Despite last week’s massive reveal published by Entertainment Weekly, plenty of secrets continue to surround Star Wars: Rogue One. That mystery was amplified by a wave of reshoot rumors that nearly sunk the Rogue One ship. But here we are, weeks later, still biting our nails in anticipation of the first Star Wars spinoff movie.
There’s been plenty of talk about Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), the protagonist of Star Wars: Rogue One, but she’s not the only Erso in the mix. There’s her estranged father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen), a “galactic version of nuclear pioneer J. Robert Oppenheimer, with doomsday knowledge that is sought by both the Empire and the Rebellion.” He and Jyn are the only Ersos described in EW, but if you head to Rogue One’s IMDb page you’ll find an intriguing name on the cast list.
Lyra Erso is on the database, apparently played by actress Valene Kane. She isn’t the most well-known -- at least here in the States -- but she has a solid resume in the UK and looks set to transition to the American market. But if Kane features in Rogue One, why has she received little to no press about her appearance in one of the biggest films of the year?
Kane’s role in Rogue One is likely minor, considering her lack of coverage. Still, with a name like Erso, she has to be significant to the movie somehow. Making Star Wars speculates Lyra Erso could be Jyn’s sister or, interestingly enough, our heroine’s mother.
Several months ago, Mikkelsen confirmed flashback scenes will feature throughout Star Wars: Rogue One. This, along with Kane and Jones’ similarity in age, suggests the possibility of Lyra’s motherhood in the upcoming film. There have been no mentions of Jyn’s siblings, but we do know that her and Galen have a complicated relationship. A mom in this scenario could certainly shed light on this matter.
For now, Kane has kept a low profile, so we probably won’t find out for sure until Rogue One hits theaters. And when is that exactly? Dec. 16. Until then, let us know what you think about this “Lyra Erso” below in the comment section.
