I mean they already knew where the Death Star plans were and the trip didn’t accomplish anything, it seems like the only reason they went was because the script had to introduce this subplot of Cassian trying to take advantage or Jyn but even then that whole subplot is just dropped in the next scene and it goes nowhere
shareIt's so Jyn can see her father and forgive him for abandoning her, realize that his cause is just and she should dedicate herself to the Rebellion as he did, and stop acting like a damn lowdown gutter rat.
Any other questions?
In the context of the story did the characters achieve anything? The trip didn't seem to further the plot any, all it did was introduce some non-needed drama that was just dropped in the next scene. Did the characters learn anything about the Empire? Did the characters discover anything that helped them fulfill their objective? (Example: The trip to Tatooine in Episode I served a purpose because Qui Gon was able to get the ship repaired, the trip to Kamino in Episode II served a purpose because Obi-Wan discovered that Jango Fett was being used to create a Clone Army and was behind the attack on Padme, the trip to Dagobah in Episode V served a purpose because Luke began his Jedi Training and learned much about the force, this enabled him to see that Han and Leia were being tortured).
shareNot all plot development is about actions or achievements, sometimes character development serves to push the plot forward. And in this case, Jyn's meeting with her father lead to her having a change of heart about, well, everything. She arrived on Eadu an amoral gutter rat, and left a dedicated Rebel. That was her "I want to be a Jedi, like my father" moment.
Also, it gave us a chance to find out what kind of massive sociopathic shithead villain Krennic really was. We knew he was okay with slaughtering innocents, we didn't realize he was okay with slaughtering innocents he knew personally, while looking them in the eye.
If they hadn't gone there the story would have played out exactly the same, it reminds me a lot of the trip to Canto Bight (or whatever that Casino planet was).
shareExcept that without seeing her father and having a massive change of personality, Jyn would not have gone to Scarif and transmitted the plans. She'd have told the Rebels "Thanks for getting me out of jail, I got you your message, now drop me on Tattooine or some other place I can disappear". And if they forced her to go to Scarif, she would have made a run for it like the gutter rat she was at the beginning of the film, instead of doing her damndest to get the plans to the rebel.
Look, is this going to be one of those everlasting arguments where someone poses a question, and keeps arguing when they get the correct answer? Because that really is the answer to your question, and I am not interested in an extended argument about it.