Is Starkiller Canon in Star Wars? The Powerful Apprentice Who Deserves Another Chance

As an ardent Star Wars gamer and fanatic who has analyzed every detail across multiple platforms over the years, I can definitively say no, Starkiller is currently NOT canon within Disney‘s revised continuity.

Why Was This Iconic Character Erased from Canon?

Starkiller, the codename for Galen Marek from the critically acclaimed Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video games, enthralled fans with his intense story of serving as Darth Vader‘s secret apprentice. Yet despite positive reception and strong sales of over 7 million copies, Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo revealed Starkiller was made non-canon to avoid diminishing Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine‘s power.

As the only character capable of defeating Vader in direct combat, Starkiller represented a challenge to Vader‘s supremacy as the #2 Sith in the empire. For the continuity post-Disney purchase to portray Vader and Sidious as unmatched masters of the Dark Side, Starkiller‘s raw strength had to be erased…for now.

Lingering Hints of Starkiller‘s Existence

Despite this erasure, Lucasfilm creatives haven‘t forgotten this uniquely compelling dual-lightsaber-wielding warrior:

• Starkiller‘s distinctive helmet and armor prominently appeared in Andor‘s third episode as Easter egg-level fan service
• Multiple references to the "Force Unleashed" project are made in Rogue One and Star Wars Rebels
• The official guide for Solo: A Star Wars Story reveals Beckett‘s mentor was named Marek, a clear callback to Galen Marek
• In an interview, executive producer Kathleen Kennedy did NOT rule out incorporating more elements from Legend stories like The Force Unleashed. There remains hope for properly integrating Starkiller back into the fold!

The sheer number of callbacks and hints even after being made non-canon shows that creative minds at Lucasfilm recognize Starkiller‘s popularity and are leaving doors open for his triumphant return! As the #StarWarsCelebration trends demonstrate social media buzz, fans would undoubtedly welcome this epic choice:

Realistic Pathways Towards Recanonization

While Starkiller‘s immense power makes reintroducing him tricky, talented Lucasfilm writers could craft logical backstories for his renewed existence in canon:

• Thrawn‘s reappearance in Rebels after rebooted EU sets narrative precedent of this occurring.
• Set stories in Imperial era with restraints on Starkiller‘s actions to not undermine Vader/Palpatine‘s authority
• Portray his extreme strength as an unreliable wild card that poses more danger than benefit to imperial agenda
• Establish Force Unleashed as classified projects Vader hid from Palpatine to make plausibly deniable

These pathways deftly handle Starkiller not diminishing Sith leaders‘ status while unlocking exciting new stories! As an influential figure whose sacrifices sparked rebellion, seeing Starkiller fully rendered in live action or animation would re-energize older generations of fans while enticing newer ones.

The New Characters Who Can‘t Match His Gravitational Pull

While Disney has focused on introducing fresh characters from their purchased IP, even highly marketed ones like Jyn Erso from Rogue One with her own tale interwoven into A New Hope canon couldn‘t match Starkiller‘s cultural footprint and fan fervor.

And the Inquisitors serving as Jedi hunters for the Empire simply haven‘t captured the imagination like Starkiller‘s emotional struggle between the Light and Dark sides while serving Vader. With properly coordinated timing and storyline integration, this former EU powerhouse could drive merchandise sales and strengthen enthusiasm for upcoming Star Wars projects!

In Summary: A High-Upside, Low-Risk Gambit

Dedicated fans would ecstatically welcome Starkiller‘s epic return which in turn fuels support across Disney‘s vast Star Wars ecosystem. If done prudently by not impeding Vader‘s grandeur, it‘s rather a low-risk, high-reward play for the canon! The Expanded Universe‘s most captivating warrior anti-hero deserve another shot to unleash his Force fury into star systems across the galaxy once again!