History NightmareFuel / RogueOne

** This whole scene is accompanied by an equally terrifying [[OminousLatinChanting choir]].

* Unlike in ''Film/{{A New Hope}}'', where we only see the destruction of Alderaan on the [[KillSat Death Star's]] command bridge, we get to see it strike first-hand, at ''minimal'' power, and it is still horrifying. The superweapon's low power test shot on Jedha is something comparable to ''an atomic bomb mixed with an earthquake'', as the [[WaveMotionGun superlaser]] literally rips the planet's crust open, sending debris erupting into orbit. And when it's fired upon Scarif, its full-scale meteor-like planetary annihilation, as everyone on Scarif's beaches -- including Jyn, Cassian, and Krennic -- is wiped away in a wall of light. The Death Star shooting at maximum power on a planet is no less frightening for the sheer genocide it causes, but at least doesn't make said planet's inhabitants ''see'' that part of their impending doom coming.

** Its entrance to the Battle of Scarif isn't immediate horror, like the arrival of Vader's Star Destroyer, smashing everything in its path, but it's a superb exercise in slow, dawning dread. We go from the ferocious starfighter battle above, where Raddus's bridge crew can only report "something massive emerging out of hyperspace". Cut to the Death Star, looming massive above the gorgeous clouds of Scarif while [[SoundtrackDissonance incredibly beautiful music]] [[DissonantSerenity plays]].

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VaderBreath You can ''hear'' it,]] [[HellIsThatNoise can't you?]]]]

** And there's the implication that Vader was holding the door closed with the Force, adding several levels of nigthmare to the scene.

** Not only is Vader silent, the violence is horribly effortless, with almost no movement above the shoulders while his victims are frantic. He almost looks ''bored'', slaughtering his way through the rebels at a methodical walking pace and calmly swinging his lightsaber like a walking stick. He lets them fire off a few shots when he could have easily just disarmed them all with the Force, (which he does later) as if to say there is really nothing the Rebels can do to stop him.

** No shadow in the film is as deep as the one in which Vader lurks, and for a moment all the music dies down so the viewer can hear what the Rebels hear. Just the creaking of the jammed door, and the alarm wailing in the background. And then, [[VaderBreath you hear it]]. And in the smoky darkness, the red saber ignites...

** No shadow in the film is as deep as the one in which Vader lurks, and for a moment all the music dies down so the viewer can hear what the Rebels hear. Just the creaking of the jammed door, and the alarm wailing in the background. And then, [[VaderBreath you hear it]]...

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VaderBreath You can]] ''[[VaderBreath hear]]'' [[VaderBreath it,]] [[HellIsThatNoise can't you?]]]]

** And there's the implication that Vader was holding the door closed with the Force, adding several levels of nighmare to the scene.

** [=AT-ATs=] have always been said to be a symbol of Imperial might, but now we really see just how terror-inducing even just a ''variant'' of the damn things is as the moment one shows up, Rogue One scatters like terrified animals.

* Several Rebel troopers are desperately carrying the datapad with the Death Star's plans to the ''Tantive IV''. The corridors go dark as the Imperials board, and several Rebel troopers are caught between two blast doors, one of which is jammed. Then, without quite knowing why, they look back the way they came, at the deep shadows and smoke behind them. [[NothingIsScarier For a few endless moments, there's absolutely nothing.]] Then, slowly, [[HeWasRightThereAllAlong the unmistakable sound of incessant, nightmarish breathing becomes audible]]. [[https://youtu.be/wxL8bVJhXCM?t=45s Then a blood-red lightsaber hisses to life]]...

--> [[ElegantWeaponForAMoreCivilizedAge Striking a man down with your blade was clean and honorable.]] Shooting him {{in the back}} from the darkness of an alley and hurrying to blame it on another was something else altogether.

* This film illustrates that the Rebel Alliance--while largely well-intentioned--are ''not'' afraid to do morally questionable things to get the job done. Cassian calmly reassures an informant that they'll be able to escape despite the informant's inability to climb, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before ''shooting him dead''. We then have the true nature of Cassian's mission revealed when General Draven coldly informs him that despite Mon Mothma's assurances to Jyn this is ''not'' a rescue mission, and when Galen Erso is found Cassian's orders are not for extraction, but ''execution''. While the Rebels are still the good guys, GoodIsNotNice.

* Unlike in ''Film/{{A New Hope}}'', where we only see the destruction of Alderaan on the [[KillSat Death Star's]] command bridge, we get to see it strike first-hand, at ''minimal'' power, and it is still horrifying. The superweapon's low power test shot on Jedha is something comparable to ''an atomic bomb mixed with an earthquake'', as the [[WaveMotionGun superlaser]] literally rips the planet's crust open, sending debris erupting into orbit. And when it's fired upon Scarif, its full-scale meteor-like planetary annihilation, as everyone on Scarif's beaches--including Jyn, Cassian, and Krennic--is wiped away in a wall of light. The Death Star shooting at maximum power on a planet is no less frightening for the sheer genocide it causes, but at least doesn't make said planet's inhabitants ''see'' that part of their impending doom coming.
* The Death Star's terrifying debut has it block out the sun and cover Jedha in shadow. Whilst the heroes are meeting with Saw Gerrera on Jedha, Tarkin demands a test-firing of the Death Star. Krennic selects the planet's temple-city as the target. Despite the fact that the blast only being directed a city, it's still powerful enough to cause continent-shattering shockwaves and a destructive plume of ash, fire and lightning that spirals into the atmosphere. All Krennic can say as he observes the cataclysm from the Death Star command bridge is that it's "[[NightmareFetishist beautiful]]".

** An issue of the current Star Wars run of comics, reveal the aftermath of the blast: The moon has been blown open down to nearly its core, with at least a fourth of the moon's mass thrown out in space. The remaining surface is barely habitable at the moment, but that won't last long. The Empire is desecrating the remains by strip-mining it, killing its natives simply for being there. The very Force itself around the moon is tainted, driving force sensitives that get too close to the blast zone mad.

* Jedha has had Damocles' sword hanging over it long before the giant battle station shows up--an Imperial Star Destroyer. Everyone knows those things are just as capable of razing a city to the ground no problem, and contrary to what the Death Star does to its target, a couple hours of [[DeathFromAbove merciless turbo laser bombardment]] might well be worse than an instant death you didn't even realize was coming for you. Imagine living under the looming shadow of a Destroyer for weeks, months or even years on end, never knowing when the Empire finally has everything it had come for and decides that YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness.

* Krennic, after being pushed out of his moment of glory by Tarkin, goes directly to Mustafar--covered with swirling ash clouds, cascades of lava, imposing cliff-side fortresses. There, Darth Vader dwells within a tank of bacta, in his [[BodyHorror hideous, burnt, limbless,]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith un-armored form]]. Once dressed, Vader meets with Krennic, [[ShutUpHannibal tears down his every complaint]] and [[PsychicStrangle Force-chokes him]] for his arrogance before retreating into his sanctum.

* [[HumongousMecha AT-ATs]] have always been intimidating, but in a "wow, cool" kind of way, especially since previously the heroes have always been flying in something that has at least a chance of fighting back. On Scarif we get to see these looming monstrosities from the POV of the guys on the ground, and all they can do is ''run.'' Not even Baze's rocket launcher can do anything against them. Imagine firing your most powerful shot against one of those metal beasts, [[HopeSpot knocking it to one side for a few seconds]], then watching in horror as the [[NoSell head focuses down]] on ''you'', blaster cannons swiveling and drawing a bead on you, as the anonymous Imperial pilot decides you in particular are going to be his next kill.

** Note that right before the superlaser hits the planet's surface, it takes out the top of the Citadel Tower - exactly where Krennic is as he looks up at his creation. ''Krennic was killed by [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill a direct hit from the Death Star!]]''

* It looks like Raddus and what remains of his fleet will make it out alive and well... until the Star Destroyer ''Devastator'', comes out of nowhere and rams into them. A few ships even crash into it. Right upon the ''Devastator''[='=]s arrival, a medium transport crashes straight into it, a frigate is shot down after that and the ''Profundity'' (the Rebel flagship) is disabled soon enough. When we see the Rebel fleet again shortly after that, only the ''Profundity'' is still up, with debris all around it. The same fleet that [[RammingAlwaysWorks put two Star Destroyers in their place]] on Scarif's orbit just now [[CurbStompBattle has been absolutely destroyed]], and all the Rebels can do against this lone Star Destroyer is lay down and die. It feels like [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished our heroes have been punished for their good deeds]].

* Which brings us to the main event. We know him. We've seen his atrocities, his malevolence, and his rage. But knowing that we've only seen him at the end of his life, fighting an old man and trying to turn his son. We've never truly seen [[TheHeavy Darth]] [[FallenHero Vader]] absolutely let ''loose''... until now. Crushing rebels with the casualness of swatting a house fly ''is what he does.'' It was bad enough in ''Film/ANewHope'', which follows this movie chronologically - but ''Rogue One'' is a LowerDeckEpisode, so we see just [[MookHorrorShow how horrific]] he can be from the perspective of the RedshirtArmy.

** At this point, the camera cuts back to the rebels, [[MassOhCrap as a look of dawning terror dawns on each and every one of them]]. For them, a monster beyond their worst nightmares has arrived, and they ''know'' that they're about to die.

** Vader starts to mow down his opponents effortlessly like a Force-sensitive [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees.]] The ones not immediately struck down open fire and are [[CurbStompBattle variously crushed, slashed, stabbed, Force-choked or shot by their own deflected blaster-fire]]. All they can do is scream for their compatriots on the other side of the door - and with the door jammed, they can only watch as Vader wordlessly kills them all. '''Never''' has the full, terrifying force that is Vader been captured as in this scene as he becomes an unstoppable specter of death. And this all takes place in '''one minute'''.

** Not only is Vader silent, the violence is horribly effortless, with almost no movement above the shoulders while his victims are frantic. He almost looks ''bored'', slaughtering his way through the rebels at a methodical walking pace and calmly swinging his lightsaber like a walking stick. He lets them fire off a few shots when he could have easily just disarmed them all with the Force, (which he does later) as if to say there is really nothing the rebels can do to stop him.

** One of the poor rebels is slammed up onto the ceiling by Vader--then he's '''''rendered HalfTheManHeUsedToBe''''' by his lightsaber. All he can do is scream horribly as the two halves of his corpse drop onto the floor behind Vader. Even worse is that the killing blow from Vader is done with a casual backhand after Vader has passed the man, the kill little more than an afterthought. If you look in the background, all the other Rebels ''stop immediately'' in horror of what just happened.
** Of course, the last trapped rebel, accepting his inevitable death, reaches through the gap in the door to hand off the plans JustInTime, leaving Darth Vader on the wrong side of the stuck door from the plans, right? Nope! Vader slices through the door (after [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impaling the last trapped rebel]]) and continues tearing through the rebels on the other side as the rebel who grabbed the plans sprints away, half a breath ahead of [[TheDreaded the Dark Lord of the Sith]] and barely escaping with his life.
** In ''Literature/FromACertainPointOfView'', we get some perspective from one of the rebels who survived Vader's onslaught. He didn't even know this nightmarish figure cutting through his men was Vader, and only saw him as a "Death Angel". It's pretty clear that if he didn't die in the attack on the ''Tantive IV'' about an hour later, he'd be suffering long-term PTSD after this.

* The [[https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Death_trooper Death Troopers]], everything that a Stormtrooper is not... And that makes them one of the most unsettling troops of the Empire. If the black armor and height didn’t sway people, the fact they can actually shoot and kill scores of Rebels upon entering the battlefield will. Even the sounds they make from their radio are creepy.

--> '''Rebel Officer''': ''OPEN FIRE!!!''

-->'''Rebel Officer''': ''[banging on the door]'' '''''HELP US!'''''

* The Death Troopers, everything that a Stormtrooper is not... And that makes them one of the most unsettling troops of the Empire. If the black armor and height didn’t sway people, the fact they can actually shoot and kill scores of Rebels upon entering the battlefield will. Even the sounds they make from their radio are creepy.

* [[MagnificentBastard Grand Moff]] [[TheUnfettered Tarkin]] has returned, and he's just as ruthless and trigger-happy as ever. He wipes out every Imperial soldier along with all the Rebels, destroys the information facility and devastates the entire planet for a ''chance'' at stopping the Rebels' scheme. And if he'd been just a few minutes earlier, ''it would have worked.'' The look on his face when he is told that Krennic happens to be on Scarif at the same time as the Rebels. How can it be that someone so [[TheStoic stoic]] can reflect so much sadistic glee in just his eyes and a turn of his mouth?
** The worst part, ''he actually shows more restraint than Krennic''. After all, Krennic wanted to fire the Death Star at full power against Jedha, until Tarkin talked him down...

* While it's become [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic a beloved icon of sci-fi culture]] due to its unforgettable tune, the marketing for this film was able to make ''The Imperial March'' genuinely ominous and threatening, similar to ''[[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} I've Got No Strings]]'' in the ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' trailers.

** An issue of the current Star Wars run of comics, reveal the aftermath of the blast: At least a fourth of the moon's mass is thrown out in space. The remaining surface is barely habitable at the moment, but that won't last long. The Empire is desecrating the remains by strip-mining it, killing its natives simply for being there. The very Force itself is tainted, driving force sensitives that get too close to the blast zone mad.

** Not to mention, that when the weapon is fired to destroy a planet in the film, we only ever see ''the beginning of a Death Star attack''. And it's {{HSQ}} levels of horrifying, especially the attack on Jedha, where we see a tsunami of sand, fire, ash, and massive chunks of rock completely dwarf the horizon. Yeah, that's ''only the beginning''. As for the aftermath, if you thought the "[[BadFuture Knightmare]]" scene in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' was horrifying, then this would make it look like a teddy bear's picnic.

* The second trailer ''really'' shows off the scale of the Death Star when it literally ''blocks out the sun'' and creates [[https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rFe2o5X3zKB6rfTiS2O8N0TUSCc=/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6930019/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-12%20at%2010.02.05%20AM.png an artificial eclipse]]. Then we see it actually ''fire'' [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1fA_2W0_XpU/hqdefault.jpg And it only gets worse]].

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VaderBreath You can hear it now,]] [[HellIsThatNoise can't you?]]]]

* [[HumongousMecha AT-ATs]] have always been intimidating, but in a "wow, cool" kind of way, especially since previously the heroes have always been flying in something that has at least a chance of fighting back. On Scarif we get to see these looming monstrosities from the POV of the guys on the ground, and all they can do is ''run.'' Not even Baze's rocket launcher can do anything against them. Imagine firing your most powerful shot against one of those metal beasts, [[HopeSpot knocking it to one side for a few seconds]], then watching in horror as the [[NoSell head focuses down]] on ''you'', blaster cannons swiveling and drawing a bead on you, as the anonymous Imperial pilot decides you are the one who is about to die today...

* While it's become [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic a beloved icon of sci-fi culture]] due to [[EarWorm its unforgettable tune]], the marketing for this film was able to make ''The Imperial March'' genuinely ominous and threatening, similar to ''[[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} I've Got No Strings]]'' in the ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' trailers.

[[folder:Meta]]
* ''Rogue One'', in its entirety, is a catalogue of the trail of bodies that made the events of the original trilogy possible. And that's an accurate description: [[EverybodysDeadDave everyone dies,]] one after another, thrown aside the moment their PlotArmor gives out, hundreds of nameless Rebels slaughtered, each of the main and supporting characters doing their part before falling. It's an absolutely horrendous flash of reality in a franchise built on science fiction. WarIsHell, even a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
* Those who aren't as well versed in the lore or only casual fans of Star Wars sometimes mistakenly thought that Bothans would die in this movie thanks to the meme-tastic line by Mon Mothma in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' regarding the ''second'' Death Star. ("Many Bothans died to bring us this information.") But if the death toll on the ''Rogue One'' and the warfare on this movie only warranted a brief mention in ''A New Hope''[='=]s opening crawl, and the Emperor deliberately let the Rebels get the rebuilt station's plans, [[FridgeHorror just how many Bothans died for intel on the]] ''[[FridgeHorror second]]'' [[FridgeHorror Death Star,]] [[InferredHolocaust if they didn't suffer a genocide?]]
[[/folder]]