The story of Star Wars Battlefront II may have faced some criticism for its predictable twist, but it’s also arguably one of the most important productions in the new Star Wars canon. Battlefront 2‘s story started at the Battle of Endor during Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, and concluded with the Battle of Jakku in 5 ABY, and was one of the first pieces of visual media to depict the canon Star Wars galaxy following the events of the former. Battlefront 2 essentially depicted the death throes of the Empire, showcasing Emperor Palpatine’s last, spiteful grab at maintaining control after his death with Operation: Cinder, and also the beginning of Luke Skywalker’s journey as a Jedi Master. Numerous other stories have taken its foundations to tell their own unique tales, making Battlefront 2 a pivotal contribution to the new Star Wars canon timeline.

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[Warning: full spoilers for Star Wars Battlefront 2 follow.]

Developed by Battlefield studio DICE and published by EA, Star Wars Battlefront 2 was the sequel to the publisher’s 2015 Star Wars Battlefront reboot, and boasted the significant addition of a single-player story. SWBF2‘s story centered around a group of Imperial special forces led by Iden Versio (Janina Gavankar) as they come to terms with the Empire’s collapse at Endor. The ensuing events see Iden and her fellow squadmate, Del Meeko (TJ Ramini), question their loyalty to the Empire and eventually even defect to the New Republic. The event that instigates this is Operation: Cinder, the Emperor’s genocidal plan to destroy multiple worlds as a means of snuffing out any potential resistance to Imperial rule. Cinder has since become a focal point of the new canon post-Return, even being acknowledged in the second season of The Mandalorian, and there are other elements of Star Wars Battlefront 2‘s story that have lent it further importance.

When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, it made the decision to reset the Star Wars Expanded Universe, dubbing all comics, games, and novels released prior to the takeover a part of “Legends”. New canon Star Wars material began to release in 2014, starting with the publication of A New Dawn, a tie-in to the Star Wars Rebels animated series. The first books and comics to really expand upon the galaxy post-Episode VI, though, were published in 2015. Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath focused on New Republic forces hunting down the Imperial remnant, while Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto’s Shattered Empire comic focused on the parents of Poe Dameron during Operation: Cinder. Star Wars Battlefront 2 was the first story to go into real depth regarding Cinder, however, and also how it informed the makeup of the galaxy following the Emperor’s death.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 Showed The Empire’s Defeat After ROTJ

Although Star Wars Battlefront2 lacked the Imperial focus its trailers promised, it’s a piece of fiction other Star Wars stories keep coming back to. The Alphabet Squadron novels by Alexander Freed focus on an Imperial defector who was involved with Operation: Cinder – with Cinder itself forming an integral core of the character’s arc – and Iden’s defence of Naboo alongside Leia Organa is also referenced in that story. Star Wars Squadrons intersects with Alphabet Squadron in some aspects, and the specter of Cinder lingers there too.

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There are other reasons as to why Star Wars Battlefront 2‘s story is such a pivotal one, though. Apart from rendering the effects of Operation: Cinder in detail, it also shows where the heroes of the original trilogy ended up in the months and years following the Battle of Endor. Del Meeko encounters a war-weary Luke Skywalker (one of the best game versions of the character) as he begins his journey to understanding more about the Jedi, and Lando even gets a mission that illustrates just how much of a war hero he was to both the Rebellion and New Republic. Han Solo, meanwhile, is shown performing intelligence work in Maz’s castle on Takodana, sporting a new bearded look until he eventually finds his way back to Leia and the New Republic. These encounters help provide a greater understanding of those characters’ journeys before Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, and also serve an important role in fleshing out the galaxy at large.

Ultimately, although it has its flaws, the story of Star Wars Battlefront 2 had an integral part to play in the new canon. Its depiction of Operation: Cinder has formed the basis of novels, comics, other canon Star Wars games like Squadrons, and has stretched into live-action with The Mandalorian. It serves as an important bridging point between the original trilogy and the sequels (made more apparent by its Resurrection DLC, which serves as a prelude to The Force Awakens), and introduced fans to memorable characters like Iden, Del, and of course Shriv. It could’ve undoubtedly improved in several aspects, but that doesn’t detract from its importance in the Star Wars timeline.

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Ewan Paterson
(75 Articles Published)

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Ewan is a Gaming Features Editor for Screen Rant and may in fact have way too many interests. His love for comic books, video games and Dad Movies also instilled in him a love for writing, which he’s been doing since he was about 16. Originally from Liverpool, Ewan made the move to Newcastle in 2014 to study History at Northumbria University (which he loved), and has stayed there ever since. You may have heard/seen him on YouTube a bunch as well.

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