An exclusive interview with Broadsword Developers Caitlin Sullivan Kelly and Ashley Ruhl about SWTOR’s main story, the Legacy of the Sith expansion and behind the scenes answers for the Story Creation Process, never before revealed Lore, connections to Lucasfilm and the possible return of an old Story character.

Interview

Back in September I had the opportunity to send fan submitted SWTOR Story, Lore and Game Development questions from my SWTOR Discord directly to the story writers and developers of Star Wars the Old Republic.
After months of back and forth questions and answers, arranging times and making sure not to interrupt the developers while they worked simultaniously on the release of the Galactic Threads 7.6 update, I give you the full interview between myself and SWTOR developers Caitlin Sullivan Kelly and Ashley Ruhl.

Each Question in this interview has been highlighted as well as the names of each developer that answered.

Many questions were submitted by myself as well as fans on my SWTOR discord server and wookieepedia editors. You may notice that many questions have additional context provided.

Is SWTORs writing strategy plot driven or character driven?

Question: Would you describe the current writing strategy for SWTOR’s main story as more plot-driven or character-driven?

For example with Darth Malgus, did you go in with a firm idea of where his story would go and how he would get there, or was it more a case of “we want to bring Malgus back” and then letting the story evolve based on what seemed natural for the characters at the time?

Ashley:

Technically our writing strategy is driven by the player’s story. Our high level goal is always to create a compelling story that weaves in the player’s perspective and choices into their unique Star Wars™ fantasy. When we look at creating a brand new story, we start by identifying the larger themes that we want to present to the player. From there we identify characters that make sense to tie into that theme, new or returning, and then get into the nitty gritty of those characters’ personal journeys.

Writing Story from the Perspective of the Player Character

Writing a story for “the player character perspective” involves a certain amount of being able to guess the headspace the player will be in, and a lot of the time you clearly do that very well!

Question: However, can you recall any occasions where you were way off the mark and were surprised by something players wanted to do in a certain scene but weren’t able to?

Caitlin:

In terms of stories that I was directly responsible for, I can’t recall many specific incidents, no. But I think something that speaks well to our character-focused narrative is how many characters have been introduced over the years that players lament not being able to recruit or even romance. There are plenty of opportunities for players to kill off the characters they don’t think fit within their story, but unfortunately we can’t provide the same number of opportunities for players to build friendships or relationships with the characters they like, respect, and admire.

Ashley:

I’m always delighted by the breadth of player character perspectives that we have in SWTOR. In that way I’m both surprised and not surprised that I’ve seen many players asking if they can romance Darth Malgus. But it is the difficult balance of role playing game development to build a cohesive story experience while still offering options for players to express their interests. For the choices that we can’t offer due to story structure or development constraints, we love seeing the fan creations that explore these ideas.

How do you Balance Characters while also Introducing New Ones?

Recent storylines have made a lot of use of recurring characters, both in bigger and smaller roles.

Question: How do you balance giving attention to known fan favorites with introducing new characters to keep things fresh without losing balance?

Caitlin:

I think we’re very fortunate in this regard, since we have such a lengthy catalog of past SWTOR stories to revisit. Whether it’s a more recent update, or even something as far back as the original game launch, we have an immensely comprehensive roster of diverse and well-written characters who have incredibly varied motivations and knowledge. 

No matter what the subject of the current content update is, the odds are astronomical that a character who would fit in well with the story already exists (think Talos reassuming his role as an archaeology expert in Digging Deeper, Sana-Rae acting as an emissary to the Voss leadership in Old Wounds, or Akaavi and potentially Torian getting involved in the fight against Heta Kol’s insurrection). Bringing back any character (whether old or new) and fitting them in with the storytelling goals of the current narrative also allows us opportunities to expand on these characters. We explore what their beliefs would drive them to do in the face of changes presented by the current conflict, and that enriches the narrative as a whole.

Ashley:

When we’re introducing new characters, it’s usually to set up a new conflict or explore a new idea. For example, having Gallo represent the struggle of the Selkath caught between Empire and Republic, or Commander Korrd and Darth Norok demonstrating the complicated relationship between the Imperial military and the Sith. Giving a face to a conflict or an idea helps us as viewers connect with them more personally, and these new ideas provide our established characters with opportunities for character growth.

How is time handled In-Universe / What Year is it?

Question: What Year ATC are we in, both in universe and out of universe for game updates?

Does SWTOR still consider 1 day in real life 1 day in universe as told by Charles Boyd or are the events of “Legacy of the Sith” from Elom to now only weeks or months apart. For reference, the last post on SWTOR’s in-universe timeline was this post on the Forums by Charles Boyd in 2021.

Caitlin:

Starting with Game Update 6.3, “The Dark Descent,” we’ve deviated from the concept of time in the game passing at the same rate as time in the real world. Charles went over this a bit when 6.3 was released, but we’ve obviously had a fair bit of story updates since then!
I plan to go into more detail about Legacy of the Sith’s timeline in a forum post, but for now, I will say that the passage of time is still condensed. The major story beats occur only weeks/months apart, and our next story update (which picks up shortly after “Desperate Defiance”) will take place at the END of 27 ATC/3626 BBY.

What is the Motivation for Cutaways in Main Story Content?

Question: What do you see as the main motivation of cinematic cutaways in story content?

One of the storytelling styles that appeared during the “Knights of the Fallen Empire” story was the concept of “cutaway” scenes that would take place outside of the player character’s view, such as Arcann and Vaylin having a conversation at the Eternal Throne. These scenes are less common in the “Legacy of the Sith” story now but still happen occasionally, such as moments between Sa’har and her brother, that the player wouldn’t know about in-character.

Ashley:

I think cutaway scenes are a great way to build more character outside of the player’s story and make the galaxy feel bigger. But these scenes need to be used tactfully to respect the player’s experience of the story. If something important to the plot is revealed to the player in a cutaway, but their character isn’t present, we need to build in a scene where the character learns that information, effectively making the scene twice.

It’s also hard to create moments of surprise for the player character if the player is like “Yeah I already knew that”. The challenge becomes “If the player knows this, but we need their character to know it, how/when do we reconcile that imbalance of information?” When/where to add cutaway scenes really comes down to a matter of narrative perspective, where on one hand you’re viewing the story in a “meta” omnipotent sense, versus being fully in the headspace of your character in the moment.

What is the State of the Jedi Council and Sith Council?

Question: What is the state of the Jedi Council and the Dark Council at this point in time, and who are their members?

Our player characters have had interactions with several Jedi and Sith over the last few years (Darth Krovos, Satele Shan, Gnost Dural, etc), but what is the current makeup of these leadership groups.

Caitlin:

Settle in for this one, because it’s going to get into lecture territory!

The Jedi Council isn’t the body of leadership we knew before the invasion of the Eternal Empire. Instead, it’s more of an amalgamation of seasoned and highly-respected Jedi Masters who are active participants in Task Force Nova’s objective to restore the Jedi Order to its former glory. We also see that these Jedi are more entwined with various Republic leaders and their interests.

Members of this “new” Council include former Grand Master Satele Shan, current “acting” Grand Master Gnost-Dural, Master Sal-Deron, and Master Vinyor Tesh. The appearance of some characters obviously depends on the player’s choices: for example, if someone is playing an Imperial class, Gnost-Dural might not even be alive. Additionally, if someone is playing a Jedi, they could be a contributor to this body of Jedi leaders themselves (while mostly focusing on the needs of their Alliance, of course).

This same rule applies to the makeup of the Dark Council, and honestly, gets quite a bit more chaotic. Not that unusual, given the nature of the Sith. 

Based on player choices, the Empire is either ruled by Empress Acina or Emperor Vowrawn. The mainstays of the Dark Council are Darth Krovos at the head of the Sphere of Military Strategy, Darth Xarion as the preeminent leader of the Sphere of Galactic Influence, and Darth Rivix as the liaison between the Dark Council and the Alliance (for players with Imperial characters). Seats affected by player choices get a little trickier: the head of the Sphere of Sith Doctrine is Darth Anathel, unless you’re a Sith Inquisitor whose desire for power led to you to take that seat for yourself. Darth Savik leads the Sphere of Scientific Advancement, unless she was killed on Onderon. The Sphere of Civil Administration could potentially be led by Darth Vowrawn (if he is alive and isn’t the Emperor), Darth Shaar (again, if she’s alive), or Darth Norok (if he’s… I’m sure you’re seeing the pattern here).

Can we expect to see Syl in the Future?

Question: Can we expect any references or upcoming content regarding Syl in the future?

Syl was a Jedi padawan that was seen during the Echoes of Oblivion story who appeared to have died in the Emperor’s mindscape, but later she is seen alive among the surviving Jedi padawans. A message to the player from Satele Shan mentioned that Syl has not been acting as herself. Many players believe that some essence of Vaylin is trapped within her.

Ashley:

I’ll just say we haven’t forgotten about Syl *wink*

Caitlin:

Ditto! A lot of thought went into where, how, and why we included Syl in Echoes of Oblivion, and we still have all those thoughts in mind.

How much freedom does the SWTOR Team have to bring Star Wars concepts into the Game?

Question: How much freedom does the SWTOR team have to bring concepts from other Star Wars media into the game itself, including both Star Wars canon and Legends?

Since the Knights of the Fallen Empire story, we’ve seen the inclusion of more canon Star Wars concepts brought into SWTOR’s lore and story. Some standout examples include Rathtars and Mos Pelgo in Uprisings, but also recently the Loth Cats (from Lothal, a canon planet) being included in SWTOR. What opportunities or limitations guide your decisions when incorporating concepts from other Star Wars properties into SWTOR?

Ashley:

The high level questions we ask when adding content from other Star Wars properties is
1) Do these additions help players live out their Star Wars fantasy, and
2) Are they compatible with the world, story, and lore we already have in the game.

We work closely with our partners at Lucasfilm Games to make sure what we’re bringing to SWTOR fits within our world and game, particularly in story content. But ultimately we want to create the best place for players to live out their favorite Star Wars fantasies, and including concepts from other Star Wars media is a big part of that.

Wrapping Up

I would like to thank Ashley and Caitlin for taking time out during the development of Update 7.6 to answer these questions, as well as Jackie for helping me set up the interview.

I would also like to thank the members of my discord, as well as the wookieepedia editors for submitting questions for me to the developers!
I hope to interview the developers of SWTOR again soon to get some more burning SWTOR questions answered on behalf of the community.

Related Articles

• 
  4 Engaging Online Activities for SWTOR Fans Beyond Gaming
  4 Engaging Online Activities for SWTOR Fans Beyond Gaming
• 
  SWTOR PvP Season 9 Guide
  SWTOR PvP Season 9 Gladiators of the Outer Rim Guide, Rewards and Achievements.
• 
  SWTOR GDU MG Droid Carrier Mount
  The GDU MG Droid Carrier is a limited-time Companion riding Mount in SWTOR.
• 
  SWTOR December Cartel Market Sales 2025
  All Cartel Market items that are part of SWTOR’s December 2025 Cartel Sale.
• 
  TOR-14 Probe Droid SWTOR
  How to unlock the T0R-14 Astromech Droid event reward pet in SWTOR!
• 
  SWTOR Dantooine Stronghold Guide
  How to unlock and ecorate the Dantooine Stronghold in SWTOR!
• 
  SWTOR Master the Fight: Mobile Market Bundle
  Everything you need to know about the limited time Mobile Market Bundle in SWTOR!
• 
  SWTOR Dantooine Crash Site Guide
  A comprehensive Guide to the Dantooine Crash Site in SWTOR.