Rogue One Rogue One: Timeline

How close is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's events to episode IV A New Hope on the Star Wars timeline? I have read online, and in several posts, that Rogue One is set several years prior to A New Hope.

 

I have read rumors of there being several different Darth Vader outfits created for Rogue One. Possibly a variation of his famous robes and armor to be used in the upcoming Rogue One film such as a battlefield suit. I have also read rumors of Vader using the force in battle unlike never before witnessed. When considering the time of events in Rogue One in comparison to the events of A New Hope, one can not help but identify the conflicts that some of these rumors pose in regards to the proximity of events between the both films. Rumors and online discussion threads have identified that Rogue One and A New Hope will have several years of distance between events, but I can not help but refute these claims. The difference among events CAN NOT be more than hours apart setting both movies proximity between each other as minimal. If the rebels from Rogue One steal the Death Star plans, then the time between these movies must be minimized in order to grant the urgency from the opening scene in a New Hope relevance as the opening scene depicts the rebel Blockade Runner being perused by the Galactic Empire's dreaded Star Destroyer. The urgency created by Vader asking for the plans that had been transmitted to that ship while choking a rebel soldier, and his dialogue with the captive, Princess Leia, saying "Don't act so surprised, Your Highness. You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.

Princess Leia Organa: I don't know what you're talking about. I am a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan... Darth Vader: You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor! Take her away! " indicates that the time between the events in Rogue One to A New Hope could not have been more than hours not days or years as several discussions have indicated. If the difference between the time of events between these two films was more that hours, then the transmitted stolen data from the Death Star could have easily been sent via alternative communications such as subspace transmission,word of mouth, and personal deliverance. Because Vader was in close pursuit of the Rebels who had stolen the plans, he was able to track a transmission sent from them to Leia's ship, and she was in such desperation that she had no alternative than to personally send an R2 unit with the stolen plans inside that robot to seek out Obiwan to personally deliver them.

As for Vader alternative battle uniforms and more aggressive force use in battle, I find this to be acceptable but also changeable because why would he demonstrate all these wonderful force abilities only to not demonstrate them in A New Hope, rarely in Empire Strikes Back, and less in Return? Did vader age so much within the time of events between these four films? As for the battle suits, or variation between uniforms from Rogue to A New Hope, it is best that they leave well enough alone, and not try to create new suits in order to market new figures and toys and ultimately ruin a film which seems as if it will be FAR BETTER THan Awakens! Besides, the proximity between time of events between Rogue One and New Hope will answer the life long question as to why Vader's helmet in A New Hope seemed so unpolished and worn out in comparison to Ep. V and VI. It was because he was recently engaged with the rebels of Rogue One and was in pursuit of the plans when he boarded Leia's Blockade Runner. He had no time for a change of clothing! Please let me know what you think, or please add any other information that you have that will support or negate this discussion!

 

I think I would enjoy seeing variations on a Vader suit. A "battle ready suit" could be quite interesting. But I would just hope they don't go crazy with it, like with missiles flying out of his shoulders and stuff like that. But after seeing battle uniforms on the Jedi in Clone Wars, that could make sense...

As far as timeline, I am surprised to hear about rumors saying it's set years before ANH. (which would be running concurrent to Rebels, too wouldn't it? Doesn't seem right.) The battle where the DS plans are stolen is the featured event here, and in the ANH opening crawl it sounds like it occured just before ANH begins-like no more than a month-but definately not years before. Also, the way the imperial officers talk about the "obtained plans" in ANH as well, they refer to it as if it just happened.

I would guess it takes place a matter of a few months before-and I have a strong feeling that the events at the end of Rogue One will lead directly into the events of the opening of ANH.

Which I would love!

 

I like this idea. Very much so.

 

As far as I know, Bob Iger already confirmed that Rogue One is set immediately before ANH. Those rumours are false.

 

I must say that having Vader wear a different suit would be a ballsy move, more ballsy than anything they did in TFA (especially because Ford was the reason Han was killed, not the director or writers). I think it would make sense and could be pretty darn cool if executed well. I expect his battle suit to have a lot of heavy plating covering basically all of his body (which is not the case with his normal outfit).

 

Leaked shot of Vader in his battle armor?

 

Wow, that must have cost him an arm and a leg.

 

And a finger.

 

Thanks for your input! However, if it were even as little time as a month between events in Rogue and New Hope, then would that not make the intensity of having Vader pursue the Tantive IV seem excessive as the plans by then would have found their way to most all inhabitants from Jakku to Coruscant. If the events between both films is larger than hours apart, then the need to have Leia attempt to deliver them to Yavin, place them in an R2 unit to find Obiwan in order to deliver them secretly would all be in vain, producing no results and useless. the reason that Leia was forced to "pull over", and seek out Obiwan on Tatooine was because she was being pursued from the very moment those stolen plans were delivered to her by the rebels from Rogue One. The reason that she places the plans in the R2 unit to seek out Obiwan to finish the delivery is because she had no time to transmit them electronically, or even hand them to anyone else as Vader was on top of her vessel the very instant that they exchanged hands. this implies that the events between Rogue and New Hope was instantaneous. It could not have been days or more as the plans by then would be in every rebel operative hands, data banks, and usb drives. dam...even Jabba the Hutt would have a leaked copy of the Death Star plans. This is why I find that Rogue One will be a GREATER movie than Awakens as the timeline and setting are placed in the era that we all cherish sooooo much..... classic storm troopers, Imperial Star destroyers, the first Death Star. i can go on forever listing.

 

And my axe!


...oh, this was a different joke. ****

 

That is a good point. And I see how that could actually work really well!

I guess what I was thinking is if they obtained the DS plans, I don't think the Rebels would've wanted to spread that knowledge out across the galaxy where the Empire was everywhere-but rather keep it a big secret that they even got it. And the goal would be for the Empire to not even realize they got it for some time. If that would be the case, a timeframe of days or even weeks could seem realistic. That was the point of view I was coming from (though I like yours better!)

 

I always got the sense from ANH that the plans being stolen happened quite recently. A few weeks before at most, if not more recently than that (depending on how long it took to pull off the theft, Leia to get the plans, Vader to find out that she had the plans, and for him to chase her down). There definitely seemed to be a sense of urgency on both sides about it, which doesn't fit in with them having been stolen a long time before.

My guess is that the movie will begin a few months before the beginning of ANH (giving them enough time to show the Rebels learning of the DS, putting the team together to steal the plans, and then planning and ultimately executing the heist) and it'll end anywhere from a few minutes before the beginning of ANH, to maybe a few days before at most.

 

Opening, Rebels form a team 2 steel the DS plans. Middle, we c the Imperial Senate dissolved with archival footage Cushing looking on. Ending, the Rebs successfully steal the plans transmitting them 2 the Tantive 4.

 

I think both could be correct. I think the plans were stolen mere hours before the start of ANH. I think the bulk of Rogue One could take plays in the years and months leading up to the actual theft.

We're going to have to meet the characters and see them in action to get a sense of what they're capable of. We're going to have to see the Rebel Alliance learn about the existence of the Death Star and rumors of what it may be capable of. Maybe we'll see a failed attempt to destroy it before it can be completed. Then we'll see them devise and execute a daring plan in a last ditch effort to steal the schematics and find a way to destroy the now-operational battle station.

The climax of the story should take place just before ANH. The bulk of the story could easily take place quite a long time before ANH. Personally, I'm hoping the closing scene of the movie is the Tantive IV jumping to hyperspace with Vader's Star Destroyer in hot pursuit.

 

I pretty sure the bulk of Rogue One will take place a few weeks before ANH, but not months or years. No, no. The opening crawl of ANH clearly states that the Rebel Alliance just won their first victory against the Empire, and that sounds like mere days or weeks to me. This victory will certainly be seen in RO.

 

you gotta if the rebels were thinking about going all hands on deck to obtain the DS plans before deciding to send Felicity Jones and her team in.

 

It must be set just prior to ANH cause steeling the Death Star plans sets up ANH..........

 

IMO it probably starts a few months or days before ANH. I can't imagine the Rebels sitting on the DS plans for too long especially knowing what it's capable of.

 

i always liked the radio drama version of how the rebels found out about the DS and where the DS plans were gonna be (smug imperial idiot working under tarkin, smitten with leia, inavderdently tips her and bail off about a convoy trasnporting the plans.....which leads to the 'rebel starships striking from a hidden base...obvoiusly not canon..'

whatever the case i doubt the conclusion of Rogue one will be 'years' from The a new hope timeline.

 

My guess is that it will end with the plans being beamed to the Tantive IV with a possible cameo from a recast Princess Leia. Many casual fans may not remember the plans were stolen and beamed to the Tantive by rebel spies, so think they will want to end the movie with a direct and clear tie in to the start of ANH.

 

This could be.

Seeing Mon Mothma's age versus previous thinking that the plans were stolen very shortly before IV starts is starting to throw me off and hope the people in charge of the timeline got this right.

Like if R1 mothma looks more like EpIII version than EpVI version it's going to mess with my head I think.

 

I think it's best to leave well enough alone there. If they're going to have any battle ready suit, it should just be Vader without his cape or something.

 

The cape will look brilliant in a battle setting, so they'll definitely keep that. But I am open to some armor augmentation. Minor, though.

 

The battle suits from the rumors were just stunt suits. Flexible versions that are easier to move in an look good enough while in action. Compared to hero suits which are the static close up ones that are fully detailed.