wonderstrevor:

…and I assure you I will ship it until my dying breath. [insp]
for @roguewrath as her graduation present!

Gela pointed out to me that this quote is applicable in reverse as well, and I was like, holy shit you’re right. One of my favourite things about Rogue One is the fact that Jyn and Cassian’s character arcs are intrinsically and intricately tied with each other. While their motivations, sources of trauma and biggest fear are different, thus placing them in an antagonistic position at the beginning of the film, they share one common characteristic: they are deeply broken by this intergalactic war. I don’t think Jyn is as ‘self-loathing’ as Cassian is, but abandonment after abandonment definitely led her to believe she wasn’t treasured, or worthy of being looked after. Then these two finally crossed paths, and they are two people who are painfully (and as they would realise later, fortunately) a mirror of each other (these are Diego’s words, not mine). Their relationship comes to a catharsis during the argument post-Eadu, then something’s shifted. They are now both aware of each other’s struggles and nightmares and motives, and they see the good in each other. She takes up his cause because she sees his selflessness. He rediscovers his integrity because he sees her fierce determination against all odds. Their new-found respect grows into a mutual objective, and then a tight-knitted partnership, and then, I think, something like love. Sadly, they only realised how deeply they felt for each other minutes before their demises. But love is saying ‘welcome home’; love is marching into Scarif side by side; love is making that jump together at the tower; love is Jyn looking at an unconscious Cassian with full horror in her eyes; love is Cassian defying every broken bone in his body to reach Jyn in time. Because before their brains could catch up with their hearts, they already act like they are each other’s light and hope and sun and stars.