Emperor Palpatine was a master strategist and manipulator in the Star Wars universe. After a calculated rise to power that left him in control of nearly every powerful faction in the galaxy, he was left unchecked for decades until the rise of the Rebellion.
Videos by ComicBook.com
It makes sense that the Emperor would have contingency plans after death, and now we’ll get to see them through in the campaign for Star Wars Battlefront II.
A new cutscene from the beginning of the game shows Iden Versio of the Inferno Squad receiving orders from her father after news of the Emperor’s death. They are approached by a Sentinel droid, first seen in the Shattered Empire comic book part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“Admiral Versio, Operation: Cinder is to begin at once,” says the Emperor’s recorded message, speaking through the droid. “Resistance, Rebellion, Defiance; these are concepts that cannot be allowed to persist. You are but one of many tools by which these ideas shall be burned away. Heed my messenger. He shall relay you to your target.”
Though it’s unclear what exactly Iden Versio’s orders consist of, her father makes it clear that they are going to destroy the Rebellion’s sense of hope after they scored a major military victory with the destruction of both the Emperor and the second Death Star.
Operation: Cinder was revealed to have many facets and was to be a last-ditch effort to destroy the Rebellion should the Emperor perish.
One such tactic included the destruction of Naboo, the Emperor’s homeworld, as revealed in Shattered Empire. Though the Imperials failed in this attempt, the vast scope of Operation: Cinder could hint at some missions being successful across the galaxy.
It’s unclear where the Battlefront II campaign will take Iden Versio in her mission for Operation: Cinder. We do know she survives because 1) she’s the game’s protagonist, and 2) she helps establish the First Order out of the ashes of the Empire.
Hopefully Battlefront II delivers a satisfying gameplay experience while telling a compelling narrative in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars Battlefront II releases on November 17 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Origin PC.
