Revamping the Name of a Key Star Wars Battlefront Game Mode: A Futuristic Approach

Highlights

The game mode 'Heroes vs. Villains' fails to capture the moral ambiguity and nuanced character development, disregarding the struggles and growth of these individuals.

By altering the game mode title in a potential Star Wars Battlefront 3, it would be possible to present characters in a more intricate manner and showcase their development more effectively. Even the most basic Star Wars enthusiasts can recognize that the Jedi are portrayed as 'good' and the Sith as 'bad'. The 'light' and 'dark' sides of the Force are also utilized as symbolic representations of this balance, with the light side signifying benevolence and the dark side indicating malevolence. While this narrative structure is prevalent throughout Star Wars and aids fans in identifying characters based on their alignment within this balance, it fails to accommodate for more complex characters, particularly those who lack a connection to the Force, even within the Star Wars Battlefront game.

Star Wars Battlefront is not intended to revolutionize or deviate from the beloved science-fiction fantasy world of Star Wars. Instead, it aims to pay homage to the existing content while presenting a multiplayer shooter experience. The game does not seek to create new pathways for the franchise, but rather to faithfully represent what has come before. However, Battlefront 2 introduced a story mode that featured a new character named Iden Versio, which added an intriguing element of moral ambiguity to the traditional roles of "heroes" and "villains" in the Star Wars universe.

Battlefront’s ‘Heroes vs. Villains’ Title Lacks Moral Ambiguity and Nuance

The Heroes vs. Villains mode in Star Wars Battlefront generated mixed opinions due to certain characters being affected by bugs, nerfs, or being perceived as overpowered, particularly in the most recent installment. However, apart from the gameplay dynamics, it is intriguing to examine the roster of characters included on each side. The distinction between 'good' and 'bad' individuals in the Star Wars universe may seem clear-cut, but this binary classification does not accurately portray many others.

Luke Skywalker is commonly seen as a hero in the original trilogy. However, his attempt to kill Ben Solo leaves a negative impression on his character that persists until his final appearance. Similarly, Kylo Ren is initially portrayed as an antagonist in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Yet, throughout the sequel trilogy, his circumstances and challenges are more complex, challenging the notion of him being a simple villain archetype.

Labeling Kylo Ren as a villain neglects his moments of inner struggle and his decision to overcome his anger and assist Rey in The Rise of Skywalker. Additionally, there are characters who cannot be judged based on their connection to the Force. For instance, Lando Calrissian may not be as clear-cut of a villain as Emperor Palpatine, but considering him a hero solely because of his newfound conscience in The Empire Strikes Back may seem self-indulgent. However, his truly heroic actions in Return of the Jedi earn him that distinction.

Star Wars itself has depicted these characters in a certain way, emphasizing their one-sidedness in earlier entries. Despite the existence of gray areas, some fans accept and justify the labels of hero and villain. In order to organize characters into opposing teams, Star Wars Battlefront simplifies their complexity, even dampening the character development of someone like Iden Versio when playing multiplayer as she is restricted to the villains' side.

If Star Wars Battlefront 3 were to change the title of its Heroes vs. Villains game mode, it would introduce more nuance in how characters are portrayed and allow players to empathize with them, even if they still had to align with the Rebellion or the Empire as opposing teams. Otherwise, the back-and-forth growth of these established characters would not be accurately represented and they would be pigeonholed into static roles solely for the sake of multiplayer gameplay in Star Wars Battlefront.