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Utilitarianism In Rogue One

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Hope is one of the main themes in the Star Wars saga. In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the audience is presented with nuanced characters who feel hopeful for peace and order in the galaxy, but also have contentious moral codes on their journey to achieve peace. One of the most significant character arcs in Rogue One is exemplified by Cassian Andor. His actions within the Rebellion are steeped in the hope that they will be victorious and defeat the Empire, but in doing so he has had to do things that are not completely noble. In this paper, I shall discuss the ethical framework of utilitarianism, as described by Jeremy Bentham and John Stewart Mills, and how it is the best lens to describes the actions of Cassian Andor in Rogue One. I shall explore how and why Cassian embodies this theory in his actions throughout the film and how he veers away from this utilitarianism towards Soren Kierkegaard’s “infinite resignation” with the help of Chirrut Imwe and Jyn Erso. I will also briefly compare Cassian’s actions to Galen Erso, who also employs a utilitarian logic in his actions. Utilitarianism, defined by John …show more content…

Overall, he believes he is striving for the overall good, as the Rebellion’s goal is to end Imperial occupation and oppression in the galaxy. He fights for freedom of all peoples, but in achieving his goals, there is not much he wouldn’t do to complete his orders. For example, the very first time Cassian appears on screen, the audience sees him meeting up with another rebel intelligence agent who has very important information about the Empire. The informant tells Cassian that there is a scientist named Galen Erso, who is leading a project for the Empire that has the ability to destroy planet. Cassian realizes that they must head back to the rebel base and inform the senate

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