In addition to the new trilogy of films about the original connected saga films, Disney has began to create an expansion of the Star Wars Universe that has never been seen before. These so-called spin-off movies explore areas of the universe that are truly far, far away from the original story line. The first of these was released on the Dec. 16, almost exactly a year after the release of the first saga connected film “The Force Awakens.”

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” takes place in between movie number three of the prequels and the first of the original trilogy. When the former scientist Galen Erso is taken from his peaceful home by Orson Krennic (member of the Empire), his daughter Jyn is forced to hide. Witnessing her mother’s death and narrowly escaping the Empire, she grows up independent and a rebel.

Fast forward to a couple years later, Galen is the lead engineer for the Empire’s most evil and powerful weapon the galaxy has ever seen, the Death Star. After having a run-in with a couple members of the Rebel Alliance, Jyn discovers that her father knows how to destroy the Death Star and that the flaw was left in the blueprints. The only problem is that the blueprints were inside an Empire base. When the Rebel Alliance declines Jyn’s suggestion to invade the base because they see it as too dangerous, she refuses to stand by and do nothing as a weapon of mass destruction is being built. Joining together with a spy and a couple other resistance fighters, they decide to go to the base and steal the plans for the Alliance.

As a Star Wars fanatic, with this new style of Star Wars movie that fades away from the focus on the Skywalker family and instead focuses on what was happening in between the two different trilogies, this movie blew me away. All the way from the funny support characters such as K-2S0 and Chirrut Imwe to the serious characters such as Mon Mothma and Senator Bail Organa that play important roles in the main movies as well. The movie brings you along the journey of Jyn and how she progresses as a person as the story moves along. Growing up independent, she never took sides with the Alliance or the Empire, but when it starts directly affecting her life she is forced to get involved and ends up being the person that motivates the Alliance. This movie is a must watch, and will keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole film, including the shocking ending that cannot be just told. It has to be seen for the full effect.