To honor the tenth anniversary of the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Star Wars Track brought Camelo Esterrich, Holly Garland, Robynn MGlotten, Sarah Dempster, and Tim Helbing to the track room in the Marriott (A706) Sunday afternoon for a discussion of the film’s impact and significance. Moderated by Doctor Law, the first question asked of the group set the tone for the hour: What is it that Rogue One does that no other Star Wars film can claim? What makes it unique? Garland argued the casting was “perfection” from top to bottom, and Dempster pointed out that it was “grittier” and more adult. For Esterrich, McGlotten, and Helbing, it was the fact that this film focused on non-force sensitive characters. This was not the story of Jedi heroes but of grunts. “The people in this film believe in the force,” Esterrich declared “but they are not force sensitive.” Thus, the film examines the impact of Imperial rule on regular people and tells the story of the rebellion from their perspective.

The notion of force sensitivity (and lack thereof) really sets this movie apart. Traditionally, we understand that an individual either is or isn’t force sensitive. If they are, they head to Jedi training. In this film we see that there is a spectrum of force sensitivity. According to McGlotten, this really expands the lore. You get a real sense of this through Chirrut Imwe, a member of the Guardians of the Whills who, while not a Jedi, is clearly sensitive to and engages with the force. The film created a “fascinating” opportunity to think about the force in new and different ways which, according to Esterrich, is one of its greatest strengths.

There was a vibrant discussion among the panelists over the question of the film’s protagonist. The conventional answer is, obviously, Jen Erso. The central character around whom the action swirls, Erso is on the hero’s quest. According to Esterrich her quest follows Joseph Campbell’s quest model extremely well. At the same time, however, McGlotten points out, the larger protagonist is the rebellion itself. Every individual character has a role to play in the success of the mission. If any one person had failed to complete their job, the whole thing would have failed. Thus, for her, it is the rebellion, as represented by all those people, who drive the story.

Gareth Edwards, who directed the film, always described it as a war film. The genre has always reflected the fundamental reality of any military organization, which is that success depends on everyone doing their specific job. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts, but mission success occurs only if everyone understands their respective roles and does them. That sensibility, so fundamental to the mentality and functioning of the modern military, is part of the reason the film resonates with veterans. Esterrich, who teaches a college course on Star Wars, pointed out that this is a difficult film for veterans to watch. They understand (intimately) the dedication to duty, and willingness to sacrifice self to a larger cause that is at the heart of this film. The fact that they have such difficulty watching the film speaks to Edwards’ success at achieving his goal.

Most panelists felt that the Disney+ series Andor successfully supports and expands the film. One of the best, if not the best, live action series produced by Disney+, Andor tells the tale of Cassian Andor. Created by Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna in the title role, the series examines both the development of Andor as a member of the rebellion and the rebellion more broadly. The series also tells the tale of Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), the great leader of the rebellion, as well as Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) a critical operative in the rebellion known by Imperial forces as “Axis.” It is, according to Helbing, “the perfect set up,” taking nothing away from the film itself.

Toward the end of the hour the inevitable question of Darth Vader’s appearance at the end of Rogue One and “fan service” came up. The panel was willing to concede that it may well have been fan service and not necessary but, it was still “perfect.” No one was bothered by its inclusion in the final version.

Rogue One, the “grittier,” “adult” Star Wars film is also one of the franchise’s most successful, earning over $1 billion in global ticket sales. It provides backstory and supports Star Wars to perfection. It does all this while being fully grounded in the very human story of a woman on a quest, and a band of troopers on a mission. Rebellions are built on hope….one brick at a time,