that she gives up, leaves him behind with his master, and never looks back—was it a price he was willing to pay?

Spurred to kill Kay by Jaylen's command yet determined to set her free by his own choice, knowing either outcome will result in his grief, ND-5 moves without hesitation. "I won't get tired! I will never give up! Run, Kay, and never come back!"

[mohnaka]

I really hope people making Asara some sort of Nice Guy getting in the way of a relationship between Kay and ND-5 isn't going to become a regular thing because that doesn't sit right with me at all