NOTE: A very small “spoiler” ahead from the teaser trailer shown exclusively to the Celebration audience. I only remark on it to confirm the identity of a character seen in the reel.
Jyn Erso’s Homeworld
Here we see the planet where Jyn’s father, Galen Erso, is living. I believe this is likely the first scene of the film.
Galen is a scientist who is wanted by the Empire and the rebels. He created something very powerful and now regrets it, being compared to J. Robert Oppenheimer, a scientist who helped create the atomic bomb. It is likely that Galen created a key component that is used in completing the Death Star’s superweapon.
From what we have seen so far, Galen is possibly captured or killed by Orson Krennic (seen in the image above walking towards Galen with Death Troopers). We know from Entertainment Weekly that Jyn has been on her own since she was fifteen.
In the reel, we see a young girl [the teaser that was shown to the Celebration audience confirms that this is Jyn] jumping off a cliff. In another Entertainment Weekly article, we saw the above image of a Death Trooper holding a stormtrooper doll, I believe this is Jyn’s, left behind when she ran from the devastation.
We also saw the above image of a dwelling on fire in this same location in the original trailer.
The Rebel’s Hidden Fortress on Yavin 4
Could this half-hidden Rebel be Bail Organa? Actor Jimmy Smits, who is close enough to the right age to easily reprise his role, would be a great addition and a wonderful connection between Episode 3 and 4.
Jedha: Spiritual Home of the Jedi
Jedha is said to be the “spiritual home of the Jedi.” It is a place of pilgrimage for those who still believe in the Force, though it has been occupied by the Empire, who no doubt suppress any expression of belief in the Force.
Could this planet be where the Jedi got their name, or did the planet get its name from them? How is this place related to the first Jedi temple where Luke will go into exile years later?
Jedha is the home of Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), and Bodhi Rook (Riz Amed).
Jyn and Cassian move through the streets undetected by the occupation forces.
Another look at the new Imperial tank vehicle and tank trooper armor.
Jyn recovering what is possibly a toy for a young girl on the street. A visual parallel with her lost trooper doll?
Jyn and Cassian fight stormtroopers. Jyn’s preferred close range weapons seem to be a pair of tonfa-like batons, which we also see her her using later on.
We know from the original trailer that the explosion Jyn and Cassian run from is triggered by someone up high, possibly Baze Malbus.
We also see blind spiritual warrior Chirrut Imwe fighting troopers, his loyal companion Baze no doubt close by. Is this the same fight that Jyn and Cassian are involved in? Jyn and Cassian, on their own mission for the Rebellion, are said to be drawn into the local fight against the Empire, and this is likely what brings Chirrut and Baze onto their team.
We know from the original trailer and other official images that Chirrut and Baze fight troopers in front of a crashed X-wing, and that there are captured Rebel pilots marched through the streets, as seen in the images below from my original trailer breakdown.
[Image from the original trailer]
[Images from the original trailer]
Also living on Jedha is former Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook, who changes his attitude about his employers when he sees the oppression the Empire brings to his homeworld. He also joins the Rebel mission as their pilot, but does he join before or after their visit to Jedha?
One possible reason the team is on Jedha is to seek the aid of extreme rebel leader Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). Saw is a character created by George Lucas who debuted in The Clone Wars animated series. He was trained to fight the Separatists droid army more effectively by Anakin Skywalker himself.
Saw is the leader of one rebel group that is willing to do anything to win their fight. The leaders of the greater Rebellion know that they must pull together the loose bands of rebels in order to win against the massive Empire. Is Saw a key to making this happen? Is he a key to getting the plans to the Death Star? Given that he is willing to do terrible things to defeat the Empire, perhaps he is the one who wanted her father’s secret for his own superweapon to use against the Empire.
On The Death Star?
“…Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon…” Jyn and Cassian in disguise in an Imperial facility.
We know from the original trailer image above that this is where Jyn, Cassian, and former Imperial droid K-2SO steal the “data tapes” containing the plans to the Death Star.
Director Orson Krennic strides before Imperial officers on board the Death Star. He stands at the viewport were Leia will soon witness the destruction of Alderaan.
Is this Tarkin, the mastermind behind the Death Star, standing at the fore of the other Imperials? Though he looks too young in this image, this could be a stand-in (to be augmented by cgi later) or an effect of the behind the scenes lighting.
The Battle of Scarif
Jyn and the other rebels running on the beach with the stolen Death Star plans.
Director Orson Krennic taking matters into his own hands. He certainly isn’t pleased that rebel spies infiltrated his battle station and stole the data tapes. And neither is Darth Vader, I’m sure.
Some Random Action Bits
This jump could be a visual parallel with young Jyn’s cliff jump.
Could Jyn be witnessing the destruction of her surviving teammates? Nothing demands that any of our heroes will survive the mission; only that the plans are safely transmitted…
I have a feeling this ship gunner (revealed to be nicknamed “Space Monkey” on the Celebration stage) is going to be a fan favorite.
Parade of Extras
Collage of (presumably) extras and bit players, including an RA-7 “insect droid,” a Mon Cal rebel (not Admiral Ackbar), the new “Shoretroopers,” and the brilliant Warwick Davis (no doubt adding to his gang of characters whose names starts with “W.” )
“May the Force be with us.”
THE END
