Rogue One: Jyn Erso’s necklace could be key to the Death Star

Forget the Death Star plans, the latest trailer for Rogue One may have revealed an even more important detail.

Early on in the trailer, a young Jyn Erso is seen talking with her mother, Lyra Erso (Valene Kane). The exchange isn’t particularly noteworthy—but there’s one key fact you might have missed. While encouraging her daughter to trust the Force, Lyra unravels a necklace and ties it around Jyn’s neck.

The pendant could potentially be integral to the story’s conclusion.

As we speculated when the trailer first hit, the pendant dangling from the necklace could be a kyber crystal, the very thing that powers the Death Star’s superlaser. (It’s also used to power a Jedi’s lightsaber.)

It’s no accident Jyn’s family is in possession of the mythical mineral. According to reports, Jyn’s father, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), is key to getting the superlaser to work. He reportedly has unique knowledge of the crystals, providing the Empire with the breakthrough that gives the Death Star the ability to obliterate entire planets.

Like the Force, kyber crystals have a major part to play in Rogue One, even when they’re not seen. On Jedha—considered a Jedi holy land—the crystals were once said to be mined from the planet, hence the heavy Stormtrooper presence.

There’s a brief scene in the trailer that suggests the Death Star’s superlaser is being tested but it doesn’t appear to be powerful enough to destroy the planet. It’s powerful, but not quite up to a par—yet.

Jyn’s necklace could be what the Empire needs in order to make the Death Star’s superlaser powerful enough to wipe out planets—and seize control of the galaxy. So, while Jyn is attempting to steal the Death Star plans, she might unwittingly be making the key ingredient available to the Empire’s grasp.

It’s a Catch-22. But, as we know from A New Hope, the actions of Jyn and her team allows the Rebellion to destroy the Death Star. However, it comes at a cost, as the superweapon displays its incredible power by blowing up Alderaan.

We’ll find out exactly what happens when Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on Dec. 16.