The first film of the Star Wars saga is legendary today. However, in retrospect, a lie has crept in that denies the rebels some significant victories.
The intro of Star Wars is cult. After the line “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” appears, the fanfare and the prologue text follow, which briefly explains the initial situation of each film.
This was already the case with the first part, Episode 4 in 1977, and it has not changed to this day. However, precisely in the first installment, a lie has crept into the text that was revealed only years later through series and the canon of Star Wars.
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The rebels already celebrated victories before Rogue One
What lie is being referred to? In the intro of “A New Hope”, there is talk of “the first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.” This refers to the Battle of Scarif, during which the rebels managed to steal the plans of the Death Star.
This event is depicted in the film Rogue One and marks a turning point in the conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire. However, the statement that this was the first victory of the rebels is not correct.
As seen in the series Rebels, there were already successful battles and victories against the Empire prior to this. Scarif was therefore not the first.
One could still argue that the rebels before the Battle of Scarif were more made up of various small groups and resistance movements and did not form a united front. However, there were recognizable structures and key figures within the Alliance even before the events of Rogue One.
How can this be explained? Star Wars was created in 1977, and back then it was not clear how vast the universe would become. Therefore, the intro text probably simply did not take any potential backstories into account.
In retrospect, it was fitting to tell the complex history of the Alliance in all its details in series like Rebels. The series creators probably did not want to hide the first triumphs of the rebels, even if they contradict the prologue of the first film. It is a “mistake” that is easy to forgive. Also, aside from the films, there are interesting characters worth a look: One of the best Star Wars games introduced a powerful character who was even able to defeat Darth Vader.
