Entertainment

Questions About Jyn Erso We All Want Answered

by Courtney Lindley

When the first trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story dropped in April, it left us with more questions than answers. For one, who was the lovely young lady at the helm of it all? Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) has since remained a bit of an enigma. We have a few pieces of information regarding her history and character, but in the back of every Star Wars fans' mind, there are so many questions about Jyn Erso just waiting to get answered. Since we won't be relieved of our queries until December of this year when Rogue One premieres, the least we can do is ruminate over them until then. Right?

To start, here's what we do know: Jyn Erso is on the run from the Empire when she gets recruited to become a part of one pretty important mission — to retrieve the Death Star plans. We also know that Jyn's a pretty decent smuggler and definite rebel (her list of accomplishments include: "forgery of imperial documents, possession of stolen property, aggravated assault, resisting arrest"). We also know that she's been on her own since the age of 15. Oh, and that she's "reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined." In other words, she's a badass and we're already pretty excited to meet her. But, as for who she is, and how she fits into the larger story, well, that we don't know. Production has been tight lipped on anything worth noting, so naturally, curiosity is at an all time high. Below, 13 questions about Jyn Erso that we are dying to find out.

1. Where Are Her Parents?

Just recently, at the Star Wars Celebration Europe, Mads Mikkelsen confirmed that he will be playing Galen Erso, Jyn Erso's father. (We still don't know anything about Jyn's mom.) Apparently, Galen Erso is a "person of interest" because he "invented something so fantastic and beautiful that it changed the universe." Sounds pretty important. Mikkelsen also told Danish paper Ekstra Bladet that he wasn't playing a "bad guy." So, Jyn Erso comes from a good upbringing and has a genius inventor for a father? That leads to the next question...

2. What Made Her Become A Rebel?

If her upbringing was stable, why has she been on her own since the age of 15? Why is she reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined? Did something happen to make her this way? Galen Erso seems like a pretty stand up guy, I can't imagine why she would want to leave and go out on her own. Unless there's something Mikkelsen isn't telling us about his character or she ran away to protect her family.

3. Where Is She From?

So we know who her father is, but that still doesn't answer where she's from, which is crucial in trying to understand more about her character. One thing that might help us figure this out? Jyn's accent. I mean it's just an English accent, right? Big deal. Wrong. Rest assured that there are no coincidences in the galaxy far, far away. At least not with accents. By the sound of her voice in the trailer, Jyn's accent is "British Received Pronunciation" which means that she's probably from a certain sector of the Star Wars universe. What's more is that she shares an accent with two important Star Wars franchise characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi and, yup, you knew it was coming — Rey.

4. Ok, So Really, Is She Rey's Mom?

The timelines are tricky and some speculate that Jyn would be too old to conceive Rey, but the accents and even their physical similarities point to this being a strong possibility.

5. Does She Know Luke Skywalker?

I mean, if you buy into the theory that Luke is Rey's father and Jyn is Rey's mother, then yes, I'd say she knows him. Pretty well.

6. Or Any Of The Original Trilogy Characters?

As Rogue One takes place between Episodes III and IV, they must be around. At the very least, she knows Mon Mothma, who first appeared in Return of the Jedi but is also seen as the Rebel diplomat in the Rogue One trailer.

7. Is She Related To Any Of Them?

If not Rey, couldn't it be possible that Jyn's related to some other original trilogy character? And wouldn't that be, like, really cool? I thought so too.

8. How Did She Get Recruited For This Mission?

And what was she doing before this? If she's been on her own since 15, I can't imagine the type of trouble she's gotten into, but I need to know where she's been and how she was found.

9. Was She Specifically Chosen For This Mission?

Mon Mothma tells Jyn, "A major weapons test is imminent and we need to know what it is and how to destroy it." This makes me believe that Jyn isn't just a rebel. She must also be exceptionally brilliant, and fluent in major weapon destruction. Or maybe her recruitment has something to do with the aforementioned highly valuable thing her father invented.

10. Is She Able To Use The Force?

There's no signs of The Force in the Rogue One trailer at all, but let's not count it out.

11. Wait, Is Jyn A Young Captain Phasma?

It's a stretch, but also totally plausible that Jyn could be the commander of the First Order's stormtroopers. How? Well to start, she's by no means a goody-goody (just look at her track record). She could easily succumb to the Dark Side, especially after this mission.

12. Why Is She Wearing A Uniform With An Imperial Logo?

At the end of the teaser trailer, we see Jyn wearing a uniform with an Imperial logo. She could be in disguise for part of the mission, or she could already be switching sides.

13. Can She Even Be Trusted?

At the end of the teaser trailer, as we see Jyn in that Imperial get up, Forest Whitaker's character asks "What will you become?" Is it just me or does it look like Jyn's hiding something behind those eyes?

Alright, one last question: Is it December 16 yet?

Images: Disney; Giphy (13)