The Star Wars: Battlefront series has produced some brilliant games with compelling campaigns, but the clone Jedi story from its PSP spin-off, Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, wasn't one of them. The first Battlefront game launched in 2004 on Xbox, PS2, and PC, and was an instant hit. The sequel, Battlefront 2, took the series even further in 2005 by expanding on its faction-based objective gameplay and adding playable hero characters from the films, such as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
The games were much loved to the extent that EA's first Star Wars game was a reboot of Battlefront. Sadly, despite making a comeback with successive updates, Star Wars Battlefront 2's cut content has left the game feeling incomplete. Despite the disappointment of the reboot, fans of the Star Wars games are still hopeful of a third Battlefront game being made, and the success of 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the announcement of Star Wars Eclipse has added to that hope.
The original Battlefront and Battlefront 2 had great campaigns, but another original Battlefront game took a very weird turn with its story. Released in 2009 for the Nintendo DS and PSP, Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron was the fifth installment of the Battlefront series. Some fans might not have heard of this before, because the handheld-only game felt more like a Star Wars Battlefront spin-off game rather than a proper entry into the series. Elite Squadron deviated from the faction-based campaigns of Pandemic's first two Battlefront games and instead focused solely on the character X2, a force-sensitive clone whose DNA was sequenced from a Jedi and not Jango Fett.
X2 Was Star Wars Battlefront's Clone Jedi Character
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron's story had a strange protagonist and went all over the place in a very weird narrative departure for the series. The game begins with X2 and his brother X1, both force-sensitive clones, training other clones ahead of the Clone Wars. Later, in the battle of Cato Neimodia, Order 66 is executed and X2 kills Jedi Master Ferroda, but feels regret. After Order 66, X1 joins the Empire but X2 goes rogue and is hunted down. X2 then trains in secret, is quickly found by the Empire, and is forced into hiding again. He is discovered by the Rebel Alliance shortly afterward and decides to join them. After a failed duel with X1, who has turned to the dark side, Luke Skywalker appears in the game and gives X2 a lightsaber, before training him for an inevitable fight with X1.
Elite Squadron's story of a Force-sensitive clone may seem interesting, but in practice, it didn't make much sense. If the Kaminoans had access to Force-sensitive DNA, and both X1 and X2 were so effective as soldiers, it would've made more sense to base their army on a Jedi and not Jango Fett. X2's involvement in the Galactic Civil War also feels incredibly bolted-on and somewhat jarring. He receives regular training and advice from Luke Skywalker, who at that point should be the Rebellion's only hope as its one remaining Jedi. If Luke had discovered another Force-sensitive during his days with the Rebels, then it wouldn't make sense for him to not bring it up to Yoda or Obi-Wan. Also, the two central characters are referred to as X1 and X2, which aren't exactly the most compelling designations going.
The Star Wars: Battlefront series has produced some of the best Star Wars games out there, but Elite Squadron is definitely not one of them. The game deviated from the successful gameplay of the previous titles, and the story is so weird and ill-thought-out that anyone who didn't have a PSP or DS shouldn't feel like they missed out. Many fans are still hopeful that a future entry in the Star Wars: Battlefront franchise will get made, but if it does, it shouldn't make the same mistakes Elite Squadron did.