Star Wars Rogue One: A complete guide to first-ever standalone spin-off movie

If Lucasfilm is in a mood to reveal how the Rebel Alliance came up to know about the heavily armed space station created by Galactic Empire called Death Star, it will be through Rogue One.

The first-ever standalone spin-off movie from the science fiction film franchise will feature a memorable space journey with a group of Rebel Alliance recruits, including Felicity Jones' character Jyn Erso. The film has already received rave reviews from across the globe through its special screenings.

However, there are a lot of questions being raised about its chronological order in the Star Wars film series and its storyline. While some are confused about its name, others are eager to know about the new characters.

Here is a complete guide to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ahead of its release on December 16:

What is the timeline portrayed in the standalone spin-off movie?

The film is set in a time period between episode 3 Revenge Of The Sith and episode 4 A New Hope. It is considered as a prequel to the latter film and not a sequel to episode 7 The Force Awakens. It will feature the epic space battle between Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire.

What is the meaning of Rogue One?

Director Gareth Edwards has already revealed that the title of the movie has multiple meanings and it fits with the Star Wars timeline. According to him, it has all kinds of multiple meanings that made it the right choice. Apart from describing the female lead Jyn Erso, it is also a military call sign to some extent.

"But this is the first film that's gone off-piste and is not part of the saga – or the Anakin story – so it's the 'rogue' one, you know?" the British filmmaker told Empire.

Will the key figures from original trilogy appear in the movie?

The key figures from the original Star Wars trilogy, including Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia will also be a part of it. While the Sith Lord Darth Vader will make a special appearance towards the end of the film, Han Solo fans will not get a chance to see him on big screens through Rogue One.

Who is Jyn Erso?

As of now, there are a very few details revealed about the female protagonist and one of them is that she has been chosen by a group of rebels for a mission to retrieve the blueprints of Death Star. While a trailer suggests that her father has a major role to play in the movie, another promo teases her connection with the forces.

What is the role of K-2SO?

The new droid that will be introduced in Rogue One was an Imperial slave droid freed by the rebel leader Cassian. The character is being voiced by Alan Tudyk and he stated that there is a special bonding between the rebel leader and the droid.

"They've been around. They've been together for a while, a couple years. He wants what Cassian wants. He loves Cassian, because he freed him. It's also more paternal in that [Cassian] gave him life and took away the bonds of his programming," Entertainment Weekly quoted the voice artist as saying.