I remember when I first started seeing some talk about Rogue One. At first, I didn’t quite believe it, maybe it was some photoshopped fan art type of thing, I thought. Well, I thought pretty wrong because eventually it was confirmed and then I saw cast lists and trailers. It seemed too good to be true.

What even is Rogue One? When does it take place? A prequel? Wasn’t there already prequels? Why do we even need this movie?

To be perfectly honest, I did not have high hopes for this movie. Of course, as with any Star Wars film, I had the initial feelings of hope and excitement, but not in the same way as I did with The Force Awakens. For Episode VII, I slightly knew what I was walking into. Kylo Ren, Rey, BB-8, before I even saw the film I had some sort of predictions as to the plot, who were the characters, etc. I loved The Force Awakens, as it was the perfect mix of old and new. Were there some minor issues with the film? Sure! Was it perfect? No, but pretty close if you ask me. But, did I see the film in theaters countless times within the first month, let alone the first week, and fell in love with all of the characters? You bet!

And yes, even Kylo Ren. Call him whiny or whatever you want, but he is just Anakin part II.

I digress.

Rogue One is the first Star Wars film that we didn’t want but needed. Here’s why.

Well to start, this was a great way for LucasFilm/Disney to hold fans over until Episode VIII. After the major release of Episode VII, fans were not letting Star Wars slip away from their minds by no means, but I have to say that Rogue One was exactly what I needed to make it to next year.

Furthermore, Rogue One neither reinvents the wheel nor breaks it. The film is presented as some sort of happy medium. Which isn’t exactly a bad thing. It isn’t The Empire Strikes Back, or The Phantom Menace. I would say that it is easily similar to The Force Awakens in that it gives us something (kind of) new but doesn’t lose too much of a grasp with the old. I really think this film does a great job blending together some familiar faces, ideas, and events with new ones.

Another thing that I really appreciate about Rogue One is that it explores some different avenues thematically, different from what we’ve been used to. The plot is dark, and I wouldn’t say that it is the best movie to bring a child to see because it really is quite eerie at points. Think of some of the lowest points we’ve seen in Star Wars films thus far, and multiply it by 100. The writers and directors developed something here that is very different from what we’ve seen before.

Did you think that Rey was cool? Well, move over Rey and meet Jyn Erso. Our leading female heroines are similar in some aspects, but Jyn really blows Rey out of the water as far as being a bad-ass wise. Jyn went through her life hiding her parentage, as her father played a vital part in a very important tool used by the Empire. While Rey battles Kylo Ren, Jyn is the focal point in a movie that truly embodies the war aspects of Star Wars. Aside from Jyn, Captain Cassian Andor, the head of Rogue One and an apologetically merciless leading character in the film is one of my favorites and he really drives the point of the film when he says, “rebellions are built on hope.”

And then, there is Darth Vader. There really isn’t much to say here without giving it all away. While some argue there should have been less or more of Vader, I believe that there was just the right amount. First of all, if Darth Vader can be in a film, why shouldn’t he be? On the other hand, in this film we see Vader like we never really have before, but we probably should have. He is exemplified as the Sith that is to be feared, and for good reasons at that.

Overall, I couldn’t ask for, expect more, or think of something that would’ve made

Rogue One better. Were there minor issues? Of course. But there has been far worse issues in the Star Wars franchise before. The darkness, the war aspects, and the ending really pull the entire film together. Many agree that this movie is only behind The Empire Strikes Back as far as fan favorites go. Rogue One will surely leave fans only wanting, waiting, and expecting more.