History NightmareFuel / RogueOne

* 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]]".

As a LowerDeckEpisode of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' cinematic saga, ''Film/RogueOne'' manages to show [[WarIsHell just how horrifying war in the galaxy can be]], and that the [[Film/ANewHope destruction of the Death Star]] did ''not'' come easy.

* Which brings us to [[SignatureScene 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.

As a LowerDeckEpisode of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' cinematic saga, ''Rogue One'' manages to show just how horrifying war in the galaxy can be, and that the [[Film/ANewHope destruction of the Death Star]] did ''not'' come easy.

'''Spoilers are Unmarked'''

* 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.

* The entire scene with Cassian and the informant, as the intensity of the situation just keeps going. The informant clearly wants to get the hell out of dodge, going mad with the revelation that the Rebels are screwed once the Death Star is revealed, and is outright horrified when Cassian shoots down the stormtroopers that questioned them which attracts the attention of more. Cassian then assures the poor guy that things will be alright... before shooting him in the back in what is either a pragmatic solution to cover the Rebels or a mercy kill to spare the informant from whatever interrogation the Empire may have in store for him. Either way, it heavily cements the black vs. gray morality of the setting compared to the other films.

* Even the AT-ST is given a nightmarish makeover: We only see one on Jedha, but its sheer presence is enough that it turns the tide of battle. All we see it do is lankly walk in the direction of the battle in an UncannyValley way, and gun down rebels and civilians indiscriminately.

* Even if [[ForegoneConclusion Jyn escapes]], the first scene with Krennic flanked by stormtroopers showing up at Galen's farm may call to mind Hans Landa's first appearance in ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''. With the cherry on top that Krennic dangles the possibility of peaceful surrender in front of the Ersos, along with a comfortable Imperial life -- as hostages, subjected to who-knows-what treatment should Galen's work progress too slowly or his reservations with mass murder become clear. Krennic's demeanor is almost too casual to come off as personal ire-laden EvilGloating -- because for the Empire ''this is business as usual.'' Tiny Jyn fleeing a host of adult stormtroopers, peeking out at them through a tiny crag in the rock and taking refuge down a dark narrow hole, is pure AdultFear.