What If Jyn Erso Had Lived in Rogue One?

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Jyn Erso leads a team to steal the Death Star plans, hoping to give the Rebellion a chance to defeat the Empire. The film shows how a small group of heroes can make a big difference, even if they don’t survive to see the victory.

Fan theories suggest that Jyn’s survival could have meant a more united Rebellion. If she had lived, would she have become the next great leader, uniting the galaxy to take down the Empire once and for all? Or, would her story have conflicted with the other leaders in the Rebellion, like Leia or Mon Mothma?

A key moment is when Jyn and Cassian risk everything to transmit the Death Star plans, knowing they won’t survive. But what if they had managed to escape? Could they have stopped the Empire without the galaxy’s sacrifice?

An alternate ending could have seen Jyn and Cassian leading the Rebellion together, facing new challenges. A prequel could explore Jyn’s relationship with her father, Galen Erso, and how his work influenced the Rebellion, or even her early years as a fighter, before the events of Rogue One. What if the story began even earlier, in a galaxy full of hope and danger?