In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), players encounter numerous side plots that add depth to the universe beyond the main story. One particularly intense subplot involves a mysterious bounty hunter named Xor, a Twi’lek slaver with a personal grudge. His confrontations are tied directly to your companion Juhani and offer both narrative weight and player agency. The second encounter with Xor, in particular, is a pivotal moment that can test your alignment, influence relationships, and even alter your party dynamics. Understanding the mechanics and consequences of this meeting is key for those looking to fully explore what KOTOR has to offer.
Who Is Xor in KOTOR?
A Vengeful Slaver
Xor is a Twi’lek slaver who appears twice in Knights of the Old Republic, each time with aggressive intentions. His grudge against your Jedi companion, Juhani, is rooted in her past as a slave. After escaping her servitude, Juhani found freedom and joined the Jedi Order. Xor, however, sees her escape as a personal offense and aims to reclaim her or exact revenge. His reappearance throughout the game challenges both Juhani’s development and the player’s moral compass.
The first encounter with Xor typically takes place after recruiting Juhani and advancing the main story past a few major planets. The second encounter, however, is more elaborate and presents a major turning point in Juhani’s personal arc.
Triggering the Second Encounter with Xor
How to Make It Happen
The second encounter with Xor doesn’t occur randomly but depends on specific progress and companion choices. To trigger it, players must:
- Ensure that Juhani is in your active party during planetary travels.
- Have completed at least one planet after recruiting her (such as Dantooine, Tatooine, or Kashyyyk).
- Experience the first Xor encounter, where he confronts the party and threatens Juhani.
After these conditions are met, Xor will ambush the player during a visit to a central area of a planet, such as the Dune Sea on Tatooine or the Ebon Hawk entrance area. Unlike the first meeting, this second confrontation escalates quickly and ends in violence unless handled carefully.
Details of the Second Encounter
Ambush and Confrontation
During this second meeting, Xor appears with a small group of mercenaries or thugs, intent on killing the player and recapturing Juhani. The dialogue exchange before combat allows some opportunity to defuse tension, but Xor’s intentions are clearly hostile. Players can choose several different responses, but in most scenarios, combat is unavoidable.
What makes this encounter significant isn’t just the battle itself it’s what happens after. Once the fight concludes, Juhani is overcome with rage and expresses a desire to kill Xor in cold blood. This moment tests both her character and your own influence over her path.
Dialogue Choices and Alignment Consequences
Persuasion Options
Once Xor lies defeated and possibly still alive, Juhani turns to the player for guidance. This is where your alignment and her development can be shaped significantly. You have multiple options:
- Encourage her to show mercy and let Xor live this strengthens her connection to the Light Side.
- Urge her to give in to her anger and kill him a Dark Side response that influences both her and your own alignment.
- Attempt to persuade her not to kill him, using a Persuade check if successful, she regains composure and embraces Jedi teachings.
If you successfully persuade Juhani to let Xor live or if she resists her own rage on her own, she will express thanks and gain clarity in her path as a Jedi. This outcome not only improves her relationship with the player but also boosts your own Light Side alignment. On the other hand, allowing or encouraging her to kill him leads her down a darker path, altering her dialogue and reactions for the remainder of the game.
Impact on Juhani’s Character Arc
Influence and Long-Term Effects
This event represents a pivotal moment in Juhani’s journey. It reflects how she deals with her traumatic past and whether she embraces Jedi teachings or succumbs to revenge. Players invested in character development will find that their choices during this encounter have lasting consequences.
Juhani’s alignment will subtly affect her combat dialogue, her interjections during cutscenes, and the overall party dynamic. She becomes either more resolved and peaceful, or more aggressive and conflicted, depending on your choices.
Companion Interactions
Other party members may also comment on the outcome of the event, especially characters like Bastila or Carth, who have strong opinions on Jedi morality and justice. These moments, while small, contribute to the living world feel that makes KOTOR so memorable. If you’re aiming for a fully Light Side or Dark Side playthrough, this encounter is a useful touchpoint to reinforce your direction.
Combat Tips for Facing Xor
Preparing Your Party
Though not the most difficult fight in the game, the second encounter with Xor can be challenging depending on your party setup. His mercenaries can deal decent damage, and Xor himself may have high HP or resistance depending on level scaling. To prepare:
- Ensure Juhani is equipped with decent gear, including a lightsaber and upgraded robes.
- Use Force powers like Stasis or Force Whirlwind to control multiple enemies.
- Have medpacks or a healing-focused party member available for support.
- Position your ranged characters to avoid cluster attacks from Xor’s mercenaries.
It’s helpful to save before exploring areas where Xor might appear. Since the second encounter is a story-based ambush, being caught off guard can lead to unwanted outcomes.
Why the Xor Plot Matters
Character Depth in KOTOR
The Xor subplot may seem like a minor encounter in the broader epic of KOTOR, but it’s a brilliant example of how the game handles companion backstories and moral choice. It’s not about loot or XP it’s about identity, trauma, and growth. It shows how player actions can uplift or corrupt, and how narrative threads build deeper immersion.
Alignment and Replayability
Many players return to this encounter in different playthroughs just to see the outcomes change. Whether pursuing a Light Side Jedi path or a darker Sith route, the Xor second encounter offers a rare moment of roleplaying tension and consequence. It also makes Juhani feel like a real person, not just another character to manage in combat.
The second encounter with Xor in Knights of the Old Republic is one of the game’s most impactful companion subplots. By following the right steps to trigger the ambush and making thoughtful choices during the aftermath, players shape not only Juhani’s fate but also their own narrative journey. With its blend of character development, moral challenge, and combat, this moment stands out as a highlight in one of the most beloved RPGs in gaming history. Whether you walk the path of the Jedi or fall to the Dark Side, the story of Xor and Juhani is one you won’t soon forget.