Rogue One's Forgotten Heroes Return In A New Star Wars Story This Week

Published Oct 12, 2026, 10:49 AM EDT

Ambrose Tardive is an editor on ScreenRant's Comics team. Over the past two years, he has developed into the internet's foremost authority on The Far Side. Outside of his work for ScreenRant, Ambrose works as an Adjunct English Instructor.

Star Wars continues to expand on the backstories of Rogue One's tragic heroes. This time, the franchise is turning its attention to two pivotal characters from the film who have never fully gotten their due: Chirrut and Baze. Like all Rogue One's protagonists, there is a lot to love, and a lot more to learn about the duo, and while their latest Star Wars story won't answer every question fans have about them, it will chronicle their final few hours on Jedha before joining Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor on their ill-fated mission.

Erso and Andor have already received the same treatment, as part of this series of one-shot prequels celebrating the 10th anniversary of Rogue One. At this point, thanks to the Disney+ series Andor, the latter's heroic origin story and lead up to Rogue One have been extensively fleshed out. For Jyn Eso and the rest of Rogue One's main characters, their personal histories have been explored to varying degrees, but plenty of gaps still remain. That's especially true for Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus.

There have been some supplemental Star Wars stories that have given more details about the pair, but considering how popular they are, Chirrut and Baze remain underserved in franchise canon. The latest Rogue One tie-in will still leave fans wanting more, but it will at least let them spend more time with the heroes. And perhaps provide some further context for their fates in Rogue One.

Chirrut And Baze Take Center Stage In A Direct Lead-In Prequel To "Rogue One"

Marvel's latest batch of Rogue One prequel comics have been playing things close to the vest. These aren't the kind of prequels that go back to some pivotal, formative moment in their subject's childhoods. No, these issues have focused on what their protagonists were doing immediately before stepping onto the screen in Rogue One.

The Andor comic, for example, bridged a gap of just a few hours between Andor, the TV show, and the movie. Similarly, the Jyn Erso issue showed what she did right before Cassian and K-2SO busted her out of Imperial prison. Preview pages for Chirrut & Baze #1 suggest something similar. The story shows why the two came to Jedha, ahead of their fateful meeting with Erso and Andor. According to the synopsis for the issue, they will "attempt a covert mission to sabotage a KYBER mine" seized by the Empire.

Star Wars: Rogue One – Chirrut & Baze #1, By Stephanie Phillips, Sean Chen, And Kieran McKeown

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The success or failure of this mission is irrelevant. Chirrut & Baze #1, like any good prequel, will be about maneuvering its characters into place to be where they need to be, in this case for Rogue One to happen. Not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually. In Rogue One, Chirrut and Baze have faith in the guidance of the Force, even when it puts them on a suicide mission. Their new prequel comic can test that faith, before ultimately validating it.

Giving Chirrut And Baze The Spotlight Is Overdue But Star Wars Is Finally Delivering

The synopsis for Chirrut & Baze #1 teases complications to their mission. " Something unexpected stands between them and their objective," it reads, and that tells fans that even though they know the destination, the journey in the issue can still be a thrill ride. Chirrut & Baze #1 can still surprise readers with its plot, but the real pass/fail test for the book will be whether it can deliver a surprising new addition to its heroes' lore.

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That is what has validated the Rogue One ten-year anniversary prequels so far. The stories have been tight and contained, allowing for intense, focused character studies. In just a few short pages, the Andor comic offered insight into the character that dozens of hours of TV and the film didn't cover. The same goes for Jyn Erso's backstory, and for Saw Gerrera's, which featured in the third Rogue One prequel one-shot. Yet expectations are perhaps highest for the Chirrut & Baze issue.

Because those characters made a lasting impression on Star Wars fans that the franchise has never fully embraced. There remains a lot left the franchise can do with Rogue One's underrated pair of action heroes, and this new prequel comic could be the starting point if there is an overwhelmingly positive response to it, both critically and commercially.

Star Wars: Rogue One – Chirrut & Baze #1 drops October 14, 2026 from Marvel Comics.

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  Felicity Jones

  Jyn Erso

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  Captain Cassian Andor

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a standalone film set in the Star Wars universe, where a group of resistance fighters, led by Jyn Erso, embarks on a mission to steal the Death Star plans. This pivotal event sets the stage for the iconic saga to follow.