while(self++) { #65 } // A New Hope
Today, I saw the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One. [Spoilers Ahead] I know that some hardcore fans hated it, but I was happily satisfied with how it played out. It’s essentially Star Wars Episode 3.5 — unfolding after the rise of the Empire in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and beautifully plugging into the beginning of Episode IV: A New Hope. I saw it happening, and it was just as I had hoped.
One of the recurring themes in Rogue One is the power of hope. Jyn Erso, the protagonist, is relatively apathetic about the authoritarian rule of the Empire at the start of the film. Someone asks her, “You don’t have a problem seeing the Imperial flag waving?” to which she replies, “It’s not a problem if you don’t look up.” She doesn’t want to deal with the politics of the Galaxy.
Eventually, Jyn sees the necessity of fighting back. She meets Chirrut, a blind warrior monk very much in tune with the Force. In times of tribulation, he repeats to himself “The Force is with me and I am one with the Force” many times over. In a way, he’s not referring to the supernatural ability used by the Jedi; he’s referring to hope. Undoubtedly, he relies upon the Force’s magical power to fight his enemies and protect himself. However, the message is to push past hardship, to will oneself to keep trying against all odds, in pursuit of a greater purpose. Like freeing the Galaxy. In fact, some of the other characters in Rogue One, who are not necessarily in tune with the Force like Chirrut, repeat to themselves “The Force is with me and I am one with the Force.” Even if it’s just before they die. They do so while standing up for what they believe in. As Jyn momentously says:
Rebellions are built on hope.
