Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the primary spinoff anthology movie Lucasfilm produced underneath the possession of Disney. It informed the story of how the Rebels acquired their arms on the Demise Star plans, alluded to in the course of the opening crawl of A New Hope. The movie, I feel, has been getting old fairly effectively, however it wasn’t with out a few tough spots. However now that Andor has come to a conclusion, I can say that Rogue One undoubtedly feels extra earned and refined due to the story informed in that present.

One of many larger points in opposition to Rogue One previous to Andor was its first act, in that it was very rushed and a bit clunky. We rushed from location to location and have been tossed into the center of occasions with out a lot context past one thing necessary is going on now. I’d say the largest change Andor makes in favour of Rogue One is that it makes the opening a lot extra fluid and pure, particularly the Ring of Kafrene scene close to the start of the movie.

In Rogue One, Cassian Andor meets up with one among his contacts in Noticed Gerrera’s partisan group and is knowledgeable concerning the Empire’s plans for the Demise Star. How his contact took place this info and what it means to the Empire is finally irrelevant, at the very least within the eyes of the filmmakers. We, the viewers, know that the Demise Star equals bother, and we simply roll with it. Because of the ultimate arc of Andor although, we will watch this scene with a brand new appreciation.

In Andor‘s closing arc, Luthen learns of the Demise Star from Lonni, his ISB mole, however the Rebels doubt the validity of each Luthen as an asset at this level within the timeline, in addition to his supply. However characters like Cassian and Mon Mothma know that if there’s even an opportunity to verify this info, which incorporates the key phrases “Jedha, Kyber, Erso”, that Luthen’s closing contribution to the Riot (and the galaxy) can be validated. Within the unique perspective of this scene, we by no means actually know or care why Cassian places emphasis on the identify Galen when asking his contact concerning the identify of the scientist offering this info, however the urgency of confirming Galen Erso is one thing that feels much more essential and determined now, as if he’s on the cusp of an important revelation. Likewise, him studying that the Imperial tremendous weapon that Luthen introduced forth is in actual fact, a planet killer, solely heightens that sense of doom and urgency. Every part feels extra necessary and excessive stakes due to the narrative stakes cooked into the narrative due to Andor. It makes Cassian’s homicide of Tivik that rather more drastic and tragic, as Cassian is aware of he has to get out of there with the affirmation and is aware of that the informant would solely gradual him down. It’s chilly and callous, however we all know the form of insurgent Andor is now.

That is undoubtedly the scene that feels essentially the most remedied due to Andor, however there are narrative and mathematical beats that now hit more durable. Chief amongst them is when Cassian tells Jyn about all of the horrible issues he and the opposite rebels have finished within the identify of this insurrection. Earlier than, we didn’t have context, and we needed to take issues at face worth, however we’ve a higher understanding of what these phrases imply now, each on a private degree for Cassian in addition to the insurrection as an entire. The heroes of this story have finished some horrible and shady issues within the identify of preventing the Empire, and we all know how soiled a whole lot of their arms aren’t any,w due to Andor’s narrative. I feel that scene actually hits within the context of Mon Montha’s arc, who was sheltered from the struggle till her escape from Corsucant, and she or he witnessed Cassian homicide her driver proper in entrance of her, bringing the horrors of the struggle she’s funding into her life.

There’s a number of issues in Rogue One that you just both have to simply accept exist as a result of it got here first, or as a result of there’s some character beats that will simply require interpretation, versus taking it at face worth. That features Cassian admitting he’s by no means been in a cage whereas captured in Jedha at Noticed’s hideout. We all know this to be false as a consequence of season one’s wonderful jail arc, so we will take this as maybe Cassian simply touchdown, or the writers didn’t wish to be sure by earlier works. I select the previous. Cassian additionally naturally by no means references or hints at his relationship with Bix, which is rarely actually a giant concern for Rogue One, however the ending of Andor actually makes Cassian’s final destiny that rather more tragic. I preferred how she acquired to look at the dawn whereas Andor ends his arc on a metaphorical sundown.

Rogue One additionally isn’t with out its faults; its opening twenty minutes or so fly by at lightspeed, with us going from Kafrene to Jyn’s rescue particularly feeling rushed and uneven, and it’s a movie that’s finally gentle on characterization, which, relying in your tolerance and expectations, might be a fault or a non-issue. Nevertheless it’s a gorgeously shot movie (cinematography from Dune’s Greig Fraser) with some nice motion scenes and a few real stakes. The ultimate act is wildly entertaining, with arguably the perfect house canine struggle within the franchise to this point, and the film simply feels ballsy and never secure when see that all the heroes within the movie find yourself dying with a purpose to get the Demise Star plans to the Rebels. Once I first noticed it, I absolutely anticipated at the very least one among them to make it out, however nope. This, together with the extra war-story method to the movie, the place assassinations and transmission interceptions are a part of insurgent life, helps floor Rogue One right into a extra mature movie. When coupled with two seasons of Andor, which do the heavy lifting for the characterization of each the present’s lead and the world he lives in, Rogue One finally ends up feeling extra full and realized consequently. Because of time, the context of the state of the franchise on the whole, and Andor’s backstory, Rogue One is a movie that might not be excellent, however is getting old like effective wine and looks like an earned finale for the Andor present.