Star Warsis a franchise that has been ever-expanding as of late, with multiple series in the works as well as several films. One of these upcoming films will beStar Wars: Rogue Squadron, centered on a small, elite group of rebel pilots that take on dangerous missions for the rebel alliance. Although this story has the potential to include multiple references to the force and Jedi, what it should really do to succeed is leave out most any mention of the force or anything relating to the more magical side ofStar Wars.
Not much is known aboutPatty Jenkins’Rogue Squadronfilm, as much of the plot has been kept under wraps. One teaser was released, wherein Jenkins discusses her time around the airforce due to her father. She shares her excitement around finally being able to tell a story that mergesStar Warswith the feeling of jets soaring overhead. Initially slated for a late 2023 release, the film has recently been removed from the slate due to Jenkins having a packed schedule between a Cleopatra film and the nextWonder Womansequel.
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Rogue Squadronpresents a chanceto get away from what has grown to be standard in the Star Wars universe. In the base lore of the world, Jedi have been rare ever since the execution of Order 66. For those fans who have only seen the movies, however, this may not seem like the case. Lightsaber-wielding protagonists have been the center of most Star Wars stories, leading many to believe that they are the very center of the Star Wars universe.
Despite this notion, nothing could be further from the truth. By the time of the original trilogy, most force users had either been killed or gone into hiding. EvenDarth Vader, the right hand of the Emperor, was just rumored to have some sort of wizard-like powers. Luke’s return to the fold marked a return for the Jedi, but not in anywhere near the same numbers as before. These powerful wizards were essentially secret, nearly all-powerful weapons.
The “cool factor” of the forcesadly led to many stories that followed focusing on it. The wandering Ronin that are force users, while fun and interesting, aren’t all this world has to offer. AsRogue OneandSoloshowed, there are entire livelihoods that exist in the Star Wars universe apart from force users. There are those that have only ever heard of the force, and even more who think of it as only a rumor.
WithRogue Squadron,Star Warsgets the chance to flesh out this exterior world and make the universe as a whole richer for it. The grounded nature of these strapped-in fighter pilots narrowly escaping death in dog fights across the galaxy could bring more people to the franchise as they flock to see a new sci-fi movie rather than another force user story.
What is amazing about Star Wars is that it is an original, sci-fi world that spans galaxies. There are endless nooks and crannies in which stories could be told. With this in mind, it doesn’t make much sense at all to stay so closely tied to the more mystical side of things. It’s ultimately limiting from a storytelling perspective, and will likely lead tothe eventual fall of the franchiseif a careful watch is not kept over this trend. At this point, including a force user in a Star Wars story is akin to bringing in the Joker in a Batman story. It feels old hat and unoriginal.
With how closely tied together the force and Star Wars seem to general audiences, it does beg the question of whether or not a story without this element could even succeed. However, a story that takes inspiration from films such asTop Guncould see a much-needed rejuvenation for the franchise.The Mandalorianis doing well, but that’s because it is doing something different from the rest of the franchise. The main push of the show isn’t necessarily the force, it’s a more grounded story about found-family and a world that’s adapting to a post-dictatorship society.
A more grounded story about fighter pilots set in the Star Wars universe could mean that a different audience is reached in addition to the baseline fans. The starships, worlds, races, and overall tone of the franchise could all still be there, thus making this story feel undeniably Star Wars without beating it over the audience’s head. Franchise fatigue has begun to set in with Star Wars, and any mention of the force or Jedi has begun to feel likeMarvel tie-ins in the MCU. They’re reluctantly expected, and they often come across as weaker portions of the story. IfStar Wars: Rogue Squadronwants to set itself apart from other Star Wars stories, it needs a grounded progression through a magicless world. Anything else will just feel like more of the same.
