Rogue One Jedha and Church of the Force Discussion

I want to post a few things from the star wars website that have characters from TFA and seem to fit right into the plot of Rogue One. I believe Disney will connect their new franchise in this way, side stepping the original trilogy. It is the easiest way to do it. Rebels, Rogue One and The Force Awakens have links...here are some data facts from SW website...what you think the relationship to Rogue One might be? I wonder if Maz knows San Tekka? I wonder if Grand Admiral Thrawn went into the unknown regions during the OT and he is played by Benicio Del Toro in Ep8?

LOR SAN TEKKA
A legendary traveler and explorer, Lor San Tekka is a longtime ally of the New Republic and the Resistance. After the Battle of Endor,San Tekka helped Luke Skywalker recover secret Jedi lore that the Empire had tried to erase, and Leia Organa hopes the old scout can now help find her brother. Following decades of adventure, San Tekka retired to live simply on Jakku, where he follows the dictates of the once-forbidden Church of the Force. But his retirement is fated to be anything but peaceful.

ILCO MUNICA
An Abednedo adherent of the once-banned Church of the Force, Ilco Munica dwelled in Tuanul on Jakku alongside fellow members of his faith. When the First Order attacked the village, Ilco fought back with his blaster rifle, but could offer little resistance to professional soldiers.
JAKKU
A harsh desert world, Jakku is a lawless place that’s home to thieves, outlaws and refugees. During the final years of the Galactic Civil War, Jakku was the site of a secret Imperial research base and served as a jumping-off point for warships heading into the Unknown Regions. The Empire made a last stand above the frontier planet, leading to a pitched battle between rebel and Imperial fleets. Jakku’s sandy wastes are littered with old wrecks, picked over by desperate scavengers searching for parts that can be salvaged and sold
JEDHA
A small desert moon frosted by a permanent winter, Jedha is home to one of the first civilizations to explore the nature of the Force. At one time a world important to the Jedi Order, Jedha serves as a holy site for pilgrims from across the galaxy who seek spiritual guidance. Now, the Empire occupies Jedha, and a prolonged battle between Imperial forces and scattered Rebels carries on in the timeworn streets.
MAZ'S CURIO BOX
In her long centuries traveling the galaxy, Maz Kanata has collected any number of antiques and trinkets, stashing them in storehouses and vaults in her castle. Some of her dearest treasures – including a lightsaber built by Anakin Skywalker -- can be found in an old wood curio box, kept unlocked. Maz protects objects that speak to her through the Force, certain that one day the Force will in turn guide other seekers to find these relics.

 

They are not side-stepping the OT, or the PT for that matter. They are just filling in some blanks and expanding the Lore. As such it is being discussed in several threads already.

 

I love it when the movies can be tied together!

 

Interesting points. But the OT will thankfully never lose its importance!

 

Seeing San Tekka on Jedha is a thought that never crossed my mind...but will dominate it from here on out.

 

Unless someone actually refers to him as Lor San Tekka, we'll never know it's him. This is 35+ years prior to TFA.

 

Agreed. Disney will link their properties. He will be there I believe.

 

No idea if Lor San Tekka will show up in Rogue One, but I was half expecting him to appear in Catalyst. It feels as if such a legendary explorer and member of the Church of the Force might one day cross paths with a planetary surveyor with an interest in the Force.

 

Jedha and Chirrut are the most interesting parts of Rogue One for me. I just got the galactic atlas and have a theory now about this moon.

Spoiler

The galactic map is missing Ach-to, so Jedha could be a moon of Ach-to which makes me believe Ach-to is in reality Tython. Additionally the 'Temple of the Whills' there may lead me to the idea that Luke/Rey may not start a new Jedi order and instead go back to the roots with a 'Order of the Whills'. This would also connect perfectly to Lucas ideas. But to be serious, it could also be an easter egg.

 

Nice to se you back here. I like your theory about what Acht-To could be. Though Church of the Force etc. remains the least interesting element of Rogue One for me personally, but I hope that changes. Still not conformable with the whole Force as an actual religion, but if the movie is fun I am sure I will not think about this element after this post.

 

thanks
Yeah for me personally the whole church of the force things is as well ambigious and may turn out good or bad, we will see. But as I said before I'm just less into the blaster and soldier stuff, so the Jedha part of this movie is the closest thing I get from a Jedi/Force storyline.

 

well anyways,


from 1:26-1:55
talks about the Jedi statue in the sands.

and from 1:56-2:08
Gareth talking about Jedha and potentially appearing in future projects.

 

I wonder if we will see Jedah in EPVIII. It looks amazing.

 

The Holy City will obviously not make an appearance in VIII but I'm thinking (that GE hinted) it may have been such a good concept that it could be in future anthology movies.

 

Pablo just mentioned the Shaman of the Whills on Twitter. A connection to Jedha?

Hound of Ren ‏@Darth_Hound
@pablohidalgo A "Shaman of the Whills" is mentioned in Qui-Gon's "Biography Gallery" on the official site. Is that just an oversight?
Pablo Hidalgo
Pablo Hidalgo – ‏@pablohidalgo

@Darth_Hound No, that's taken from the script. Who that Shaman is and how he or she connects to the Priestesses is not yet revealed.
5:28 pm - 5 Dec 2016

https://mobile.twitter.com/pablohidalgo/status/805947077905657857

 

So maybe they're redoing what they undid?

 

yup it's what I said in the Rogue One thread when I brought up the Whills. That the Whills are considered canon even before they were brought up by Rogue One.

since Jedha during pre-TFA times was not occupied by the Empire and was a pilgrimage for believers in the force. As well as their being a Temple for the Whills. It makes sense if Jinn learned from the Shaman on Jedha which eventually led him to the 5 force priestesses.

according to wookiepedia that took the info from SW database, this is what he seems to have learned from the Whills

the supposed final theme of RO is "Guardians of the Whills" too.

 

I'm thinking the Jedi got away from the Church of the Force once temple was opened on Corruscant. Politics took over and they lost their way a bit. This original religion may somehow be front and center in future movies especially Ep. VIII

 

but isn't the Church of the Force an underground movement that existed during the reign of the Empire. They were mostly believers that the Jedi were key to the Galaxy. That doesn't sound like they were part of the Jedi Order that has existed for thousands of generations.

seems more like the destruction of the Jedi Order and the oppression of the Empire brought these believers together in a time of darkness. And they are servants of the lightside of the force.

 

well this is interesting, KK talks about Jedha and Baze/Chirrut
"Chirrut is essentially like a monk. He's somebody who has deep respect for the force. He cares about it very much. He recognized that it sort of gone with the Jedi. But it's still very important to him.

Baze is someone he's know since they were kids. And Baze is a trained assassin. They couldn't be more opposite but they deeply care about one another and they made this commitment to each other that they are going to take care of the pilgrims, the people who still exist on the planet of Jedha. Who still believe what the Jedi were all about. And they want to protect the planet so that the pilgrims can continue to pray and Jedha is essentially the Jedi Holy City. And these are two self appointed guardians of that city."


here's the vid

 

So it sounds as though Chirrut may not be a Guardian of the Whills himself, but he and Baze have taken it upon themselves to protect the pilgrims and the temple in the guardians absence? I wonder what happened to the guardians themselves? Wiped out by the Empire?

 

The Ultimate Visual Guide confirms that Chirrut's staff does contain a kyber crystal, but no crystal in the lightbow, apparently.




The book also confirms that there a number of different denominations amongst the pilgrims, including the Disciples of the Whills ( separate to the Guardians of the Whills ), and the Brotherhood of the Beatific Countenance.



The Art of Rogue One book also has some nice concept pieces depicting the entrance to the Temple of the Whills.

 

I was surprised by all of the "force of others" lines. Of course, that is from Lucas's early drafts of SW.

 

Wow I really want that book. Omg mention of anomids there- it's cool alien species in the Old Republic among other legends http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anomid - now brought to canon I really like it how legends or old expanded universe is slowly accepted into canon. Not all happenings but species, planets etc. are still there.

I think that Church of the Force is just many of these cults and brotherhoods and Lor San Tekka may have had pilgrimage on Jedha at some point.