Rogue One: Finally a Star Wars Movie that Lends Legitimacy to Rebel PCs

First things first. I felt Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was fantastic film. If the other anthology films equal Rogue One in quality, Disney's mini-holiday tradition (until 2020 at least) of an annual Star Wars film right around the holiday season will be a good one. However, I'm not going to review the film at this time. One, much of the film's strengths hinge on not being spoiled the first time through. Second, I have only seen the movie once. My mantra of multiple viewings required before a review stands for this film as well. What tonight's blogging spiel is about how excited I am for the ramifications for those that play Star Wars PCs in table-top RPGs particularly Rebellion-era.


There's two things I've always hated about playing Star Wars during the Rebellion-era. The Rebellion, while the underdogs, seemed to put together. Second, the group of Han, Luke, Leia, and Co are the heroes of the Rebellion. No matter how you slice it you can't escape that fact. Your characters are second fiddle; and there's no other examples to prove otherwise.


Rogue One changes all that. Without going into spoilers, the Rebellion-era being the Han, Luke, and Leia show because they're the only  heroes is no longer the case. Now, Star Wars fans have other examples. Furthermore, they know what those characters can be like. They're no longer just outsider types playing a role in a rebellion but actual rebels. The Expanded Universe was great in that it fleshed out the more obscure areas but we never got a full on look what run-of-the-mill rebels were like. Star Wars fans do know. Plus, the obligatory lightsaber-wielding PC is no longer required! You really have to watch the television shows and cartoons to have examples of that gap.


Examples aside. Rogue One demonstrates that the Rebellion needs heroes and such heroics do occur when no Skywalker is mentioned. I'd gloss on more but that breaks my no spoiler rule. But yeah, for the first time, in a long, long time, maybe ever, I feel Rebel PCs that aren't the movie group can play a pivotal role in the Rebellion. Yep, no amount of West End Games source material made me thought otherwise.


So with that, pick up whichever iteration of the Star Wars RPG you have on hand and have your PCs join the Rebellion.


Quick aside: think I got my first hand look at what either a heavy or light repeating blaster rifle looks like cinematically...


Happy Gaming.