The following contains spoilers for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Come back in December if you don't want to know.
Thanks to Mads Mikkelsen, we already knew how Mads Mikkelsen's character was related to others in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Now, thanks to a new report, we also know more about how he fits into the film's plot as well. The actor already spilled the beans that his character will be the father of Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso, but now we know why her father is important to the story. He's a scientist, with knowledge that both the Empire and the Rebellion want.
In the opening moments of the first trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we learn that our lead character, Jyn Erso, has been living on her own since she was a teenager. This made the revelation by Mads Mikkelsen, that he would be playing her father, an interesting one. If she has a father, why was she on her own? While we still haven't learned those answers, a new cover story in Entertainment Weekly tells us that the fact that Jyn's dear old dad is involved in the story is not some sort of cosmic coincidence. Instead, it appears that the relationship between father and daughter is the reason the Rebellion turns to a career criminal to steal the Death Star plans. They're manipulating her because of her personal connection. Mikkelsen's character has information and knowledge that both sides want, and the Rebellion needs Erso to get to him.
While the details here are vague, it sounds like a Mads Mikkelsen related rumor from a few months ago may be at least partially accurate. That rumor stated that Mikkelsen's character would be a scientist who was in charge of the Death Star's construction. The Empire holds him in high regard, even though he's not particularly loyal to their cause. This is certainly somebody the Rebellion would want access to, as somebody who knows the Death Star's secrets, but isn't loyal to the Empire, might be willing to spill the beans about weaknesses.
As Jyn Erso seems fairly hard-boiled when we meet her in the trailer, we're not sure how weepy she's going to be when finally meets her father. Has he been busy building the Death Star ever since the end of Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith? No wonder Felicity Jones had to grow up on her own.
