Rogue One is finally out and has been hit with mixed to positive reception. Some say it's near perfect and up there with Empire in terms of quality. Others say it's a gorgeous looking practice in mindless fan service. I myself am somewhere in the middle, but overall considers it above average. Regardless of where you fall, there are a few relatively straight forward things the film does that either adds to the lore of the mythos or expands upon some previously existing ideas. Both of course are always welcome in this post Legacy canon we live in today. This article will be filled with Spoilers so be wary of what’s below.

With the intro paragraph out of the way, let’s dive into the list you want to see so you can glance over the items on it quickly and then tell me how wrong I am without reading any of their explanations!

Believe it or not I don’t find explaining away a plot hole in the original film to be the most important thing Rogue One does. I think it’s a neat addition that could have been executed with a lot more emotion if the film had stronger relationships between certain characters. That said, it does forever change a pivotal moment in what is already a flawless third act in A New Hope. I used to watch Star Wars looking at the exhaust port's design flaw as a consequence of the Empire’s own arrogance. The Empire thinking the Battle Station was too big to fail or that their system of efficiency based Authority was flawless. This was how I and many other Star Wars fans interpreted the exhaust port. Much in the same way the Jedi had built themselves up as too big to fail only 19 years prior when they couldn't notice the corruption of government right under their noses. But now it’s because a character we see for less than five minutes of screen time apparently had a very intricate ruse planned over years that would have made a pretty interesting movie on its own. Okay, I'll admit, I have mixed feelings on this one. But I do think it's important something addressed the flaw outright, even if it may not have been done in the best manner.

While many are praising the film’s originality for how it showcases the darker side of the Rebellion, it’s not the first time we've see this in the new EU. To be fair, it’s also not the first time in this new cannon that we’ve seen the Empire be a lot more humanized. But I personally find the latter to be more important in the long term. Galen’s desire to flee his duties as an Imperial architect along with Rook’s willingness to risk his life defecting helps add depth and meaning to our villains and their motivations. The more we read about or see these imperial workers and troopers as people rather than faceless Nazis, the more compelling the storytelling will be across all Star Wars Media.

This is 100% the best thing the film helps expand. Rogue One introduces us to a man named Chirrut Îmwe as a Guardian of the Whills. A group of Force worshipers, who are not Jedi. This is something we need to see more of. We have seen some groups like this such as the awesome Night Sisters in the Clone Wars show. But this character and his religion's interpretation of the Force is much less maleficent than theirs. It also hearkens back to a very early idea Lucas had in the original script of the first Star Wars film. The Whills where ancient beings who could influence how events or characters could interact with the world. This idea eventually evolved into the Force, which is still clearly present in Chirrut’s beliefs.