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Easter Eggs and Callbacks In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
How The Rogues Fit Into The Rebellion
♦Our eagle-eyed friends at MovieWeb have spotted a ton of easter eggs and callbacks in Rogue One to A New Hope and a load of other Star Wars tales, so here’s just a few of them. The usual warnings to people who haven’t seen Rogue One yet…
The Rebel Scope Tower
When our heroes Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor depart Yavin IV for Jedha, we witness a familiar site. The Scope tower, where one lone rebel soldier is stationed, always on the look out for any unmarked or unrecognizable ships. The white-helmeted security guard stands at attention at all times obviously, and he hasn’t moved much since we last saw him in A New Hope, as Luke, Han, Leia and the rest of the Millennium Falcon crew first arrived on Massassi Base. The shot we see in Rogue One is almost identical to the shot in the 1977 original where the X-wings take off to fight against the Death Star.
Blue Bantha Milk in the Erso home
This little Easter egg shows up quite early in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and is one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of things. But those savvy Star Wars fans who noticed the blue milk in the opening sequence of the movie definitely got a kick out of it. Blue milk is another thing that has its origins in Star Wars: A New Hope. We see Luke Skywalker drinking some at the dinner table with his aunt and uncle on Tatooine. In Rogue One, we see some of it on the counter when the young version of Jyn Erso was gathering her things in order to make her way to safety when Orson Krennic was coming to recruit her father Galen Erso to help with the construction of the Death Star. As for what blue milk is exactly? Well, according to Wookiepedia, it actually comes from Banthas, but that hasn’t been confirmed in the new Star Wars canon at any point.
The Journal of the Whills
This gets into some serious, deep-cut Star Wars nerd stuff right here, but there is an Easter egg in Rogue One that dates back to the earliest days of the Star Wars universe when the whole thing was still just a script by George Lucas. In an early draft of Star Wars: A New Hope, there was an idea for an ancient book called The Journal of the Whills, Part I. This was eventually scrapped, but it is something that has occasionally shown up in the Star Wars expanded universe and has now been officially made a part of the new canon.
In the movie, Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus are casually referred to as part of a Force-believing group called the “Guardian of the Whills.” This marks the first time the Whills have ever been mentioned in a Star Wars movie. It was said in the novelization of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith that Qui-Gon Gin learned how to become a Force ghost from the “Shaman of the Whills,” but we still don’t really know who or what the Whills are. Perhaps now that it has been mentioned, it will be explored further in a movie later on.
Saw Gerrera serves as an Apocalypse Now callback
Forest Whittaker’s Saw Gerrera is a direct nod to Marlon Brando’s deadly Colonel Kurtz in Francis Ford Coppola’s surreal 1979 Vietnam War classic, Apocalypse Now. Saw is presented as a mysterious figure with the same type of leadership qualities. Mysterious yet powerful. And he has his own little cult that bends to his will. Apocalypse Now and A New Hope are inexplicably tied together. George Lucas helped his pal Francis Ford Coppola make the movie. And it was actually supposed to be Lucas’ next project after American Graffiti. George wanted to make the war epic a simple low-budget, black and white pseudo-documentary alongside Coppola. But the pair couldn’t get funding. So Lucas decided instead to develop Star Wars while Coppola went out and made Apocalypse Now, which is considered one of the all-time great war movies. Rogue One director Gareth Edwards has said he pulled inspiration directly from the Coppola film in making Rogue One.
The requisite THX-1138 callback
George Lucas’ directorial debut was THX-1138, and it has been referenced in every Star Wars movie going all the way back to the 1977 original, with the detention block 1138 the destination for Chewbacca as Luke and Han cart the wookie away in disguise. The THX-1138 Easter egg might be a little harder to find in Rogue One. As Jyn and Cassian make it to the top secret data facility holding the Death Star plans, Cassian must manually extract the data tape housing the Death Star schematics. Doing this, he uses a pair of clamps that are almost identical to clamps used by the hero in George Lucas’s debut feature film.
Stormtrooper Doll
During the early stages of the marketing for Star Wars: Rogue One there was a shot of one of the Death Troopers holding a Stormtrooper doll. This made it into the final cut of the movie, which we see in the beginning as Jyn Erso drops it when she is running to safety from Orson Krennic and his squad of Death Troopers, who have come to recruit Galen Erso against his will. This is most definitely an indication of just how big the Empire’s stranglehold is on the galaxy, since a Stormtrooper toy would be something a kid would own.
HAVW A6 Juggernaut
During one of the earlier sequences in the movie, Jyn Erso is being held captive by the Empire and at one point, she is being transported by a massive Imperial tank of some sort. The vehicle is known as an HAVW A6 Juggernaut and actually first showed up in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith as a form of Stormtrooper transport. In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we see that there is something of a “waste not, what not” attitude, as the Empire has repurposed these vehicles for prisoner transport, and it also serves as a little nod to the prequels and The Clone Wars.
Twi’lek Dancer & Dejarik
At one point in Star Wars: Rogue One Saw Gerrera’s band of extremists captures Jyn, Cassian, Chirrut and Baze, who are taken to his hideout. When they are being taken to their cells, we can see what Saw’s gang in their free time, which includes watching holograms of Twi’lek dancers and playing Dejarik. The former is something fans will recognize from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, as it was something Jabba the Hutt was quite fond of doing as well. The latter comes from Star Wars: A New Hope and it was the same came that Chewbacca was playing with C-3PO on the Millennium Falcon.
Remember when Obi-Wan Kenobi is trying to shut down the tractor beam while Han, Luke and Chewbacca rescue the princess? We see two Stormtoopers discussing the BT-16, which has modified ion engines. That scene gets a direct callback in Rogue One, but this time the two troopers are taking about the T-15. This particular airspeed must get updates quicker than the iphone, because this scene takes place roughly a week before the events seen on the Death Star in A New Hope. Though, some speculate that the Troopers are not talking about the discontinuation of the T-15 as an airspeeder. But instead, they are referencing the T-15 hyperdrive generator, a piece of equipment first mentioned in a video game tie-in to Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
The Death Star Plans
Remember that snazzy 3D vector graphic of the Death Star that only exists in A New Hope because it was the best VFX money could buy at the time? Well, it makes a full comeback here, 70s vibe be damned. The recreation of this graphic is pretty flawless and spot on, comparable to when we first see it in the pre-strike briefing on the Death Star in a New Hope at Massassi. Director Gareth Edwards even keeps the infamous visual error with the circular depression that fires the laser placed on the structure’s equator, instead of its northern hemisphere.
Moisture Evaporators
This is something you probably would have been looking for in order to catch it on a first watch of Rogue One, but it is a nifty little nod to the original Star Wars. During the opening scene, we can see some moisture evaporators behind Galen Erso on his farm, which implies he is probably a moisture farmer, or at least posing as one since he is actually a brilliant scientist. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker was a helping hand for his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, who operated a moisture farm on Tatooine.
Alderaan
One of the most critical scenes in all of Star Wars history is the first test of the Death Star’s full destructive capabilities in Star Wars: A New Hope when Grand Moff Tarkin orders the destruction of Leia’s home planet Alderaan. In Rogue One, there are several references to the legendary planet. At one point, Bail Organa mentions that he will be returning to Alderaan, which sadly means he was on the planet when it was destroyed by the Death Star. Also, during the first interaction between Grand Moff Tarkin and Director Krennic, Tarkin suggests that a test of the battle station is required, which is a direct reference to A New Hope when he decides to destroy Alderaan.
Darksaber
During the third act of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Jyn and Cassian are trying to find the Death Star plans in the Imperial archives. While listing off some of the file names, it is discovered that one of them is called “Black Saber.” This could be a reference to the Darksaber, which first appeared on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. The weapon is an ancient, black-bladed lightsaber that was used by Pre Vizsla and later by Darth Maul. Assuming this is actually referencing the powerful ancient weapon, that means it is officially part of the new Star Wars canon, which is significant.
Star Wars Rebels Crossover
Until now, the Star Wars expanded universe has largely been its own thing and the Star Wars movies have mostly ignored what goes on in the comics, books and TV shows. That is no longer the case. Not only did Rogue One bring in a character like Saw Gerrera from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but there were a few references to Star Wars Rebels as well.
For one, during the final battle scene that takes place above Scariff with the Rebel fleet, the Ghost, the ship from the show, can be seen in a very quick shot that pretty much needs to be freeze-framed in order to catch it, but it is most definitely there. Also, during a scene in the Yavin 4 base, a page is made for a “General Syndulla.” In Star Wars Rebels, Hera Syndulla is the Captain of the Ghost, so it seems very likely that this was a direct reference to her character. In another very brief moment, it appears that the Ghost crew’s droid Chopper seems to makes a quick appearance when a Rebel communications officer runs to tell Mon Mothma about the battle taking place on Scariff. So fans of the Star Wars Rebels series can take some pride in knowing that the live-action side of things has acknowledged the characters from that series.
Hammerhead Cruisers
Here’s another rather fun Star Wars Rebels nod that has been discovered by fans. The Hammerhead Cruisers make a great appearance during the Battle of Scarif, as they smash into a Star Destroyer, managing to push it into another one of the massive vessels. These Hammerheads first showed up on an episode of Star Wars Rebels, with this being their first-ever live action appearance. It’s not a big thing, but it’s pretty cool. Now, lets move onto some of the harder to spot actor cameos.
Darth Vader’s Castle on Mustafar
There is almost no question that the coolest thing about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was getting to see Darth Vader on screen again. The fact that James Earl Jones returned to voice him made it all that much better. When we first meet the famed Sith Lord in Rogue One, he is at his castle on the planet Mustafar, which is something that hardcore Star Wars fans definitely would have made note of.
When Director Krennic goes to visit Darth Vader, we finally see his secret castle, something that was originally conceived as a plot point in The Empire Strikes Back but was scrapped along the way. In the new canon, this castle of Darth Vader’s exists on the planet where Obi-Wan left Anakin Skywalker for dead. So not only does it serve as something of a call back to Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, but it also revives an idea that almost made it into what many consider to be the greatest Star Wars movie ever made.
Darth Vader’s Bacta Tank Bath
Inside Darth Vader’s castle, we see that he has his own personal Bacta Tank for his rejuvenating baths. This is believed to be where Darth gets his energy from at the end of Rogue One when he takes out a squadron of Rebels single handedly with his lightsaber. This murder show is believed to have drained him, though. And that’s why he’s a little slower when we catch up with him in A New Hope. The big cylindrical structure was first seen in The Empire Strikes Back, after Luke had his run in with the Wampa. It produces a generative substance that helps grow tissue, but as we see, 19 years later, it hasn’t really helped Darth grow his missing limbs back.
Lor San Tekka
In Rogue One the Whills, an ancient group of powerful beings with roots deeply connected to the origins of the Jedi are mentioned by name. That makes them part of the canon now, but it also means that the movie has a connection with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In the beginning of Episode VII, we first meet Lor San Tekka (played by Max Von Sydow) who is a longtime ally of the Rebellion. It turns out he is actually a member of Church of the Force and has ties to the Journal of the Whills.
Captain Antilles
Captain Antilles is an important dude. And in a different movie, he could have been the lead. He’s held down a healthy life in the ancillary canon, appearing in a number of novels. Reymus Antilles is a big part of the Star Wars myth, though he only had a few moments of screen time in A New Hope. He is Darth Vader’s first on-screen kill in the 1977 original, though we admit, he got off easy considering some of the cruel actions Vader takes at the end of Rogue One. Antilles is the captain of the Tantive IV, and gets strangled by Darth when he refuses to give up the plans to the Death Star, claiming his ship has intercepted no transmissions. He was previously seen at the end of Revenge of the Sith, where he takes temporary ownership of C-3PO and R2-D2. Though not a key player in Rogue One, he does get two crucial scenes. The first when Bail Organa leaves Yavin IV for Alderann. Bail commands the captain to ‘get ready’. We see Reymus again at the end of the movie, when his crew of Rebels have escaped the wrath of Darth Vader, and he’s able too give Vader’s daughter, Princess Leia, the Death Star plans.
Wedge Antilles
The next big batch of cameos are all part of the Rebel raid on Scarif that happens during the third act of the movie. And perhaps the return of Wedge Antilles is the most intriguing. While this hasn’t really been explored in the current Star Wars canon, it is believed that Antilles is a name that is as common as Smith or Jones, and that Wedge and Raymus Antilles are not related. We get no further evidence of them being family here. Where this cameo is a little different, the actor that actually appeared in the flesh as Wedge is not in the movie. Instead we hear David Ankrum, who voiced Wedge in A New Hope. Dennis Lawson played Wedge in the 1977 original. But his voice was dubbed over, because he couldn’t perfect his American accent in time for the shoot. Ankrum was brought into the sound mix, because they didn’t want Wedge sounding British. While Ankrum is not credited for his work here, there are reports that he returned to record voice overs as Rogue Two, aka Wedge. Though Dennis Lawson didn’t return alongside the other classic actors in Star Wars: The Force Awakens to reprise his role as a much older Wedge, the character lives on in Rogue One. And it’s entirely possible that he’ll pop up again at some point.
Chirrut’s Bowcaster
Donnie Yen’s Force practicing, blind warrior Chirrut Imwe was quite fond of using his walking stick to beat up on Stormtroopers in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. He did actually have another weapon that he used a couple of times in the form of what appears to be a Bowcaster. Though it is not the exact same design, it is definitely similar to the Bowcaster that Chewbacca uses, which has been shown to be quite powerful on screen. Similarly, Chirrut’s Bowcaster was able to take down a Tie Fighter.
Admiral Raddus
During the third act of Rogue One we get to see all of the Rebellion leaders gathering to decide whether or not to go after the Death Star plans on Scariff. One such leader we get to meet is Admiral Raddus, a new Mon Calamari who is actually based on Winston Churchill. More importantly to Star Wars fans is that this is clearly meant to be a tip of the cap to Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, who was most famous for saying the line “It’s a trap!” Admiral Raddus even takes a very similar role to his Mon Calamari counterpart during the aerial battle above Scariff, like Ackbar did during the assault on the second Death Star.
Stolen Imperial Uniforms
A crucial moment in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story comes when the Rebel crew has to steal some Imperial uniforms so that they can disguise themselves and sneak into the archive vault. This is very likely a nod to Star Wars: A New Hope. When the Millennium Falcon is brought aboard the Death Star, Han Solo and Chewie do something very similar when the Stormtroopers board the ship. This Allows Han and Luke to get a hold of some Stormtrooper costumes so that they can break into the prison block and rescue Princess Leia.
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