With more than a year before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story‘s premiere, it’s no surprise that we haven’t received much official information; that is, information straight out of the mouths (or social media, or blogs) of Disney and Lucasfilm.
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The people working on the film, however, including the actors, have been more forthcoming. Rogue One cast member Mads Mikkelsen seems to have given us a hint of his character through a signing at FanExpo this past weekend (via /Film). The Hannibal actor wrote two names on a fan’s poster: his, and another that is new and yet also familiar.
Check out the photo of the autograph (via Making Star Wars and RebelForce Radio).
Image via makingstarwars.net via RebelForce Radio
The name “Galen” should be quite familiar to fans of Star Wars Legends, particularly those acquainted with the storyline of The Force Unleashed video game. In said video game as well as its book adaptation, Galen Marek was introduced as the secret Sith apprentice of Darth Vader. The progeny of two Jedi, Galen demonstrated a powerful connection to the Force to Vader, who subsequently trained the boy to become his most deadly enforcer. Ironically, through a series of life-changing events Galen rejected the Dark Side and became a crucial catalyst to the founding of the Rebel Alliance.
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Being that story, and consequently Galen himself are now non-canon (unless the Star Wars Story Group resurrects them in some way for the official canon), the connection between the Legends Galen and Mads Mikkelsen’s Galen may be tenuous. It is a curious coincidence, however, one that makes me think it’s not so much a coincidence as it is a deliberate move on the part of the Story Group.
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If Galen Marek is to be resurrected, in spirit if not in exact character history or physicality, then how can we expect Mads Mikkelsen to translate him into Rogue One? He could still be a Force-sensitive acolyte of Vader (given the introduction of Inquisitors in Star Wars Rebels, it seems a likely possibility); but, with Mikkelsen being older than the Galen of The Force Unleashed, the new Galen’s past would have to be somewhat altered.
It’s a possibility, of course, that I’m reading too much into it. It could just be that Mikkelsen enjoys having fun with and causing pandemonium among Star Wars fans. But I doubt it’s that simple.
Next: Review: Chuck Wendig's Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Aftermath