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| A period of civil war revealed in the new Visual Guide for ROGUE ONE, out now from DK BOOKS. |
ROGUE ONE: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE
Written
and compiled by Pablo Hidalgo
Foreword
by John Knoll
Published
by DK BOOKS
Reviewed by Scott Weller
When it comes to
the Expanded Universe of STAR WARS old and new, long-term fan and Lucasfilm
guru Pablo Hidalgo remains one of its greatest authorities, returning to the
world of DK BOOKS, writing text with the kind of informative and imaginative
eye for detail that only a member of the company’s dedicated Story Group could
bring, via the release of the latest “Ultimate Visual Guide” entry to a STAR
WARS movie- this time chronicling the first of the new “Anthology’ series that
will become so important to the enduring mythos. Now, at last, the story behind
the incredible mission undertaken by Rebel spies to steal the Empire’s Death Star weapon plans, can be revealed
- ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY.
Carrying on the
fine traditions of the earlier tomes, the gorgeous and easy on the eye layouts of
past Visual Guides are there, this time strikingly accompanied by lots of great
previously unpublished and very atmospheric on set and posed photographic
material from the film-its gritty cinematography and production design maximum
displayed, as well as important and totally detailed cross section illustrations
from Kemp Remillard, but this darker edged adventure - a proper bridge between
Prequel and Classic Trilogies that EPISODE III never quite truly became - makes
this an essential stand out in DK’s entire STAR WARS publishing run so far.
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| New bad guys favourites Imperial Death Troopers are revealed. |
Opening with a
crucial timeline of the events comprising the Prequel period- from the birth and
rise of the Empire on core center world Coruscant (nice to see it making an
important flash back cameo in the film, the Visual Guide also giving it a
notable spread), to the decisive Battle of Scarif and the emergence of the
Rebel Alliance as a dangerous threat to their totalitarian rule, the book opens
properly at the far-off world of the Lah’mu system, where a neutral scientist,
Galen Erso, having perfected and harnessed the scientific skills in harnessing power
to destroy on a planetary scale, has gone into hiding from an Empire of which
he wants no part, living with his wife and young daughter in a humble farmstead
not too dissimilar to the Lars property on Tatooine, the details of its
underground interiors barely seen in the film’s beginning but strikingly
presented here, including a look at numerous important props, like young Jyn’s
toys- including handmade carvings of classic ships, and of a few familiar
creatures that animated series fans will certainly recognize.
As the Erso family
is tragically fractured and young Jyn becomes a resistance fighter and criminal
in later years, we then look at the building in numbers Rebel Alliance she is
drafted into with the search for her father, and how it operates effectively
inside an hierarchical system- more revealed on the soon archetypal leader Mon
Mothma, and newbies like the tense, combat strategy experienced General Draven,
and fighter pilot General Merrick, of which the book clearly reveals tense
scenes between the strong willed leaders that never made the final cut, part of
so much other conceived and filmed background details of people and personnel that
would never make the film’s final cut.
Alongside the
troubled but determined Jyn, all the main heroes following her in this special,
singular adventure get the background details and fleshing out we want to know-
starting off with the hardened Rebel spy Cassian Andor, his clever and
adaptable reconditioned Imperial droid, K-2SO, and more to come…
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| Two of the many intriguing new weapons showcased. |
Then onto the
mysteries of the enigmatic Jedha city, a planet linked to the Force going back
to a time long ago, perhaps even longer - its citadel and planetary features
mined by the Empire for their unique and power expansive Kyber crystals in a
disruptive way that soon engenders the wrath of its occupied people. Discover
more about blind but fully sighted in the Force warrior Chirrut Imwe and his
fellow Guardian of the Whills companion, friend and battle comrade Baze Malbus,
joining our core rebel trio, in their evolving struggle- and their impressive,
unique-to-themselves weapon arsenal. Around them all, take a look at the
various pilgrims, fighting mercenaries and Imperial hardware patrolling Jedha’s
streets, including AT-ST’s and the slow moving, vulnerable yet destruction
inducing Imperial Tank. And then there’s Saw Gerrera, the extremist Rebel
leader and risk-taking soldier vital to Jyn and Cassian’s already tense now
even more perilous mission, of which an important Imperial pilot defector, the
flaky Bodhi Rook, has joined their group. The book shows us some of Saw’s
scenes in his bald look persona that were never used in the film, primarily his
constant medical check ups by a 2-1B droid and moments clearly set outside of
his secret cavern. Saw’s long-term beliefs, mostly ignored by his Rebel comrades,
about the Empire’s secret construction project are now being given form with
their relocation to the plotlines of STAR WARS REBELS Seasons Three.
One of Saw’s most
notorious enemies, the slimy, ambitious and dangerous Special Weapons Director
Orson Krennic leads the Imperial charge with their impressive section of the
book, and his plans to win the Emperor’s favour with the immense and all
powerful Death Star, now a terror reality,
after nearly twenty years of prior delays, thanks to its unique superweapon,
all realized with the ultimately unwilling help of Orson’s manipulated friend
Galen Erso- the two intrinsically linked to each other in Armageddon-making as
the mighty vessel of intimidation and world killing is revealed in all its
glory, including some great schematics
showing the primary weapon and its placing within the sphere’s superstructure. Krennic’s
hated rival for control of the Death Star
in the Grand Moff Tarkin is mentioned but not seen, however-the book not
wanting to spoil the CGI surprises. The Emperor’s true right hand man in
terror, Darth Vader, making critical appearances in the film, gets his own satisfying
book spread, though his plot involvement is barely and deliberately not touched
upon, in its place comes a potted history of how he came to being from the once
Jedi Anakin Skywalker- watch out for only a brief mention of his equally
intimidating homeworld castle on an also unmentioned Mustafar. Rounding out the
section, there’s a look at the original ground solders of the Empire in the Stormtroopers,
which, for ROGUE ONE, received a mild design makeover from their originally
conceived form, and some of the other old/new variants– the classic Star
Destroyers and the many Imperial officers seen in power positions given names
and specific duties, plus a detailed cross-section examination of Krennic’s old
but starkly efficient and representative Delta T-3C shuttle.
Jyn’s attempted
rescue of her father on the secret research world of Eadu is barely outlined (again
for plot secrecy reasons), though the facility and its technicians (including pictured
DR WHO veteran actor Richard Franklin and stuntman Paul Weston) are adequately
represented. Then follows the decisive Battle of Scarif, and the way the conflict
on the tropical world will be played out as a diversionary tactic, outlined with
more on the scattered band of loyal Rebel soldiers involved, what they’re up to
on its beaches, and the might of the Imperial arsenal eventually meeting them
in close-quarters battle across the shorelines and jungles – obviously, from
Hidalgo’s point of view, this was the section that had to be focused on events
that hadn’t changed so much from the original ending adapted via reshoots from
last Summer- the film’s last third literally evolving as the book was being
written and produced- Jyn and Cassian’s nervous journey into the Imperial
Citadel’s heart, to the main vault containing the Death Star plans, are mentioned but not fully touched upon.
As the outside diversionary
battle begins, the action remains sketchily described, though there are full
details on the vital Rebel Pathfinder soldiers involved, the Rebel fighter squadron
pilots who join the battle from Yavin IV (many of whom shown here are barely
glimpsed in the final cut) and a look at the all-new, more easy to take down AT-ACT
cargo walkers trundling out of the jungle forest to bring their weapons and
mighty feet down on the rebels they pursue. Additionally not so easy for the
Rebel Alliance responding fighters to take down are the newly developed TIE Sky
Fighters, specifically designed for atmospheric combat and speedy pursuit,
notably giving Merrick’s Blue Squadron a lethal time.
The book closes
with the all-important perusal of the first of the Mon Calamari cruisers
joining this epic space battle against the Empire- the Profundity, commanded by the Mon Calamarian equivalent of World War
II statesman Winston Churchill in Admiral Raddus, his striking and immense
vessel spirited away from their watery homeworld with the rest of their rebel
cell once the Empire’s invasion of their homes intensified.
Beyond the story,
there’s a nice closing look at the making of the film, with some nice image exclusives
provided from the Lucasfilm Production office. The section starts with some
glorious conceptual and production art, then a towards the pre production development
of the film- the ways its storytelling and visual feel will merge in with the
original STAR WARS of 1977, and a look at the outside filming on the Pinewood
Studios backlot and on location in memorable climes like the Maldives.
AFICIONADO
RATING: With an interesting new tougher, edgier feel about it-perhaps because
of the film it represents bears such a unique one-off narrative, paired with a
more distinctive visual style, interesting raw characters and story details, Hidalgo’s
universe and time building for the film and its place in STAR WARS history
works well, his specially written all-new background material at fine synch. Despite
the obvious need to keep surprises back, ROGUE ONE – THE VISUAL GUIDE may well
be one of DK’s finest and essential STAR WARS offerings yet. 4.5 out of 5
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| Great new ROGUE ONE titles, out now from DK BOOKS. |
