KotET 7&8 What if... [SPOILERS]

[RowanThursday]

So, thinking about the KotET story, which I love, and the couple of things about it which I don't, had a random thought about how the ends of Chapters 7 and 8 could have gone. Spoiler-wrapped to avoid spoiling how it did go.

 

 

 

Starting with Nathema, by all means keep the creepy Anomid scientist, but, have the facility under the command of a former Sith Lord, captured and dominated by Arcann during the five years, who, knowing little or nothing of events on the outside, other than what the Empire has allowed him, believes that he's forcing Valkorian' s scientists to free Empress Vaylin from her conditioning so that she can finally destroy Tenebrae in his latest host body. Which is, after all, true... from a certain point of view. The Sith in question? Lord SCOURGE.

 

Once Lana and the Outlander arrive at the facility, then have Scourge take the role of leading them to the Vault, only this time "we must take shelter" is only a pretext, and his aim is to give the Dramath Holocron to the Outlander, once they're in the Vault and shielded from Tenebrae.

 

This happens, we all get out (Scourge DOESN'T get killed by a random rent-a-mob in the Vault), and a very suspicious Valkorian diverts us, revealing the existence, elsewhere in the facility, of a relic, basically a "Holy Hand Grenade", which could stun Vaylin long enough to tip the balance. We hurry to it, while the facility is breaking up, and once there are confronted by its guardian monster.

 

Valkorian then pulls his usual "I can fix this for you, I only need two seconds of control...." gambit.

 

IF you refuse, then the guardian smashes the relic, the facility falls apart, Valkorian sulks, but between them Scourge and Theron get you and Lana and the holocron out, Scourge joins your alliance, and you all head back to Odessen for Chapter 8.

 

IF you accept, then Valkorian destroys the Guardian by vengefully hurling Scourge at it, then channelling so much force lightning into Scourge that he explodes (and finally dies).

 

VALKORIAN: Traitor! Now learn that the eternal life I once gave to you, I can also take away!

 

SCOURGE: You think I fear death after all these centuries of life? Death is a friend I let you keep from me for so long, in the hope that I could one day introduce him to you. Farewell, Emperor. I go gladly to my end, knowing that I bring you closer to yours.

 

With this outcome, Scourge dies, but you, Lana, Theron, the holocron of Dramath, AND the new relic all go back to Odessen.

 

At the end of Chapter 8, if you kept Scourge alive, you're where you were before, and either Vette or Torian dies, but you now have the choice, if you sacrificed Scourge to Valkorian, to set off the relic and stun Vaylin - just for a moment, long enough to save whichever one got captured by Vaylin.

 

 

 

 

Anyway, just a possible other path not taken.

[Paulsutherland]

Neat idea.

 

 

I think it would have been logical to say Senya (or) Lana "Go save Vette, I'll take Arcann (or) Theron and save Torian and we'll meet at the base."

 

[Kataret]

I really enjoyed the thought of this idea. Would have been a great way to bring Scourge back.

[RowanThursday]

Must admit, having still been thinking on this one, I'd have loved it if it had led into another much needed return, at the end of Chapter 8 (spoiler-wrapped for the same reason as above):

 

 

 

 

At the end of Chapter 8, the Outlander and his or her party race out on to the instanced version of the Odessen "veranda" to confront Vaylin and fail to save her hostage. Only, this time around, I'd make the following changes...

 

First, Vaylin has a much larger force there - all the troops she had, plus about three times more, too many to fight, including two walkers perched up on the cliffside covering the deck - you're seriously outnumbered. Scene plays out, and, as above - if you DON'T have the relic mentioned above, then Vaylin murders Torian or Vette as she does in the game as is - but instead of waiting for you to react and attack her, she attacks you immediately while you're still shocked at the neck snap.

 

If you sacrificed Scourge last time and DO have the relic, then you activate it just as Vaylin's about to kill them, and Vaylin is knocked flying, giving your companions time to get the hostage inside safely - BUT - you're ALSO stunned by the relic exploding - Valkorian didn't bother to mention that - and Vaylin recovers first, attacking while you're still recovering your balance.

 

Cut to first fight - and it doesn't go well. Various mechanics conspire against you, making it unwinnable, but when your health drops too low, Valkorian throws in a heal and you bounce into a cutscene...

 

... where Vaylin lunges through Valkorian' s shade, building on her increasing ability to act in "spooky time" as seen throughout the saga, wounds you, and pushes you down, standing with her saber at your throat, gloating and enjoying the moment, while your Alliance, pinned down by Vaylin' s troops, look on in horror.

 

Then cue a shuttle, flying in wildly, dodging through enemy fire with brilliant crazy flying, enough to cause Theron to remark to Lana that whoever's flying has reflexes worthy of a Jedi Master. The shuttle strafes the deck, taking out a lot of Vaylin's troops - leaving her with roughly the number you had to fight in the "published" fight, in fact, before being hit by one of the walkers. On fire, it spins up and crashes into both walkers, taking them out of the fight, as the hooded pilot leaps free at the last moment and force-leaps down, drop-kicking Vaylin away from you.

 

Vaylin of course retaliates, but you've recovered enough to knock her back in turn, so she ends up facing you and the pilot, who pushes back the hood to deliver the following introductory line direct to Vaylin:

 

KIRA CARSEN: You're not the only 'Daughter of the Emperor', Little Miss Precious, and I'm way prettier.

 

Cue the final duel with Vaylin, this time with Kira as your companion (and newest Alliance recruit).

 

 

 

[MarauderNZero]

Neat idea.

 

 

I think it would have been logical to say Senya (or) Lana "Go save Vette, I'll take Arcann (or) Theron and save Torian and we'll meet at the base."

 

 

But we already learned back in KOTFE chapter 15 that the outlander and co. are no Vulcans.