STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE–A Long Time Ago in A Galaxy Far, Far Away

West Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 12/22/16 – Or was it? This reporter and her husband weren’t so sure.

Consider their favorite silly and serious quotes from the film: “I’m taking the prisoners to prison to be imprisoned!” and “You give way to an enemy this evil with this much power, and you condemn the galaxy to an eternity of submission. The time to fight is NOW!” Talk of police states and abuses of power during this Presidential election season threw these statements into sharp relief.

Carlos Foglia also noted that the face of the resistance in STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE is not unlike the face of those struggling for equality today. Here is featured a main cast of people of color with a woman leading the way.

Furthermore, the woman (Jyn Erso, played by British actress Felicity Jones) truly is in charge and knows who she is. Her father was a scientist for the Evil Empire who supported the Rebellion. Now she too is a Rebel soldier.

Even veteran actors like Forest Whitaker and Jimmy Smits stand down and follow Jyn’s lead. The rest of the resistance team is played by a promising cast of Chinese, Mexican, and Indian actors.

All have places to go and things to do. Their seriousness of purpose defies stereotypes at all turns. According to Foglia, “The richness of the diversity is a palpable jolt of hope for all minorities everywhere.”

“Rebellions are built on hope,” Jyn Urso confirms. Leaders are dealers of hope.

Hope provides freedom. When you save the rebellion, you save the dream.

In America, we can take our freedom for granted. There was no need to rebel when we had what we wanted.

Now the future is pointing us towards a fight. We may resent having to fight for what was always ours or wonder what to do.

Perhaps common causes and collective action as seen in STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE can guide us to a Force much greater than ourselves. That may be a vision worth fighting for.