WhileThe Force Awakensdid a wonderful job of reviving the tone and spirit of the original Star Wars trilogy, it’s the upcoming series of anthology films, or “Star Wars Stories” that have the opportunity to go back to the actual timeline of the OT. First up isGareth Edwards’Rogue One, the story of the rebel team who infiltrated the and stole the Death Star plans, the very same plans that ultimately allowed Luke, Leia, Han and Co.
When the first trailer forRogue One dropped earlier this year, fans were thrilled to return to the time of the original trilogy, with Vader’s theme droning in the background of an action sequence staged between the legs of AT-ACTS (the film’s new class of AT-ATs), but it was an appearance from an old fan favorite character that elicited some of the biggest excitement.
Mon Mothma, a former senator and a leader of the Rebel Alliance, first debuted in 1983’sReturn of the JediwithCaroline Blakistonin the role. Her entire on-screen appearance lasts only two minutes or so, in which she delivers the pilot briefing about the Death Star, but the character made an impact thanks to her formidable on-screen presence and her iconic line, “Many Bothans died to bring us this information.”
If you’ve always wanted more Mon Mothma, Rogue One has got you covered. From thetrailer we know that it’s Mothma who pairs our hero, the young outlaw named Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and with Capt. Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) on a covert mission to retrieve data about the Death Star. But how much will she factor into the story beyond that? Quite a bit, it seems.In an interview withEW, Lucasfilm presidentKathleen Kennedytease a “significantly larger” role for the character in the upcoming film.
“We actually see quite a bit of her,” she revealed. “The Rebel alliance is in disarray. Pretty panicked. Up against it. And she is trying the best she can to provide the leadership, in amongst a wide variety of Rebel soldiers that have very differing opinions as to what to do.”
The character was originally going to reappear in 2005’sRevenge of the SithwithGenevieve O’Reillyin the role, but her sequence was relegated to the deleted scenes section of the DVD when it ended up on the cutting room floor. In a smart move, Edwards opted to bring the actress back when casting for Rogue One.
For more recentRogue Onenews check out the links below.
