SPOILERS AHEAD
EA and Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor introduced a plethora of new and interesting villains for players to learn about and fight against. From fallen High Republic Jedi Dagan Gera to Jedi turned ISB operative Bode Akuna, each new villain of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor expanded the fallout of Order 66 and explored how the corruption of Jedi can impact the galaxy in a variety of tragic ways. However, not every character was given an equal amount of screen time or attention, leaving many players craving more information about certain characters, even if it’s unlikely that they’ll return in Star Wars Jedi 3. One such character is the imposing Gen’Dai Rayvis.
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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Gen'Dai Villain Rayvis Explained
While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was initially revealed at 2022’s Star Wars Celebration - Anaheim with a trailer showcasing antagonists like Pau'an Senator Daho Sejan and Dagan Gera, Rayvis wouldn’t be officially shown to the public until The Game Awards ceremony later that same year. Here, audiences were able to view an official gameplay reveal trailer, which showcased Rayvis as a towering Gen’Dai leading a then-unknown faction that was working alongside Gera. For many viewers, Rayvis’ reveal as a Gen’Dai was instantly intriguing and foreboding; this alien race was well-known for being nearly invincible, as previously seen with Gen'Dai bounty hunter Durge from the Clone Wars.
Rayvis was written as a sort of chivalrous being, loyal to his personal code and promises to a fault, but with a tendency to get annoyed by smaller, weaker beings such as the embellishing Turgle. This can be seen during Cal Kestis’ first encounter with Rayvis threatening Turgle after he sold the Gen’Dai a fake key that would free Gera from his bacta tank. Eventually, Kestis learns that Rayvis once fought and killed several Jedi during the Star Wars High Republic Era. Gera stopped him, sparring the Gen'Dai, who then swore a life debt. When Gera was captured, Rayvis attempted to free him but was defeated and imprisoned by the Jedi for centuries until the rise of the Galactic Empire.
The Death of Rayvis
After escaping his imprisonment, Rayvis traveled to Koboh and created the Bedlam Raiders to locate Gera. They established an aggressive presence on the planet, especially after salvaging a downed core of a Separatist Lucrehulk-class battleship. After Kestis freed Gera, Rayvis continued to aid Gera in his efforts to return to the hidden planet Tanalorr. He later informed the fallen Jedi that he would consider his debt fulfilled once Gera recovered the Koboh Abyss compass. Rayvis was later killed by Kestis on Koboh’s Shattered Moon after being initially defeated by the Jedi and refusing to work alongside him to thwart Gera’s efforts, instead requesting the honorable death he had long sought.
The Gen’Dai have so far only appeared in three Star Wars video games, including Star Wars: Battle for the Republic, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Rayvis’ Underutilized Potential in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Despite the innate allure of fighting an invincible tentacle alien, many players expressed disappointment with how Rayvis was utilized in Survivor, especially in gameplay. Kestis only encounters Rayvis five times in the entirety of Survivor’s runtime, not including instances of Rayvis talking over intercoms or past Force Echoes. Of those five encounters, there's only one Star Wars Jedi: Survivor boss fight against Rayvis just before he dies on the Shattered Moon. While Rayvis’ boss fight was challenging, many players expected to fight Rayvis multiple times in the game. He is a Gen'Dai after all. Durge was depicted using his tentacle to attack groups of foes, but Rayvis only utilizes his to heal.
While many prior depictions of Gen’Dai in Star Wars are no longer canon, several fans expected Rayvis to be depicted similarly to Durge and other Legends-originating Gen’Dai. Durge himself would later be reintroduced in modern Star Wars canon through Marvel’s Star Wars comics, but he and Rayvis have yet to display monstrous abilities like those in Star Wars: Clone Wars. Since Clone Wars was the most famous use of Gen’Dai before Survivor’s debut, many expected more and got less. Unfortunately, that also limits Gen'Dai appearances in the future.
Rayvis’ Potential Legacy in Star Wars Jedi 3
It may have been interesting to see Rayvis survive and fight beyond the events of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, or at least serve in a capacity that established the threat of the Gen'Dai. It's unlikely at this point, given his depiction and story direction. However, Rayvis' impact on the series may continue in Survivor’s upcoming sequel. While Gera and Rayvis were both killed by Kestis, the Bedlam Raiders could be an enemy in Star Wars Jedi 3, albeit in a reduced capacity. Some of Rayvis’ surviving lightsaber-wielding lieutenants may attempt to hunt down Kestis to avenge their fallen leader, serving similar roles to the Haxion Brood’s bounty hunters in both Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor. But none will be intimidating without Rayvis.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- April 28, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Star Wars
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?
Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Soulslike, Sci-Fi
