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Star Wars has had its ups and downs with fans over a decade of TV series and theatrical releases, but one thing most can agree on is Cal Kestis, the reluctant Jedi starring in two PlayStation and Xbox video games over the past five years, is a fan favorite. Now he’s a minifig in a forthcoming Imperial Star Destroyer playset, somewhat certifying his status among the best heroes of the canon.
The Lego set in question was reported on Monday by Jay’s Brick Blog, and it includes a Star Destroyer that, fully assembled, is 6 inches (height) by 18 inches (long) by 11 inches deep, comprising 1,555 bricks.

Kestis, the star of the Star Wars: Jedi series by Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts is one of seven minifigs that kids (or their adult counterparts) can hop around as they play with the huge space battle wagon. The other six figurines are Darth Vader (of course) three unnamed Imperial Navy troops, and a Stormtrooper, alongside Commander Praji.
Praji might be the bigger scene-stealer here, actually. He goes back to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and is one of the officers aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, which overtakes and boards Princess Leia’s Tantive IV blockade runner at the iconic beginning of the first film. If you’ve seen the movie, he’s the guy who officiously informs Darth Vader that the Death Star plans are not aboard the ship, although an escape pod was jettisoned with no life forms aboard. Obviously, we know R2-D2 and C-3PO were aboard, and they in fact had the plans.

Praji (portrayed by Austrian actor George Roubicek) has in the nearly 50 years since Star Wars’ release shown up in a variety of canon and now non-canon works. His inclusion in this set will surely be a greatly appreciated deep cut by multiple generations of Star Wars fans.
Who is Star Wars’ Cal Kestis?
Kestis is the new kid on the block, starring in 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its 2023 sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Set after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and before A New Hope, The games tell the story of former Padawan (Jedi apprentice) who has gone into hiding, then becomes a full Jedi Knight despite the Empire’s attempted extermination of their order.
What’s also ironic is Kestis begins the video game series as a dockhand in a galactic shipyard, tearing down space vessels for scrap. Now you get to build them, with him.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was recently added to EA Play (and therefore Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s library) in mid-April. The Imperial Star Destroyer Lego playset, number 75394, is $169.99 and available for pre-order on Amazon.com. It will be released Aug. 5, 2024.
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Political campaigns in India are now using AI to bring deceased politicians back to life, at least digitally, according to Rest of the World reporting. As the nation’s elections gain momentum, the ethical and legal implications of this practice are drawing scrutiny.
Vijay Vasanth, an actor-turned-politician, recently leveraged this technology in his campaign efforts in Kanniyakumari by digitally resurrecting his father, H. Vasanth Kumar, a former parliamentary representative and businessman who passed away from Covid-19 four years ago. In a campaign video, an AI-generated Kumar endorses his son, claiming his “soul is still with all of you,” a message aimed at garnering voter support by invoking his enduring presence and legacy.
This tactic is part of a broader trend where Indian political parties are increasingly turning to AI to connect with voters. M. Karunanidhi, a late political leader from Tamil Nadu, also made posthumous digital appearances, speaking at party events and book launches, with his iconic yellow scarf and dark glasses digitally recreated.
The utilization of AI in this manner taps into deep cultural sentiments, especially in India, where respect for the deceased is profound, and public criticism of them is rare. The revival of these leaders through AI aims to evoke nostalgia and reinforce ideological continuity, which can be particularly persuasive during elections.
Ethical concerns, legal ramifications in India, and the future of AI in politics
However, this practice has raised significant ethical questions. Critics argue that using the likenesses and voices of the deceased without explicit consent could lead to misinformation and manipulate voter perceptions, thus undermining the authenticity of political discourse. Moreover, it blurs the lines between genuine endorsements and fabricated content, potentially deceiving voters about the origins and veracity of the messages they receive.
Globally, similar concerns have prompted regulations, such as the ban on robocalls in the U.S., which also addressed issues of AI-generated voice calls during elections. Yet, in India, the regulatory landscape is still catching up with these rapid technological advancements.
Despite these concerns, proponents like Salem Dharanidharan, a spokesperson for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party, liken the use of AI in political campaigns to historical shifts in communication technologies—from newspapers to cinema and television. They argue that AI is simply the latest medium to disseminate political ideologies more effectively.
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Hades II, the much anticipated sequel to 2020’s acclaimed roguelike Hades, is now available in early access via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Developer Supergiant Games opened the gates Monday afternoon with a surprise-drop announcement on Twitter.

HADES II is HERE !!
Experience the bewitching sequel to our god-like rogue-like, now available in Early Access.
Steam: https://t.co/MwAiwL8ZeWEpic Games Store: https://t.co/bKD6BvLhw6#HadesGame #Hades2 #DeathToChronos pic.twitter.com/jXhqctKj95
— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 6, 2024

The early access version is $29.99 at both online storefronts. Supergiant says the current version “already has more environments, foes, and fully-voiced characters” than the first version of Hades, but acknowledged that it’s still basically a work in progress. “Key areas, characters, foes, narrative events, and systems are still to come.”
Hades II makers are depending on early access feedback
The early access launch is mainly an appeal to Hades’ dedicated fandom to provide feedback that will shape the full launch of the game. A formal launch window for Hades II has not yet been announced. Supergiant invited players to join the game’s official Discord server (which can be joined from Hades II’s game client) to leave feedback. The studio will also be monitoring the official Steam page and other forums.
“We expect to make many changes and improvements inspired by our player community, and reflect these in our patch notes,” Supergiant said.
Hades II debuted with a technical test in mid-April. The first game began in early access in December 2018, making its full launch on Nintendo Switch and Windows PC in September 2020, followed by launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in 2021.
The game is an isometric dungeon crawler based on Greek mythology, with a hack-and-slash combat system. It earned game-of-the-year nominations from the Golden Joystick Awards, The Game Awards 2020, and the DICE Awards in 2021 and the Game Developers Choice Awards in 2021, where it took top honors from both.
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