As the eighth film in the Star Wars universe, Rogue One has a lot of material from which to cull. So despite the films of the franchise all having somewhat different stories, themes, settings, and designs, there is always going to be a bit of overlap in the form of fun Easter Eggs, those cheeky, sneaky references to previous films. Even though we're talking about a galaxy full of people, new characters and old are bound to cross paths, and characters who turn up in one place in one movie, might be elsewhere in another. So it's no surprise, then, that there are plenty of Star Wars Easter Eggs in Rogue One .
Spoilers ahead! Finding Easter Eggs isn't always easy, but it is often pretty fun, especially with a franchise as beloved as Star Wars. Fans love to dig around searching for clues, hidden meanings, and recurring characters. While the Easter Eggs below don't necessarily mean anything about where the story is going, they are fun little throwbacks to the original trilogy, which takes place just after the events in Rogue One. So whether you've seen Rogue One or not, read on to see all the biggest connections the movie features to its predecessors.
1. The Blue Milk
Back in the first Star Wars film, Episode IV: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker and his aunt and uncle drink some gross-looking blue milk in their underground home. This must be a staple throughout the Star Wars galaxy, because young Jyn and her parents Galen and Lyra also have some blue milk sitting on their table.
2. The Ersos' Underground Home
Not only do the Ersos have blue milk, but their underground home is very similar to that of the Skywalkers, though they live on very different types of planets. Luke grew up on the desert planet of Tatooine, where the multiple suns and dry heat may make it uncomfortable out in the open. Jyn's home planet is also a bit uncomfortable. Though it's lush and green, it's also incredibly rainy. So underground homes designed by the same galactic architect totally make sense.
3. Jyn's Toy Stormtrooper Soldier
There have been a few different styles of Stormtrooper costumes over the years. But at the beginning of Rogue One when Jyn is a young girl, there's a quick shot of what looks like an old Stormtrooper doll. Since Rogue One takes place a short time before Episode IV: A New Hope, it makes sense that any Stormtrooper toy would resemble the costumes from that era, rather than the latest films. Plus, it's kind of cute.
4. K-2SO's Similarities To C-3PO
Though K-2SO has a number of his own hilarious qualities, one thing that he does share with C-3PO is the tendency to always give the odds of success or failure, much to the chagrin of his companions. Must be a droid thing.
5. The Platform Where Krennic Meets Darth Vader
When Empire Lt. Commander Orson Krennic goes to meet with Darth Vader, the scene is an ominous one because of how much the setting resembles the spot where Luke and Vader have their first battle in The Empire Strikes Back. Remember that in The Force Awakens, the spot where Han Solo dies is also pretty similar. I guess the Sith like to threaten people on scary platforms.
6. Saw Gererra's Personality
Even though he's a good guy, Saw reminded me of both Darth Vader and General Greivous, the robot Jedi hunter from the prequel movies. Saw's oxygen mask is really reminiscent of Vader's heavy breathing, and his prosthetic legs are pretty close to those of Grievous' bad guy robot's.
7. The Cantina Bullies
In A New Hope, when Obi-Wan and Luke head to Mos Eisley to find a pilot, they get in a bit of a bar fight with two aliens, Doctor Cornelius Evazan and Ponda Baba. In that fight, Obi-Wan slices off one of the pair's arms with his lightsaber. As it turns out, the troublemaking duo was on Jedha shortly before hitting up Tattooine. They're seen bumping into Jyn and Cassian when they're in the holy Jedha City.
8. Oola, The Green Dancing Girl From Jabba's Palace
Although, she's not really in Rogue One for real — she's only a hologram in Saw's den.
9. "It's A Trap!"
One of the most iconic and repeated lines of Return of the Jedi makes its way into Rogue One. When Jyn approaches her old family friend Saw Gererra for help, he utters, "It's a trap!" just like our old friend Admiral Ackbar. The line drew a number of laughs at the showing I attended.
10. The Chess Game
Some of Saw's henchmen are playing the real-life version of that monster chess-like game that Chewbacca and C-3PO play on the Millennium Falcon.
All these Easter Eggs make Rogue One a real treat for fans.
Images: Disney, Giphy
