Warning: spoilers follow for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Jump into hyperspace and in the opposite direction if you haven’t seen the film yet.
Star Wars Rebels and Rogue One take place right next door to each other on the Star Wars timeline. As of season three of Rebels, we’re about three years out from A New Hope, while Rogue One takes place right before Episode IV. I hoped we’d see some overlap or some sort of call out to the Ghost crew in Rogue One, and when a ship that looked like Hera’s light freighter appeared in a TV spot, it seemed likely we’d get some easter eggs. Here are the six Star Wars Rebels easter eggs I spotted in Rogue One, in chronological order.
1. Ghost at Yavin 4
When Jyn and Cassian leave for Jedha, look to the top left of the ship platform outside the base on Yavin 4. Ghost is in the corner.
2. General Syndulla
After Jyn delivers the news about her father’s true allegiance to the Rebel Alliance council, listen carefully. You’ll hear a “General Syndulla” being summoned to report over the loudspeaker. Exciting! So, Hera (I don’t think it’s Cham) at least, is around until the Battle of Scarif.
3. Chopper
I noticed Chopper on my second viewing of Rogue One and wanted to clap–as it was, I did point excitedly at the screen. My favorite droid made it to the movies! When the communications officer runs to Mon Mothma to tell her the news about the activity on Scarif, watch the left side of the screen to see Chopper roll by. It’s the same Chopper that appears in the Lucasfilm-produced Star Wars Rebels online aftershow, Rebels Recon.
4. Ghost at the Battle of Scarif
As eagle-eyed fans noticed in a Rogue One TV spot, the Ghost is at the Battle of Scarif. You can see the ship several times throughout the battle. Vanessa Marshall, the voice of Hera in Rebels, provided additional voices for the film, so there’s a chance she recorded some pilot chatter as Hera.
5. Karabast!
Zeb’s preferred curse word made it into Rogue One. When Pao sees the AT-ACTs approaching the beach on Scarif, he yells, “Karabast!”
6. Hammerhead Corvette
Admiral Raddus (who, by the way, is voiced by Stephen Stanton, the voice of Tarkin and AP-5 in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels) has the genius idea to use a Hammerhead corvette to make one Star Destroyer crash into another. The ship type was first introduced to canon in the Star Wars Rebels episode “A Princess on Lothal,” when Princess Leia managed to get three of the vehicles into the hands of the Rebellion. The ship was included in Rebels as a nod to a Hammerhead vehicle in the Legends era video game Knights of the Old Republic.
These little nods made this Star Wars Rebels fan so damn gleeful. I’m proud of Hera for getting Ghost so far.
Did you spot any other Star Wars Rebels easter eggs in Rogue One? Share them with us in the comments or come tell me on Twitter.
Images: Disney/Lucasfilm
