If you are overtaken by your A thug lore, you already know a few things about Jedha as Cal explores the moon, including the fact that it was home to one of the first generations of Jedi. Some historians have even believed it to be the site of the very First of all Jedi Temple, although it’s impossible to know for sure. It also has rich deposits of kyber crystals, the key resource needed to power a Jedi’s lightsaber, and as we learn in A thug, the thing that also powers the Death Star’s superlaser. Due to its ancient Jedi history—remains of statues of proud Jedi wielding lightsabers litter the vast desert beyond the city—several religious groups have visited and settled on the moon to worship these Force-wielders, including including the Guardians of Whills featured in the film as well as the Church of the Force.
But in Jedi: Survivor we also find one other A Jedi group calls Jedha home: the Hidden Path, the underground rebel faction working to transport the survivors of Order 66 to safety. We first encountered the Hidden Path in Obi Wan Kenobi and learn in this game that Cere and her master Eno Cordova are key members of this group. They build a sanctuary in the Jedha desert which also serves as an archive of ancient Jedi knowledge – it is even revealed that the sacred texts of The Last Jedi have been held here for a while! And knowing what we know about Jedha’s history with the Jedi, it all makes sense.
Unfortunately, this shrine’s attention to the moon is also what ultimately triggers the Imperial occupation we are witnessing. A thug. Learning of the Sanctuary’s existence from the traitor Bode, the Empire launches a full-scale attack on the Hidden Path of Jedha. Darth Vader claims Cere’s life in the process.
You can pretty much fill in the gaps regarding what happens next. With the Empire now occupying Jedha, he can fully embark on his kyber mining operation, which will fuel the construction of the Death Star, the very weapon that will soon destroy the surface of the moon. And we now know how Cal’s own adventures and the work of Hidden Path set up these events. It’s a deft bit of storytelling that not only works in-game but also informs one of the best star wars movies from the Disney era. It’s just a shame that Jedha has to suffer for such a good setup and gain.