Spoilers For Rogue One! You’ve been warned!
LucasFilm Fans rejoice, Star Wars is back in a brand spanking new movie that’ll take you back to a very familiar time in a galaxy far, far away.
For those who’ve been living under a rock on Tatooine, Rogue One is a prequel to the original trilogy and tells the story of the fledgling rebel alliance as they try their hardest to capture the plans to The Empire’s newest super weapon, The Death Star.
Of course being a prequel to a series that inspired an entire generation of filmmakers, director Gareth Edwards couldn’t resist popping an Easter egg or two into the movie for mega fans to enjoy.
Darth Vader’s Castle
LucasFilm A slightly more obscure reference than some of the others on this list but in Rogue One we discover that when he’s not force choking Imperial officers the series’ big, bad, dad, Darth Vader likes to spend his time chilling in his own private castle.
What you might not know though is that George Lucas intended on including Vader’s intimidating fortress all the way back in The Empire Strikes Back and that it used to be called Bast Castle, or at least it was before Disney wiped out the expanded universe.
Another fun fact, the new castle looks like it’s located on Mustafar – the place where Anakin made the most ill advised jump in the galaxy, consequently becoming more machine than man.
The Rebels
LucasFilm Rogue One has more than a few nods towards Disney’s animated Star Wars show Rebels. Firstly the show’s ship Ghost, can be seen multiple times when it’s in orbit around Yavin IV and takes part in the final space battle.
One of the Rebels makes a quick cameo in the film as well, during the battle on Scarif a Rebel communications officer runs to tell Mon Mothma about the fight and as he does, he runs passed the Rebels‘ droid Chopper.
Red Five
LucasFilm In A New Hope when a young fresh-faced Luke joins the Rebel Alliance they give him a spot in Red Squadron – namely taking on the mantle of Red 5.
Rogue One fills in the backstory on the original Red 5 and why there’s a gap in the squadron. That’s because he gets blown up during the air raid on Scarif conveniently leaving a hole in the group for Luke to fill in the next film.
Blue Milk
LucasFilm In a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moment at the beginning of the film, eagle-eyed viewers can spot the galaxy’s favourite gross looking drink of choice: blue milk.
While we shudder to think what kind of animal produces blue milk, this odd beverage has been here since the very first film when Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru serve it to Luke.
Now that I think about it, blue milk has been linked to a lot of sudden parental figure deaths…
Darksaber
LucasFilm Fans of The Clone Wars cartoon will have been pleased to hear mention of the Darksaber when Jyn and Cassian are digging through the Imperial archive for the plans to the Death Star.
In case you didn’t watch the magnificence that was The Clone Wars cartoon – seriously it nearly, nearly redeems Anakin for me – let me explain exactly what the black sabre is.
Basically it’s an ancient, black-bladed lightsaber that once belonged to the Jedi Order but was lost to the Mandalorians (Boba Fett’s people) before eventually falling into the hands of Darth Maul.
We could go on but Star Wars’ canon is long and confusing.
Of course these aren’t all the Easter eggs in the movie and the best way to find the others is to get yourself into a cinema and enjoy the film!
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.