SPOILERS: Want A Few More Hints About The Force Awakens? Take A Look At The Novelization!

TFA Novelization CoverThe Force Awakens has arrived. The wait is over. You may have seen it once or twice or ten times by now. No matter how many viewings you have treated yourself to, the same questions you had when the last shot vanished into the credits no doubt remain. The wait for Episode VIII begins, but in the meantime, the novelization of The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster may point you in a few directions. What follows is pseudo-review of the novel, but mostly it is an overview of differences between the film and the novelization, and it is SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER, so I encourage any of you who have not seen the film to avoid reading this. Go see the film and then come back here if you are interested in some scenes the book elaborates. I will say, before we get into SPOILER-ville, that the novelization is great and an Alan Dean Foster Star Wars book adapted from this fantastic film should be on your list of holiday reading, if that’s what you were wondering. Again, DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE FORCE AWAKENS!

 

 

Before we get to the review, I think it’s important to note that we should keep a breath of optimism moving forward in this trilogy. There were plenty of unanswered questions and confusing moments, but I have not spoken to a Star Wars fan yet that didn’t enjoy the film immensely. Leading up to the film’s release, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a few articles came out explicitly stating Rian Johnson, the writer of the next two films in this trilogy, was in constant communication with Abrams as he composed the script for his own entry into the saga. The only reason I’m mentioning this is because I saw myself go down the road of frustration about everything unexplained in the film as soon as I got in my car after the showing. Chin up, Star Wars fans! We just got a great film and it’s only the beginning in a new trilogy and era of Star Wars films! On with the review!

Splinter-of-the-Minds-Eye coverAlan Dean Foster is no stranger to Star Wars. He was the ghostwriter for George Lucas on the A New Hope novelization, and he also wrote the first expanded universe novel, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, as well as the gap bridging, Prequel-era novel, The Approaching Storm. The Force Awakens is Foster’s first Star Wars novel in over a decade, but it’s like a reunion between two old friends.

 

Foster brings back Journal of the Whills. You will notice this as soon as you open the book, even before the transcription of the opening crawl. This is pretty cool. For any of you that may be scratching your heads, Journal of the Whills was originally conceived by George Lucas during his composition of A New Hope. The idea would be this journal documented the galaxy’s struggle between good and evil, maintained by an ancient order of beings called the Whills. According to Wookiepedia, that backstory is firmly planted in the Legends camp, but it’s inclusion in this novelization makes it canon. Keep in mind, though; just because Journal of the Whills is now canon does not mean it shares the backstory of its Legends counterpart. It’s inclusion in this novel, which was no doubt carefully overseen by the Lucasfilm Story Group, suggests we may be getting an expanded and canonical Journal of the Whills at some point in the future. Who knows what it will cover, but the citation at the end of this passage, 7:477, looks very similar to that of Biblical text or large historical reference books. The passage is more poetic than the straightforward entry of A New Hope; in my summation, suggests there will never be a clear victory of good over evil, and the Jedi are necessary because they will always know the difference between the inevitable convolution of the two.

 

I’m going to assume you have all seen The Force Awakens, so I’m not going to go over the main plot adapted from the film’s screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, JJ Abrams, and Michael Arndt. That is all still there and there are almost no differences in the major events that play out onscreen and in the book. Finn still abandons the First Order, Rey still pilots the Millennium Falcon off of Jakku, Kylo Ren is still named Ben, and we get no elaboration WHATSOEVER on what Luke is going to do when Rey offers him the Skywalker lightsaber. What I would like to highlight are the additions of what was not in the film and the insight the medium of novelization provides us into what some characters might be thinking or feeling. Those small things, say a couple lines of additional dialogue or a small extension of a scene, help put the story in a more analytical light. One thing is clear and obvious, The Force Awakens moved very fast from beginning to end, and this novel helps slow down the story at critical moments.

 

Let’s begin.

leia TFA novel reviewThe first big difference is that the story, after the introductory crawl, begins within the thoughts of General Leia. Leia feels lost. The New Republic sounds as if it never evolved beyond the politics of procedure, and that a large part of the galaxy did not feel oppressed by the Empire. There are more books on the way from Chuck Wendig and Claudia Gray to help elaborate on this period in the galaxy, but in this quick glimpse, it seems the New Republic has been slowed down by complacency. The Resistance is not hinted at in any point of the book as controversial, but there is later talk by Leia’s envoy that the general should make her case before the Senate for additional support. Leia feels it would useless, mentioning that most senators she would have had influence with are no longer in the Senate and most of the remaining politicians think of her as crazy. Makes me wonder if they know who her dad was, as well.

resistanceTFAnovelreview

I’m expanding on this Resistance because I felt like the film did not do a satisfactory job of explaining the difference between the Republic and the Resistance. The New Republic feels to me like a bureaucratic formality that exists solely as a place for debate among worlds. I’m not trying to stir the pot of real world politics here, but it reminds me of a subdued United Nations, or how some people in our world view the United Nations. Who knows what we will see in the next two films, as well as the rest of the canon, but this is what I gleam from the novelization.

 

It is also mentioned that the Republic has a substantial fleet that is wiped out when the First Order detonate the Starkiller and wipe out the Hosnian system. This was another point I thought was not underscored enough in The Force Awakens. Whatever Republic was being rebuilt over the last few decades since shortly after Return of the Jedi, is now dust, for the most part. Something mentioned by Leia shortly after the detonation of Starkiller; the Resistance and the First Order are all that remain in terms of military powers, and that if there is a conflict between them, the Resistance is not strong enough to defeat the First Order without the Republic’s fleet. If you thought The Force Awakens shared many similarities with A New Hope, it would seem they are setting the stage for Episode VIII to carry the middle-act intensity of The Empire Strikes Back. General Hux is no less menacing in the novelization than he is on screen, and I think there are very few things he would rather be doing after the events of TFA than hunting down Resistance forces. We will see.

kylorenTFAnovelreviewWe have our answer about who would DEFINITELY be related to the Skywalker (and Solo) family. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is the child of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Not much more about his upbringing differs from the film. There is an emotional moment for Han when he calls to his son for the first time, asking him to take off his Kylo Ren-visage, and he sees the son he knew as a grown man for the first time. This passage suggests that the destruction of Luke’s Jedi training academy or school occurred 14-15 years prior to TFA (and I speculate this is also the timeframe of when Rey was dropped on Jakku). Kylo Ren is also presented as much more conflicted throughout the story about most every decision he makes. Kylo seems to mirror his grandfather, not so much the grandfather of the scorched Vader mask, but the insecure and desperate for control Anakin Skywalker of the prequels. I rather like the way Foster gets inside Kylo Ren’s head. We see Ren hesitate many times, specifically when he is initially presented with the chance to eliminate Rey on Jakku via the Finalizer’s search party, but it is ultimately Hux that carries out those orders. There seems to be a hidden motive behind Ren’s actions, and it would lead directly to Luke Skywalker. As Snoke (we’ll get to him in just a second) would rather no one ever find the self-exiled Jedi Master, Ren seems determined to find the way to his uncle. The simple answer, from the film, would be the destruction of Luke Skywalker and any hope at rebuilding the Jedi Order. In the book, Ren’s motives for finding Skywalker seem more ambiguous. Again, we will see.

 

There is an interesting exchange between Ben Solo’s parents that is present only in the book, and not one that I remember from the film. Leia confides in Han that she never told him their son had the potential to walk down the dark path. Han says he wishes she would have told him. I hope I’m not making too much of a leap here, but let me pose a question: Do you think it’s possible no one other than Luke and Leia knew Darth Vader’s identity? I mean, obviously Snoke and Kylo Ren know, but I wonder if there is a possibility that Vader’s lineage is something Leia and Luke chose to keep secret. Maybe Han didn’t find out Vader was a Skywalker until after Ben Solo had turned to Kylo Ren. Just throwing it out there. Even if that’s not the case, it suggests Ben Solo’s creation of the Knights of Ren exposed a lot of weakness and mistrust in whatever Leia and Han’s relationship was at that point.

Andy Serkis SnokeBefore we get to Rey, whose parentage is the biggest mystery of the film, and whose story in the novelization has the most hints at answers you may want, let’s talk about Snoke. Supreme Leader Snoke. Leading up to TFA, the most popular debate seemed to be Plageuis or not. You didn’t really think they were going to answer that question in the first film, did you? No, they did not, but several lines of dialogue that popped up in the book were nowhere to be found in the film. It’s almost as if JJ decided to cut them from the film last minute because he thought it might be giving too much away.

 

Snoke seems to be a well-known figure at this point in the Star Wars universe. There is no Darth Sidious, pulling-the-strings in the shadows. Leia knows who he is. Han knows who he is. It sounds like he has been around the galaxy for a very long time, and that he took an interest in Ben Solo at a very young age. Leia speaks about trying to protect her son from Snoke’s influence and being haunted by her failure to do so. This is all we get about the villain’s history, but Snoke is not trying to hide his malice from anyone. His appearance is described in the book as a bit more damaged than he appeared onscreen, but that is probably just related to the many variations on the character’s appearance throughout production.

 

One thing is much clearer in the book than the film: Snoke is afraid of Luke Skywalker. In his final conversation with Kylo Ren, before Rey escapes, Snoke is prepared to destroy an entire system so no one finds where Luke is, himself included. Destroying the Resistance is Hux’s motivation, but he is practical, seeing that the system has vital resources the First Order could use. Snoke will have none of it. Destroy the system so that no one can ever find Luke Skywalker. It may appear bold and sadistic in the film, but in the novel, it reads as desperate. Snoke constantly speaks to either destroying Luke via Kylo Ren or the First Order’s military, or making sure Luke stays where he is. I cannot wait to find out what the history is between Luke and Snoke. The last line we hear Snoke say in the TFA film in regards to Kylo Ren is “It is time to complete his training”. In the novel, after he orders Hux to leave Starkiller Base, retrieve Kylo Ren, and come to him, Snoke says, “It appears that he may have been right about the girl.” Rey and BB-8Bringing us to Rey. I’m just going to come right out and say what I’m sure most of you are thinking: Rey is a Skywalker. We don’t know this, but I’d be very shocked if she wasn’t. She’s clearly not the child of Han and Leia, because I doubt Leia would forget about that daughter she left on Jakku so many years ago. As far as we know, there is only one other Skywalker out there, and his name is Luke. Jedi aren’t supposed to have kids, though. No baby-making equals no babies, and there has been no wife or girlfriend referenced in Luke’s past between ROTJ and TFA. No matter how many times we click our heels together and say Mara Jade, she was not mentioned and I don’t think she’s going to pop-up anytime soon merely as Luke’s baby-mama. Here’s where we are going to have to wait two-years for a definitive answer on the possibility of Rey being Luke’s daughter, most likely in Luke’s first appearance in Episode VIII; and unfortunately, finding that out in the next film is not a guarantee. While we wait for that answer, as well as who Rey’s mother was if Luke is indeed her father, the novelization provides more hints than the film did.

 

Rey still speaks of needing to remain on Jakku because she is waiting for her family to return. One thing that surprised me was the book’s lack of detail in her Force flashback. The scene mentions nothing about hearing the child-Rey crying out for her family. Instead she appears in Cloud City, watching two familiar figures duel, she sees a boy, and as soon as she moves toward him she sees the Jedi-carnage surrounding the Knights of Ren. Rey actually witnesses Kylo Ren kill a Jedi before she is transported to the snow-covered forest, then hears a familiar voice. The only indication it’s familiar is because Foster italicizes the word “that”, as in “that voice”. All the voice says to her is: “I’ll come back, sweetheart. I promise.” Rey does not mention the disturbing childhood recollection we see on Jakku, where she screamed hysterically at a departing starship. This may be another example of a scene the filmmakers changed at the last minute in the editing room, leaving it for future films in the trilogy to answer. It’s a pretty big difference from the film and it makes me think the inclusion of this may have been one hint too many. Or, it could be Foster chose to make his own interpretation of the scene, but it seems like a pretty BIG change.

 

There is also a great deal of familiarity Leia feels toward Rey. Upon Rey’s departure to seek out Luke, Leia feels natural in brushing Rey’s hair out of her eyes and straightening her outfit. On another Leia aside, it seems her Force-sensitivities are especially so toward emotion and connection to those she loves. This explains why her son, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is so conflicted; Kylo Ren feels the pain he is causing not only the galaxy, but his own mother. It seems like Leia would have felt if Rey was a Skywalker conclusively; or, maybe she did, and she’s just keeping quiet to let Luke tell Rey who she really is.  That’s the only reason I can see to doubt the possibility of Rey being a Skywalker. Han gets a sense about her, too, in his own reflections that Foster provides.

kylorenreyTFAnovel

The biggest hints at Rey’s Skywalker lineage are from Kylo Ren’s perceptions of Rey. Just like the film, Kylo is noticeably shaken when, in addition to his inability to probe Rey’s mind as much as he would like, she can get inside of his. My, and many fans reading, will probably note another line of dialogue in the novelization that was absent from the film. It’s the moment when Kylo Ren calls Luke’s lightsaber to him and it flies right past him and into Rey’s hands. In the novelization, Kylo says to himself, “It is you”. To me, this says Kylo knew Rey or a direct descendant of Luke Skywalker was out there. Perhaps it was the one thing he kept from Snoke, whether that was Ben Solo keeping it from Snoke or Kylo, it seems Rey’s ability in the Force makes something CLICK in Kylo Ren’s head. Again, nothing solid, but much more brow raising when you read it in print. I won’t hypothesize the why or how Kylo may know, but I think this strongly suggests he does, and that is another reason the line was eventually cut from the film.

 

The Force Awakens novelization is a great one. I recommend reading it while the movie is still fresh in your mind. You will fly through it.  Foster’s writing keeps the narrative moving quick enough, but since it’s a book, you can take it as slow as you want too. I read the entire thing in less than 12 hours. Alan Dean Foster did a great job on this adaptation. It is well worth your time to read it. Snatch up a copy and bring it with you to the next showing of TFA you stand in line for. Take notes and see if you can spot anything I missed. If you have been reading the Del Rey books over the last year set in the new canon, you won’t want to miss this one.

 

The Kindle Edition is currently available on Amazon. The hardcover will hit book stores and online retailers January 5.

 

+ posts

Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

225 thoughts on “SPOILERS: Want A Few More Hints About The Force Awakens? Take A Look At The Novelization!

  • December 21, 2015 at 7:43 pm
    Permalink

    Rey is powerful. veeeeery powerful…. The more I watched the movie the more convinced I was that she’s reeeeeeally strong with the force, even stronger than I am, damn her….

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:02 pm
      Permalink

      How’s that shoulder, bruh?

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:56 pm
        Permalink

        Screw the shoulder how’s the face?

        • December 22, 2015 at 12:02 am
          Permalink

          Screw the face how’s your pride? Bum.

          • December 22, 2015 at 1:57 am
            Permalink

            All of the above hurt…

  • December 21, 2015 at 7:46 pm
    Permalink

    Listening to the audio book now, so happy they got Marc Thompson to do it!

  • December 21, 2015 at 7:48 pm
    Permalink

    Well, reading this, it seems Ben Solo was force sensitive and trained since kid. So he had an early awaken.
    It also seems that he has been 20 years in the dark side, he must be around 30 years old in the movie.
    It is interesting because I though they had done a good job making Adam Driver look younger. I really though he was around 20 instead 30 in the movie.

    • December 21, 2015 at 7:56 pm
      Permalink

      Yeah he must have been like … 10 when he turned evil

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:06 pm
        Permalink

        That is so sadly young!
        I enjoyed in the film when he looked near Rey, I found some kind of atraction.
        We could be surprised in that way in the next movies, don´t forget it.
        It seems Rey and Finn could have a romance, but for the plot some Dark-Light atraction would be really interesting.
        For example, imagine a reason so Kylo can become Ben again…

        • December 22, 2015 at 4:40 pm
          Permalink

          Yea unless they’re cousins which would make for another awkward moment in Star Wars history..

          • December 22, 2015 at 4:54 pm
            Permalink

            Yes being cousins is not really useful for the writers…

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:48 pm
        Permalink

        Well, if the destruction of the Academy happened 20 year earlier, and if it was in Rey´s vision, then Kylo would be between 10-12 when he slaughtered the jedi students, right? 🙂

  • December 21, 2015 at 7:54 pm
    Permalink

    I think she is Han and Leia’s younger daughter that they sent to Jakku after hearing that Ben/Kylo had turned to the darkside and that a promise was made, not to let on to anyone including Rey who her family is.
    Perhaps Han didn’t know her at all, Leia might have been pregnant with her when he left and never told him. As we all know that family loves it’s secrets lol
    Remember Kylo’s reaction when the officer told him that they had escaped with the help of a girl? Ok smashes the place up on hearing they got away, not harming the officer. “With the help of a girl” *really loses it and holds officer by his neck* “WHAT GIRL??”
    I’m guessing he knew about his younger sibling and that she’d be force sensitive and that’s why during their saber fight he asks her to join him.
    ALSO as a Blue lightsabre represents the lightside, I’m convinced it senses connection to it’s owner lineage which is why it flew past Kylo and went to her.

    • December 21, 2015 at 7:59 pm
      Permalink

      I believe she was abandoned by his mom.
      And also it is possible Luke being her father and ignoring it.
      But I am nor agree with the linage theories really.

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:11 pm
        Permalink

        Yeah I’m only going with the Han and Leia’s daughter thing coz of the Jedi having to be like celibate monks lol

        • December 21, 2015 at 8:21 pm
          Permalink

          Yes, but that would be really weird!
          “I abandoned my daughter in Jakku years ago, and now a girl from Jakku, same age, same look, same clothes… suddenly she is coming to us and we cannot realize she is our daughter!”
          There was no comment between them and no clue in their face telling us she is their daughter, or even Luke that they knew.

          • December 21, 2015 at 8:40 pm
            Permalink

            No like I said a promise was made not to say anything, even to Rey if she even came back. So I’m guessing Leia recognised her but didn’t let on.
            Also Leia and Rey’s embrace at the end spoke volumes.
            But like the rest of us I’m just speculating 😉

          • December 22, 2015 at 4:49 am
            Permalink

            Well… Leia was looking for Luke since the begining of the movie.
            And the “choosen one” to meet Luke is tha girl named Rey, a scavenger. I think it is normal they embrace.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:01 pm
    Permalink

    a year and a half to ep 8 not two years like you stated above. It’s a year until Rogue One, and merely 6 months after until the May release of ep 8. Can’t wait!!

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:02 pm
    Permalink

    I believe that in the Jedi world the links between Master and Appretince go beyond blood links.

    Snoke has his Apprentice.

    I believe Luke has now his.

    In some way for me would be weird a blood link between Master and Apprentice, I almost prefer Luke and Rey are not related.

    Also I observe at least 3 Light-Dark duels:
    Snoke and Luke.
    Kylo and Rey.
    Hux and Poe.
    Well it could be Leia instead Poe, but Hux and Poe seems to have the same age and similar leadership.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:10 pm
    Permalink

    Great review Kyle! One thing that is still confusing to me is when the Jedi massacre took place. You say the book (which I have not yet checked out) suggests he was very young, probably an adolescent I assume. Yet in the force vision it appears that he kills all of the Jedi himself along with his Knights of Ren. I can’t imagine that taking place much more than 10 years prior as he looks like an adult in Rey’s force vision.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:36 pm
      Permalink

      I think it happened 15 years before TFA. Rey would of been 5 and Ren would of been 15.

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:47 pm
        Permalink

        which seems to make kylo’s fluctuating abilities more confusing. he and his crew wiped out all of lukes jedi acadamy as a teen but as an adult he struggled with a stormtrooper. how powerful is he?

        • December 21, 2015 at 8:49 pm
          Permalink

          To be fair he did take a laser shot to the hip. And may have underestimated Finn at first. Then made a mockery of him.

          • December 21, 2015 at 8:54 pm
            Permalink

            all the stuff is fine when saying why rey bested him. but we saw kylo freeze people in place or choke them from across the room earlier, yet he struggled to put finn away. injured or not its still hard to accept.

          • December 21, 2015 at 8:56 pm
            Permalink

            True, but perhaps he felt it was to easy to freeze him then kill him. Maybe he wanted to make the traitor pay while using his lightsabers

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:03 pm
            Permalink

            thats a good point. the dark side can make you arrogant.

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:05 pm
            Permalink

            I’m looking forward to a fully trained Ren vs Fully trained Rey 😉

          • December 21, 2015 at 10:27 pm
            Permalink

            Remember he got shot by the same bowcaster we saw blowing stormtroopers away. He took a direct hit and fell to one knee, got up and still chased Rey and Finn down. He could see him looking all sweaty, in pain and near death. Kylo Ren taunted Finn and Finn showed toughness till he stopped messing around and disarmed him. Kylo Ren got his ass kicked in this movie. He wasn’t 100% in the duel with Rey, and he wasn’t even trying to kill her. He wanted to turn her.

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:33 pm
            Permalink

            Yes and also remember what snoke said to Ren to bring the girl to him. So definitely not trying to kill her.

          • December 22, 2015 at 1:12 am
            Permalink

            yes, yes, all of that has been posted a bazillion times already. and as i said, i understand how all of that could effect him verses rey who also proved his to his better with the force. finn doesn’t have the force and kylo injured or not should have dispatched him in a second. all i’m trying to do here is figure out where kylo is in his dark side path. we see him really powerful early, we see him not so much and “needs more training” later on.

          • December 22, 2015 at 11:29 am
            Permalink

            yes, yes I’ve seen your worries a bazillion times already. It’s called character development. JJ is trying to beat it over peoples heads that they gave us a villain who is unpolished and is going to develop in the course of this trilogy. It’s no mystery or spoiler, we heard this way before the movie came out. Kylo Ren was always rumored to be weak. He was just the only force sensitive around in the public eye, the poster boy of the force.

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:29 pm
            Permalink

            Kylo is not weak at all. He is the first force sensitive I’ve ever seen who can freeze a light bolt in the air for over 5 minutes and fully read minds. He looks more powerful than OT Vader .

          • December 22, 2015 at 9:38 pm
            Permalink

            OT Vader wasn’t in his prime. Kylo Ren hasn’t even reached his prime yet. Just like Rey is already stronger than OT Luke was at first, just shows the potential of both Kylo Ren and Rey.

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:31 pm
            Permalink

            We don’t know yet if Finn doesn’t have the force. After all, he learns quickly to do things he’s never done before, which is a force trait, and was mentioned twice in the movie.

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:54 pm
        Permalink

        Initially I thought 15 years as well. I guess 15-20 would be a good range. I’ll change the article as soon as I can. Doing this via iPhone at the moment

    • December 22, 2015 at 2:37 pm
      Permalink

      Maybe someone else was leading the Knights of Ren back then and the person we see on the vision is not Ben If it happened 20 years ago, Ben was only 10 and Rey had nor been born yet (as Ben is apparently 30 and Rey is 19).

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:13 pm
    Permalink

    Reading this the following occured to me:

    Could Kylo Ren / Ben Solo be the father of Rey?

    I know its a long shot, but if Kylo/Ben broke with Luke 20 years back, and he is a yound adult when this happens (as seen in the flashback) he could also be a father, right?

    That way we would also get the “I am your father” reveal in Ep VIII. Oh my…

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:19 pm
      Permalink

      The movie takes place 30 years after RotJ, there was no Ben Solo at the end of RotJ, Rey was a kid (not even a baby) when left on Jakku, so she has to be in her mid-20’s, or 20 at least. Ben Solo is at his oldest close to 30 years old, so there’s no way it could work out. Interesting theory, though… I think another “I am your father” reveal would send people over the edge, after how closely VII paralleled IV. 🙂

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:45 pm
        Permalink

        Not sure if the 30 years have been really confirmed in the canon. What if its 40 years? I know JJ has said that real passage of our time is also about the time that passed in the SW universe, but can this be taken as canon?

        • December 21, 2015 at 9:13 pm
          Permalink

          Could be. I’m not sure if they did confirm the official timeline or not.

          I still think people would lose their heads if they did another “_I_ am your father” twist. 🙂

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:15 pm
            Permalink

            They had no problem with yet another Death Star, so why just stop there 😉

        • December 21, 2015 at 9:16 pm
          Permalink

          There’s a confirmation out there somewhere that Rey is 20 and Ben is 30.

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:32 pm
            Permalink

            The visual dictionary states that Rey is 19. But no mention of Ben’s age.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:58 pm
        Permalink

        “She was nearly twenty, with dark hair, darker eyes, and a hint of something deeper within.”

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:27 pm
      Permalink

      Why would he leave her behind if it’s his daughter? Now that he’s an agent of evil wouldn’t it make sense that he would train her?

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:41 pm
        Permalink

        The book implies that he is torn internally, not so sure of himself. Maybe whatever remains good in him tries to protevct her?

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:45 pm
      Permalink

      Wasn’t he only around 10 at that time?

    • December 22, 2015 at 2:28 pm
      Permalink

      Rey is 19 and Ben is 29/30 according to movie sources. There is no way Ben could father a child at age 10 or 11.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:17 pm
    Permalink

    A couple of thoughts… I think that it’s likely that if Rey is Luke’s daughter, then there’s a good chance her mother was at the Jedi academy as well. Either she, too, was killed by Kylo Ren (And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room… Ben Solo is Jacen Solo, Han and Leia’s very force-sensitive son who turned to the dark side, and in the Legends EU, Jacen Solo killed Mara Jade, Luke’s wife and the mother of Luke’s offspring)… or the other option, if they plan on bringing her back at some point, is that Luke sent her off into hiding as well. I believe that Luke sent Rey into hiding because he knew that Ben Solo (his name being something else taken from the EU) would come looking for her, as his goals appear to be to eliminate all Jedi (or at least, those seem to be Snoak’s goals).

    The other point I wanted to bring up is that you mention about Jedi not being allowed to have relationships or children… but how would Luke know that? Maybe he found that information in some archives from an abandoned Jedi temple, and maybe Yoda told him that, but I think when he was being trained by Yoda, a romantic relationship wasn’t really a concern at the time — especially since Yoda knew that Leia was Luke’s sister, and there were like no other women in the universe at that period in time, so no worries. But either Luke didn’t know, or he studied the history of the Jedi and Order 66 and might have believed that that was one of the things leading to the Jedi’s downfall.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:46 pm
      Permalink

      1. The EU no longer exists.
      2. Ben is the name of one of Harrison Ford’s son’s, as well as Kenobi’s name, and fits better as Ben Solo in this universe, plus the EU (which is not canon) doesn’t have the monopoly with names.

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:11 pm
        Permalink

        The EU is no longer canon. There’s a difference.

        The movie obviously took some ideas from the EU… Abrams or Arndt couldn’t possibly argue that they pulled some of the ideas for the movie out of thin air and, oh yeah, what a coincidence, they happened in the EU, also! I’m saying that while not adapting the stories exactly, there was certainly inspiration. In the EU, Ben Skywalker is Luke’s son, named after Obi Wan Kenobi’s name when he became a hermit on Tatooine. They did the same thing, essentially, except using the name for Han’s son, instead of Luke’s (which, as far as we know, doesn’t have a son canonically).

        Now, as far as Harrison’s son, Ben Ford was born in 1967, so he was definitely around when Star Wars was being filmed, and it’s very possible that he was the inspiration for Kenobi’s new name. I don’t know if that’s true, but it’d make sense, which means we might both be right! They might have chosen that name for both reasons.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:18 pm
    Permalink

    Everybody and this article too are comparing A New Hope ploy with this one.
    But I think nobody is considering the facts.
    Luke and his relationship with the force solved the trouble in the first movie.
    This time the force on the light side didn´t solve anything. The awakening of Rey was not essential, just surviving. Although we know it will be in the future…
    The truth is that the combined efforts of Chew and Poe destroyed the Starkiller Base and the galaxy.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:01 pm
      Permalink

      Ending was more reflective of ROTJ than anything else.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:17 pm
      Permalink

      Problem is this is the ANH plot! Insert new character name here, change planet name there… Insert 2 minor plot changes to avoid copyright infringement, hit all the same plot beats at the same time…
      If you enjoyed the film great, but if I go to Ep VIII and sit through ESB Redux I’m going to throw action figures through the cinema screen!

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:27 pm
    Permalink

    a couple points regarding luke and rey: 1) all the jedi can’t have sex stuff came from the prequels which we know has been banished to the corner(canon or not). besides, the old jedi were destroyed, this a new order with new rules. 2) luke can’t have a kid because no wife or GF(mara jade or not) has been mentioned yet. considering how little backstory we got in TFA or from aftemath, that means nothing. the playing field is wide open here, which ever way lucasfilm decides they want to go.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:34 pm
      Permalink

      The prequels have not been banished, they still happened. Only the EU has.

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:41 pm
        Permalink

        they did happen but the powers that be aren’t following them closely at all. midiclorians are strong example of that.

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:48 pm
          Permalink

          That’s why I don’t think its Darth Plagueis – it would validate things about the midichlorians – I don’t think they’re going to do that.

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:51 pm
            Permalink

            To be fair, JJ stated that midichlorians won’t be referenced in TFA specifically; technically (keyword: technically) that says nothing about the rest of the ST in regards to whether they’ll be referenced in VIII or IX (I wouldn’t have the slightest idea on how they will be referenced but hey, at this time VIII and IX are open canvasses in regards to anything being possible in those movies; yes, I know that the stories from those movies have been mapped out and outlined by now – with possibles changes made along the way – but still, from an outsider’s perspective (us), other than characters, we know nothing story-wise as to what will be included and what will be excluded in the rest of the ST movies). I’m not saying that I would like to see midichlorians being mentioned, but it remains to be seen what will and what won’t be talked about.

            As for Plagueis, I would think that there would be a way to work him into the story without having to mention the midichlorians backstory.

            At the end of the day, the Star Wars saga stories will need to start taking risks. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed TFA but I can tell that they were keeping it safe, presenting familiar plot points from ANH (and some from ESB and ROTJ). One can only go so far with nostalgia that eventually something feels predictable, unoriginal, and uncreative.

          • December 22, 2015 at 12:02 am
            Permalink

            That’s why I like Kylo Ren – dude’s got issues and you really don’t know what he’s capable of, and neither does he. They could go in different ways with it. He could be a lost cause or redeemable, and I don’t know where they’re going to go with it.

          • December 22, 2015 at 12:05 am
            Permalink

            That guy needs to put his hood on. We should have just seen his eyes. We can see that he’s damaged and all that in the next film[s.]

            And Leia and Han casually throwing around the name Snoke…..how do they even know who the guy is?

          • December 22, 2015 at 12:06 am
            Permalink

            If they used a hood…..what do you think the complaint would be? lol

          • December 22, 2015 at 5:01 pm
            Permalink

            They knew who the emperor was and I’m sure Palpatine was a well known name across the galaxy, but his name wasn’t used for the sake of formality. I’m sure Snoke has this much of an impact on everyone, but to Han and Leia it’s personal, so they say his name without giving a shit, while the other people in the film still refer to him as the “Supreme leader.”

        • December 21, 2015 at 11:39 pm
          Permalink

          That’s just one thing but there is still a lot of lore from the Old Republic times that hasn’t been declared as things that won’t be stated (ex: holocrons, Central Jedi temple in Coruscant, etc). And to be fair, JJ stated that midichlorians won’t be referenced in TFA; technically that says nothing about whether they’ll be referenced in VIII or IX (I wouldn’t have the slightest idea on how they will be referenced but hey, at this time VIII and IX are open canvasses in regards to anything being possible in those movies).

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:40 pm
      Permalink

      They’re not banished, but I don’t think those love-is-bad teachings were passed on to Luke.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:54 pm
      Permalink

      But why would Luke abandon his daughter, with no one to look after her? That sounds very heartless and non-Luke / non-light-side like. If he wanted her out of the picture, why not take her with him to the remote planet?

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:01 pm
        Permalink

        a couple things with that. first, i think luke knew rey would be safer on her own out away from everything. just like luke was growing up. second, i don’t think luke took her with him because he was extremely guilt ridden after what happened to ben solo and didn’t want the same thing to happen to his daughter. finally, don’t idolize luke too much, i have a feeling he is carrying alot of baggage around, hence why he ran away and never came back.

        • December 21, 2015 at 9:09 pm
          Permalink

          Luke grew up in what could be described a “happy home” with Aunt and Uncle plus Kenobi in the background to watch over him. Rey is apparently living in a slave like relationship with Ukar. Ok maybe Lor San Tekka has a role similar to Kenobi. But you do speculate quite a bit about Luke and his state of mind.

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:35 pm
            Permalink

            i actually am leaning toward lor san being the “caretaker”. i had to look him up just to know his name, but i read that he and luke hunted for jedi relics and such together after the war. maybe luke entrusted his daughter to him? and yeah i guess am taking a few leaps when it comes lukes state of being but he did abandon his friends and the galaxy at large.

        • December 22, 2015 at 2:24 pm
          Permalink

          In any case, the person who left Rey on Jakku in the vision is not Luke.

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:27 pm
        Permalink

        Don’t forget about Lor San Tekka. He was familiar with Kylo Ren, meaning there is some connection there from the past, and most likely with Luke as well. Could it be Lor San Tekka was there because Rey was? Kind of like Obi-wan and Luke on Tatooine?

      • December 21, 2015 at 11:50 pm
        Permalink

        Because of reasons, logic, and common sense.

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:43 am
        Permalink

        Who says he abandoned her? Here’s a possible scenario:

        1. Luke has Rey with another Jedi at the Academy. Having Skywalker blood and a Jedi mother helps explain her strong Jedi powers.

        2. Han/Leia never meet Rey or Luke’s wife. Even if they did, she’s a little girl so they won’t recognize the adult Rey. Just the name possibly. Or, maybe she had a different name as a child.

        3. Think of Han/Leia sending Ben to train with Luke, like how parents ship their trouble teens off to boot camps. Leia’s probably against it because she knows Vader is grandpa and doesn’t want to tell that bombshell with Han. Han thinks he should be trained. This is a pain point for them.

        4. Snoke/Knights show up, kill everyone. Someone kidnaps Rey for her own “safety” and sells her to the Jakku guy. Snoke takes Ben and indoctrinates the trouble youth to the dark side.

        5. Luke might not even be there when this all goes down. He thinks his daughter. Sees his wife is dead. Blames himself for not protecting them. Goes into Exile.

        6. Leia tells Han the truth about Vader being her dad. Han flips and leaves.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:31 pm
    Permalink

    If you pay close attention Solo has a weird reaction when Rey tells him her name when they land on Maz’s planet. He seems like he knows something when he offers her a job. Then….when Rey goes after FInn to stop him from leaving at the watering hall Maz look over to Han and asks “so who is the girl” and it cuts. I think Solo knew who she really is. Rey Skywalker.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:39 pm
      Permalink

      I agree. He senses something about her. It’s Luke’s child

      • December 21, 2015 at 11:38 pm
        Permalink

        Maz asks him “who is the girl” just about Rey gets going to confront Finn about his running away… right after that she gets called by Anakin’s lightsaber, she gets the flashback, and Maz is there, looking at her with amazement and tells her “that belonged to Luke Skywalker, to his father before him, and now it is calling you!” … and she adds something like “you already know deep down that your family is not coming for you, your future is ahead of you, you need to go fulfill your destiny”… in the same way Obi-Wan tells him that he needs to join him just after looking at Leia`s holographic image. People who know about The Force have a sense of the Force’s ways of weaving destinies… I bet Han was curious about her identity, as if he knew about who she could be, but very doubtful, that is why he wanted to keep an eye on her. He tells Maz while Rey is with Finn and getting her flashbacks, when they go look for her they find her being called by Luke’s lightsaber. Han connected the dots: Millenium Falcon flies to him- with Luke’s map- same time as his Smuggler life gets seriously in jeopardy- all this with the help of a girl strong with the Force, who then is called by Luke’s lightsaber – and friends with a Stormtrooper with knowledge about the enemy’s weapon – he decided to take part even before Leia tells him to go get their son, he knew he had to do it.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:45 pm
      Permalink

      IIRC, when Leia and Finn meet, he starts to tell her about Rey and Leia interrupts him and says Han already told her about the girl. So also off-screen.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:39 pm
    Permalink

    Thanks for writing this! Super interesting, but I don’t think it matters that Jedi aren’t supposed to have kids. I don’t think Luke was ever taught that. And even if he was, he may have ignored it just like Obi-Wan and Yoda’s warnings against following his emotions.

    • December 22, 2015 at 12:03 am
      Permalink

      I don’t think Disney wants to force celibacy on Jedi. Makes it harder to continue the family story.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:49 pm
    Permalink

    I dont read books and I aint gonna start now

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:00 pm
      Permalink

      What? lol. I don’t why but I find this comment pretty funny.

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:09 pm
        Permalink

        A/S/L?

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:47 pm
          Permalink

          What’s your AIM screenname?

          • December 22, 2015 at 8:48 am
            Permalink

            hepussee69

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:05 pm
      Permalink

      deep south education for you. 😉

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:08 pm
        Permalink

        we got good fryd chickin and biscits

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:07 pm
          Permalink

          how about gravy

          • December 22, 2015 at 8:47 am
            Permalink

            love gravy

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:52 pm
    Permalink

    I think it’s obvious that just like Obi-Wan, Luke will realize he’s too old to help Rey so at some point he will allow Kylo to cut him down while Rey observes (history repeating itself). Only then can Rey step up to fully embrace the Skywalker mantle.
    Yoda told Luke that his Jedi training would be complete only after confronting his father Vader. Snoke tells Hux it’s now time to complete Kylo’s training because he just confronted his father Solo. This I think cements Rey’s relationship as she is now confronting her father in Luke. Snoke knows however that Luke’s offspring can be more powerful than Kylo and needs to get to her asap.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:42 pm
      Permalink

      I feel the Darth Vader/Obi event happened when Ren killed Han she saw it and yelled just like Luke did. Luke started to look to Obi as a father figure just as Rey started to look at Han. Both seeing that figure killed in front of them before finding out about whom their real father is.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:49 pm
        Permalink

        Great point! This is even more proof that she is a Skywalker.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:41 am
      Permalink

      Snoke cannot believe Kylo about that girl being so strong.
      He tortures her and don´t get any information.
      The movie is careful of showing Kylo doing any physical pain to Rey, that is a fact. But it didn´t care about physically torturing Poe Dameron.
      It is a Disney policy may be, but also could me anything else.

      What is more usefull for script writers? She being a Skywalker, or not being…
      I think she not being a Skywalker is giving more liberty to the writers, I would pick that if I was them.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:53 pm
    Permalink

    One of my favorite scenes imo was when Kylo Ren takes off his mask in front of Rey cause everyone is lead to believe that he is some sort of boogey man and you even see Rey react when she sees that he is just some young guy. He has so many interesting elements about him that I wished we got with Anakin in the prequels because 1) I actually care about his character and 2) even when he is on the dark side he still feels the pull to the light. Just makes it that much more tragic when you see that he was twisted and taken advantage of at a young age because of his power and that they clearly show he isn’t Vader no matter how much he wants to be. I am really interested to see his character arc through 8 and 9 and where he ends up.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:34 am
      Permalink

      I even believe he was atracted to her.
      If you had a dirty mind it, restraining, some leather… 50 shadows…
      So we could have a complex plot romance between dark and light!
      Grey Scales! So a total mess for Star Wars standards…

      • December 22, 2015 at 5:01 am
        Permalink

        Hence why I believe in them being cousins keeping the incest theme going.

        • December 22, 2015 at 7:17 am
          Permalink

          Wow, that is too dark for Disney!

          • December 22, 2015 at 7:44 am
            Permalink

            Not literally. Implied like Luke perving on Leia in ANH and TESB. They could never get away with that kiss now knowing what we know so we have the bondage scene in TFA instead.

          • December 22, 2015 at 9:01 am
            Permalink

            Interesting topic, Luke and Leia!
            Because that kiss was obviously to make Han jealous.
            But there was a cut scene filmed were the flirt of Luke and Leia was pretty much obvious. You can watch it on Collider.
            The fact was that we knew they were sibblings in ROTJ, probably because it was the best solution.

            Mogambo was a film of 50´s about a love triangle and cheating between Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly.
            In the movie you knew Grace Kelly and Gable were married, at the same time you saw the romance between Gable and Ava G.
            It is funny because catholic spanish censorship solved it so easily… in the translated version they just made Grace Kelly and Clark Gable brother and sister, so yes they gave a couple of kisses here or there, but just brotherhood kisses… lol

          • December 22, 2015 at 1:26 pm
            Permalink

            Thing I don’t get is if he really didn’t know then why have the scene on Bespin where Leia hears him then? As well as “No, There is another”?

            Haha! Did the same thing with English translation of Sailor Moon except the characters were turned into cousins and not Sisters.

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:32 pm
            Permalink

            Yes, “No, there is another”, you are right!
            It is funny we can remember all the dialogues without watching the movies…

          • December 23, 2015 at 3:50 pm
            Permalink

            Why it’s always weird when a new one like this comes out where we can’t do that just yet.

            Carrie got ripped on for her acting in Jedi due to drug use and while it’s her least best OT performance, I always like how she delievered that line. She was also far better in it than she was in the new one.

          • December 23, 2015 at 7:55 pm
            Permalink

            Is that true?

          • December 24, 2015 at 7:43 am
            Permalink

            The drug useon Jedi? Even she admited it in her books and interviews. Thing is that she sounded and looked pretty good till the late 90’s. So I think it was less the cocaine that did her in and more the OTC drugs her handlers put her on that aged her in the last 15 years or so. Glad she still has her sense of humor about it though.

          • December 24, 2015 at 7:55 am
            Permalink

            Not everyone age in the same way.
            I am not too much into people private life so I didn´t know about the drugs thing.

          • December 24, 2015 at 8:00 am
            Permalink

            Been mentioned on this press junket too, I think. Hard not to see it now when watching it again. I doubt her role will be bigger in the next one but now she’s acting again, I hope she’ll improve over time like the rest of the cast did during the OT

          • December 24, 2015 at 2:00 pm
            Permalink

            Haha
            I remember she being molested by Sheldon Cooper and James Earl Jones in The Big Bang Theory. She also has books published and some movies about the book,

          • December 24, 2015 at 2:06 pm
            Permalink

            Ironically, She’s probably shied away from her SW fame the least and has always seemed to embrace it the most. The rest had phases where they couldn’t be bothered but I don’t ever remember her feeling burdened by it at all.

          • December 24, 2015 at 2:19 pm
            Permalink

            The truth is that I have not followed her or the others life.
            I know Harrison Ford married or is living with Ally Macbeal…
            And also I visited one day Mark Hamill daughter twitter…
            But I don´t know anything about them.

          • December 24, 2015 at 2:43 pm
            Permalink

            I don’t read the rags either but I have read the interviews on various sites like this out of curiosity to see if they would ever be open to doing anymore of them andI think they all said no at some point over the years which is why I never thought this film would happen.

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:35 pm
            Permalink

            There is a fan theory that “the other” Yoda sopke of was originally supposed to be a new character to be introduced in Episode VI and not Leia.

            On the other hand, Leia hearing Luke on Bespin was a clear hint that she was force sensitive.

          • December 23, 2015 at 3:53 pm
            Permalink

            We will probably never truly know. Lucas is as much of a revisionist when it comes to Obi-Wan far as the truth is concerned. Why we have 10 different versions of the OT alone,

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:11 pm
    Permalink

    I don’t want to read this review simply because I myself am reading the novel and would like to discover that stuff on my own.

    I do like however that the novel gives a lot of insight to certain events that are kind of glossed over in the movie. Like for example the book starts off by informing you why Leia sends Poe out to talk to Tekka instead of her going her self.

    It’s a good book, and very descriptive, I suggest you read it.

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:33 pm
      Permalink

      Also, may I make the suggestion of getting it on audible. They have star wars music and sound FX throughout the book, and it makes the book even more epic.

      • December 21, 2015 at 9:52 pm
        Permalink

        Also listening to the Audiobook. As a Brit Rey’s accent in this version annoys the hell out of me. But It’s still an awesome listen. 🙂

        • December 21, 2015 at 9:55 pm
          Permalink

          Yeah, lol the voice actor for the audible version isn’t too bad. Until he does certain voices like Tekka or even Kylo Ren is kinda lame.

          Still great though.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:30 am
      Permalink

      So, why is that? Why does she send Poe?
      You can spoil it to me!

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:36 pm
    Permalink

    I guess we can conclude that the Sperm is strong in this one.

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:43 pm
    Permalink

    I loved how it brought back the Journal, that was cool. Great novelization. I definitely believe rey is a skywalker and that luke wiped her mind or left when she was too young to recall.

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:50 pm
    Permalink

    ben solo was in contact with snoke from birth correct?

    • December 22, 2015 at 2:19 pm
      Permalink

      Maybe not from birth, but Snoke was well known to Leia and Snoke took an interest in Ben when he was still a child (or so it is implied).

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:57 pm
    Permalink

    The problem is not everyone is going to read the novel, myself included. A well written script should contain all the plot info required and not have most of us theorizing/guessing about why this and that happened to the degree it has.

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:59 pm
      Permalink

      We’re only guessing because we’re obsessed with every aspect of those 30 years. It didn’t need to be covered in the film – it would have been repeated excess exposition laced dialogue that would have distracted us from the story. Like: Oh, Obi-Wan and Anakin had so many great adventures together….but we don’t really see that, and have to be told it – its just not effective cinematic story telling.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:09 pm
        Permalink

        It’s a case of weighing up what is in fact important to the film. A great script though will find ways to insert the right information in an effective way for both the story and viewer.

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:46 pm
          Permalink

          It depends on what a viewer from a ‘need to know everything as a SW fan’ or a viewer that is just there to watch the movie ‘needs’. We would like everything about the characters from previous trilogy spelled out for us, but that’s not the objective of the movie, it was to introduce new ones. It did that.

          This isn’t the old generation’s fight, its the new generation’s challenge. We got the background on Kylo Ren – his parents, his mentor, and where his mentor is and why is pretty clear. Driver’s performance and dialogue clues us in on his struggles with his family legacy. Leia’s a general, nothing else is important for the action in this film.

          For example, it was nice to tie everything up in a bow at the end of ROTS…but completely unnecessary. If a pregnant Padme disappears into the starscape, it still works 100% without telling us anything else and fading to black. Didn’t need the Death Star shoehorned, or the Lars family, or the creepy robot gynecologist (that thing was creepy). Didn’t even need to see Vader (but I also think we didn’t need to see Luke either, but we would have burned the theater down).

  • December 21, 2015 at 10:04 pm
    Permalink

    Nothing to see here..

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:05 pm
      Permalink

      move along

  • December 21, 2015 at 10:25 pm
    Permalink

    When (in the movie) Kylo is reading Rey’s mind he says: “You imagine an ocean, I see the island”. Where is Luke at the end? Exactly. I think Rey has similar dreams like Anakin had about his mother. I’m more convinced that she is the daughter of Luke. Either this or someone else’s daughter, perhaps related to another well know character.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:32 pm
      Permalink

      i noticed that too, a nice job by JJ and kasden slipping it in.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:26 am
      Permalink

      Well she already had touched the Anakin lightsaber, that seemed to have some force relationship with her.
      Could be, or could not be.

  • December 21, 2015 at 10:46 pm
    Permalink

    The actuall weekend boxoffice data just came in: 248 million instead of 238! The global record has been broken without China!

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:50 am
      Permalink

      Better than that, it’s 530 mill world wide

      • December 22, 2015 at 10:06 am
        Permalink

        Thats what I meant to say. It needed 8 million more to break the global opening aswell, not just the already very impresing domestic. And it did without China! This is the true power of Star Wars.

  • December 21, 2015 at 10:53 pm
    Permalink

    I think that Rey is the daughter of her father.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:56 pm
      Permalink

      Maybe, but I thought she would be the daughter of her MOTHER.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:57 pm
        Permalink

        Damn, I’m so confused now.

        • December 21, 2015 at 11:01 pm
          Permalink

          Prepare to have your minds blown: She’s both!

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:03 pm
            Permalink

            Hate when people reveal spoilers.

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:46 pm
            Permalink

            Damn — sorry!

    • December 22, 2015 at 1:00 am
      Permalink

      She may have no father, like Anakin

    • December 22, 2015 at 1:56 am
      Permalink

      Why the f would he abandon her though.
      And don’t give me that “to protect her from her older cousin” bs.

      • December 22, 2015 at 6:17 am
        Permalink

        Luke knew he was going to be hunted? She was safer in anonymity? You would think the safest place in the galaxy would be with Luke Skywalker but perhaps where he was going he didn’t want to expose a young child? Obviously all speculation at this point

    • December 22, 2015 at 2:08 am
      Permalink

      HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THAT?!

      • December 22, 2015 at 5:55 am
        Permalink

        I only picked up on it on the second viewing, otherwise it would have flown right over me.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:02 pm
    Permalink

    With all this new info about what events occured before TFA, does anyone feel like Lucasfilm is setting up possible “in-between-quels” that would take place before TFA?
    I know that there are books and comics out there, but it seems like there is fertile ground for what occurs to the MAIN group and how their apparent tragedies lay the groundwork for TFA.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:47 pm
      Permalink

      The prequels to the sequels are coming beyond Disney’s PHASE ONE.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:05 pm
    Permalink

    I’m really hoping Episode 8 takes on a deeper story that reflects Empire in a more Artistic way.. Not just a bunch of eye candy and lofting..

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:26 pm
      Permalink

      I agree. I forgive the rehash for TFA because this movie had lot to set up, but ep VIII cant be a rehash aswell. It wont work with a new death star, and with at-at walkers at the beginning, thats 100%.

    • December 22, 2015 at 10:53 am
      Permalink

      it will. Rian Johnston is immensly talented, he will deliver

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:07 pm
    Permalink

    If you read the short stories like the perfect weapon and high noon on Jakku it gives a few more hints like in PW it talks about the bounty hunter getting a box that was being keep by a stormtrooper which is the same box I think shows up in Maz’s bar that holds the lightsaber. Also in HN it talks about a abandoned Moisture farm on Jakku and who else do we know was a moisture farmer. The books cost a few dollars but go back and read them know and things start to make sense. Also on part of the movie that made me start thinking was on Hans new ship when Finn was wrapped around the leg by that creature who else was grabbed and saved by a all mouth kind of creature just throwing that out there.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:21 pm
    Permalink

    “This may be another example of a scene the filmmakers changed at the last minute in the editing room, leaving it for future films in the trilogy to answer. It’s a pretty big difference from the film and it makes me think the inclusion of this may have been one hint too many. Or, it could be Foster chose to make his own interpretation of the scene, but it seems like a pretty BIG change.”

    can someone clarify what the change is? I’ve read the whole paragraph 3 times and I still can’t pick out what this is actaully talking about lol

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:21 pm
    Permalink

    I like the idea of Han initially being left in the dark about Vader’s true indentity, and that this may have led him to abandon his family.This would also help answer the question as to why Kylo seems to hate his father.

    Part of me likes it, but I would hope that they did it in a way that doesn’t cast Han Solo in a bad light. Perhaps Kylo had began to go crazy and this drove Leia and Han apart, and not in a one sided kind of way. Adds a fair amount of drama and continuing the theme of taking on what came before you and making a path for yourself.

    THAT, I like.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:25 pm
    Permalink

    What if Rey is the product of a ONS Luke had 20 or so years ago, after having too much Corellian brandy?

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:48 am
      Permalink

      lol
      But that would make her about 38 years old

    • December 22, 2015 at 10:51 am
      Permalink

      Rey is Luke and Leia’s daughter, kept a secret due to the nature of her parentage. SOO obvious

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:40 pm
    Permalink

    I can’t stop thinking about Rey’s force abilities. Either she knows she has them and is reluctant to use them or the force is really telling her what to do. Question is, why is she so strong with the force without needing training and why did Anakin require training?? Perhaps she was trained as a very young girl and has either forgotten or has been in denial. Perhaps she was immaculately conceived by Obi-Wan and yoda (the voices in the flash back by McGregor, Guinness and Oz) as the true chosen one. What’s going on?! Aaahhhh! I must know now!

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:46 pm
      Permalink

      I think she was trained as a young girl and some of that started coming back without her realizing it(the mind trick part, being able to resist Kylo Ren). As for the fight with Kylo, he gives her moments to concentrate at a time when she is truly in a life or death situation. She has very powerful potential and is able to unleash the force with her full potential for those brief moments because her life is on the line in a desperate situation.

      Personally, I think if Kylo had truly let himself be part of the darkside he would have wiped the floor with her. Because of his injury, his reluctance to fully accept the dark side, his obvious fear of her, and her brief moment of concentration allowing her to tap into the force, she is able to take him out this time.

    • December 22, 2015 at 12:02 am
      Permalink

      She has not yet received any training in the force. This is revealed in the movie, I forget which character reveals this, I noticed this watching it today. Maz tells her that the force is all around her, has always been there, and she just needs to let it in. I think Rey is way stronger in the force than Kylo Ren, and Luke at his age, most likely due to her bloodline. I also think subconsciously she taps into the force in TFA, hence why she can manoeuvre the Falcon like a pro, the Jedi mind trick, and her lightsaber skills (although she has already trained herself in weaponry, her staff).

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:38 am
        Permalink

        I don’t think her being able to pilot the Falcon is significant. Finn didn’t know how to operate the Falcon’s weapons system, but he instinctively learn it as he also instinctively learns about the TIE fighter. Still, Finn is not force sensitive ( or at least doesn’t seem to be).

        • December 22, 2015 at 5:25 pm
          Permalink

          Considering Obi-Wan, never really known as a good pilot, somehow relies on his droid to pilot his fighter through an asteroid field while being shot at by Slave I, I’m pretty comfortable throwing around piloting skills to anybody and everybody. (Hated that crap in AOTC).

    • December 22, 2015 at 12:03 am
      Permalink

      Who says Anakin needed training only the Jedi his mother told them that he had special powers he was the only human that could fly a pod they only need training to fine tune their abilities not to have them

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:11 am
        Permalink

        True. Good point!

      • December 22, 2015 at 4:52 pm
        Permalink

        Add to that they apparently would give lightsabers to a bunch of 5 year olds and somehow nobody died or got hurt.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:49 pm
    Permalink

    Adam Driver is 32. If we assume Kylo Ren is 35 (which is pushing it) and the killing of Luke’s apprentices happened 20 years ago that would make Ren 15 at the time. So if we see a flashback in VIII or IX and we see Ren’s face expect a different actor.

    • December 22, 2015 at 12:01 am
      Permalink

      I have a feeling EpE is going to [have to] do some serious flashback/explaining.

    • December 22, 2015 at 12:48 am
      Permalink

      I had the impression Kylo was younger in the movie. The claim that the destruction of the Jedi acdemy took place 20 years ago seems to be an inconsistency, or else Kylo turned when he was 10, which doesn’t make any sense.

      • December 22, 2015 at 3:27 am
        Permalink

        -Pablo Hidalgo who is head of the story team said Kylo Ren is 29 to 30 and Rey is like 19 I think.

        • December 22, 2015 at 11:16 am
          Permalink

          That sounds about right. If the Jedi academy was destroyed 20 years, then we must assume that either someone other than Ben did it, or Ben did it when he was 9 to 10. I haven’t read the nove

    • December 22, 2015 at 9:00 am
      Permalink

      Uh… Kylo can’t be 35. He’s Han and Leia’s son. They literally didn’t meet until 34 years ago, never mind could have had a son together the year before the Death Star.

      • December 22, 2015 at 5:45 pm
        Permalink

        ha. good point.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:53 pm
    Permalink

    “Leading up to TFA, the most popular debate seemed to be Plageuis or not. You didn’t really think they were going to answer that question in the first film, did you?”

    Here’s the problem: the only way you could answer that question in the film is if it is true. If it’s not true, it would never come up. Is Snoke going to say to Hux and Ren, “By the way, in case you were wondering, I am not Darth Plagueis”?

    But I still an’t figure out what the point would be anyway. Everyone knows he is on the dark side. All that would change is his name. 99.9 percent of the audience would just be confused.

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:57 pm
    Permalink

    Maybe they took an in the moment approach to writing Rey. Her lineage may just be obscured until the next writer takes the reigns. This make spoilers essentially impossible, since the TFA filmmakers literally don’t know who she is either. This gives Rian and whomever writes the next film the option of going in that direction, if they should so see fit,….or in another direction entirely. This resonates with what JJ said about this film being able to stand on its own.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:12 am
      Permalink

      Totally agree!
      We are talking about it, but there is not a decission about Rey linage until the final cut of the movie.
      Even if they are intelligent they can film different possibilities and check which fit better.

  • December 22, 2015 at 12:28 am
    Permalink

    Any hints about Finn in the novel ? It looks like the reviewer didn’t bother to look for or mention them. After all, Finn is just the sanitation guy, isn’t he ?

    • December 22, 2015 at 1:25 am
      Permalink

      On a second thought, might not have been the best idea to throw the janitor into a ho-hum routine village-burning-kill-innocents-let Ren go crazy-mission. Great idea, Hux, Phasma, great idea.

      • December 22, 2015 at 2:02 am
        Permalink

        Well, someone had to clean it up..

  • December 22, 2015 at 2:28 am
    Permalink

    Mara Jade will be played by Felicity Jones, also a 65 year old actress was hired for EpVIII…she too has Red hair and green eyes, just like Gen. Hux.
    Examine the cast photo for Rouge one…yes she is the red one.
    She is wearing Mara Jade garb and has a holster for a lightsaber.
    She would be the same age as Luke in Rouge one and the other actress in EpVIII.

    Luke may not have known or does not tell Rey that she is his daughter.

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:46 am
      Permalink

      How many times to you people need to be told. The EU and the characters from the EU will NOT be any of the new Star Wars films. Stop clinging to the EU and get over it

      • December 22, 2015 at 2:37 pm
        Permalink

        Blow it out your ass sparky.

      • December 27, 2015 at 6:04 am
        Permalink

        Mara Jade is Canon…and I counted at least 6 Eu characters in the Saga that were strait up started in Comics and novelizations.
        Also I’ve seen at least 12 sinerios in the Force Awakens that was riffed from the EU.
        The pod races in the Prequals were a mash up of Driods, More American Graffiti, and Ben Hur.
        The creators pull from everywhere but Mara is Canon and is going to show up, Disney has Produced Mara Jade Merchandise… Just sayin.
        I draw from the whole well of SW universe, not segregated info put in categorical blah.

  • December 22, 2015 at 2:33 am
    Permalink

    Also just as a theory compare Cumberbatch’s likness with Snoke.
    Cumberbatch’s may be in another Star Wars Story as young Snoke and the reveil has been masked by the fact that Serkis is playing/ imitating the old version of Cumberbatch’s, Cumberbatch has not denighed that he was not in Ep7…just outing that out there.

  • December 22, 2015 at 3:20 am
    Permalink

    Wouldn’t Rey remember Luke being her father if she was abandoned at the age of 5?

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:08 am
      Permalink

      May be she does, but she doesn´t remember him as Luke Skywalker but “dad”.

      • December 23, 2015 at 9:41 pm
        Permalink

        Exactly, that’s my take on the matter, Tom Brady kids don’t think him of GOAT QB thinks of him as Dad, the same with any famous person to them they’re just their dads.

        If she cut ties with him there’s no way she would know this mythological figure would be him

        • December 24, 2015 at 4:18 am
          Permalink

          Well, I am not in the father-daughter theory, probably they are playing us, but everybody bet for it, well, that is the reason for me to say they are playing us, it seems obvious and not really a surprise.
          I think Leia would have sensed her being family, I am not telling she was going to tell her before Luke did, but she could have told us…

    • December 22, 2015 at 6:45 am
      Permalink

      Not if she was unaware of her father like her father’s father before him and so on with Anakin and his Father, her Great Grandfather Snoke…from a certain point of view.

    • December 22, 2015 at 6:28 pm
      Permalink

      Or maybe Luke erased her memory to protect her. Coming into contact with the saber was all part of Lukes plan. When she was ready, the force awoken in her.

  • December 22, 2015 at 4:49 am
    Permalink

    “It is you” refers to the awakening. They felt it and didn’t know who/where it was.

    • December 22, 2015 at 4:50 am
      Permalink

      That makes sense.

    • December 23, 2015 at 6:54 pm
      Permalink

      he already knew of the awakening when he felt she was strong in the Force, It is you means more, means he knew her before TFA

  • December 22, 2015 at 4:58 am
    Permalink

    I’m not a huge of ADF, I enjoyed his Alien novelizations but if they are getting old authors to return then I’m hoping Matt Stover does the next one since he did a stellar job with ROTS.

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:31 pm
      Permalink

      Loved Stover’s work in the EU, he was one of the solid ones of only a few that I enjoyed reading.

      • December 23, 2015 at 3:56 pm
        Permalink

        He only did three or so while Denning and Miller did like 6 or more each. Loved Crispin’s Han trilogy which gives me hope for the spinoff but they pretty much broomed her after that.

  • December 22, 2015 at 4:58 am
    Permalink

    In spite of majority of people wishes, I believe there is not a decission yet about Rey linage, or if it has been taken it can be changed by the script writers. That is a fact.

    A master-apprentice link is strong enough, are we adding also a daughter-dad link?
    I think it is more clear that Luke will teach her.

    So what we can expect is that writers pick the choice more useful for them…
    Not being a Skywalker seems pretty useful.
    If you observe Kylo aptitude interrogating Rey it is not the same than interrogating Poe. He was more interested and surprised than hating. It was more than a job.
    Poe was tortured, and Rey seemed not suffering any physical damage.
    Even I though about Kylo fighting internally against the atraction he was feeling for that girl.
    For all that I believe the script writers will choose any other option than being Luke´s daughter, also there is the fact that they have insinuated it to us so clear that we would not consider it a truly surprise or a plot twist.

    • December 22, 2015 at 6:16 am
      Permalink

      I like the way you think! I had a thought about that as well. That would be kind of cool if they had the overall story in broad strokes to give Johnson room to refine the development of each characters trajectory

      • December 22, 2015 at 7:15 am
        Permalink

        I even believe they are looking the public reaction.
        And probably the merchandise has many things to do with it…

        • December 22, 2015 at 8:55 pm
          Permalink

          META ROLE PLAYING GAME!

      • December 22, 2015 at 9:17 am
        Permalink

        If you look at the first – old trilogy, they twisted the plot as much as they could.
        Mostly because they didn´t know they were filming a trilogy at the begining.
        If you see the first movie ANH, there was not anything that we could imply Luke, Leia and Vader were family.
        Even there are cut scenes not present in the film that would have made difficult to believe Darth Vader was Luke father exactly as we know it. Although of course we have the Vader–>Father sounds really similar.
        And of course there is that piece of dialogue between Luke and Leia in ROTJ when Leia discover they are sibblings and Luke asked her about her memories of her mother… and she has small memories, but she has them!
        So Padme Amidala dying given them birth in Revenge of the Sith was literally a big plot lie.
        Even if you think about her step Organa family, they died in ANH when the death star destroyed Aldearaan, so her memories should have been bigger.

        • December 22, 2015 at 2:43 pm
          Permalink

          Leia:”Just images really…feelings.”

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:23 pm
            Permalink

            I am listening it now, the dialogue implies she knew her, and as we know that was not possible in the prequels.

    • December 23, 2015 at 2:33 am
      Permalink

      For me Rey is THE BIGGEST character in this NEW trilogy.Every time she is on big screen the music in the movie change like the OT.I think she is a Skywalker BUT she is NOT Luke daughter.When Kylo search Rey mind trying to see the map he notice Rey Force and tell her…”Don’t be afraid…I feel it too”.He notice the island because is her future.Kylo read in her mind that she was LONELY and when he read about Han Solo is like the father she NEVER had…..there is the point…..I think she was born like Anakin….we know the mother of Anakin and NO father.Is the same with Rey….She has a mother BUT no a father.Who is the mother of Rey???…For me is in family or roots of the mother of Anakin in Phantom Menace.Is the only Answer.This will be a BIG surprise for EVERYBODY.Rey(is the chosen one like Anakin)will bring the balance to the force and Kylo will turn to the light.Rey will bring back home Ben to Leia.Rey will take Lukes place and he will die maybe in a battle with Snoke.Rey will kill Snoke.Luke will be a ghost close to his father.This is my point of view or maybe my own SW movie…:).

      • December 23, 2015 at 4:07 am
        Permalink

        I see you have idealized Anakin!
        Just like Kylo Ren. May be is Kylo who answer those questions you have…
        Personally I cannot see this trilogy making any plot wink to the prequels. They have done multiple plot winks and references the the First Old Trilogy, but none to the Prequels.
        For example, there is not a single reference to Midi-chlorians count in TFA and we all are very thankful about that.
        The Phantom Menace was about who great was the child, a genius, a gifted one, and finally so selfish proud of himself, isnt it?
        These new films are about ordinary people, simple scavenger, simple stormtrooper, as simple as a farmer, even Kylo show weakness each time he is not wearing the helmet.

        I see your plot fine, but remember new and probably important characters are coming to the new films and we don´t know anything about them.

        • December 23, 2015 at 4:32 am
          Permalink

          “Personally I cannot see this trilogy making any plot wink to the prequels. They have done multiple plot winks and references the the First Old Trilogy, but none to the Prequels.”

          Rey and Kylo are PT Anakin all rolled into one. And these winks to PT Anakin are not so subtle, either. If you pay attention, you’ll find them all over the film.

          Keeping away from the PT’s most controversial topics while using the best themes from the films is not only the smart thing to do. It’s also the right thing to do, because it is respectful to Lucas and as we all know, without George Lucas there would be no Star Wars.

          • December 23, 2015 at 4:55 am
            Permalink

            This film owe much more to the First Trilogy than the second. Well, one of the scripts is Kasdan!

            Yes, you are right Rey and Kylo have similarities with Anakin. But although in the time line was before, in our time line the Anakin story was after Luke story. Anakin is a product of Luke and Vader.
            I think what we liked of the prequels it was already in the OT.
            Well I could say some things I liked from the prequels, for example some views of Coruscant, but the true is that we are not sure if all that , even the things we liked, was really loyal to the Old Trilogy spirit.

          • December 23, 2015 at 6:44 am
            Permalink

            Yes, the main complaint about TFA is that it is a rehash of ANH. But it still has those nods or winks at the PT. And that is just as well, because now that we know what happened to Anakin, the story becomes much more complete and robust if the best elements of the entire saga are used in a clever way to tell the story of the sequels. At least for me.

          • December 23, 2015 at 9:13 am
            Permalink

            Well, my opinion in few words is the following.
            From very few lines of dialogue about the past and the best evil character they had built the prequels.
            The prequels failed the only moment Luke and Leia talked about the past, because Leia knew her mother. As we know in Revenge of the Sith she dies giving them birth.
            And the world built around those few script lines is not what I should have expected. For me Jedi is a kind of humble Zen thing, of people who secretly carry it but live an ordinary life. Exactly like Luke being part of the rebels.
            So all the world created in the prequels, the Jedi Council, that great temple in Coruscant, they directly involved in politics, the padawans, even the Ben-Hur race in Tattoine… all that is a different story than I saw in the OT. Better or worse but in my opinion different.
            That is what I was meaning.
            I believe The Force Awakens is more about the OT spirit than the PT spirit. Of course it is my point of view, totally personal.

            For me there is a clear example, the first time Kylo Ren is unwearing his mask-helmet explained to me much better the path Anakin traveled to Lord Vader than the 3 prequels. The tremor, the change of the voice from metallic…

            Nobody told us in the OT how, why or when Anakin won his helmet, or his evolving. Even as I have said before they didn´t follow the ROTJ dialogue between Leia and Luke, the only time they talked about the past.

          • December 23, 2015 at 6:34 pm
            Permalink

            Seems to me like your biggest problem with the PT was Leia never knowing Padmé as the exchange between her and Luke in RotJ suggested. Yeah, it was a little weird finding out that Leia knew her “real” mother as much as Luke did. That’s a valid complaint, no doubt.

            I really fail to see why Kylo removing his mask in TFA relates to PT Anakin or OT Vader, though. The OT made it clear that Vader was terribly deformed and that this is why he had to wear the mask and helmet.

            Nobody told us how Anakin ended up walking his dark path in the OT, true, but we haven’t yet seen how and why Kylo turned, either. Moreover, if it wasn’t for Anakin’s portrayal in the PT, it would be harder to understand and accept Kylo’s whiny, conflicted, emo self.

            The guy is his grandfather’s spitting image. Not as Vader but as the immature Jedi apprentice who used to throw tantrums because he felt that Obi-Wan was holding him back and that this prevented him from becoming “the most powerful Jedi ever.”

            The interesting thing is that we know now that Anakin was able to leave his old self behind. As Vader, he became cold, ruthless, methodical, driven, precise. It still remains to be seen if his grandson will be able to leave Ben Solo behind and become Kylo Ren as successfully as grandpa did (or if he’ll find redemption too).

          • December 23, 2015 at 8:13 pm
            Permalink

            What I was meaning is that before the PT, Anakin injuries story was open. It could have been in a duel with Obi Wan in a volcano planet, or it could be in a Xwing accident.

            The 2 moments Vader appears without his mask in the OT are really good scenes. The mask is necessary for him to survive, but also is a disguise as Kylo knows. It hides the feelings. I believe is full of meanings. I think TFA played knowing that.

            The articles here about the books are telling us that Ben Solo turned to the dark side very young, because he is there around 20 years when TFA happens. We still don´t know it, but it will be interesting the feelings made Luke to hide and how responsible he feels about Kylo to his sister, or Han.

            Probably in Vader the dark gave him some peace, but I cannot see it in Kylo.

            I believe Episode VIII will start 2 years after TFA, I am not sure of this, but I think I have read it anywhere. So we must be prepared for a plot jump, most probably Rey trained by Luke, and the others characters evolving to some point.

          • December 23, 2015 at 9:08 pm
            Permalink

            I remember I read somewhere that Anakin and Obi-Wan had fought on a volcanic planet and that Anakin was badly burnt. You probably missed it, but the information was out there years before the prequels came out.

            Kylo’s obviously using the mask as a scare tactic and also as a nod to his grandfather, certainly. Even though RotS suggests that Vader would’ve probably not resorted to anything other than the traditional black Sith robes, had he no need for the armor. Pretty much like Sidious, even after he was disfigured and deform.

            The time of the attack on Luke’s temple seems unclear to me. Kylo appears to be 28-30 yrs. old in TFA, so if the attack on the temple happened 20 years earlier, he would’ve been 8, 9 or 10 at the time, not old enough to pose much of a threat yet, IMO.

            Also, Rey seems to be 18-20 in TFA, so she would’ve probably not even been born if the attack happened 20 yrs. ago. I think the attack happened more like 10, 15 years ago. I can see Kylo turning on Luke and killing his fellow apprentices at age 15-18, and this would also mean that Rey would be about 5-7 when this happened.

            For me, Luke’s main reason to go into exile is pretty clear. I mean, the guy went through a lot just to turn his father back to the good side. I can’t imagine how devastated he must’ve felt when he saw his efforts go for naught as his nephew (and apprentice) turned on him. I think there’s more to this than that, since Luke went looking for the first Jedi Temple (probably looking for info that could help him solve the problem w/o having to kill his nephew), but this will all be revealed in its due time, of course. In any case, exciting times lie ahead, no doubt!

          • December 24, 2015 at 4:45 am
            Permalink

            Well, expanded universe seemed to me uncontrollable. Even now there is all that information in the internet about facts for the new owners are not “oficial”.

            The time of the attack to Luke´s temple was unclear for me too.
            Watching the movie I though they had made Adam Driver look younger and he should be about 20 years old in TFA.
            My surprise was when I read that book review about him, he is 30 and 20 years into the dark side. That is too much time for Leia and Han feeling really bad.

            I don´t know, but probably it was easier for Snoke to attract him being a very young boy.

            If you read anything about the religious orders in Europe and North Africa in middle ages, the story of the Jedis or the Sith in the PT is pretty similar. There were orders of monks fighters.
            For example Cathars and Templars were eradicated by nobility and the Pope, usually linked to nobility in those times. Both arrested and burned in very few years.
            The first time I saw Kylo sword I though, well, it seems they have changed samurais for templars.
            All we know is that Anakin Lightsaber was a kind of excalibur reference, even in TFA it is for Rey and Kylo… and also it is regarding the Luke scene in the ice planet in ESB.
            And Luke in ANH could be a kind of Perceval, in this case not King Arthur.
            “The hero with a thousands faces” was the book about comparative mythology that might inspire Lucas.

          • December 24, 2015 at 6:17 am
            Permalink

            I wasn’t surprised by Kylo’s age in the least. TFA seems to take place some 30-32 years after RotJ, so I think it makes sense to think that Han and Leia would’ve been married and have a kid, 1, 2 years after the battle of Endor.

            I can totally see Snoke beginning to corrupt Ben Solo at 10, but not turning him completely to the dark side yet. I think the precedent was set with Anakin. Since the Jedi Council feared that he could turn at some point, there’s no way they would’ve consented to initiate his training if he could really turn on them and become a serious threat at that age, IMO.

            Yes, I know about Knights Templar, Cathars, Teutonic Knights, etc. And it seems clear to me that Lucas used the tragic history of the Knights Templar as a blueprint for Order 66. But Samurai have always had such a deep influence on SW that Vader’s helmet was inspired by the traditional headgear of Samurai, and the lightsaber was equally inspired by the Katana sword.

            The Hero of a Thousand Faces did inspire Lucas. So much, in fact, that he became good friends with author Joseph Campbell eventually. But Lucas is gone now, as we know, and so who knows where the new “owners” are picking their inspiration from. Arthurian myth does sound about right, I agree. Nice catch!

          • December 24, 2015 at 8:44 am
            Permalink

            Well, I knew he could be that age, but when he removed the helmet he looked younger, and a similar age with Rey and Finn made sense.
            He must be similar age of Poe, so may be Poe is some kind of son figure subsitute for Leia, he is mother orphan, so may be for him too.

            The ultimate reason and the way they turned Ben Solo could be pretty obvious. Obi Wan and Yoda hid the sibblings of Anakin, we know the reason for it, but it doesn´t look cool if someone wants to twist it. Some kind of revenge, interest about his possible future skills…

            I think their problem is that they have not a 40 years old Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher, a 50 Harrison Ford, so they are just dealing with the fact that 30 years truly passed since ROTJ.
            Also a movie with kids as main characters cannot be so dark as this one can be.

            The fact is actually I don´t know what really happen if that story is written already. May be Kylo was kidnapped from Luke and he returned 5 years later to destroy Luke school. Or he did an “inside job”, it would be interesting to know the process.

            It is not me!
            IF you read R2D2, it sounds like Arthuric.
            R2D2 should be the Rock and Luke Arthur.
            The thing is that R2D2 was Obi Wan droid but it was with Leia and she knew about Obi Wan. Clearly there are things not explained yet even in the first movies.
            There is an interesting movie about what happened to Obi Wan and Yoda all those years, in the time of Star Wars Rebels. We don´t know, Vader has appeared in them, may be they can appear.

            Yes another source for Lucas and Kasdan was Kurosawa samurai movies.

          • December 24, 2015 at 5:30 pm
            Permalink

            Kylo/Ben’s journey seems to be the opposite of Anakin and Luke both: start out dark, forced to resist the pull of the light side, as opposed to starting out light and being forced to resist the temptation of the dark side. He may resist (like Luke) or be redeemed in the end (like Anakin). We’ll have to wait and see 😉

            I agree 100% with your speculation, though. I’m almost sure that Ben was taken by Snoke, brainwashed and conditioned at an early age, but it could be something else, too. It’ll be interesting to find out how his fall came to be, certainly!

            In Spain and Latin America, R2-D2 was wrongfully known as “Arturito” (Spanish for “little Arthur”) for years. But that’s just a coincidence. IIRC, Lucas got the name from a piece of tape that he found on a roll of film when directing American Graffiti. The words R2 (for Reel 2) and D2 (for Dialogue 2) were written on the tape, and that’s where he got the idea for the droid’s name.

            Arthurian myth is present in SW in some ways, but that’s because both tales are classic “Hero’s Journeys” and there are always parallels in this sort of story. There’s also a touch of old Westerns in the films (the cantina, for instance), but Lucas’ main sources of inspiration were ancient Asian culture (Samurai warriors, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.), Rome (a Republic that turned into an Empire) and the tragedy of the Knights Templar (as we discussed in earlier posts).

            My understanding is that Obi-Wan and Yoda spent the 19, 20 years between RotS and ANH preparing themselves to train Luke (and/or Leia) at the right time. They also used this waiting period to meditate and commune with Qui-Gon’s spirit to learn how to become One with the Force, naturally. But they can sure appear in Rebels. I don’t see why not 🙂

          • December 24, 2015 at 7:21 pm
            Permalink

            Even Han Solo, Leia and Luke could appear in Rebels.
            I wonder where were the rebels characters in the OT.

            Well, it is very obvious but it must be said, Lucas source is also 2001 Space Odyssei or the Space Career, first man in the Moon in 1969.

            I can confirm you R2D2 is NOT called Arturito in Spain. Also read in Spanish it sounds like ErreDosDeDos, not Arturito. I ignore about America.

            If Ben was taken when he was 10 from Luke, he must feel highly guilty about that. Also I wonder how those parents struggled with that at the begining, probably they looked for him around the galaxy…

            🙂

          • December 24, 2015 at 8:13 pm
            Permalink

            No, R2 is not known as “Arturito” anymore. I was speaking of the OT days (late 70s/early 80s) when the droid was called that in the film’s subtitles and novelizations, all of which were translated in Spain at the time. I know this because I had the original ANH novelization in Spanish (I live in Mexico).

            This changed during the PT era, though. Now, translations are done separately for Spain and Latin America. IDK about Spain anymore, but R2 is called “Artu-ditu” in Latin America now.

          • December 24, 2015 at 9:52 pm
            Permalink

            No, I am Spanish, I live in Spain and here never have been called Arturito. It is possible some novel printed in Mexico came here with that, but it would be weird. R2D2 from the begining, and ErreDosDeDos not Artuditu.

            🙂

          • December 29, 2015 at 3:53 am
            Permalink

            Not the least of which is Kylo stealing Anakins hair style…

  • December 22, 2015 at 7:24 am
    Permalink

    Star wars 7 was kind of shit i was not hyped for it that first Storm Tropper assault looked like it was filmed in a shed what happened did they spend all the money for that scene on beer and could only film that flimsy crap. My 9 year old son called the movie star wars 7 Its a trap. Phantom Menace was better than this crap and that is saying a lot. at Least Phantom Menace had and original story. Star wars 7 is a joke Disney pay 4 Billion to remake star wars with a bunch of shit new Characters that are as boring as Paint drying and the new sith lord is as boring arse shit could not of given a fuck about the useless retard.
    2015 At least we got a good Road Warrior movie

  • December 23, 2015 at 12:07 pm
    Permalink

    I think Rey is a Kenobi. Although her character beats really do match up with Luke, curtain things can hint at a connection to Obi-wan Kenobi. She and Kenobi are the only two jedi in the films who on their first confrontation/lightsaber duel
    with a darksider end up defeating said darksider (Kylo Ren,and Darth Maul respectively). They also both manage to defeat a Skywalker. Also Rey has an accent much like Obi-wan Kenobi which was what initially led me to this theory.

    • December 23, 2015 at 12:17 pm
      Permalink

      Interesting theory, I like it.
      The mission of Poe in Jakku regarded me to Obi Wan too.

    • December 23, 2015 at 7:09 pm
      Permalink

      So, I suppose you mean his grandchild? Since Rey was probably born more than a decade after Obi-Wan’s death. Maybe, but I wonder if they really would go that far to avoid the “obvious way”, namely Luke’s daughter. But I agree, she has also a lot in common with Kenobi.

  • December 29, 2015 at 3:50 am
    Permalink

    Why does noone bring up the fact that when Maz tells Rey that the people she’s waiting for won’t return, but “one still could”, Rey replies “Luke”, and Maz agrees. The movie TOLD US the answer, but no one seems to remember. Damn Jedi mind tricks…

Comments are closed.

LATEST POSTS ON MOVIE NEWS NET