‘Rogue One’ rebels debate if a non-Jedi favorite fits the bill better than any prequel trilogy characters

Rogue One is the best Star Wars movie of the Disney era, and has provided a solid foundation for the excellent Andor. Its down-to-earth lightsaber-free action provides a fresh perspective on the franchise, with both the show and movie giving us a boots-on-the-ground story that underlines the evil of the Empire and why it must be defeated.

Along the way, it introduced us to a unique character that embodies much of the Jedi philosophy despite not being at all affiliated with the Jedi Order or its teachings. This is Donnie Yen’s Chirrut Îmwe, a warrior monk member of the Guardian of the Whills, who’s also notable for being completely blind.

Chirrut isn’t Force-sensitive, though his devotion and belief in the Force grant him a unique connection to it. This was shown in the amazing Rogue One scene in which he marched across the battlefield chanting “I am one with the Force. The Force is with me.” while miraculously avoiding being hit by blaster fire. Now fans are wondering whether he embodies the Jedi philosophy more than any actual Jedi ever has:

Replies say that while he’s not strictly Force-sensitive in the same way Jedi are, he definitely has some kind of deep connection to it:

We also much prefer the Force being mysterious rather than just a function of midi-chlorian levels:

Is Chirrut simply tuned into the will of the Force?

Perhaps the prequels have too narrow a view of what the Force is, and how a Jedi can act?

Canonically, Chirrut and Cassian Andor don’t meet until Rogue One, but we still hold out hope he might somehow return in the upcoming second season of Andor. We loved Chirrut’s assessment of Andor when they met, saying that “The Force moves darkly near a creature that’s about to kill.”

Chirrut was ultimately a key part of the Rogue One mission, and without him, the Death Star plans wouldn’t have been successfully stolen, paving the way for Rebel victory in the Battle of Yavin. That turned the tide against the Empire, so as far we’re concerned, he was entirely right to trust in the will of the Force.

If you’re curious about the character, the 2017 novel Guardians of the Whills by Greg Rucka goes into more detail on his backstory, so hunt that down for further insight into one of the Disney era’s most intriguing characters.