10 Ways Star Wars Has Improved Rogue One Over The Last 8 Years

May 18, 2024, 8:50 p.m.

Movies

10 Ways Star Wars Has Improved Rogue One Over The Last 8 Years

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Summary Star Wars has enhanced Rogue One through expanded storytelling of key characters like Cassian Andor and Saw Gerrera.

Insights into the origins of the Death Star, Guardians of the Whills, and Darth Vader's fortress have deepened the film's lore.

Emphasis on Mon Mothma's evolution, Hera Syndulla's subtle role, and Jyn Erso's backstory have enriched viewers' understanding of Rogue One 8 years after its release.

Eight years after its release, Star Wars has made Rogue One even better in several exciting and dynamic ways. The first anthology movie set apart from the core nine-film Skywalker saga, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released in 2016 from director Gareth Edwards. Featuring a story about the group of Rebels who stole the plans for the Empire's first Death Star before the events of A New Hope, Lucasfilm has since expanded and improved the viewing experience of Rogue One in more ways than one.

Starring an impressive cast of both Rebels and Imperials locked in an epic conflict over the Death Star plans, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is one of the most intense and exciting Star Wars movies in the entire franchise. However, the events of Rogue One and its characters have been improved by more than just the recent Andor series alone. To that end, here are 10 ways in which Star Wars has made Rogue One even better than it already was eight years later.

Related Star Wars Movies In Order: How To Watch Release Order, Chronologically & With The TV Shows What's the best way to watch Star Wars? Here's everything you need to know to watch in release or timeline order, and how to include the TV shows.

10 The Origins Of Star Wars' First Death Star

Everything It Took To Build And Complete

Much of Rogue One covers the construction of the first Death Star and those who played critical roles in the project's completion like Director Orson Krennic as well as the superweapon's chief engineer Galen Erso who was ultimately forced into the Empire's service (and was responsible for the battle station's primary weakness). To that end, novels such as James Luceno's Catalyst released in conjunction with Rogue One revealed Krennic and Galen's history during the Republic. This notably included Erso's past as a pacifist before his work was eventually co-opted by the Empire for Project Stardust, named after the nickname of Galen's daughter Jyn.

Likewise, both Star Wars Rebels and 2022's Andor revealed just how much manual labor and indentured servitude were required to build the Death Star. Rebels confirms the Empire nearly wiped out the entire Geonosian race with a sterilizing gas after they helped build the superweapon, wanting to keep its existence a secret for as long as possible. Likewise, Darth Vader himself was responsible for killing the last Geonosian queen in his canonical comic series. Additionally, Andor featured legions of prisoners captured by the Empire who were also forced to work on components of the battle station with no intention of release.

9 Expanding Cassian Andor's Backstory

How He Joined The Rebellion

Set five years before the events of Rogue One, 2022's Andor is naturally one of the biggest ways the anthology film has been expanded and made even better. The show reveals the Rebel captain's origins before he was recruited into the Rebellion. It even shows his life and fight before there was an official Rebel Alliance. As such, seeing Cassian Andor's life and evolution into a man committed to taking down the Empire and joining the cause is an incredible experience and very well-written.

Cassian Andor Drawn into the nascent Rebel Alliance despite himself, Cassian Andor became one of the most dangerous "Fulcrum" spies for the rebellion. His life was unknowingly lived in the shadow of the Death Star, and Cassian was the agent who eventually discovered the battle-station's existence. Cassian allied with Jyn Erso as part of the doomed (but successful) mission to Scarif, helping recover the Death Star plans. Created By John Knoll Cast Diego Luna First Appearance Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Died Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Alias Clem, Fulcrum, Kee Girgo Alliance Rebel Alliance Race Human Movies Rogue One: A Star Wars Story TV Shows Andor Franchise Star Wars Expand

Considered to be one of Lucasfilm's best live-action Star Wars shows thus far, Andor undoubtedly enhances the viewing experience of Rogue One. Additionally, the show will likely continue to do so with its imminent second season in the works from Lucasfilm. It absolutely helps viewers care more about Cassian during the events of Rogue One knowing what he's been through previously, especially combined with Rogue One's reveal that the Battle of Scarif ends up being his most important (and last) mission for the Alliance.

8 Saw Gerrera's Darker Rebellion

Victory At Any Cost

Having originally appeared in The Clone Wars as a resistance leader fighting to free his homeworld from the grip of the Separatists, Saw Gerrera made his live-action debut in Rogue One as the leader of the Partisans, a more aggressive faction of rebels viewed as extremists by the Rebel Alliance. Despite his death on the holy world of Jedha, Saw Gerrera and his war against the Empire were featured throughout several subsequent Star Wars projects, both in live-action, animation, novels, and more. He also played a role in EA's Jedi: Fallen Order video game as a new ally for Jedi Purge survivor Cal Kestis.

In more recent shows such as The Bad Batch and Andor, Saw Gerrera is willing to do anything to protect his dream of a free galaxy, even if he has to resort to the darkest methods and risk significant casualties to do so. That said, Andor in particular does an excellent job of showing just how much darkness and sacrifice had to be hypocritically paid to bring forth the Rebel Alliance itself, even as they eventually came to view Gerrera's methods as too extreme by the events of Rogue One. Knowing Saw's full history certainly enhances his character as he's depicted in the 2016 movie.

7 Star Wars Has Revealed More About The Guardians of the Whills

During The High Republic Era

Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus were two of Rogue One's breakout characters. Having been encountered by Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor on Jedha, Chirrut and Baze were introduced as former Guardians of the Whills, having been tasked with protecting the sacred Kyber Temple on the holy world before the Empire came and claimed its treasures. To that end, the Guardians and their roles as Force-adjacent warriors have since been fleshed out since the release of Rogue One.

Not only did Chirrut and Baze receive their own novel by Greg Rucka set before the events of Rogue One, but the more recent High Republic Era comics have revealed the role of the Guardians of the Whills hundreds of years before the events of the Skywalker saga. This includes the former Guardian known as Tey Sirrek, a key ally to various members of the High Republic's Jedi Order as seen in Marvel Comics' ongoing High Republic series by Cavan Scott.

6 Revisiting Rogue One's Holy World, Jedha

During The High Republic And Galactic Civil War

One of the most intriguing worlds in the Star Wars galaxy, Jedha made its first appearance in 2016's Rogue One. Also known as the Holy Moon, Jedha was revealed to be a spiritual epicenter for several factions and believers in the Force, not just the Jedi alone. However, the Jedi did have a significant presence on the moon in the ancient past, as seen in Marvel's High Republic comics.

Likewise, the remains of Jedha following the Death Star's test in Rogue One were revisited in the canonical comics set between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. Learning about the Rogue One Rebels who stole the Death Star plans while joining forces with surviving members of Saw's Partisans, Luke Skywalker himself was inspired by their heroism, so much so that they served as the canonical namesake for his and Wedge Antilles' Rogue Squadron. Jedha is also a key world visited by Cal Kestis in EA's sequel game Jedi: Survivor.

5 The Rebellion's Desperate And Dark Origins

The Critical Role of Luthen Rael

Andor in particular shows just how desperate and dark the early days of Rebellion truly were, years before the various cells of resistance came together as the Rebel Alliance just before Rogue One's Battle of Scarif. Likewise, Andor also reveals just how crucial Luthen Rael was with his secret communications and connections with various cells of resistance and his impressive spy network. Luthen is also incredibly important in that he knew the necessary sacrifices that had to be made to truly unify the galaxy against the Empire, even if it meant triggering increases in short-term oppression to motivate meaningful resistance for the long term.

Luthen Rael A mysterious leader in the Rebel Alliance, Luthen Rael is comfortable making decisions others - such as Mon Mothma - would find uncomfortable. Luthen seems to have modelled himself on Palpatine, presenting a front as an antiques dealer while he travels the galaxy supporting rebel cells. His story seems fated to end in tragedy. Created By Tony Gilroy Cast Stellan Skarsgård First Appearance Andor Died Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Alias Axis Alliance Rebel Alliance Race Human TV Shows Andor Franchise Star Wars Expand

4 Mon Mothma's Star Wars Origins And Evolution

How She Became A Core Leader of The Rebellion

As seen in Andor, Mon Mothma remained a member of the Imperial Senate following the end of the Republic. Although she continually tried to speak for those who were being oppressed from within the corrupt system, her voice was frequently ignored. However, it did give Mothma a position to help finance various acts of Rebellion in secret with Luthen Rael as her contact.

This challenging and incredibly risky origin for Mothma will only continue to evolve to the point where she'll eventually leave the Senate to become an official leader of the Alliance as seen in Rogue One (and eventually Chancellor of the New Republic following the Empire's fall post-Return of the Jedi). To that end, it will be very exciting to see exactly what motivates Mothma to fully join the Rebels in Andor season 2. Regardless, seeing her beginnings certainly helps point to just how close the galaxy came to not having a unified Rebellion as seen in Rogue One.

3 Expanding Hera Syndulla's Rebellion Role

Star Wars Rebels And More

Rogue One was released right in the middle of the canonical animated Star Wars Rebels series. Starring the Rebel cell known as the Spectres in the years just before Rogue One and the original trilogy, the crew of The Ghost was captained by Hera Syndulla, a green-skinned Twi'lek who helped get the various Rebel cells organized with help from the agent known as Fulcrum (eventually revealed to be Ahsoka Tano). To that end, multiple Rebels and Hera references were featured in Rogue One itself.

While Hera wouldn't make her live-action appearance until 2023's Ahsoka series, her droid companion Chopper was briefly featured at the Rebel base on Yavin, as was The Ghost both near the main hanger and during the Battle of Scarif, presumably piloted by Hera. Likewise, "General Syndulla" is heard being summoned to the briefing room. To that end, the subsequent episodes of Rebels that followed the 2016 film helped build not only to Rogue One, but also to Hera's status as a General and the Spectres' role ahead of the Alliance's coordinated strikes on Scarif to secure the Death Star plans.

2 Jyn Erso's Star Wars Backstory Before Rogue One

Her History and Legacy

The daughter of Galen Erso and protégé of Saw Gerrea, Jyn Erso's history and legacy beyond Rogue One have been revealed in multiple novels and comics, as well as in episodes of the animated miniseries Force of Destiny. To that end, the fact that Jyn Erso regains her hope in Rogue One is made even better with her expanded history in novels like Rebel Rising where she's trained and then abandoned by Gerrera at 16, effectively giving her abandonment issues with two father figures. Likewise, seeing how her sacrifice inspired Luke in Rogue One's aftermath is quite cool as well.

1 The Origins Of Darth Vader's Fortress Revealed

Built To Amplify The Dark Lord's Power

Although Vader's imposing fortress on Mustafar made its debut in Rogue One, its history and role in the Star Wars canon became so much bigger following the movie's release. This is most notably true with 2017's Darth Vader series by Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli. Set in the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith, Vader's successful hunting of multiple Jedi Purge survivors with his Inquisitors led to Emperor Palpatine gifting the Dark Lord with his very own world.

Selecting Mustafar, Darth Vader had his castle built on the very banks of his defeat facing Obi-Wan. Constructed to amplify his connection to the Force, the castle was also built atop a locus of dark side power which Vader used to enter a gateway to the cosmic Force in the hopes of bringing his wife back from the dead. Likewise, Vader's castle has made multiple appearances in books and comics, and was most recently featured in live-action in 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi series, making its original debut in Rogue One even more dynamic and important to the Star Wars franchise.