Star Wars Rogue One: 12 Most Awesome Moments

Donnie Yen FTW.

By Padraig Cotter /

While Rogue One didn’t have the crushing weight of expectation that The Force Awakens did, it still had a lot of people to please. It had to tell a story where everyone knew the outcome already, but still, make it feel fresh. It also had to expand the universe and tell a darker story, and show everyone that the spin-off titles are as important as the main series.

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No small order, and if rumours of expensive reshoots are any indication Disney were taking no chances with it either. It paid off in the end since Rogue One is a great addition to the Star Wars canon. It’s a got a dark edge for sure, but the characters are intensely likeable, the action is exciting and the level of fan pandering is just about right.

Director Gareth Edwards has done a great job balancing everything, and the movie has a number of standout scenes and moments that fans will be dissecting for many years to come; here’s a few of them.

12. The Return Of Grand Moff Tarkin

While it felt inevitable he’d appear in some form, it wasn’t clear just how much of a role old Moff Tarkin would play in Rogue One's story. It’s slightly chill-inducing when he first appears, but it looks like the movie will play it safe and only film him from behind.

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Then it gloriously throws caution to the wind, and he’s revealed in all his Peter Cushing-recreated glory. While some fans have found the CGI Moff distracting, it can’t be denied the filmmakers have done a truly excellent job. Everything from the voice to the mannerisms perfectly recalls Cushing, and it’s great the character plays an active role in the story instead of being a quick fan serving cameo.

Maybe this recreation was a way for studios to test audience tolerance for resurrected actors, and while the CG isn’t 100% there yet, this has to be the best example to date.

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