What? Lol they showed a lot of restraint from using Star Wars characters unless they were necessary to the plot at that point in the timeline. They could have had Vader in way more scenes and the Emperor too but they showed just enough of him to satisfy the audience without being overdone.
Also I don't think you read many eu novels. Some of them were about the continuing adventures of the main cast but many of them like the X-wing novels and Crimson empire didnt have any major Star Wars characters at all.
They showed restraint? So C3PO, R2D2, Ponda Baba, and Evazan all played integral roles in the plot? Jyn having a Storm Trooper doll as a kid made sense, when that would literally be like an American child in 1943 having a cute little stuffed Nazi soldier doll? The camera just
had to zoom in on the blue milk sitting on the counter in young Jyn's home?
They were just as guilty of cheap fan service moments as TFA was. This back and forth between people in both camps trying to say one or the other movie was more egregious in this area is wasted effort.
Neither movie was above whoring their most-loved characters, locations, ships, and moments out to Star Wars fans because they knew that doing so would be enough to sell boatloads of tickets and merchandise. And it worked.
Arguing about which movie gave out the most handjobs just seems pointless, IMO.
I felt more emotion during Rogue Ones final battle then I did through the entirety of TFA.
Yeah, I was especially touched when that cardboard cutout of the funny joke robot was killed. And then those two cardboard cutouts who died hugging on the beach instead of trying to run. Sad stuff.
Side note: Anyone else notice that most of the deaths in Rogue One were completely unnecessary and usually happened because the character just decided it was time to die?
Jyn's mom didn't need to reveal herself to those soldiers. Did she think she'd convince them to not take her husband? All she did was increase the odds of herself, her husband, and/or her child being killed.
Saw didn't have to die. He just decided for no reason that he was done running and resigned himself to his fate.
Rook died because he forgot how to run after seeing a grenade land in front of him. He just stared at it, resigned to his fate.
Baze died because he saw their ship explode in the distance and because his friend died a moment earlier. So instead of working to further the mission, he resigned himself to his fate and walked toward a group of armed soldiers until one shot him and another exploded him. Also, he didn't even try to run from the grenade that took his life.
Which brings us back to Jyn and Tonic, or whatever his name was. Hugging on the beach instead of running for a ship, running for cover, or digging a fucking hole to dive into and pray?
What is it with characters in this movie deciding to not even attempt to escape from death?
Rogue One is loaded with unearned attempts at heart-string tugs.
Waiting patiently for "TFA too!" comments, because we all know that when a thing can't be defended on its own merits, the next best thing is to tear something else down.
Edit: Removed some smug shit on my part thanks to Mr. Roberts pointing it out. Apologies.