Page 121 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2019)

A HEROINE’S JOURNEY

triumphant return that takes the
form of a medal ceremony or Ewok
party—and instead completes her
Hero’s Journey in the only way
possible. She achieves her quest,
but pays the ultimate price to do so:
with the object of her journey, once
acquired, borne home to the rebels
without her. The Death Star plans
themselves enact the completion
of the monomyth when they are
placed in the hands of Princess
Leia. This again connects Jyn to
Padmé, who dies immediately after
bearing twins, bringing hope at the
cost of her own life.

Heroic Inspirations
Beyond the Star Wars universe,
two warrior leaders with similarly
unhappy ends have been cited
as inspirations for Jyn. Lucasfi lm
president and Rogue One producer
Kathleen Kennedy has compared
her to Joan of Arc, while producer CATALYST
Allison Shearmur has both echoed
this and mentioned Ripley from The chemical reaction of storytelling
the Alien franchise. Director Gareth
The Catalyst Hero is one of many heroic It is important to note that Catalysts can
Edwards has also called out Ripley archetypes and is often referred to as the be a Hero or an antagonistic Shadow. Often

as an influence, saying: “No part of Magician or Visionary. The term “catalyst” a character will be a Catalyst in one story
my brain thinks of her gender. She has scientifi c origins: it describes a substance but shift to a different archetype in another
that causes a chemical reaction without itself story. Notable Catalysts include Dumbledore
wouldn’t look feminine, and she being effected. Jyn Erso, a key fi gure in from Harry Potter, Professor X and Magneto
wouldn’t look masculine—she’d Rogue One—a story steeped in the lore of in X-Men; Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings
be neutral. Jyn is a person who just the scientifi c development of the Death Star’s trilogy, Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
superweapon—is just that: a catalyst in the and Willow from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer
happens to be a girl.”
interaction of the Empire and Rebel Alliance. series. In Star Wars, iconic Catalysts include
Both Joan of Arc and Ripley are Even the novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Story, Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace and
female, however, so is it important a prequel about the events involving the Erso Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope; Darth
family written by James Luceno, gives a direct Maul and Darth Vader work as opposing
that Jyn is a woman? It is not
nod to the archetype. catalytic villains.
unknown for Star Wars storytelling
to use the feminine and masculine
as symbols within its light and
dark narrative. In Star Wars: The
Clone Wars, mysterious Force- “Jyn is the embodiment of both
wielders known as the Son and the
Daughter embody selfi shness and her mother and her father, and as a

selflessness respectively. Where result feels empowered to confront
the Son walks, things die. In the
Daughter’s wake, life blooms. the man who tore them apart.”

These figures are archetypes,
however, and Anakin and Ahsoka,
who encounter them, each have within them. This is also true of Perhaps it is because Rogue One
elements of the Son and Daughter Rogue One’s ensemble cast, who was initially pitched as a team heist
are all compromised in one way that the dynamics between the
or another, and are just trying to characters take precedence over the
05 Father figure Saw Gerrera do the best they can. They do not identity of any one character. Jyn’s
(Forest Whitaker) has a
message for Jyn. have a Jedi’s luxury of meditating ascent to become the audience’s
at length on the nature of good and main point of identifi cation came
06 The fledging Rebel
Alliance threatens evil, nor the time to notice or care later in the creative process, along
to fall apart. about someone’s gender. with the elevation of Galen Erso

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