History Awesome / RogueOne

*** Even more fridge brilliance and awesome here: these poor, poor RedShirts just barely survived Vader's maelstrom of death, all without the benefit of plot armor, yet even as a pissed-off Vader is coming for them in ANH, they're ready to sacrifice themselves for the Rebellion all over again! If that isn't certified badassery, I don't know what is.

** Sadly, the novelization of the movie makes it clear that the ''Lightmaker'', along with all its crew, was destroyed in the collision of the Star Destroyers. Not only did those men and women pull of one of the most daring feats in the battle and saved the Galaxy, but they knew that it would cost them their lives. We raise our glasses to you, ''Lightmaker''... Just to clarify, it is easy to assume it made it out, as a keen-eyed observer can spot two other ''Hammerhead'' corvettes warping in with the fleet, and one blink-and-you'll-miss-it of one warping out before Vader shows up. What makes the ''Lightmaker'' even more badass? That corvette had already been heavily damaged and had actually pulled back from the battle, after being shot up by both of those very same Star Destroyers. They volunteered to be the ship to do it just to make sure the Rebellion didn't have to sacrifice one of the other corvettes that was still in good shape. Also, the Lightmaker actually survived the Star Destroyers colliding, that tough little ship still pushing the Destroyer it had rammed. The last thing the crew got to see was confirmation they'd just driven that Destroyer right into the Shield Gate. In their last seconds, they knew they'd given Rogue One, the Rebellion, and the galaxy a chance.

*** Even more fridge brilliance and awesome here: these poor, poor RedShirts just barely survived Vader's maelstrom of death, all without the benefit of plot armor, yet even as a pissed-off Vader is coming for them in ANH, they're ready to sacrifice themselves for the Rebellion all over again! If that isn't certified badassery, I don't what is.

* Once it becomes clear to the Rebels that Rogue One has left for Scarif, Mon Mothma asks to to speak to Admiral Raddus, and learns that he's ''already out there and taking the Rebel fleet with him to fight'', disregarding the Council's ruling. He had already supported Jyn before, and his defiant actions force the rest of the Rebellion to take action and this wins the battle. It's telling that the cautious Mothma almost looks proud when she hears the news. Then moments later, as the rest of the Alliance's starfighter wing on Yavin begin to deploy and head to Scarif, the dark and dramatic Rogue One them shifts into a triumphant version of the Force Theme JUST as the Flight Controller sends them off with "May the Force Be With You." They might not have Luke Skywalker or Han Solo on their side yet, but these men and women are Rebels to the end.

* A meta-one for the effects crew. In the novelisation of ''Return of the Jedi'', during the initial attack on the second Death Star, two X-Wings don't ''quite'' pull up in time when Lando calls the abort, and they're destroyed by colliding with its shield. Presumably this moment was written from the script, but didn't make it into the movie because it was beyond the SFX technology of the day. In ''Rogue One'', one of the key beats of the Battle of Scarif is the shield-gate closing... when two of Blue Squadron's X-Wings don't ''quite'' make it through in time, and get crunched when the shield goes up in front of them. That's right, modern CGI let ILM finally put on-screen a special-effects set-piece they've wanted to do for ''thirty-five years''.

** At a meta level, Vader's march down that hall, from the moment his breath is heard to when the defenders give up on escape and pass the datacard through the gap in the door and tell everyone on the other side to run, is about fifty seconds. After the prequel trilogy diluted his rep with a poorly written love story, it took Vader less than ''one minute'' to remind the world just why he had been the iconic villain of science fiction for a generation.

*** The fact that this was once Anakin Skywalker, speaks volumes on how devastating it was for the Jedi to lose the Chosen One to the dark side of the force. As it shows just how much of of an unstoppable killing machine Vader is without showing any restraint.

* Krennic's ultimate fate is hilariously perfect: not only is he [[HoistByHisOwnPetard killed by the same superweapon he forced other people to build]], but he gets the best view imaginable of its laser pointing right at him. The novelization makes it better. Knowing he's about to die, Krennic tells himself at least he'll know his creation lives on. He imagines it, going through every detail of it all in his mind... [[ExplainExplainOhCrap including that exhaust port Galen kept insisting on putting in.]] In the final second, [[LateToTheRealization Krennic realizes what's happened]] and spends his last breath cursing Galen.

** Not to mention the fact that Hera Syndulla has been promoted to the rank of GENERAL. Which, given that this takes place after the finale of that series, means she's fresh from [[spoiler:liberating Lothal]].

* The establishing shot on Kafrene which starts in the city skyscrapers - a CGI shot very reminiscent of Naboo in the prequel trilogy - and pans downward to a busy street, full of practical effects and creatures, not unlike the original trilogy.

* Jyn gives Cassian a WhatTheHellHero moment when she finds out that Cassian planned to kill Galen without even telling her. Not only is she legitimately horrified but she reminds him that with such a treacherous action planned, [[NotSoDifferent he's no different than a member of the Empire]]. Even better, ''he actually realizes she's right.''

** When the Rebels are pinned down and need to access the master switch, Chirrut simply ''walks'' out into the line of fire armed with nothing but his trust in the Force. Not a single blaster bolt touches him. The man may not be a Jedi, but Force wouldn't dare forsake a man with that kind of conviction.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[DavidVsGoliath Hammerhead Corvette versus Star Destroyer.]] ''Hammerhead wins''.]]

** Not to mention the fact that Hera Syndulla has been promoted to the rank of GENERAL.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[DavidVsGoliath Hammerhead versus Star Destroyer.]] ''Hammerhead wins''.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Hammerhead versus Star Destroyer. ''Hammerhead wins''.]]

*** Even more fridge brilliance and awesome here: these poor, poor RedShirts just barely survived the maelstrom of death that's Darth Vader, all without the benefit of plot armor, yet even as a pissed-off Vader is coming for them in ANH, they're ready to do it all over again! If that isn't certified badassery, I don't what is.

*** Even more fridge brilliance and awesome here: these poor, poor RedShirts just barely survived the maelstrom of death that's Darth Vader, all without the benefit of plot armor, yet even as a pissed-off Vader is coming for them, they're ready to do it all over again! If that isn't certified badassery, I don't what is.