Thank you! 👏 And we DO need to remind the Devs. It can't possibly take much effort for the team to switch the customisations to a different vendor or even to the cartel market (I would happily buy CC to get my hands on more Arcann customisations). It's crazy to keep awesome and coveted content like this gated behind an obsolete currency year after year.

Adding my voice to this request! Please Devs, at least just give us access to Arcann's customisations 🙏With Date Night released, now is the time to let us have the customisations again for even more variety and replayability.

They missed the perfect opportunity to use one of the amazing tracks from KOTFE/KOTET (I was really hoping for Arcann's own 'Inner Flame' soundtrack, though I'll concede that might have been too much). Nothing will ever make me like those drums 😞

I finally had time to go on a date with Arcann! ❤️🥰🔥 My immediate thoughts/walls of text are in the SPOILER tag (to be continued after I've had more time to digest everything and try other variations, I'm sure!):

I don't know, that actually sounds quite Zakuulan (and really cool btw)! You just need to dedicate a pure Art Deco corner to him 😉 My geek memorabilia/gaming room is colour-coded to Arcann 😄 I'm keeping everything monochrome with gold accents. The RGB lighting in my gaming PC and peripherals (all white) is set to match the cyan on the Zakuul city sign 😉

LOL 😄 I think all our characters are extremely conscious of the fact that love comes with family in this particular case 😂 All of which is to say that my JK really needs alone-time with Arcann at this point 😉

We can finally talk about Date Night! 🥳 Thank you so much for this Valentine's Day gift, Devs! ❤️ There will always be someone who disagrees, but in my opinion, this is the perfect thing to spend resources on. Aside from lightsabers, the one thing that sets SWTOR apart and makes it special in comparison to newer, better-funded MMOs is the companions. The more Dev love shown to them, the better! I'm so glad that ALL the romanceable companions will eventually have their own moment to shine. I realise some people will have to wait a while for their faves, but I think it'll be worth it to have a scene that feels truly unique to each companion (as Ashley and Caitlin described it in the Stream). I do think it makes sense to start with Arcann, Lana, Theron and Koth since, as they also pointed out, their romances are available to all classes and genders. A few Arcann-specific thoughts in the spoiler tags (I'm only writing about things that were revealed in the Live Stream yesterday, but in case anyone hasn't seen it yet): I never thought I would disagree with that statement, but this might be the one time! Normally, I always want more Senya, but I definitely don't need mom to turn up for Date Night! I adore Senya, but... her son is a grown man and needs some alone-time with the love of his life 😉

I just want to remind everyone to be careful what you discuss here on the official forum. I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to talk about unreleased and unannounced content. Aside from the datapad bug, there's also a certain item in the decoration list (unfinished and unplacable, but there) which the Devs haven't bothered to remove in months, so I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a secret or not. But everything else known about this potentially upcoming content is a result of datamining and definitely not something we should discuss in detail, even with spoiler tags. The next livestream just so happens to be on Valentine's Day... Fingers crossed that's not a coincidence! I really, really hope the Devs make an announcement then so that we can talk about this openly. Until then, I also want to remind everyone that @Siita and I have a Discord server dedicated to discussing all things Arcann and KOTFE/KOTET (including things that aren't appropriate to talk about here). If anyone wants an invitation, just PM one of us! 🙂 As for how I feel about possibly getting certain yet-to-be-officially-announced Arcann content soon... I'm barely coherent from excitement right now and I have so many thoughts and feelings that I can't wait to talk about! 😊

It's always wonderful to get these glimpses behind the curtain, and to see you (and the rest of the team) reiterate that you still care about all of the companion characters, including the ones who can be killed (and I think you have more than proven that with the amazing content we've had in recent updates for Arcann and Torian). I hope all of the writers on team view our calls for even more companion content as praise for writing characters that we are still emotionally invested in, even after some of them have been silent for years. Thank you again for taking the time to respond ❤️

Time to resurrect this thread again! ☺️ I figure it'll be quite a while before we'll see Arcann again (I'm not complaining about that - he had no connection to the storyline of 7.4 and I'm still riding the high from Old Wounds!). While we wait and hope for more content featuring him in the future, I would love to exchange fandom/fanfiction/fanmerch recommendations with the rest of you. Here's a few from me: This is probably a little late for Christmas, but if any of you are looking for buy yourselves a gift, this wonderful seller on Etsy still has a few Arcann holograms for sale (commissioned and posed by @Siita and myself). We had the idea from the Vaylin holo that you can pick up from the palace in KOTET. "Let him light up your life" 😉 I plan to pick up this squad of Zakuul Knight minis from Etsy, too. It should be a fun challenge to paint those! I've also been reaching out to some artists in the hopes of commissioning some artwork of Arcann and my JK in the new year. I hope to have something amazing to share in this thread soon ☺️One of the best pieces of Arcann I've seen recently is by BBSketchess, over here. Jake Bartok, who works as an illustrator for Lucasfilm, also did an interesting AU KOTOR piece with Arcann in it not that long ago. Edit: With the author's permission, I'd also like to recommend the fanfiction of StarettetheStar/@cosmicchar whose work can be found on Ao3. I really enjoy introspective character studies (sometimes more than romance fics) and these ones are very well-written. This one is my favourite ❤️ As for myself, I just finished a new story about the Old Gods and a very young, mortal, pre-possession Valkorion. It was a highly experimental piece for me and I don't expect many people to be interested in it, but I had so much fun writing it and I'm really happy with the result. I aim to write another chapter to my main story over the holidays (the one in my signature) and I have another WIP about Arcann hopefully ready to publish soon, too.

I was going to post the exact same thing in one of the other threads (and only didn't because I felt I'd already complained too much about the bugged crate on release-day 😄). I agree completely. I was very sad not to see Aric or any of the other companions with a connection to Ord Mantell, too. I also love when they bring back minor NPCs from the base game storylines, but I wish their first priority would always be our old (and very neglected) class companions - and the same thing goes for letters. It does add flavour to get mails from obscure NPCs, but I would much, much, much rather hear from the companion characters. I heard that Lane's questline is really good and lots of fun. Looking forward to playing that next!

I really enjoyed 7.4! This update was off to a rocky start for me with game-breaking bugs (the infamous crate) and the exorbitant price of the new dyes (which did sour my mood), but I found myself really enjoying the new story, characters and area in the end. Kessan's Landing looks great and you can really tell that a lot of love went into the area design. It's atmospheric and feels alive and lived in. I felt like both my tech and Force-using characters had reason to be invested in the events. I also really enjoyed seeing my JK looking awesome and using the Force so often in the cutscenes. All the new characters were interesting to me. Details in the spoiler tags: The plot is still moving forward at a snail's pace, but I didn't actually mind that in 7.3 or 7.4 because both updates have been so rich in character interaction and development.

I gave up playing the new story update this evening as well. I spent an hour standing around a crate with a pile of people on top of it until I decided I can think of better things to do with my evening. As in, literally anything 😂 I'm shocked that someone on the team would make such a basic a mistake when designing the quest. What on earth did they think would happen when you place a single crate with a lengthy respawn timer in a general area and lock the rest of the new story behind it? Why not simply put the clickable item in an instance or make it respawn instantly? This is really disappointing.

I would like to know how long a "limited time" is. I was really looking forward to the new dyes and I knew they would be CM items, but demanding an exorbitant price for them and demanding it ASAP in December (at a time where many people would like to prioritise their RL Christmas budget) is very disappointing, tbh 😔

/Signed! I would also buy a bunch IRL, if EA/Broadsword were able to produce SWTOR merch... (I realise that probably can't happen because of licensing, costs etc., but one can dream) 🙏

I don't think Arcann defied Valkorion by freeing Vaylin from Nathema. I always had the impression that Valkorion sent Arcann there to fetch her, probably knowing very well that the double effect of seeing his sister caged and tortured + experiencing the void in the Force would give Arcann yet another push towards the brink. Vaylin says to not-Thexan on Iokath: "I remember when Father sent you to bring me home. You hated my cage almost as much as I did... The thing is, Thexan - you didn't bring me home. That was Arcann." In the flashback scene at the beginning of "Into the Void", we see Vaylin returning from Nathema to kneel before Valkorion and there's no sign that Arcann has disobeyed their father by bringing her home at all. Vaylin says to Valkorion, "you should have left me on Nathema", making it clear that it was Valkorion's decision to bring her back at that time. Valkorion looks really smug throughout the whole scene; everything seems to be going exactly according to his plan. Meanwhile, Arcann and Thexan are standing by silently - there's no sense that either of them are openly rebelling against the treatment of their sister, but it's Thexan who turns and looks at her with concern (Arcann doesn't look at Vaylin at all, but he constantly looks to Thexan, as if waiting for his lead). Arcann does say to Vaylin "I freed you from father's control", but I think he's referring to getting rid of Valkorion via the Outlander and making her his High Justice (we know that Vaylin was most likely not High Justice before Arcann became emperor, partly because Valkorion wouldn't have given her that kind of power or freedom of movement, and partly because the Codex mentions a former High Justice named Yuriem). I don't think DS Arcann had any idea how to help Vaylin, except to empower her as High Justice. Of course, that only enables her to wreak more destruction. I'm sure Arcann did hate to see her caged on Nathema, partly because he cared about her (obviously, you can care about a sibling without being close to them), but mainly because it's even more evidence of Valkorion's abuse. I definitely don't think he and Vaylin were ever close or understood each other very well. There's plenty of evidence to suggest that they weren't, such as the fact that they never touch (in contrast, she immediately reaches out for Thexan's hand on Iokath), or act remotely supportive towards each other while in power (Arcann later blames himself for "provoking Vaylin's anger", though it seems to more often be the other way around). Vaylin does show glimpses of vulnerability (when she tells not-Thexan on Iokath that her imprisonment "felt like drowning" and when she tells Senya "you left me"), but she is never once open or vulnerable with Arcann. This is pretty much exactly how I view Thexan, too. I think the difference between them is partly down to personality (Arcann "always felt everything so strongly", as Senya says in the letter we never received, and might simply have been a more sensitive child who was more deeply hurt by Valkorion's neglect), and partly to the preferential treatment that we know Thexan received. We can extrapolate from the fact that Thexan alone was allowed to go to the Core Worlds, despite the campaign being "Arcann's vision", as we learn in "Brothers", and assume that it wasn't the first time Thexan was trusted with something and Arcann wasn't. I assume that Arcann was constantly made to feel inferior while growing up as part of Valkorion's mind game. It's common that children in dysfunctional families (specifically when there is abuse, neglect or alcohol/drug addiction) take on the role of either Scapegoat (the angry problem child who verbalises the abuse and rebels openly against it) or Hero (the 'golden child' who devotes all their time to making the family appear normal and happy). I think that's precisely what happened with Arcann and Thexan. There's an interesting source about that here, which I think describes them both perfectly. Note that Thexan also fits another dysfunctional family role, the Enabler. The site also mentions that the "Hero" child is often the favourite of a narcissistic parent... Another role, the Mascot, is what I think Vaylin might have become if she hadn't been locked away and broken at Nathema. https://www.outofthestorm.website/dysfunctional-family-roles

Oh, agreed! Byron's fictional characters were definitely superior to the author (but whose isn't?). As far as I recall (but I didn't fact-check this), Byron never intended for the fictional archetype he created to be a named after him or to mirror his personality. His readership just assumed that he was like his characters. Emily is my favourite Bronte, too 🙂 I'm curious now - what are some other characters that you think make good comparions to Arcann? I'm always looking to read about someone who reminds me of him!

It's also a good example of the duality (light/dark) that's so integral to his character. The dark side of singlemindedness can turn into obsession while the lighter flipside becomes devotion. As we all know, DS Arcann is obsessive to the point of self-destruction while LS Arcann is devoted to our character and/or our cause, possibly also to the point of being self-effacing. This is one of those things where there's a gap between what I want to see for Arcann as a player and what my JK would want for him in-universe. She would definitely say the same as you; she wouldn't want him to be so reliant on her that he couldn't go on without her. She wouldn't want anyone to die for her, least of all him. When she said "seeing you happy is enough for me" in the initial romance scene, that summed up perfectly how I imagine her feelings for him. She wants to be with him, of course, but more than anything she wants to see him heal and become a whole, happy person with a wide circle of friends and supporters. But for me, I don't really want to see Arcann recover so much that he isn't still the deeply flawed character I fell for to begin with 😉 I adore obsessive, tragic Byronic Hero types in fiction. I think Arcann very much fits that character type, even post-redemption. I personally don't think he would be able to handle it if our character died, and to be perfectly honest, that's how I (but not my JK!) prefers it. I don't think that he would necessarily become suicidal (although if her death was somehow his fault, even if by complete accident, then I think he would go down an extremely dark path). I don't think he would necessarily fall to the Dark Side again, either, but I do think he would be profoundly miserable and not allow himself to love again. He has finally learned to love someone (who isn't a family member) and experienced being loved and accepted in return. Losing that would be such a massive blow that I'm not sure I can see him recovering. If she died, I would expect him to act like other literary characters with similar traits, who are also obsessive/extremely devoted to the love of their life, and unable to move past it, even if circumstances or death prevent them from being together: Heathcliff, Mr. Rochester, Anakin, etc. I think it would be a "spiritual death" for him, so to speak, but exactly how that would look all depends very much on the context of her death.

Oh, I agree with all of that - except that my toons could possibly rival Arcann in terms of attractiveness 😄 But a lot of that is to blame on outdated graphics, obviously. If we imagined swtor as a live action movie, no doubt the SW and JK would be dangerous and attractive men in their own right. Singlemindedness has its pros and cons. I think it gives him a great deal of his determination, which probably helps him succeed in some ways, such as on his recent quest for Nul's relic, but it's not a great trait for a ruler. Remember in the "Brothers" short story when Valkorion says to Thexan that Arcann's vision is narrow? I think there was a grain of truth in that, like with most of Valkorion's barbs. And of course we see it in his single-minded pursuit of the Outlander. He basically lets Scorpio take his throne because he's hyper-focused on catching us. And we see it in the mechanics of some of our fights with him where he loses situational awareness, as we've discussed before.

Exactly - neither of them are hedonists. I can't agree with you on the first part though - Arcann is a way better catch for a Sith Empress than the Commander (even if the Commander is a Sith), imo! 😄 But yeah, I don't think he would be interested in her either. If he had wanted a purely physical relationship, surely there would be better and safer options for him on Zakuul. On the topic of livestreams, I was just listening to some old streams from 7 and 8 years ago. There is some really cool dev commenary on Arcann, Valkorion and Vaylin in some of them. Definitely worth a watch, if you haven't seen them/don't remember them. I was just listening to Boyd describing Arcann as "stoic" and "single-minded" in one of them 🙂

I mean, it's implied pretty heavily in that codex entry that it's just a rumour. Here's the text (my highlights): "Whispered gossip suggested their relationship went much deeper than mere political alliance, though little exists to substantiate those rumours." It's pretty obvious to me that it's intended to show that people in this galaxy gossip about their rulers/heads of state the same way people in the real world gossip about celebrities. I agree with @JakRoanin that Arcann would not allow himself to be dominated, but even more than that, I don't think he would allow himself to be used physically or manipulated emotionally (those are major triggers for him), which would be the most likely motivation for Acina (since she shows no signs of actually caring about him). I can see him potentially having some physical intimacy (kissing etc.) with others as a young man before Korriban, but I doubt it went beyond that. Mostly because I just really don't see him as someone interested in meaningless/emotionless sex, not even during his Dark Times, and since we agree that he has never been in love before that is what it would have been. How did you both feel about tonight's livestream? I must admit I'm pretty annoyed and disappointed that there's still no mention of the DvL tokens and customisations.

I have the same headcanon for him and my JK 🙂 She's a good Jedi and has definitely never been touched 😄 As I think we've discussed before, I think Arcann may have grown up with some pretty strict protocols around touching, too. Historically, many emperors in the real world lived pretty secluded lives and touching the emperor is still somewhat taboo in Japan today (even extending to handing him things). Although Zakuul generally seems to have more in common with the ancient Roman empire, I'm guessing they were probably more like the Chinese and Japanese empires (or even Ancient Egypt) with regard to the emperor's personal life. I read somewhere that Chinese emperors in the 15th and 16th century were virtually imprisoned in their palaces (it seems like Arcann only left Zakuul to go chasing after us while he was emperor). They even ate alone (I bet Arcann did too; that would have meant he wouldn't have to take off the mask in front of anyone, as well). Of course, those historical emperors tended to have a bunch of wives and concubines to keep them company. I definitely don't think Arcann would have had any interest in that (not necessarily because he was morally above it during his Dark Times, but I think he would have been too paranoid, too angry, and possibly too emotionally wounded for that). I'm really interested in thinking about how it must have felt for him to transition from that kind of existence to being part of the Alliance and having a more ordinary life, including being close to other people and being in a romantic relationship. I love it when he talks about it being "unfamiliar territory" 😉 I wish more people would write fanfic about that (since it isn't really something that can be explored in-depth in the game) - and about Zakuulan customs and culture in general, and how they might have influenced his experiences and outlook (I'm trying to do it myself, but I'm so slow) 😄

In some of the relationships I think it's fine to have a fade-to-black scene earlier, but I agree that in Vette's case it's definitely much better that she stands her ground and insists on marriage first. Since that particular relationship starts out with a totally insane power dynamic, it feels right that Vette insists on being respected and treated as an equal. Even more so because Twi'leks (and aliens in general) are treated as inferiors in the Sith Empire, and the SW is canonically from a prestigious Sith bloodline, so I like the idea that he agrees to legitimise the relationship through marriage. It would be cool to actually have these weddings take place in the game, though (and I'm not talking about the kind of "ceremony" that the JK can have with Doc - let's not even talk about that cringefest 😬). Don't Twi'leks have pretty elaborate marriage ceremonies? Vette seems to care about her culture, so I could imagine her wanting to honour those traditions. I realise that could never happen in the game because of the resources required, but I would like it even if it happened "behind the scenes" and we heard about it through mails or something, With Arcann, I can see him wanting to wait for marriage - but there's also such a thing as having waited long enough, already 😄 I'm firmly on the team that believes that Arcann has never had a romantic or physical relationship before, and while that's something I really like about him and his romance (I'm all about the old-fashioned slowburn romance and courtliness, as you know from the podcast), I am starting to think that I would like both him and my JK to live a little and have that fade-to-black moment before they're ready to retire, I guess 😄 Having said that, I like that it's left very much up to player interpretation where exactly Arcann and our PC are right now in terms of intimacy. I think it's equally valid to assume that they've been lovers for a long time (behind the scenes) or that they haven't progressed beyond hugs and kisses yet. As for the L-word - Yes, he definitely needs to voice it! If not yet, then at least at some point. I'm dying to hear them say it to each other ❤️

Hi! ☺️ The podcast will definitely be back! We still have so many topics we want to discuss. We're just on a short hiatus right now because of RL stuff. I would like to see our old class companions again, too (especially Aric and Vector - they are both old favourites of mine), but I won't pretend I wouldn't much rather have more Arcann - just being honest! 😄 Torian has had some appearances recently - I think it's very reasonable to hope that people who saved Vette will hear from her soon, too 🙂The devs seem to be commtted to letting companions appear in the story when it's relevant to their arcs and the overall plot. I think that's the right strategy, rather than shoe-horning them in there just because it's someone's "turn" to make an appearance.

I had missed that! Thank you for posting the link. That response was posted almost two years ago though... I think it's time we start making some noise about it again. If it's going to take them years to reintroduce the DvL event, it's reasonable to ask that they make those customisations available by some other means until then.