Rogue One Empire Rising spot

By Imperial Advisor Arem Heshvaun, in X-Wing

[from about 7 weeks ago]

Krennic vs Tarkin

I have also posted on a few other sites that it may very well be Grand Moff Tarkin we see walking confidently towards Krennic in the trailer at 1:20, it seems that got some traction on the webs.






Rogue One , Empire Rising trailer




Just read through Catalyst the Rogue One prequel novel. Not essential reading but will shed some light to the back story of the upcoming movie.

Some things I picked up from the novel (some very minor spoilers).

Spoilered for length

The actual construction of the Death Star started as a top secret Old Republic Project, not as a Separtist, as events from Attack of the Clones may have led us to believe.

Count Dooku brought the plans for the Death Star to Darth Sidious, he in turn, as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, used this to instill fear of the Separtists building a weapon, and the Republic needed to build one of their own first.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine created the Strategic Advisory Cell to take charge of the Death Star Project, all of whom signed the Official Secrets Act, that would ensure no one, not even the Jedi, were made aware of the project.

The Death Star actually began construction less than a year after the events of Attack of the Clones .

The first part of the Death Star to be completed was the prime meridian.

Lieutenant Commander Orson Krennic was formerly a member of the Core of Engineers of the Old Republic. Krennic never held any love for Grand Moff Tarkin, and was both envious and covetous of the Grand Moff's position in The Empire.

For his part, Grand Moff Tarkin always wanted direct operational and political control of the Death Star , but while it was being built, was content in Krennic taking the blame for the projects numerous delays.

The Old Republic had protected planets known as Legacy Worlds, worlds that considered important environmentally, historically or politically vital to the Galaxy and the Republic. Alderaan was one of the oldest of these worlds.

Then Empire ravaged many of these worlds for resources to fuel there ever growing military.

Kyber Crystals were impossible to synthsize in part because they are partially organic in nature (The Living Force).

Galen Erso (Jyn's father) was researching Kyber Crystals so that he could develop cheap and sustainable power for developing Republic worlds.

In secret, Galen was given access to the largest Kyber Crystal he had ever seen or heard about. Galen was a pacifist and believed his research was for energy enrichment. But all his tests ad data were moved to other facilities in hopes of weaponizing his research. One of this facilities failed to produce his tests properly, resulting in the complete destruction of a large city and the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.

The Super Laser's cover name and agency was known as Project Celestial Power.

The Super Laser's first successful test fire was near two black holes (EU's Maw Installation?). The test Super Laser was 2% the size of the actual weapon.

Lyra Erso, Jyn's mother, is Force Sensitive, she could feel The Force.

Jyn Erso is born on the first year of The Clone Wars, making her 21 or 22 by the time of Rogue One .

Saw Gerrera ( The Clone Wars ) helped the Erso's escape The Empire.

The escape led to the complete breakdown of the time table for developing the Super Laser, and the demotion of Krennic.

The men who would later assume the Imperial titles of Grand Vizer Sate Pestage, Imperial Advisors Ars Dangor and Janus Greejatus make an appearance in this novel. At this time they are Special Emissaries of the Supreme Chancellor.

This is excellent because Grand Vizer Pestage has been mentioned since 1979's The Empire Strikes Back script. Imperial Advisor Janus Greejatus is seen in 1983's Return of the Jedi but is not named until 1988 by the West End Games roleplaying game. Imperial Advisor Ars Dagnor, who is a roleplaying game character, is Canon once again, and named by yours truly . (humble brag, I was very lucky in the late 1980's and got to name some on screen characters and give them back stories.)

The Officer rank insignia and bars of the Old Republic and The Empire not only indicated affiliation and seniority, but also acted as automated security clearance for restricted data and areas. More senior rank bars qualifying holders to more sensitive and classified information and areas. (also formerly a personal idea from my team at West End Games)

"Seen" does that mean it contradicts the whole "Ashoka" book's premise that no one can see a crystal except Jedi?

Each TV spot is getting better and better. Got my tickets on the hype train.

ok i have tickets to the midnight showing and then again Friday night ill take my son :)

"Seen" does that mean it contradicts the whole "Ashoka" book's premise that no one can see a crystal except Jedi?

Yeah, well done Story Group!

Catalyst makes it clear that normal people can see kyber crystals just fine, Galen Erso and other scientists experiment on them, Orson Krennic wants to weaponize them and carries a bunch of them in a suitase and shows to people, Lyra Erso was sent to do a geological survey focusing on the crystals and it didn't look like the mission was any special.

Hell, back in TCW there was a droid helping younglings build lightsabers and later Hondo tried to murder the kids to get their kyber crystals.

Maybe what she wanted to convey is that the crystals aren't literally invisible or magically unnoticeable but that it's hard to find them on Ilum because they kinda look like ice?

"Seen" does that mean it contradicts the whole "Ashoka" book's premise that no one can see a crystal except Jedi?

Yeah, well done Story Group!

Catalyst makes it clear that normal people can see kyber crystals just fine, Galen Erso and other scientists experiment on them, Orson Krennic wants to weaponize them and carries a bunch of them in a suitase and shows to people, Lyra Erso was sent to do a geological survey focusing on the crystals and it didn't look like the mission was any special.

Hell, back in TCW there was a droid helping younglings build lightsabers and later Hondo tried to murder the kids to get their kyber crystals.

Maybe what she wanted to convey is that the crystals aren't literally invisible or magically unnoticeable but that it's hard to find them on Ilum because they kinda look like ice?

And the fact that there is a Rebels episode in season 1 where they attack an Imperial convoy that is carrying a ton of kyber crystals to prevent them from weaponizing them.

I think Ahsoka was meaning that Jedi could sense the Kybers easily, not that that Jedi are the only ones that can see the crystals at all.

One of the things Catalyst emphasizes is the Jedi dogma surrounding kyber crystals. Remember Ashoka was raised by that dogma. Jedi were trained to trust the Force when searching for a Kyber crystal. Before either of these books, The Clone Wars established that Kybers are not invisible to mere mortals as Hondo tries to steal them by pirating Crucible.

Edited by jmswood

Count Dooku brought the plans for the Death Star to Darth Sidious, he in turn, as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, used this to instill fear of the Separtists building a weapon, and the Republic needed to build one of their own first.

I believe the Seaparatists started construction of Death Star II. I know some sources claim its construction started after the first was destroyed, but that makes no sense given the timeline. Whether or not Sideous commanded it, Count Dooku probably started work on the second Death Star.

I personally believe Endor is where Poggle went after escaping Krennic's custody at Geonosis.

Count Dooku brought the plans for the Death Star to Darth Sidious, he in turn, as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, used this to instill fear of the Separtists building a weapon, and the Republic needed to build one of their own first.

I believe the Seaparatists started construction of Death Star II. I know some sources claim its construction started after the first was destroyed, but that makes no sense given the timeline. Whether or not Sideous commanded it, Count Dooku probably started work on the second Death Star.

I personally believe Endor is where Poggle went after escaping Krennic's custody at Geonosis.

I like this theory.

On the other hand it looks like the developement of the DS1 took so long because of the superlaser, for the second one they had all the R&D ready from the get go.

Just finished Ashoka. I think the idea of kybers being invisible was taken out of context.

There is emphasis in both Ashoka and "The Gathering" episode of Clone Wars on Ilum's kyber crystals blending in with the ice. It makes sense because kybers not tuned to a force user are clear. In Ashoka, the character discovers the Empire tearing Ilum apart for its kyber crystals. Ashoka is grieved because the Empire is destroying a world for crystals they can't see.I believe this line is the source of misconception, leading some to believe kybers are invisible to the uninitiated. In context, Ilum's kyber crystals are camouflaged, not invisible.

Ahhh, dag nabbit. For a second I thought "That guy at 0:11 looks like a Muppet." Now I can't unsee.

New pump action packed


Soon. So very soon . A armed and fully operational Holiday Battle Station.

Just read through Catalyst the Rogue One prequel novel. Not essential reading but will shed some light to the back story of the upcoming movie.

Some things I picked up from the novel (some very minor spoilers).

Spoilered for length

The actual construction of the Death Star started as a top secret Old Republic Project, not as a Separtist, as events from Attack of the Clones may have led us to believe.

Count Dooku brought the plans for the Death Star to Darth Sidious, he in turn, as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, used this to instill fear of the Separtists building a weapon, and the Republic needed to build one of their own first.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine created the Strategic Advisory Cell to take charge of the Death Star Project, all of whom signed the Official Secrets Act, that would ensure no one, not even the Jedi, were made aware of the project.

The Death Star actually began construction less than a year after the events of Attack of the Clones .

The first part of the Death Star to be completed was the prime meridian.

Lieutenant Commander Orson Krennic was formerly a member of the Core of Engineers of the Old Republic. Krennic never held any love for Grand Moff Tarkin, and was both envious and covetous of the Grand Moff's position in The Empire.

For his part, Grand Moff Tarkin always wanted direct operational and political control of the Death Star , but while it was being built, was content in Krennic taking the blame for the projects numerous delays.

The Old Republic had protected planets known as Legacy Worlds, worlds that considered important environmentally, historically or politically vital to the Galaxy and the Republic. Alderaan was one of the oldest of these worlds.

Then Empire ravaged many of these worlds for resources to fuel there ever growing military.

Kyber Crystals were impossible to synthsize in part because they are partially organic in nature (The Living Force).

Galen Erso (Jyn's father) was researching Kyber Crystals so that he could develop cheap and sustainable power for developing Republic worlds.

In secret, Galen was given access to the largest Kyber Crystal he had ever seen or heard about. Galen was a pacifist and believed his research was for energy enrichment. But all his tests ad data were moved to other facilities in hopes of weaponizing his research. One of this facilities failed to produce his tests properly, resulting in the complete destruction of a large city and the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.

The Super Laser's cover name and agency was known as Project Celestial Power.

The Super Laser's first successful test fire was near two black holes (EU's Maw Installation?). The test Super Laser was 2% the size of the actual weapon.

Lyra Erso, Jyn's mother, is Force Sensitive, she could feel The Force.

Jyn Erso is born on the first year of The Clone Wars, making her 21 or 22 by the time of Rogue One .

Saw Gerrera ( The Clone Wars ) helped the Erso's escape The Empire.

The escape led to the complete breakdown of the time table for developing the Super Laser, and the demotion of Krennic.

The men who would later assume the Imperial titles of Grand Vizer Sate Pestage, Imperial Advisors Ars Dangor and Janus Greejatus make an appearance in this novel. At this time they are Special Emissaries of the Supreme Chancellor.

This is excellent because Grand Vizer Pestage has been mentioned since 1979's The Empire Strikes Back script. Imperial Advisor Janus Greejatus is seen in 1983's Return of the Jedi but is not named until 1988 by the West End Games roleplaying game. Imperial Advisor Ars Dagnor, who is a roleplaying game character, is Canon once again, and named by yours truly . (humble brag, I was very lucky in the late 1980's and got to name some on screen characters and give them back stories.)

The Officer rank insignia and bars of the Old Republic and The Empire not only indicated affiliation and seniority, but also acted as automated security clearance for restricted data and areas. More senior rank bars qualifying holders to more sensitive and classified information and areas. (also formerly a personal idea from my team at West End Games)

There is a great chilling scene in the Rogue One Catalyst novel.

After the Jedi were massacred with the implantation of Order 66 and the subsequent Jedi purge, the rare Kyber Crystals were suddenly available since dead Jedi don't need thier lightsabers.

In one of the book's memorable scenes, a bag of Kyber Crystals is unceremoniously dumped into Galen's hands akin to lose sets of gold teeth during the events of the Holocaust.

' It is always darkest before the dawn. Let us take deliberate steps to insure that for these Rebels, that dawn never comes. '

Edited by Imperial Advisor Arem Heshvaun

New pump action packed

Soon. So very soon . A armed and fully operational Holiday Battle Station.

Why do they get the best trailers?