Star Wars fanboy!
Spoilers!!! Let me begin by saying I am a huge Star Wars fan. My first interaction with my wife was a conversation about her Star Wars shoes. I’ve seen A New Hope well over 100 times. I’ve read at least 30 books in the EU (extended universe). My son, Benjamin, is named after Ben Kenobi. So, yes, you can say I’m a fan. As with most Star Wars fans, I had concerns over the direction Disney would take the franchise. Especially with JJ Abrams, Star Trek director and solar flare enthusiast, at the helm of the first installment.
As I watched the opening sequence I turned to my wife and said, “This looks like Star Trek with Stormtroopers,”. but my fear was quickly abated as the scene turned from nigh
t to day, and once again I was in the Star Wars universe. Those of you who’ve seen the new Star Trek movies I’m sure will understand. The difference in feel is due in large part to the cinematography. So it was with great anticipation that Disney was going to do an Anthology series, giving us back story and filling in holes, that drove me to a 7pm showing on opening night to see Rogue One.
Ruining the SWU!
So how did Rogue One ruin the Star Wars Universe (SWU)? Throughout the SWU there has been a certain dichotomy that has been true to every story told, especially in the movies. But even if it is not true of ALL the books in the EU (since I haven’t read all of them yet), Disney and Lucasfilm have stated that the EU is no longer canon; Episodes I-VII, The Clone Wars, Rebels, the latest cartoon I don’t know the name of and Rogue One are.
This dichotomy has been clear in movies of previous generations often symbolized by the colors, black and white. In westerns the good guy wore light-colored hats (if not white) and rode pale horses. In contrast, the bad guy would wear a black hat and ride a dark horse. Trouble makers in the films of the 50’s would wear black leather jackets, grease their hair (making it appear dark) and ride motorcycles. There was always a clear delineation between right and wrong, good and evil.
And so, Star Wars took up this mantle starting with the 1977 film where Evil is portrayed by the Dark Side of The Force in the embodiment of Darth Vader (wearing black) and Good by the Light Side with Luke Skywalker as its champion (wearing light tan). We saw evil portrayed in the acts of Grand Moff Tarkin and the destruction of Alderaan, Darth Vader and the murder of well, everybody that disappointed him and The Emperor, the puppet master behind it all. Good, being the antithesis of evil, had equal representation in Luke, Leia and, yes, even Han Solo (one time smuggler turned crusader). Their selfless acts to defeat the tyranny of evil are pervasive throughout the original trilogy. And so it was as the end credits rolled and the curtain came down on Return of the Jedi, Good had defeated Evil.
There’s a reason why we have rules!
Fast forward 33 years and along comes Rogue One. I actually enjoyed this movie on its own, it felt as if it were truly a part of the SWU (except for the market scene, that felt Star Trek-ish to me). If this movie had come out prior to the original movies I wouldn’t have a problem with it at all. Rules for the universe would have been established by this movie and everything would fit nicely within those rules. But here’s the thing, when you create rules for your universe – stick with them. For example, if in your universe characters can fly or run at super speed, or if you want vampires or zombies, that’s fine. But if you establish parameters like Kryptonite will kill, they can’t go out in sunlight, or they move slowly, then that can’t change.
You can’t just simply ignore the rules you established for your universe to suit your own purposes and expect fans to just ignore that your characters did something you told us before that they couldn’t do. It is clear from the opening credits that Star Wars is a story of good versus evil, that our protagonists, to the best of their ability, will always take the right path even if its not the easiest path. There is no better example than the bridge scene on the 2nd Death Star in ROTJ. The Emperor keeps tempting Luke to take his lightsaber and strike him down, saving the lives of hundreds as well as his friends. He doesn’t give in, inspiring his father to make the right choice as well, knowing it will kill him.
Rogue One and the Anti-hero!
Rogue One gives us the same “bad” guys (Vader, Tarkin, etc.) but as protagonists, we get Jyn Erso – rapscallion and thief and Cassian Andor -military leader and assassin. Cassian murders an informant, in early sequences of the film, so that the informant won’t be arrested by stormtroopers and give away who Cassian is. He is also ordered by General Draven, head of the rebel military, to assassinate Jyn Erso’s father, a scientist forced to work for the Empire and creator of the Deathstar. I’m still not clear on why he was ordered to do that since the Deathstar had already been built. Mr. Erso also sent out an informant to give the rebellion a heads-up to its existence. Cassian didn’t follow through but he had a clear shot at Director Krennic, a vastly higher level target. Later in the film when it seems that all is lost Cassian gives Erso a speech in which he explains all the horrible things he and the dozen or so soldiers behind him have done for the rebellion, including murder and every other crime imaginable. He explains that there is no redemption for them if they don’t win. To paraphrase, the ends has to justify the means. In the end the murderous, treacherous, thieving crew save the Rebellion.
So now Star Wars is not about good vs evil but my ideology vs your ideology. You want an empire and we want a republic. A no holds barred fight until one is proclaimed victor. This has become a pervasive theme throughout film and television. The anti-hero is who we have been given and we’re expected to root for them; the Soprano’s, Prison Break, The Blacklist, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Vikings… the list goes on and on. As my wife and I were discussing this the other day she said, “When does good really ever defeat evil?”, I said, “In the original Star Wars,” but then I realized that’s not true anymore. Luke, Leia and Han may be good guys, but the rest of the rebellion is not. Mon Mothma and General Draven sanctioned every crime committed in Rogue One and we have no reason to believe they changed their ways. So good no longer defeated evil and Rogue One ruined the SWU.