Here’s why Jacen is a cursed name in ‘Star Wars’

There was a brief moment in Ahsoka episode 3 that may prove to have major consequences for the future of Star Wars. Midway through, Hera Syndulla is leaving a New Republic meeting when her young son Jacen approaches her. Rebels fans will be very familiar with his story, as Jacen’s father is Jedi Knight and Rebel hero Kanan Jarrus, who sacrificed his life to save his mother during the Galactic Civil War.

As the son of a powerful Jedi Knight, it’s likely Jacen is Force sensitive, and in his first live-action appearance he says he has ambitions of becoming a fully-fledged Jedi Knight. Judging by his shoulder plate he clearly idolizes the Jedi father he never met, so perhaps he’s a great candidate for Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy?

But older Star Wars fans will hear “Jacen” and shiver, as this name has a long and dark history in the Star Wars franchise.

What’s in a name?

Jacen Syndulla has his origins in the Legends universe character Jacen Solo. For the uninitiated, Legends is the official name for the old Expanded Universe, comprising the Star Wars books, comics, and games released prior to the Disney purchase. Soon after the Mouse House acquired Star Wars, it went further than the Empire ever did with the Death Star and, to much fan wailing, wiped an entire continuity out of existence.

One of the major characters within this continuity was Jacen Solo, son of Han and Leia. Dave Filoni is clear that Jacen Syndulla is named after his character, saying in an interview in 2018:

“It seemed, in a very small way, naming him ‘Jacen’ was a way to honor the expanded universe character of Jacen Solo who just really isn’t there anymore as the timelines have changed I thought that’s a little bit of a wink to people that I know that was an important character. And maybe, in some way, that lives on through this character. I don’t know yet.”

However, anyone familiar with those old books will find Filoni’s comment that Jacen Solo somehow “lives on” in Jacen Syndulla extremely ominous, so here’s why.

The Dark Saga of Jacen Solo

Jacen Solo (and his twin sister Jaina) made their debut in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy. Set five years after Return of the Jedi, the first novel Heir to the Empire reveals that Leia is pregnant with Han’s children, and the pair are born in the third installment, The Last Command.

The Solo twins are strong in the Force, and soon begin Jedi training under the guidance of their uncle, Luke Skywalker. Jacen proves a capable student and Luke takes him as as his padawan, though the pair often disagree on the philosophy of the Force.

Their relationship was tested during a bitter war with interstellar aliens, during which Jacen slowly becomes more powerful, and begins having visions of a dark future. The Dark Side gradually seduces Jacen and, after killing Luke’s partner Mara Jade, he fully embraces evil and becomes Darth Caedus.

He becomes a powerful villain, with his story culminating in a lightsaber duel between him and his sister Jaina. In a tragic twist, Jacen returns to the light during their battle, but Jaina doesn’t believe him and plunges her lightsaber through his heart.

Will Jacen Syndulla turn to the Dark Side?

There are obviously huge differences between the two Jacens, so Syndulla’s story will not precisely mirror Solo’s. Besides, the latter’s story has already strongly influenced Kylo Ren’s: both are the children of Han and Leia, both study under Luke, and both fall to the Dark Side.

That said, Jacen may be in for a rough ride. His live-action debut in Ahsoka takes place in 9 ABY, which is the exact time Luke is building his Jedi Academy on Ossus. If Jacen does pursue his dream of becoming a Jedi then it makes sense he’d attend, though as Luke’s dreams shatter 19 years later when Ben Solo becomes Kylo Ren, he may not make it out of there alive.

If Filoni has plans for Jacen, we may well see them in his big MandoVerse crossover movie. This will be set prior to The Force Awakens, so Jacen could be in his late teens/early 20s. Whatever’s coming down the pipeline for him, here’s hoping Star Wars history doesn’t repeat itself.