Warning: Minor spoilers for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story follow.
The release of a new Star Wars film means fresh information to digest, introductions to characters from all around the galaxy, different weapons, and all kinds of glorious minutiae. Even though Rogue One is set in a familiar place on the Star Wars timeline, we still encountered plenty we didn’t know in the standalone film. If, like me, you want to soak in every tidbit, Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide by Pablo Hidalgo, with illustrations by Kemp Remillard, is for you. It’s similar to The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary in that it goes deep into facts and details about characters, locations, ships, and more. Here are five interesting facts from the book:
1. Rebellious beginnings
Mon Mothma is one of the architects of the Rebel Alliance, and the Visual Guide gives some details on her transition from Republic senator to Galactic Empire senator to Chief of State for the Alliance Civil Government. She resigned her seat in the Imperial Senate before the group was disbanded; this happened after she called Emperor Palpatine a “lying executioner” in a public broadcast. You go, Mon Mothma. The action put her at the top of the Empire’s most wanted list. I like that we can now track her career from the prequel era all the way through and beyond Return of the Jedi.
2. Toy box time
Curious about the toys Jyn played with as she grew up on Lah’mu? The Visual Guide has a glorious two-page spread about the residents of her toy box. The toy designs feature ships and creatures we know from other films and animated series set in the universe. For example, there are Tooka dolls (the Loth-cat in Star Wars Rebels is a kind of Tooka), an X-wing, and a snow lizard, a.k.a. a tauntaun. The toy stormtrooper the death trooper is carrying in the above photo is named “Stormie.”
3. Force followers
With the mention of the Church of the Force in The Force Awakens and The Clone Wars’ introduction of the Nightsisters of Dathomir, we’ve known for a while the study of the Force isn’t limited to the Jedi Order. The Holy City on Jedha reinforced that. It was a place of pilgrimage for various groups, and the Visual Guide introduces them—it’s fascinating.
4. Rebel relative
Remember Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt’s majordomo? His cousin is among the members of Saw Gerrera’s militia. The Twi’lek known as Beezer Fortuna can be spotted in Saw’s hideout; he serves as one of Saw’s chief strategists.
5. Morbid name origins
The death troopers protecting Director Krennic were not members of the undead. However, their name does stem “from a rumored project from the Advanced Weapons Research division, designed to animate necrotic flesh.” This could be a nod to the Legends title Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber, in which a zombie virus strikes and undead stormtroopers cause problems.
These examples are only the tip of the iceberg. You’ll find plenty of details explaining everything from the Two Tubes brothers, to the crystal in Chirrut’s staff, to the Geonosian genocide in Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide.
What interesting facts have you learned from the Visual Guide? Head to the comments and share them with the class.
Images: Lucasfilm, DK Publishing
All of Rogue One‘s many Star Wars Easter eggs
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