this is one of The most misinterpreted scenes from jfo tbh

i see so many people saying "oh its cal trying to deal with the shitshow around him with humour" or "he's being sassy" and like. No. you can hear it in his voice!

he's terrified.

cal just watched this absolutely mechanical monster of a man kill trilla like it was nothing. he knows with one flick of his wrist vader can send him hurtling over the edge just as he did to cere moments before this. he's scared to hell and back.

this isn't some sort of show of bravery or coping, this is a real response from cal. this is him acknowledging that surrendering WOULD be the wisest choice, but if he surrendered the holocron would be lost. all of their work would be for nothing, cere's "death" would be for nothing, and cal would die knowing those force sensitive children are now in the empire's hands. he's can't not fight, he can't not desperately try to run through vader's home territory looking for an escape. if cere hadn't intercepted, i wouldn't be surprised if cal's final act was to destroy the holocron and not attempt to take vader down with him like some others might.

that "Yeah, probably." is the words of someone who knows there's a high chance this'll end in death, and fights it anyway