For one of the most culturally significant franchises of all time, Star Wars has always been kind of... predictable. The battle between good and evil, signified both by a struggle against some kind of galactic adversary as well as the internal struggle of the protagonist, has been repeated often over the course of the series' films. Even in 2015's The Force Awakens we could see this trope at play, though at least the movie deviated somewhat from the norm in having this conflict take place at least partially within the villainous Kylo Ren.
That said, today's trailer for the single-player campaign of Star Wars: Battlefront 2 seems to suggest a story that breaks away from this trend. Take a look:
There's a lot to take away from this otherwise brief trailer, especially with regards to Iden Versio, leader of Inferno Squad and protagonist of the Battlefront 2 story. For starters, well... she's actually kind of cool. At least, the opening scene that features her daring (and rather cocky) escape from a rebel ship suggests a capability that suits the daughter of an Imperial Admiral - who she later argues with over the possible legality of his orders.
Then, there's a passing shot of another two members of Inferno Squad. Both had removed their helmets following the destruction of the Death Star II in Return of the Jedi, betraying carefully-sculpted features that hints at a deeper entanglement in the story. There's also a definite somber note in the trailer that's almost comical; an advanced superweapon capable of eliminating billions of lives in an instant was just destroyed, yet the characters react with a genuine sadness that hints at an alternate take on the event.
Inferno Squad probably knew people on the Death Star II, which itself likely staffed several hundreds of thousands of workers and soldiers aboard. Despite its dangerous capabilities, it was nevertheless a mini-sized planet in itself, and while the films rightfully celebrated its destruction, the lingering impact of the incident will likely play a huge role in Battlefront 2's campaign.
Debris from the Death Star II sets the tone for Iden Versio's story. Source
Gameplay-wise, there's obviously not all that much going on. The sight of several AT-ATs being lifted into the city of Theed on Naboo raises several questions about the planet's relevance after the prequels, and one has to wonder how Iden Versio's run-ins with both Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa came about. Otherwise, the trailer does its job at previewing the narrative and thematic elements at play in Battlefront 2. It's different, it's interesting, and it reveals just enough to keep us guessing and waiting for more.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will launch on November 17, 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC for $59.99. More information about the upcoming title can be found on the official website, or by browsing our selection of previous articles.
