Rogue One: Alt-right supporters create #DumpStarWars to boycott film

Fears of a multicultural galaxy continue...

Justin Carissimo

New York

Friday 09 December 2016 04:14

(Disney)

It’s now day two of the online protests against the upcoming Star Wars spin-off, Rogue One, and folks are sounding off in support and opposition of the film with the hashtag #DumpStarWars.

It all started when members of the alt-right—you know, the brand spanking new racist movement of white supremacists, who feel emboldened following Donald Trump’s election win—became very upset at the film's scriptwriter, Chris Weitz, and his supposed "anti-white agenda."

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

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1/7Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

Finally, Mads Mikkelsen's Galen Erso has turned up in a trailer; confirming previous hints that he'd be somehow responsible for the Death Star's construction. However, this new trailer reveals why daughter Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) has become such a rebellious misfit; with Galen having been seized by the Empire when she was a young girl.

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

Which, in turn, illuminates us as to why the Rebellion is so interested in Jyn in the first place; revealing that it's the Empire itself that first arrests her in the film, only to be freed by rebel Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna).

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

This final trailer takes a surprising focus on Galen, who many previously thought would only appear in a minor role. It's interesting to see him here in some kind of Empire garb, which presumes that he may not be an entirely unwillingly prisoner in this situation. Is there a chance Jyn will recover her father, only to discover he's turned to the Dark side? There's definitely a sense in these trailers that Jyn will face some kind of moral struggle in her journey.

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

"They are requesting a call sign." "It's, um, Rogue. Rogue One." OH, THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THAT.

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

We've already seen Jyn in her TIE fighter pilot uniform, but this shot at least gives us a better idea of how she got to wearing it. "They've no idea we're coming," Jyn says; as she, Cassian, and K-2SO (an ex-Imperial droid reprogrammed by Cassian) infiltrate enemy territory.

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

Looks like we'll be getting another big space battle. The question is - will this be the film's big finale action sequence? And is this the Death Star under construction? Obviously, we know the Death Star isn't entirely destroyed in the film; but this could somehow connect to the shot from the previous trailer of Jyn coming face-to-face with a TIE fighter.

Rogue One final trailer: A shot-by-shot breakdown

And, here's some more Darth Vader; now in epic striding mode. Looks like he'll be doing a lot of plotting with Ben Mendelsohn's Orson Krennic.

Even before the post-election shock settled, Weitz and several others behind the Star Wars universe condemned the rising Islamophobic, racist, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic incidents of harassment witnessed throughout the country by placing those damn safety pins on their profile in solidarity with people of color and the LGBT community. Weitz also sent racist folks into a frenzy with the following tweet that’s since been deleted.

"Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization,” he tweeted back in November. "Opposed by a multi-cultural group led by brave women."

This stance against white supremacy was apparently too much to handle and calls for a boycott surfaced on Reddit. A few of those voices eventually created the #DumpStarWars hashtag on Twitter.

Much to the dismay of casual racists and Trump supporters online, the hashtag was co-opted both by Star Wars fans and people who couldn’t really take the boycott seriously to begin with.

For those who aren't afraid of seeing an inclusive, multicultural galaxy far, far away, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on December 16.