Rogue One Bits: Character And Location Details Revealed, An Official Synopsis, And Force Friday Details
In this edition of Rogue One Bits:
The good folks at Star Wars News Net have discovered that the official Star Wars Databank, which collects all of the official information about the characters, locations, and vehicles from the entire universe, has been updated with a whole bunch of new Rogue One information. How about we run down the new additions?
First up is the new entry on the planet Jedha, which we already knew was a spiritual spot for believers in the Force that is occupied by the Empire. The new revelation here is that Jedha is a desert moon stuck in constant winter, which explains why the characters are seen wearing heavy clothing in their scenes here despite everything being shot in Jordan.
A small desert moon frosted by a permanent winter, Jedha is home to one of the first civilizations to explore the nature of the Force. At one time a world important to the Jedi Order, Jedha serves as a holy site for pilgrims from across the galaxy who seek spiritual guidance. Now, the Empire occupies Jedha, and a prolonged battle between Imperial forces and scattered Rebels carries on in the timeworn streets.
The entry on the black-armored Death Troopers actually offers a pretty find suggestion for why these guys aren't seen doing the heavy lifting for the Empire elsewhere – they are tied to Ben Mendelsohn's villain and work directly for him.
The elite soldiers of Imperial Intelligence, Death Troopers are encased in specialized stormtrooper armor with a dark, ominous gleam. These soldiers serve as bodyguards and enforcers for Director Krennic, a highly placed officer within the Advanced Weapons Research division of the Empire.
There's not too much new information to be gleamed from the entry on K-2SO, the hulking droid played by Alan Tudyk, but it does reconfirm that he is a reprogramed Imperial droid (which actually makes him one of two characters in Rogue One to have fought on both sides of this conflict).
A reprogrammed Imperial security droid now loyal to the Alliance, K-2SO is an alarming sight standing within a secret Rebel base. The pragmatic droid is an effective insertion agent, as he can blend in perfectly at Imperial installations and outposts.
Here's entry on Chirrut, the blind warrior played by Donnie Yen in the film, which doesn't contain anything that wasn't already spoke about at Star Wars Celebration.
Deeply spiritual, Chirrut Îmwe believes all living things are connected through the Force. His sightless eyes do not prevent him from being a highly skilled warrior. Though he lacks Force abilities, this warrior monk has rigorously honed his body through intense physical and mental discipline.
The entry on Baze Malbus, Chirrut's best friend played by Jiang Wen, is all about how he is a more practical soldier than his blind companion with no belief in a higher power. This entry also seemingly implies that Jedha is his home, which means he's endured Imperial occupation for years.
The harsh reality of his Imperial-occupied home world has hardened Baze Malbus into a pragmatic soldier and a crack shot with his heavy repeater cannon. Baze has a bravado that provides a marked contrast to the spiritual centeredness of his best friend and moral compass, Chirrut Îmwe.
We now know the full title of Orson Krennic (director of Advanced Weapons Research) and that title suggests what the rest of the entry confirms. Yep, he's the guy calling the shots on the construction of the Death Star.
As director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Imperial military, Orson Krennic is obsessed with the completion of the long-delayed Death Star project. A cruel but brilliant man, Krennic has staked his reputation on the delivery of the functional battle station to the Emperor.
It turns out that those tan-armored Stormtroopers glimpsed in the trailers, the ones stationed on the beaches of Scarif, are known as Shoretroopers.
Specialist stormtroopers stationed at the top secret Imperial military headquarters on Scarif, Shoretroopers patrol the beaches and bunkers of the planetary facility.
We've already seen many glimpses of Scarif in the trailers (it's even on the poster), but this lovely tropical world is the heavily defended construction yard where the Death Star is being constructed.
The planet Scarif would be a beautiful tropical paradise if not for the presence of a major Imperial military installation. Scarif is the principal construction facility for the vast Imperial war machine. The world is enveloped in impenetrable deflector shields and is heavily defended.
The four-legged walker glimpsed in the trailers is the AT-ACT, the larger counterpart to the AT-AT that is used more for transportation and construction than combat.
A larger version of the standard combat AT-AT, the AT-ACT walker features a dedicated cargo bed for the transportation of heavy building materials or combat munitions. It was deployed at major Imperial construction projects, such as shipyards and sprawling research installations.
The entry on Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera reveals a few tiny tidbits. First, he's leading his extremist segment of the Rebel Alliance from Jedha. Second, he's not faring to well in the health department, which surely explains why he's wearing a suit that looks like it's keeping him alive.
A battered veteran of the Clone Wars as well as the ongoing rebellion against the Empire, Saw Gerrera leads a band of Rebel extremists. Saw has lost much in his decades of combat, but occasional flashes of the charismatic and caring man he once was shine through his calloused exterior. Gerrera is bunkered on the ancient world of Jedha, coordinating a prolonged insurgency against the Imperial occupation. Saw's ailing health has not withered his resolve to fight.
Riz Ahmed's Bodhi Rook is the team's pilot and he learned his skills while working for the Empire.
A former Imperial pilot, Bodhi has strong piloting and technical skills that he will put to use for the Rebellion. Ever practical, but highly anxious, Bodhi must gather his courage to bring the battle to the Empire.
And that brings us to the latest addition to the Rebel fleet: the U-Wing.
A sturdy troop transport and gunship used by the Rebel Alliance, the U-wing starfighter is a well-armed swing-wing vessel that must penetrate heavy fire zones to deposit soldiers onto battlefields and then fly air support during dangerous missions against the Empire.
Although it doesn't reveal anything we haven't already known for months, Lucasfilm has also released an official synopsis for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Here it is:
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.
Entertainment Weekly has learned more about Bodhi Rook, the Imperial pilot-turned-Rebel played by Riz Ahmed. It seems that he's an ill-tempered, neurotic troublemaker who finds himself under the employ of the Empire because a job is a job. Ahmed explained his character's situation and how it has shaped his tense personality:
A character like Bodhi is not born into the life of a soldier. He's a pilot working for the Empire, doing his job, getting on with it. But when you put ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, it can freak them out. It can inspire deep passions. So I'm gonna defend Bodhi.
Ahmed also explained that Bodhi isn't some hotshot pilot in the Han Solo mode. He's the space equivalent of a long haul trucker:
The feel of this film is quite rough and ready, and so is the mission and so are the characters, and so is the coming together of the characters. So the idea of people having special ships that they spit-shine and say, 'Hey, this is my ship called the XYZ,' that's not of this world. This world is more about 'Grab what you can, and let's roll.'
Entertainment Weekly also spoke with Alan Tudyk about playing the security droid K-2SO in the film and the actor explained what the Empire built this line of droids for in the first place:
He was a security droid in the Empire and they sort of enforce whatever needs to be enforced. They are imposing. He's 7-foot-1, and follows orders pretty well. If you're asked to be detained, he can detain you. They stand guard, and if somebody doesn't mind them, they'll... They'll enforce the sh– out of [people.]
However, Rebel soldier Cassian Andor eventually reprograms K-2SO, freeing him of Imperial control. And yep, they become instant best friends. However, the reprogramming process leaves him a little...unstable:
He has no filter. There was an old line, it's not in there anymore.... I don't think I can say it... I can't say what I want to say, but Kaytoo can say what he wants. He can say insulting things very casually if he thinks they're true.
And while we haven't heard K-2SO speak yet, Tudyk explained why he decided this killer robot should speak with a British accent:
I have an English accent. I feel like a lot of the Imperial characters are English, and the Rebels tended to be like Han Solo, you think of the Americans. And because he was a droid, it made sense that it would be more of a proper accent.
Last year's "Force Friday" event was a huge success for Lucasfilm and Disney, with fans standing in line for hours on end just to be among the first people to buy new Star Wars merchandise. The event is occurring again this year, falling on September 30, and some sources are claiming this iteration will be known as "Rogue Friday." Like last year, the bulk of what will be available to purchase will most likely be surprise to shoppers, but Jedi Temple Archives has the rundown on certain toys and figures that will be available. However, the most important thing to take away from their report is that there won't be nearly as much merch available this year and that the Rogue One toy line will be much smaller than that of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. So use your time accordingly. You probably already know whether or not you're that person who will happily line up hours in advance.