Jyn Erso is an underrated female lead in Star Wars

There's a growing emphasis on powerful female characters in Star Wars, as there should be. One very important female character always gets overlooked by fans, and that's Jyn Erso.

Sergeant Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story saved the galaxy from immeasurable destruction when she, Cassian Andor, and their crew sacrificed their lives to retrieve the Death Star plans on Scarif. In the years since its 2016 release, Rogue One has only increased in popularity within the Star Wars fandom. Its brilliant use of legacy characters, iconic scenes, and gorgeous cinematography place it in the list of the best content released since Disney bought LucasFilm. But, despite being such an important part of the movie, Jyn Erso never really gets the recognition she deserves.

Maybe it's because she's not a Jedi or Force-sensitive, even if the Kyber crystal that hung from her neck seems to hint otherwise. Perhaps it's because she was only a part of one movie and didn't get a trilogy like Luke, Anakin, and Rey. Maybe it's because she wasn't a Skywalker but the daughter of Galen Erso, the scientist who helped design the Death Star.

Whatever the reason might be, a heroic character like Jyn deserves far more appreciation for her courageous sacrifice. She helped to turn the tide in the Rebel Alliance's favor by retrieving the Death Star plans. Her sacrifice set up Luke Skywalker's heroics in A New Hope, and she became one of the biggest inspirations to Luke and all the Rebels who eventually took down the Empire.

Now that Cassian has two seasons of his show, Jyn Erso deserves some respect, too. If she can't get her series, she should at least be mentioned in Andor Season 2 or show up toward the end of the series to set up her entry in Rogue One. Jyn Erso is a strong female character that's usually forgotten whenever fans come up with a list of the best female characters in the franchise. Her heroics left a mark on the galaxy forever.

It shows that not all great characters are Jedi, force-sensitive, Mandalorian, or royalty. Sometimes, they're just people who hope to save others from the horrors they've already experienced. Perhaps, as more time passes, Jyn will be admired as much as other female characters like Leia Organa, Rey Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Padme Amidala.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is streaming on Disney+.