Star Wars Theory: Is Rogue One's Jyn Erso Force-Sensitive?
It's been established in the Star Wars universe that the power of the Force is not limited to Jedi Knights and Sith Lords. Those with a strong connection to the mystical energy field are known as Force-sensitive characters. There is a theory that Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) could be one, based on her actions during a crucial part of the mission to retrieve the Death Star plans. Just before the team finds out the code to get them through the Scarif shield gate works, Jyn is seen closing her eyes, clutching a Kyber crystal, a Force-attuned colorless gem used primarily as a power source for lightsabers. Was it just plain luck, the power of prayer, or did Jyn somehow use the power of the Force?
When Gareth Edwards, director of "Rogue One," was asked about it, he attempted to set the record straight. "I don't know. I mean, I see the Force as, like, a religion, obviously," the filmmaker said to The Direct. "And it's like, you might tell a child, 'Have faith in God.' It doesn't mean that they're the Messiah ... I see it like, you can believe in this idea that there's something greater than us; there's a destiny of some sort. But [you] don't have to be the second coming of Christ to do something great with your life." Edwards' response leans more toward her having faith in the Force than actually being able to wield it, which makes sense considering the significant change made during development for Jyn's mom, Lyra Erso (Valene Kane).
Jyn Erso's mother was almost a Jedi Knight
Everyone remembers the scene at the beginning of "Rogue One" when Orson Krennic (Ben Mendohlson) tracks down Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelson) to force him to finish the Death Star and Lyra Erso is killed by a death trooper. But the reasoning for the Empire's arrival in the opening moments was almost very different. "The prologue, at one point a long time ago, was going to be the Empire coming to kill the Jedi," Gareth Edwards said to Entertainment Weekly (via Star Wars News Network). "And Jyn's mom was going to be a Jedi." But the filmmaker admitted it wasn't a great idea. "The problem was that the second you make her mom a Jedi, you spend the entire movie questioning whether Jyn is a Jedi or not. Eventually, we came up with the idea that her father should have designed the Death Star. That became a stronger way into the stealing of the Death Star plans. We let go of the mother being a Jedi, and she became just a rebellious mom."
Edwards seemed intent on ensuring audiences didn't get distracted by Jyn's Jedi potential, and based on the filmmaker's accounts, it's clear that exploring her connection with the Force was not a focal point of this Star Wars story's agenda. Despite the character's death at the end of "Rogue One," Felicity Jones told THR in 2020 that she would be up for bringing the character back: "I feel there's unfinished business for Jyn, for sure." If that ever happens, it will be interesting to see if Lucasfilm addresses her Force sensitivity.