8. These Are 'The Dark Times' Obi-Wan Mentioned
The public hasn't seen a lick of footage from Rogue One just yet, but a short CGI proof-of-concept trailer was screened for fans at Disneys D25 event last year. Therein, according to reports, this line of Obi-Wan dialogue from A New Hope played in the background: For more than a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire. Over the top of the dialogue, shots of a space battle were intercut a TIE fighter above a forest-covered canyon, frantic radio chatter, laser fire before the camera pushed forward, bringing into frame the first Death Star, still under construction. Therell be recognisable sights and sounds in Rogue One then, even though Luke and Han havent joined this war yet. The aims of this trailer seem clear to establish that this will still be Star Wars, but a side of it that audiences havent seen before. Alec Guinness voice and the imagery is all very familiar, but the mention of the dark times serves to remind us that we didnt really get to see much footage of the Empire at the height of its powers back in the original trilogy. Viewers watched from a safe distance as the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, and arrived at Lukes childhood home a few minutes after Stormtroopers had torched it. Enough of the Empires tyranny was shown on screen to let cinema-goers understand the story, but the filmmakers never let us witness true terror wrought on a population. Not up close any way. In Rogue One, hopefully we will see how the Empires lust for power and control would affect the lives of ordinary people.