Unsurprisingly, Lucasfilm's marketing efforts for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story have been so visible that the names of the new characters are very much ingrained in the pop culture zeitgeist. Jyn Erso, Director Orson Krennic, and others are already recognizable due to their prevalence in the film's trailers, TV spots, and tie-in merchandise. Of course, since the galaxy far, far away is such an expansive place, the main players are hardly the only ones that appear in the movies. There are also a number of side characters who come in for a scene or two and leave an undeniable impression. After all, TR-8R was the breakout star of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Rogue One will be no different in this regard, as the mostly human team of Rebels will receive help from some alien allies. The likes of mercenary Edrio Two Tubes and mad gunner Bistan have already been glimpsed at in certain materials, and now curious fans can discover more details about them thanks to new trading cards from Topps.
The company unveiled a set of three autograph cards (hat tip Comic Book), which feature Edrio, Bistan, and the Mon Calamari Admiral Raddus. Though brief on new information, viewers can learn the identity of the actor playing each character. You can check out the cards below:
Paul Kasey pulls double duty as Edrio and Raddus. Kasey has made a career out of portraying aliens and other creatures in works such as Doctor Who and 28 Days Later. This is his second rodeo with Star Wars, as he played Resistance pilot Ello Asty in The Force Awakens. Nick Kellington is responsible for bringing Bistan to life. The role marks a change-of-pace for the actor, who in the past has appeared on children's programs like In the Night Garden and the reboot of Teletubbies. Rogue One, of course, has long been sold to audiences as a gritty war drama. In the behind-the-scenes sizzle reel shown at this summer's Star Wars Celebration, Bistan seemed to be enjoying his weapon, so he could be a bloodthirsty critter.
It will be interesting to see if any of these three stand out and earn a wide following. Based on their minor presence in the advertising campaign, it's unlikely they factor heavily into the plot, but they all could have their own moment in the spotlight. In 1983, fans probably didn't expect much from supporting character Admiral Ackbar, and he delivered one of the most iconic lines of dialogue in the franchise. With Rogue One promising some of the grandest set pieces the series has seen, chances are at least one of them becomes an instant fan-favorite. Jyn is the star of the show this time around, but she won't be the only one making waves.
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Source: Topps (via Comic Book)
