(Note: This article was originally published on Tumblr)
If you are a fan of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, you might have heard of the theory that Arren Kae, mother of Brianna the Handmaiden, and Kreia are the same person. If you have not heard of the theory, a compilation of the in-game evidence used to support the theory can be found on the Let’s Play Archive. The theory has become so popular that many fans of the game take it for granted, which can make it easy to forget that the theory was never officially confirmed.
I think the “Arren Kae is Kreia” theory is well-thought-out, and I agree that there are multiple in-game evidence that can support the theory. However, personally I do not subscribe to the theory, nor incorporate it into my headcanons for Knights of the Old Republic 2. I have eventually decided that in my KotOR 2 headcanons, I keep Arren and Kreia as two different people. Why?
Firstly, I want Brianna to have more positive women role models, especially given her troubled relationships with her sisters and Atris. Arren was the reason Brianna wants to be a Jedi, and the Kreia we see in the game is definitely not a good role model for someone who wants to be a Jedi. Kreia might have been a better person when she was a Jedi, but we never know for sure. Not to mention Kreia doesn’t treat Brianna any better than the other party members. Brianna deserves better.
Secondly, I like the theory suggested by an anonymous message I received on Tumblr that Arren Kae was to Kreia what the Exile was to Atris. The KotOR 2 game itself already builds up parallels between Kreia and Atris: both were fallen Jedi who personally felt betrayed by the Jedi in some ways, and many of the things in KotOR 2 happen because of their plans, schemes and manipulation. Therefore, I love the idea that if Arren and Kreia were two different people, they had similar dynamics to the Exile and Atris, in that Arren and Kreia were very good friends in the past, with Kreia potentionally having romantic feelings for Arren, but Arren's departure and exile from the Jedi Order became a catalyst for Kreia's disillusionment with the Jedi Order, and it only got worse from there.
Ultimately, since the "Arren Kae is Kreia" theory is never officially confirmed, I am free to choose to not subscribe to the theory, regardless of how popular the theory is in the fandom, and come up with my own theory about Arren Kae instead.
In conclusion, Keeping Arren Kae and Kreia as two different people in my KotOR headcanons allows Arren to be a positive influence in Brianna’s life that Brianna needs. Also, there are many interesting ideas and possibilities about Arren and Kreia’s dynamics that could be explored.