10 Inspirations Star Wars Rogue One Will Take From The Dark Forces Franchise

While the hype for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was undeniable, there's a new kid on the block seeking to change the game forever in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Rogue One, the first of the anthology films, will undeniably be the prequel fans deserve and want. It has the potential to blend the old with the new in a way Star Wars fans have never seen.

Yes, Rogue One is a brand new adventure in the Star Wars galaxy, but could it also be the retelling of a classic legends tale? That depends on a certain point of view. With the disassociation of classic Expanded Universe material, now branded as Legends, the possibility that Rogue One borrows some of this material is quite strong.

Enter Star Wars: Dark Forces. Never heard of it? Here's a quick run down:

The Dark Forces franchise made its first appearance in 1995 on the DOS and Macintosh operating system. It earned the respect and revere of many, being dubbed the "Doom of the Star Wars galaxy", praise not given lightly in the mid 90s gaming industry. Dark Forces focused on the adventures of Kyle Katarn and his mercenary missions for a fledgling Rebellion during its infancy.

Without knowing the full plot details of Rogue One, it's easy to speculate how the classic video game franchise could bleed plot elements into the upcoming film. It's been rumored that director Gareth Edwards is a long time fan of the franchise, fueling the theories of possible inspiration within the film even further.

Here are 10 inspirations Rouge One will take from the Dark Forces video game franchise.

Since its rebirth under the Disney umbrella, the Star Wars galaxy has generated positive buzz in regards to its female inspired protagonists. With Episode VII following Rey and Rogue One focusing on Jyn Erso, the company is quickly two-for-two with female leads. While some tidbits about her family heritage and connections have emerged, Jyn remains a relative unknown.

The Dark Forces franchise follows the journey of a character named Kyle Katarn. Katarn was a former Imperial Stormtrooper before joining the Rebellion as a covert agent. Fans are first introduced to Katarn during a mission to steal the plans to the first Death Star, a story and adventure that has since been wiped clean with the new canon.

The big difference here is obviously the gender swap. However, their similarities could be in their personality and possible past experiences. While the backstory of Kyle Katarn has been fully laid out in the Legends timeline, tidbits about Jyn's past are only beginning to bubble to the surface. Any Imperial ties or interactions in Jyn's past will easily be strong plot points in building her character on screen.