Star Wars: Is There a Love Story Hidden in the Fabric of Rogue One?

Warning: there are spoilers ahead!

When it comes to Star Wars, it seems like each of the trilogies has a pretty central love story. We got to see the Han Solo and Princess Leia's relationship bloom in the first trilogy, and of course, Padmé and Anakin's romance was a key part of Episode I, Episode II, and Episode III. And, hey. Even Episode VII yielded an unlikely (and not quite confirmed) couple: Finn and Poe Dameron. (Let us dream, OK?) By that token, it makes sense to wonder whether Rogue One, the latest addition to the franchise, is imbued with any sort of romance. With a strong male and female character leading the cast of the film, there's clearly an opportunity to stage a love story in the midst of the thrilling rebel mission. The question is, does it happen? Well, it's complicated. Let's break it down, as long as you're cool with the spoilers.

Having had some time to see and contemplate the film, I'd argue that yes, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Captain Cassian (Diego Luna) end up falling in love. I'd also argue, though, that it's kind of a "wrong place, wrong time" situation. It's clear to me that they've fallen for each other, but by the end of the film, they leave plenty of words unsaid, and they never quite get the chance to get their romance off the ground.

First, it's important to establish a few benchmarks that make this relationship palpable. At the beginning of the film, it's abundantly clear that Jyn and Cassian don't trust each other. The key moment that turns the tide comes just before the last big action sequence, when Cassian says he believes Jyn's story: that her father hid a flaw deep in the Death Star, and that the rebels can destroy it. I'd argue he seals their bond by volunteering to help her steal the weapon plans. As for when it grows into love? The fact that they alone are the only two people who can complete this mission really takes it there. They work together, they save each other more than once, and just when it seems like Jyn might lose, Cassian swoops in to help her finish the job.

Here's where I saw the love: the two huddle close as an elevator takes them down to the ground from the satellite tower, where they've just finished transmitting the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. By the time they get down to the beach, they realize the planet has been vaporized by the very weapon they're trying to destroy. They hold each other there, on the sand, until the blast of the dying planet kills them both. Who knows? Maybe they would have been able to explore their relationship if they hadn't died for their cause. I don't think they need some romanticized Hollywood kiss to prove they had fallen in love, though. The fact that they die in each other's arms could be a strong enough argument. Or, you know, maybe they just needed that comfort, as friends, in their last living moments. That's kind of the beauty of the moment.