The greatest accomplishment of Rogue One to me is the fact that it will forever change the way people will view the events of Episode 4, 5, and 6. And it will change it for the better.
What happens in Rogue One gives so much meaning to what happens in the original trilogy. Suddenly now the Rebellion is given the depth and complexity it never had. Vader and Tarkin are even more terrifying and sinister. And more than anything else, the destruction of the first Death Star and the eventual victory of the Rebellion in bringing about the fall of the Empire carries even more weight and becomes all the more satisfying because we saw the sacrifice it took for all of this to come to pass. The celebration on Endor will never be the same, because that happiness only exists because of Rogue One.
The original trilogy happened because one group of rebels took it upon themselves to not give up when everyone else did, and in doing so, gave the Rebellion the kick it needed to bring freedom to the galaxy.
Without Rogue One, there wouldn’t have been the original trilogy.
They had a new hope because Rogue One gave it to them.
