“What will you become?” Ominous last words from Forest Whitaker’s mysterious character, presumably addressed to Felicity Jones’ newly named Jyn Erso. The same question could be asked about the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. We don’t know what it will become… but from what we just saw, it made a great first impression.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably watched the new trailer a dozen times. If not… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!?? It did everything possible to deliver goosebumps to any member of the Rebellion… or even the Empire. While it seems strange getting a Star Wars movie without any mentioning of Skywalkers or the Force, it’s also a refreshing change of pace. There’s so much to love, it seems impossible to break it down without entering rambling territory.
So keeping it simple, here are five things I loved about the first trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
-Familiar Faces, Familiar Places-
Now, we’ve already seen a cast picture featuring Felicty Jones’s character… so no character surprise there. However, there was never even a rumbling of Mon Mothma appearing. Genevieve O’Reilly (who played the character in Revenge of the Sith… only to have her scene cut) is the spitting image of Caroline Blakiston, who was the O.G. Mothma in Return of the Jedi. Seeing small characters from the original trilogy is the perfect way to bring Rogue One into the Star Wars fold, having people like Mothma serve as a linchpin between the two. (Also, don’t tell me Diego Luna isn’t playing Biggs Darklighter… THE RESEMBLANCE IS UNCANNY!!!)
There is also the look and feel of the base where Jyn is introduced to Mothma. While not specifically mentioned, it seems to be a dead ringer for Yavin IV, the home base for the Rebels in A New Hope. We didn’t get a great look at Yavin IV previously, so it seems now will be a good time to explore the jungle moon.
The trailer was noticeably absent of other characters that have been rumored, mainly Darth Vader and Boba Fett. However, this is a teaser trailer and the last thing Star Wars fans would want is for Rogue One to go all Batman V Superman on us and spoil everything before we get to see it.
-Felicity Jones Is a Bad Ass-
What the trailer did establish is that Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso is going to be a badass. She had a rap sheet before even joining with the Rebellion (unlike that goody two-shoes, Rey). There’s a shot of Erso taking out a group of Stormtroopers (the regulars joes in white), proving she can handle herself in a fight. And when Whitaker uttered those gloomy words… we see her completely decked out in black Empire-gear. Was she a covert Empire agent all along?!? December can’t get here soon enough.
-The Death Star Is Almost Complete-
Put the rumors to rest. Rogue One will be a war story focusing on the stealing of the original Death Star plans. We know this, because we were given a shot of the final touches being applied to the killer star-base. This should all but guarantee an appearance from Grand Moff Tarkin (who was responsible for its completion according to the novel Tarkin). So what role will Ben Mendelshon’s mysterious white Imperial Officer play? Just more questions that I can’t wait to be solved.
-AT-ATs Attacking the Beach-
There was a lot of action packed into a short 1:30 trailer:
1. Donnie Yen going mano-a-mano with a pack of Stormtroopers (again… just the guys in white armor).
2. Jones and Luna (with Alan Tudyk’s droid in tow), running through a hallway.
3. Possible Shadow Troopers?
However, nothing can touch that single shot of AT-ATs descending upon a battalion of Rebels.
We’ve seen AT-ATs doing damage on the snow; it’s good to see they’re still functional on sandy beaches. Monsters and Godzilla proved Gareth Edwards knows how to put together an action scene. He’s trading in his super-sized monsters for super-sized Empire artillery… and there’s nothing wrong with that.
-Mysteries Still Needing to Be Unraveled-
The best part of Rogue One was how little of the actual storyline was given away. Sure, we know that in the end the Rebels will end up with the plans;Â A New Hope proves that. But how we get from the beginning to the end is still a mystery. The trailer did a great job at dropping new tidbits that will keep fans guessing until Rogue One hits theaters on December 16th. What is up with Forest Whitaker’s character? Is Diego Luna going to be Biggs Darklighter? Who was that kneeling in front of Royal Imperial Guards?
Doesn’t look like Vader. Could it be an Inquisitor? Will this movie somehow tie into Star Wars Rebels? My brain just isn’t ready to properly comprehend all the possibilities.
“What will you become?” I have no idea, but thanks to the Rogue One trailer, I can’t wait to head back to a galaxy far, far away.
