Is Jyn Erso Doomed to Become Captain Phasma? The Next Big Star Wars Theory

From the teaser trailer, we know that Jyn Erso has been on her own since the age of 15. She's described as "reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined." Well, gee, she sure doesn't sound like a squeaky clean goody-goody. She also sounds exactly like someone who might turn to the dark side at some point.

The narrative of a character with a broken past transitioning to the dark side from good has happened before in the Star Wars universe. Both Darth Vader and Kylo Ren started out as forces of good that later became tainted by evil. Jyn Erso could easily follow the same path.

OK, OK, we know Gwendoline Christie plays Captain Phasma in The Force Awakens, but even so, she never removes her helmet once. We don't know what Captain Phasma's face even looks like. It's possible Christie has brown hair. It's possible she's been made to look like an older version of Felicity Jones.

According to the first words in the teaser trailer, she's being charged for the "forgery of imperial documents, possession of stolen property, aggravated assault, [and] resisting arrest." She seems like the kind of woman who might do whatever it takes to get ahead. What would she do if the Galactic Empire offered her a high position in their ranks? What if the rebellion betrayed her in some way?

Just because Gwendoline Christie is 6'3" and Felicity Jones is 5'3", it doesn't mean they can't play the same character. We don't know what Jyn Erso's life is like in the 30-ish years between Rogue One and The Force Awakens, assuming she survives. She could go through some serious sh*t.

"What will you do when they catch you? What will you do if they break you?" a character's voiceover asks in the teaser trailer. "If you continue to fight, what will you become?" The heavy insinuation in these lines is easy to pick out: if they catch you, you're in danger.

The Galactic Empire — and the dark side itself, for that matter — has a strong pull. Stormtroopers are brain-washed former residents of scores of planets. As we learn in Episodes I through III, Darth Vader wasn't always evil but eventually succumbs to the dark side. It's even evident in Episode VII, because we know Kylo Ren is the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. The point is, just because Jyn Erso starts out as a member of the rebellion, it doesn't mean she'll stay that way.

Even outside of the fact that Jyn Erso comes from a broken past and has rebellious tendencies, the final shot of the teaser really locks in the suspicion of her change of heart. She appears to be wearing dark Imperial garb. What's more, it bears a slight resemblance to Captain Phasma's cloak in The Force Awakens. Of course, in the same way Luke Skywalker disguises himself as a stormtrooper, it could be part of an elaborate plan. Or, you know, it could be because Jyn Erso switches sides.

There's something else to note about those words that echo through the end of the teaser. This is the shot we see just after the character asks, "What will you become?" It can't be coincidence . . . right? No matter what, we just can't help but notice that evil, mischievous gleam in her eye.