Star Wars: 10 Things You Learn Re-Watching Rogue One
3. The Franchise Finally Embraces Its Asian Heritage
For a franchise with such a heavy artistic debt to Asian culture, it is odd that overt references have been virtually absent throughout the franchise. To date, the main link to Asia in the films is Nute Gunray - and that was because he was seen as an offensive Asian stereotype and was played by a white man imitating an East-Asian accent.
A New Hope was inspired by the Akira Kurosawa film The Hidden Fortress from 1958, but the Asian influences go far beyond that. The Force can be linked to concepts in Asian spirituality, religion and philosophy, while the combat and costumes have heavy Asian influences. Rogue One is the first time the franchise has really felt like it includes those Asian roots.
The film has three Asian characters and all are important to the plot. Perhaps the most striking thing of all is how the Force and the Jedi Order are explicitly linked to Asian influences with the introduction of the Holy City on Jedha.
With the Jedi temple being located in a Holy City located in a place which seems similar to the Middle East and being populated with Asian monks, it finally acknowledges the Force's strong link to Asian culture. On the whole, Rogue One represents a good step forward for Star Wars diversity.