Ranking The Rogues Of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story breaks new ground in a number of ways. It's the first Anthology film of the newly rebooted Star Wars franchise; it's the first Star Wars movie released without the traditional opening crawl, it's the first Star Wars film released without the Skywalker family at the heart of the action; it's the first Star Wars movie released without a Jedi character. By virtue of the fact that this spinoff tale depicts the actions of a group of rebel fighters trying to derail the Death Star project, this is a Star Wars film that introduces a number of new characters who play a vital role in the overall Star Wars mythology, while still being – as it were – regular people. Of course, there are a few familiar faces here as well. There’s Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits), there’s Grand Moff Tarkin (a CGI-enhanced Guy Henry), and there are not one, but two breathtakingly iconic entrances from Darth Vader. There are also a number of fleeting appearances by other recognizable characters – but the joy of these is in the discovery, so we won’t spoil them here. Instead, let’s take a closer look at the notable rogues of Rogue One. These are the core rebellious characters that drive the action in the film, in opposition to The Empire. These are the thorn in the side of Imperial Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), and they're the heroes whose actions make possible Episodes IV and beyond. In the film, they're aided by the re-programmed Imperial android, K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) who, while playing an important role in terms of the mission, provides comic relief. In terms of humanoids, though, these are the Rogues, subjectively ranked in order of excellence. 6) Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) In many ways, the presence of Saw Gerrera dominates the first half of the film – even when he's not onscreen. We see him, briefly, in the opening moments, when Lyra Erso (Valene Kane) places a video distress call to him. We then see him more clearly when he arrives to rescue the pre-teen Jyn Erso from the underground bunker to which she has fled. It's clear that he's a close confidante of the Erso family, since this sequence of events is the culmination of a well-laid plan, designed to be implemented under very specific circumstances, for the purpose of saving the child. Once Jyn reaches adulthood and is recruited by the Rebel Alliance to help them steal the Death Star plans, Saw Gerrera looms back into view. We learn that he is now – fifteen years on – considered to be a Rebel extremist, and has effectively branched out on his own. We learn that he raised Jyn himself, until he abandoned her at the age of 16. At this point in his story, however, he serves the purpose of a conduit. Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) has been forced to design and oversee the construction of the Death Star, but has built in a hidden fail-safe that can be used to destroy it. He sends a holographic message to his old comrade Saw Gerrera, via a defecting Imperial pilot named Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed). Time, age and conflict have not been kind to Saw Gerrera, however, and Bodhi finds him made all the more intimidating by extreme paranoia and suspicion, as he operates a small band of resistance fighters from a hidden location. It's here that he provides the means for Jyn to hear her father’s message and relay the information to the Rebel Alliance. Gerrera cuts an imposing figure – encased in various sections of armoury with robotic legs, and a mechanism to help him breathe when necessary. This, combined with his slightly unhinged approach and bunkered hide-away, makes him something of a mash-up of Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, and Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet. He's clearly played an important role in the life of Jyn Erso, however, so his facilitation of her mission to rectify the work of her father seems quite fitting. 5) Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) Cassian Andor is essentially the male lead in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and has an important narrative arc all his own. He's a Rebel leader – respected by his superiors as a soldier who can be relied upon to get the job done. He's also the character through which we are reminded that there are no innocents in battle, as all sides are ultimately called upon to do things that are objectively terrible, regardless of the cause. Fans of the franchise will see echoes of the more amplified internal conflicts that raged within Anakin, Luke, and Ben – all of whom entered this realm of questionable morality, and were drawn to either the Dark Side or the Light, as a result. Cassian has no dealings with The Force, however, and operates entirely for the benefit of the Rebel Alliance. He hints at a pained backstory of his own, as he yells at Jyn that he's been fighting this battle since the age of six. It's his relationship with Jyn that most illustrates the progression of his character – as he begins the film angry, resentful, and suspicious of her, and ends the film as her greatest ally. He is, at first, torn between his loyalty to the Alliance, and his responsibility to her as a teammate. They embark on their mission to find her father with polar opposite objectives – unbeknownst to her – but must find common ground when that mission goes terribly wrong. In the field, they complement each other well. He has vast experience of military strategy and battle, and she has vast experience of surviving and rebelling. She pushes him to try harder and be less cautious, while he provides her with the kind of reliable, loyal support and back-up she's rarely known before. He's a notably dark character, however – very much weighed down by the guilt and knowledge of his past actions. 4) Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) Bodhi Rook is, at first, the macguffin of the movie. Everybody is seeking The Pilot, because he's known to have sensitive information of potentially damaging consequences to The Empire. In fact, he's an Imperial pilot seeking to defect to the Alliance, carrying a holographic message from Galen Erso – from the heart of the Death Star construction programme. Bodhi is seeking Saw Gerrera to deliver the message and is seized by Gerrera’s band of resistance fighters. Gerrera is deeply suspicious of Rook, and subjects him to the powers of a large, mind-reading creature that is said to have the side-effect of making a person lose their mind. When Rook encounters Cassian Andor, Baze Malbus and Chirrut Inwe in Gerrera’s jail, however, they manage to get through to him, and scoop him up to join their mission. He proves to be an invaluable member of the team, while presenting himself as a man who has attempted to follow his convictions, which have led him to an extraordinary moment in history. 3) Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang) Jyn and Cassian meet Baze Malbus in the city of Jedha, where he's living as a mercenary with his friend and comrade, Chirrut Inwe. Cassian explains to Jyn that the pair were formerly guards of the Temple in Jedha (a last association with the Jedi and The Force), but since The Empire had begun to strip the Temple of its crystals so as to fuel the Death Star (crystals which are also used to power lightsabers), the guards were displaced. Malbus is a gruff, serious man who enjoys a deeply meaningful, somewhat playful friendship with Chirrut Inwe. They mock one another mercilessly, but are entirely devoted to each other and to their connection, in a way we would expect of two people that have known each other for a lifetime. Malbus is inherently sceptical of the concept of The Force, but understands that this type of belief is the thing that sustains his friend - so he respects those beliefs and choices on a fundamental level. His own beliefs, however, are more grounded in nature – based in physicality and more tangible elements. It's his physicality that ties him to his friend, Chirrut, who's a blind warrior – because Malbus is constantly on guard, waiting for the need of his intervention and assistance. He's not overbearing, however, leaving room for Chirrut’s faith in The Force to guide him and having his own faith in Chirrut’s incredible abilities as a warrior. 2) Chirrut Inwe (Donnie Yen) Chirrut Inwe is a blind warrior who has a deep, abiding belief in The Force, without being a Jedi himself. He believes in the connection of all things, and of the need for balance. He can regularly be heard repeating his mantra – almost in prayer – “I am The Force, The Force is with me,” and in doing so, draws strength and courage from his faith in the face of almost insurmountable odds. In a group of rogues who are mired in darkness and pain, Chirrut Inwe is something of a breath of fresh air. The solid personal foundation provided to him by his belief in The Force allows him to view their situation from a more objective point of view – the result of which is that he becomes the voice of reason, rather than of wisdom. It's Chirrut that reaches out to Jyn as she walks past, demonstrating his remarkable abilities of perception by commenting on the necklace she wears – even though he's blind and it's hidden from view. It's also Chirrut that intervenes in defence of Jyn and Cassian when the area of Jedha in which they stand comes under attack from both Imperial forces and fighters allied to Saw Gerrera. It is Chirrut, too, in the final act, who first steps into the breach in an act of unprecedented courage and faith, as the team individually work to accomplish their respective parts of the mission to derail the Death Star project. The nature of his faith – unwavering, even in the face of evil – is a source of inspiration for the rest of the group, regardless of whether they share his beliefs or not. This draws an important point about the fact that the faith a person has is far less important than the fact that they have faith at all. 1) Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) Jyn Erso is by far the most developed character in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story purely by virtue of the fact that she's the lead in the movie. She also has the most prominent narrative arc. She begins the story as a child – at first under siege, and then hiding from Director Krennic. We learn that she was rescued by Saw Gerrera, who then raised her until the age of 16. In adulthood, we find her imprisoned and being transported to an Imperial Labour Camp – so she's clearly had a difficult life, filled with challenges and the need for self-sufficiency. Jyn is a woman of few words. Even by the end, when most of the team are looking to her for leadership, she largely avoids making long, inspirational speeches – with one exception – opting instead for making her points succinctly and playing her own cards very close to chest. She listens to the ramblings of others, and learns their motivations before drawing her conclusions or taking action. Her personal point of view shifts as she learns more about the struggles of the Rebel Alliance from Rebel fighters, and she changes from being initially resentful and indifferent, to being determined to halt the construction of the Death Star. In a particularly telling exchange with Saw Gerrera, he challenges her willingness to allow The Empire to win – asking if she's really happy to have the Imperial flag hoisted above the entire galaxy. “It’s okay if you don’t look up,” she replies with a pointed tone – expressing anger at the man who abandoned her as a teen, and left her to learn how to survive alone. This is the crux of her character, which reflects wider social issues that are very relevant today – isolationism versus unity. Having had no choice but to fend for herself for years, pleas to help the plight of others do little to move Jyn at first. Her turning point comes when she realizes that her father has effectively sacrificed their family life in order to sabotage the Death Star – the building of which was inevitable whether he was involved or not. She then becomes inspired to ensure that this sacrifice is meaningful and so, joins the fight against the oppressive Imperial regime.