Hope (cinematic trailer)

"For centuries, Alderaan stood as a beacon of hope in the Republic. But the Empire came, and with one savage strike, brought Alderaan to her knees. Now, time is running out as few are left to face the enemy. For those that remain, there is but one choice. We must fight&mdash;to victory, or death&mdash;for the Republic! [&hellip;] While the sacrifices are heavy, we fight knowing that a single spark of courage can ignite the fires of hope, and restore peace across the galaxy."

- Unidentified Republic trooper

Hope is the second trailer released by BioWare for the upcoming video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. Released on June 14, 2010, the nearly six-minute long video depicts the Republic's struggle to retake Alderaan from the forces of the Sith Empire during the Battle of Alderaan, taking place several years before the beginning of the game and at a time prior to the first trailer. The video is narrated by an unnamed Republic trooper, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.

Synopsis
A Republic soldier recounts the peaceful history of the planet Alderaan, and what it had meant to the Galactic Republic. But because of this, the world became a target of the resurgent Sith Empire, and in a devastating attack lead by the Sith Lord Darth Malgus, the Empire seemed to claim Alderaan for their own. However, several Republic troopers from Havoc Squad are arming themselves in order to strike back at the Sith presence. Though they're outnumbered, the soldiers use the element of surprise to launch an attack from an elevated cliff, raining down fire from blasters and missile launchers, with the unnamed soldier leading the assault. The surprise attack deals a significant blow to the Sith, catching them off guard and allowing for the destruction of several war droids and even Sith Warriors caught by fire from blaster rifles and grenades.

The Sith fight back, killing several troopers with a combination of lightsaber skills and Force powers. When Darth Malgus enters the fray, pulling a trooper to him only to cut him down, the unnamed soldier leading the attack charges Malgus alone. The trooper fires three shots from his cannon at Malgus, who deflects the first two, but his hit by the third in the chest, wounding him. Ramming two Sith warriors bodily, the trooper attempts to do the same to Malgus but gets caught in a stream of Force lightning. Clearly in pain, the trooper nonetheless draws a knife and struggles to finish his attack on the Sith Lord but is hurled backward and knocked unconscious. As he's coming to, the trooper is being dragged by his arms to meet his death by a waiting Sith Warrior, as numerous other Republic troops meet the same fate all around him. But just as the Sith moves to inflict the killing stroke, Jedi Knight Satele Shan rescues the soldier and moves to engage the Sith herself, wielding a blue double-bladed lightsaber. As she downs the Sith who were only seconds earlier about to kill the trooper, the trooper is able to make it back to his feet, catching a rifle tossed from a nearby comrade before rejoining the battle. Shan carves a swathe through the Sith forces, felling Sith warriors and one of their droids before finally clashing with Darth Malgus himself.

The two Force users battle with a combination of lightsaber swings and blows from their fists and feet. Malgus uses his overbearing strength to his advantage, forcing Shan to mount a strained defense from her knees; she reaches out and collapses the trunk of a nearby tree, bringing it down right in the middle of their fight and separating the combatants. With the playing field leveled again, Shan leaps onto the fallen tree where she continues her battle with Malgus until being thrown into another tree. Malgus dives to end the battle and her life, but Shan manages to dodge with a last-second jump, though Malgus is able to slash through her lightsaber and go for a killing thrust. Shan catches the Sith Lord's blade, and holds him at bay long enough for the Republic trooper whose life she had saved to return the favor by ramming and tackling Malgus while he is distracted. As the two grapple, the trooper reveals an armed grenade in his hand, detonating it mere inches from their faces. Both are thrown backward by the explosion, though Malgus climbs to his feet first, his face and armor burned and scored. Before he can retaliate, Shan uses the Force to slam Malgus into a cliff face, driving him deeper with a subsequent blast.

The Republic trooper who attacked Malgus with the grenade wakes up as the battle around him comes to a close, his face suffering both burns and lacerations while his armor shows blackened scars from the blast. As he looks over the battlefield and the dead Republic soldiers, the trooper is joined by Shan and fires a single flare into the sky above the forest. It is accompanied by several others, until all across the planet flares can be seen, while at the same time, the Republic Navy arrives in orbit above Alderaan.