When Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hit theaters back in 2016, it marked the beginning of Disney’s experiments at Anthology films, experiments brought to an untimely end by Solo’s bellyaches and bellyflops. But Rogue One stood out for a few reasons and remains something of an oddity as far as Star Wars films are concerned.
No other movie in the franchise exists quite so singularly. It serves to fill a small, specific niche, doing so in a manner that effectively leaves no room for future installments. Which all leaves things looking pretty bleak for those who’d leap for joy at the prospect of seeing its doomed characters don the force (is the force something you can don, even?) once more, right? Well, not quite. In fact, one of Rogue’s stars is more optimistic than most.
Felicity Jones enjoyed her turn as rebellious rebel Jyn Erso, taking to shooting stormtroopers like a blaster-wielding duck to water. Though her days fighting the Empire would appear to be behind her, Jones remains steadfast at the possibility she could make a return to the galaxy, radiating positivity in an interview with Business Insider, saying:
I would love to [return]. She’s a tremendous character to play. I adored making the film. Maybe she can be reincarnated.
In a universe as fantastical as Star Wars, who could deny this (admittedly cheeky) possibility? There’s so much of its cosmos we’re yet to understand, so many uncharted settlements. If Leia can force-power her unconscious body out of the vacuum of space and into a conveniently placed medical bay, I will remain convinced Jyn Erso can be reborn, maybe as a Porg.
On a more practical level, a future appearance by Jyn is certainly plausible. There is, after all, no requirement for the appearance to take place post-Rogue One – movie-chronology’s not delimited by mortality. Black Widow is certainly proving that.