Lucasfilm has moved on from the sequel era to focus on their Star Wars series on Disney+. Before the series hit Disney+, however, audiences got to see Star Wars anthology films in theaters: Solo and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. These two films became Lucasfilm’s first venture into live-action Star Wars storytelling outside the main episodes. They helped pave the way for the Disney+ series, proving that Star Wars films do not always need to tell the story of the Skywalkers, Jedi, and the Sith.

The first of the anthology films, Rogue One, takes fans back to the Age of Rebellion. It serves as a great introduction to the franchise, acting as a prologue to the original trilogy. While each film in the sequel trilogy received mixed reactions from fans, Rogue One is a Star Wars film where reception is much less divisive. The film takes audiences on a joyride by revisiting the classic era while still telling a new story with new characters. Here is why Rogue One is the best Star Wars movie of the Disney era.

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Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

While Star Wars has a rich expanded universe outside the films, the films have always focused on the story of the Skywalkers. The Skywalker family is a very special lineage as Anakin is born without a biological father. He is the central figure of an ancient prophecy; the “Chosen One” that will restore balance to the Force. The Skywalker family includes Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Ben Solo, all characters who are strong in the Force and receive Jedi training.

Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars spin-off takes the focus away from not only the Skywalkers, but the Jedi and Sith. Rogue One tells the story of the members of its titular team, the Rebel spies first mentioned in the opening crawl of A New Hope (1977). Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, K-2SO, Chirrut Îmwe, Baze Malbus, and Bodhi Rook are ordinary people who do not wield a lightsaber or possess inherent supernatural abilities. They take on the incredible task of stealing the plans to the Death Star, dedicating their lives not to the pursuit of fame or glory, but to the cause.

We See Gray in a Black and White Universe

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In a galaxy where characters and factions are labeled “light side” or “dark side,” the world of Star Wars is traditionally very black and white. The Sith are malicious and power-hungry, intending to rule the galaxy with an iron fist. In contrast, while George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels exposes the Jedi Order’s flaws, the Jedi still seek to be guardians of peace and justice.

Rogue One explores more of a gray area. At the beginning of the film, Cassian Andor kills a man in order to prevent valuable information from falling into Imperial hands. Andor is also secretly tasked with killing Galen Erso so that the Death Star project will never be completed. This causes conflict within Andor and while he does not kill Galen, he chooses to hide this information from Jyn, who believes that their mission is to extract her father.

Galen Erso (played by Mads Mikkelsen) is a key designer in the development of the Death Star, a massive battle station that goes on to kill billions of people. The Rebel Alliance believes that they are morally justified in giving Andor the order to kill Galen. Unbeknownst to the Alliance, Galen willingly works for the Empire in order to implement a fatal flaw in the Death Star design. This saves countless lives and is what allows the Rebels to ultimately win the war. Unfortunately, it is a Rebel bombing run that kills Galen. The world of Rogue One still has its heroes and its villains, but it also understands that war does not always allow for complete moral clarity.

Beautiful Cinematography

Without a doubt, Rogue One is one of the best-looking Star Wars films ever made. The mix of practical and visual effects on-screen show how the film is a masterclass in how the two can blend together so perfectly. Rogue One also captures the feel of the original trilogy while giving it a modern update.

Greig Fraser is the cinematographer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, who also serves as the cinematographer for other visual marvels including Dune and The Batman. From the nostalgic return of Yavin IV to the breathtaking tropical planet of Scarif, there is no end to the number of beautiful shots from the film. Any of them could work as a great desktop wallpaper. Fans recognize the original Star Wars trilogy for its iconic dogfights. Rogue One gives fans the greatest space battle in Star Wars history with the Battle of Scarif. The visual storytelling masterfully conveys the scale, drama, and the high stakes of the film.

Return of Darth Vader

One of the most talked-about sequences is Darth Vader’s return at the end of the film. Following Revenge of the Sith (2005), Vader boards a Rebel star cruiser ready to take back the Death Star plans. His dark silhouette and the outline of his red lightsaber emerges, and he strikes down everyone that gets in his way. Everything the heroes fight for in Rogue One is on a small data disk Vader gets closer and closer to.

The scene injects the film with a high dose of adrenaline, providing great action and fan-service that works within the context of the film. It dramatically raises the stakes and reminds you of the great sacrifices the Rebels made. If the Death Star plans never make it to the Rebel Alliance, then the war is already lost. Additionally, the scene sets up an amazing transition from Rogue One to the original Star Wars film. The end of Rogue One leads directly into A New Hope, leaving audiences at the doorstep of where the adventure all began.