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As a film set between the original trilogy and prequel trilogy of the Star Wars series of films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story creates a bridge between the fall of the Jedi and the “New Hope.” It is generally a brooding film, giving the appropriate gravitas and tone that allows it to stand on its own merits.

In our previous article on Rogue One, we discussed the nature of good and evil within the Star Wars universe. In general, most of the main characters have crossed the line in their actions, but being good does not mean you are perfect.

Instead, it means that you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the greater good when it is necessary. There will be minor spoilers in the following analysis.

Just as redemption is a vital aspect of the film, hope forms the other side of the same coin. Hope is both a motivator and an objective. It grows like a fire, starting with a spark but, when fueled and cared for, can blaze unstoppable.

From the Ashes

The Rebel Alliance emblem is, according to the lore, a “Starbird” that is a “symbol of hope,” but it is more appropriately the phoenix rising from the ashes. Appropriated as a Christian symbol, the phoenix often represents rebirth and resurrection, something new rising from the ashes of the dead.

To believe in a chance of renewal through death requires hope. There is no guarantee that a finality will lead to a renewal. By the end of the Revenge of the Sith, the Jedi are destroyed.

By Rogue One, it seems that every last remnant of their order is either destroyed or in the process of being destroyed. The Force is discussed as a legend, often mentioned but no longer visible. In its place is the Death Star, a new symbol of power that exists solely to crush all that stansd before it.

Sometimes, renewal can only come from destruction. Saw Gerrera, a rebel practitioner of vicious guerrilla tactics, fought against the growing Empire, but he fought like the Empire. He did not win over the people, and, instead, jeopardized them. He gave no true alternative, but what he wanted was something greater. However, he became paranoid and destructive, unable to achieve any true victory.

With Jyn Erso’s appearance, Saw realizes that there is a different way. He knows that his path led only to destruction, and he is resigned to his fate. However, he has a moment of hope in the end. He tells Jyn to “save the rebellion, save the dream” because she is the catalyst for hope itself, but he knows that he cannot be part of it. He is like Simeon, too entrenched in the old way to move on but aware that salvation will come.

Hope Starts Small

At one point in the film, the question is asked, “What chance do we have?” When evil conquers all, there is nothing left but despair. It is easy to slip into, a consignment to one’s fate. Evil only wins when it crushes both the physical and spiritual nature of the good, and despair festers within those who could try to fight back.

But there is no point in not fighting back. If you do nothing, evil still wins, and evil will ultimately destroy everything. Jyn rallies a small group of allies by pushing this idea: “The question is, what choice? Run, hide, flee, scatter your forces! You give way to an enemy this evil with this much power, and you condemn the galaxy to an eternity of submission. The time to fight is now!”

Her words could inspire hope, but they could also convey desperation. When you have nothing else to try, you lash out like a wounded animal. The actions of hope and desperation are the same, but they different in their spirit.

Captain Cassian Andor, serving partially as a partner and partially as a foil to Jyn, exists somewhere between desperation and hope:

Some of us — most of us — we’ve all done terrible things on behalf of the Rebellion. Spies, saboteurs, assassins. Every thing I did, I did for the Rebellion. And every time I walked away from something I wanted to forget, I told myself it was for a cause I believed in. A cause that was worth it. Without that, we’re lost. Everything we’ve done would have been for nothing. I couldn’t face myself if I gave up now. None of us could have.

The key revelation within his comment is that he did terrible things and walked away. He blames necessity for his evil deeds, and he exhibits the traditional ends justify the means mentality.

Early in the film, we see him murder an informant out of desperation. This act is not one to protect himself, as when Han shot Greedo, but one driven by fear and the desire for self-preservation. He ultimately only cares for himself, although he tries to claim that he has a higher purpose.

Hope, however, differs from fear and self-preservation. It involves letting go and embracing a higher power, in this instance the Force, in hope that your actions will restore good to the world. It requires a leap of faith, giving up all concerns to bring about a better way of life.

A Leap of Faith

After Jyn makes her plea to the Rebel Alliance, she strikes out on her own. She is motivated to do what it takes, and she does not need others. However, she inspires others through her example. Like a fire, it quickly spreads, and soon a large portion of the Rebel Fleet joins her.

But none of the Rebel characters who are present during the final moments of the film care about their own lives. They charge forward, knowing that there is no way out, but they have hope that their actions will allow for a turning point in the war. Without them, the enemy is invincible and unstoppable because of the Death Star, but they never live to see its destruction.

The action becomes desperate; the battle becomes uncertain as it turns into a war of attrition; and sacrifice is needed for every little step. Even within the final moments, we know that the Death Star plans must be provided to Princess Leia based on what happens in the original trilogy. However, we learn in Rogue One that it only happened through the tightest of margins.

Although there are many connections to Christianity within the film, Jyn is not a Christ-like figure. She is no saint, nor are any present. Instead, she sacrifices herself because it is the only way to achieve some victory against evil, which is a Christian idea. She is not a savior, just a catalyst for good who follows the only path forward.

Hope does not need to be a continuous blaze but, like the phoenix, is reborn through the fires that consume itself. The hope that leads to the Rebels being snuffed out by the Empire, in a literal and figurative fire, allows for a “New Hope” to be created. Those of Rogue One are the previous generation, and they have destroyed themselves to allow the next generation to take their place.