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Post #1095259

Author
NeverarGreat
Parent topic
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Fan Edit Ideas thread...
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1095259/action/topic#1095259
Date created
6-Aug-2017, 1:06 AM

Here’s a bit more detailed outline:

Rogue One
It is a time of oppression. The Galactic Empire is secretly building a weapon which will crush any rebellion once and for all.

Desperate to halt its construction, the fledgling Rebel Alliance has sent an elite group of spies to capture the mastermind of this terror weapon, Galen Erso.

Little does the Rebellion know that the daughter of this Imperial scientist is hidden in their ranks…

Pan down to Eadu. The ship (whose only identifiable occupants are Jyn, Cassian, and K2SO) crashes on the planet and the two cloaked figures head out in the rain towards the facility. On Yavin 4, ships are scrambled to attack the base. We see the cloaked figures ascend the ridge and survey the assembled scientists, but when Krennic’s ship flies overhead, one figure (Jyn) disappears. Krennic informs Galen that he has an announcement, and to gather the scientists. Nothing is said of the Death Star’s completion. He tells the scientists that there is a traitor among them. We see Jyn climbing to the platform, and Cassian tries to call off the attack (not calling Jyn by her name), but it’s too late. The moment Krennic shouts ‘Fire!’, the entire platform explodes under fire from rebel ships. Jyn’s reunion with her father is brief, and he can only call her ‘Stardust’ and say that he has much to tell her before he dies. There is still no confirmation that Galen is not an Imperial agent, hence Jyn’s continued emotional distance later in the film. They escape on the stolen ship and head back to Yavin 4. The recriminations between Jyn and Cassian never take place in this cut (the costumes, wet hair, and tone are probably too different to incorporate into another scene). In fact, the entire Cassian ‘shades of grey’ subplot is cut, since not only does it have no logical space in this edit, it simply confuses the methods of the Rebellion as opposed to the extremism of Saw’s rebels.

Bodhi Meets Saw’s Rebels, and is taken to their base.

Back on Yavin, Alliance brass has learned of Jyn’s real name. They question her, realizing that they now have a potential in with Saw’s Rebels. Some continuity-breaking lines are gone. Jyn is formally introduced to K2SO, and her ‘I remember you’ line continues to make sense here.

We are introduced to Saw.

Krennic meets Tarkin in front of the Death Star, and they discuss the situation on Jedha.

The quest for Jedha remains largely unchanged. Her brief dream of Coruscant remains, but is lengthened to show the farm, the death of Lira from Jyn’s perspective, and Jyn’s escape into the hideout where she is found by Saw. She doesn’t recollect the conversation between Galen and Krennic. Galen’s hologram gains an added weight now that we know that Galen has just died. There is real tragedy this time, as Jyn learns that she was wrong to doubt her father all these years and they can never make amends.

After escaping the destruction of Jedha, Krennic and Tarkin discuss what is to be done. Tarkin informs Krennic that these security breaches ‘have laid bare your inadequacies as a military director’. Krennic responds with ‘we’ll see about this’ and exits.

There is a brief cut to Yavin 4 where they learn that Jedha has been destroyed. All other dialogue is cut.

Krennic departs the Death Star, and reminisces about his recruitment of Galen. We are shown what transpired from his perspective, and this completes the flashback.

On the U-wing, Jyn is deep in thought as well - seemingly reminiscing about the same event as Krennic - but is pulled back to the present by Bodhi, who asks if she is the daughter of Galen. The conversation happens largely unchanged, except of course that there is no going to Eadu.

Krennic meets with Vader. This scene is unchanged, and leads to the scene on Yavin 4 as in the original. The team departs for Scarif (sans the R2 and 3PO reference).

The final act proceeds roughly the same as the original. It is not necessary to change anything from here on out, but I would shift sections of the battle so that it makes sense from a logistical perspective. For example, the fighting on the beach, up to and including Bodhi’s death, all happens before Jyn decides to transmit the plans using the dish. This way, there can be no rescue in the transport. Similarly, Bodhi’s successful transmission to the fleet is what compels them to ‘begin probing that shield’. The bombing runs on the shield gate and the Star Destroyer decapitation maneuver are both the result of this communication. Krennic is told of the data breach the moment after Cassian fails to use the right hand of the officer, and the waves of Stormtroopers are a result of Krennic’s direct orders.

The film cuts to black after the final shot of Vader staring at the departing Blockade Runner. In this version, with the removal of the R2 and 3PO shot earlier, there is ambiguity as to whether this is the Tantive IV or whether it later beams the plans to another Blockade Runner. The final shot of the Tantive going to hyperspace could happen directly before or after Vader’s final shot, depending on how the music works out.