Marvel Comics' adaptation of last year's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story fleshes out certain aspects of the blockbuster to reveal more character details. Comic adaptation of films are tricky. Too often, they're just attempts to cash in on the success of the film and don't offer anything new. However, this one written by Jody Houser and illustrated by Emilio Laiso, seeks to go beyond what was on the screen. The first issue is out in stores today and features numerous expanded scenes, as well as additional and deleted material that was not in the film.
Given that the Rogue One Blu-ray didn't have any deleted scenes (or the film's fabled alternate ending), this will be the closes fans will get to ever seeing what was left on the cutting room floor, making it a highly sought-after item for fans of Lucasfilm's $1 billion spinoff.
Details about the issue come courtesy Star Wars News Net. The comic opens in the same fashion as the film, showing Krennic descending on the Erso family farm, killing Lyra and taken Galen prisoner. However, from there the comic goes into more depth with Jyn's time living with Saw. During the scene in which Jyn is briefed by the Rebel Alliance, readers are treated to a flashback of Saw abandoning her. Previously, this scene was only mentioned during Jyn's confrontation with Saw, but seeing it gives added weight to her conflicting feelings about him. Jyn also gets an additional scene where she is first brought to the Wobani labor camp where audiences are first introduced to her.
The character who most benefits from the added scenes is Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed). In the film, audiences are introduced to him as he's being marched through the desert to see Saw. However, the comic actually gives more depth and story to his defection. We actually see him and Galen talking about his role in the creation of the Death Star and what he can do to help. The comic also shows his arrival on Jedha and his first encounter with Saw's people. Bodhi arguably got the least screen time and development of the entire Rogue team in the film, and it's good to see him getting more development on the page. In an interview with StarWars.com, Houser said that Bodhi became the standout character for her while writing the comic, so it's likely that he'll receive several more additional scenes or expanded moments.
Baze (Jiang Wen) and Chirrut (Donnie Yen) also get a small scene introducing them before Jyn meets them. Following the sequence where Tarkin and Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) discuss the coming test of their super weapon, we see a short scene of Baze and Chirrut bantering about the Force. Both characters were standouts in the film, and hopefully will receive more development. However, readers might have to wait for the coming backstory novel centered on them to get the full backstory on the former Guardians of the Whills.
One final added scene gives depth to characters like Mon Mothma (Genevieve Reilly) and Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits). The small scene shows them discussing whether or not the Senate will push back against the Empire's doomsday device, or whether they will simply cede to the might of the Empire. It's a small yet politically powerful moment, one that taps into the reality of the Senate at the time without becoming heavy handed, which was a critique of the prequels.
It will be interesting to see how the comics add on to the rest of the film. While it's unlikely we'll see a different and happier ending, the comics are bound to increase fans' knowledge of the film, and their enjoyment as well. Finally, we have a comic adaptation that is worthy of the film it is inspired by.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is now available on Blu-ray.
Source: Star Wars News Net
