Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoiler Thread. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK

[Angel Ariel]

I think it was more the actual "light saber fighting" that got me. In ANew Hope, at first Luke basically struggled to turn the thing on and then here, these two are both more than component in fighting someone who has at least some training with using the weapon and they had never held one before.

Rey and Finn also have pre-existing fighting skills/experience that Luke didn't have when he found Obi-Wan on Tatooine. While I agree it is a bit of a stretch, I don't think it's a huge leap to think they'd get the hang of it a little faster than someone with no previous fighting skills/experience.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Can't get caught up in the evolution of the light saber deuls...

There has been zero cohesion from movie to the next over the last 37 years...

I actually still think empire is the best...

And the heralded darth maul one has the dumbest elements to get it through...a 30
Second laser beam
Grid? Seriously?

Any the anakin Obi wan one was about as authentic as a clip from transformers...

Just have to ask
Yourself if it looked cool and not sweat the small stuff.

You'll drive yourself nuts otherwise.

 

[Skywalker]

Maybe Jedi master sipha dyas knows?

Now that's a name I've not heard for a long time.

 

[Skywalker]

BTW I liked the idea of Rey being Luke's daughter...then preferred her being Ren's sister...then I was digging the concept of her being related to Obi-Wan...but gotta say I think the idea of her being a descendant of Palpatine is pretty awesome. So many possibilities.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Now that's a name I've not heard for a long time.

That's a name you never should have heard.

In my book the DUMBEST mental mistake of the whole affair.

Even the midichlorians

 

[kbelle8995]

Here's the thing I dread. The Kylo Ren story. I don't know how much I can invest in his story. I am not that interested in revisiting the whole Anakin storyline even with a better actor. At this point I am willing to give the storytellers of this new chapter the benefit of the doubt. If Kylo does swing totally to the dark side may I say that perhaps the Skywalker men should not be so powerful in the force. Luke was the only one who handle it somewhat. It seems the force is more a curse than a blessing for this family.

For me I find Finn especially fascinating. Someone that saw something they couldn't live with and just said no. And it's a story I've heard much of in the Star Wars Universe ala Biggs Darklighter. That is an interesting story.

And I am intrigued by the Rey character

 

[sam_gordon]

I have seen several complaints about Rey's abilities across various social media outlets.... The way I see it 1) her ability to use the force with no training just shows how amazingly strong she is... Just think how impressively strong she'll be with training. It's a direct correlation to how strong Kylo could/will be after his training, as he really doesn't have much training either (though definitely more than Rey does)... 2) she really barely used the force... She outwitted Daniel Craig to get free, and she zapped the lightsaber away from a very injured Kylo Ren. Other than that, she was just using her I-do-this-every-day fighting skills, much like she used the stick she carried around the whole time.

OK, maybe she's "stronger" in the force than anyone. But how did show know the Jedi Mind Trick or the summoning power was even an option? Why did she think she all of a sudden had force powers? If she had heard about the powers before, why not try them out while she's scavenging on Jakku?

Let's not get into how many things she hit while trying to fly the Falcon off that planet, or how hard it crashed on the last planet and then takes off with no problems.

Sorry, I still see lots of holes.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

OK, maybe she's "stronger" in the force than anyone. But how did show know the Jedi Mind Trick or the summoning power was even an option? Why did she think she all of a sudden had force powers? If she had heard about the powers before, why not try them out while she's scavenging on Jakku?

Well, she knew of the tales as "myths" but then sees evidence of them being true with meeting Han and the Kylo Ren had trouble reading her mind.

I assumed that basically anything that happened in prior movies could be part of the "myths" - including the Jedi Mind Trick

 

[Halloweenqueen]

My current theory is that Rey and Ben were part of Luke's new padawan class. I believe they are either siblings or cousins. The new Sith Master rises to power and is searching for his apprentice. (another theory for another day) When Ben turns, Luke confronts the Sith Master and is defeated. He needs to find a new way to defeat him (I think he is Darth Plageis). He decided to hide the padawans, including Rey. He brings her to Jakku and leaves her in the care of an old friend (Max Von Sylow's character) along with a piece of the map to the Jedi Temple. I think Luke wipes her memory to protect her.

When Kylo captures Rey he recognizes her connection to the Force. As he tries to gain information about the map he also starts to awaken her memory of her jedi background. That's why she escaped and was able to fight Kylo.

I think this is further confirmed when she exits the shuttle and immediately runs to Leia. They know each other. This is also why they send Rey to retrieve Luke. They know the connection, but it hasn't been explained to the audience yet.

 

[wilkeliza]

I think the flashback when the lightsaber calls to her is the awakening of the force inside of her. This happens before she tries the mind trick and the summoning of the lightsaber.

 

[bcla]

Rey and Finn also have pre-existing fighting skills/experience that Luke didn't have when he found Obi-Wan on Tatooine. While I agree it is a bit of a stretch, I don't think it's a huge leap to think they'd get the hang of it a little faster than someone with no previous fighting skills/experience.

Some pre-release articles hinted that stormtroopers would likely be trained in the use of melee weapons like swords or that shock baton used against Finn. He wasn't expert at it like he was with shooting weapons, but he seemed to understand basic defensive moves.

Oh, I could have sworn there was no fanfare as the Lucasfilm logo appeared on the screen. The new rereleases (under Disney) seem to have used a new fanfare to replace the 20th Century Fox Fanfare.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

OK, maybe she's "stronger" in the force than anyone. But how did show know the Jedi Mind Trick or the summoning power was even an option? Why did she think she all of a sudden had force powers? If she had heard about the powers before, why not try them out while she's scavenging on Jakku?

Let's not get into how many things she hit while trying to fly the Falcon off that planet, or how hard it crashed on the last planet and then takes off with no problems.

Sorry, I still see lots of holes.

There are a million holes...

I can't figure out why you're obsessed with dissecting "holes"

What matters is what they do with everyone and thing moving forward...not whether they crossed ever T this time...

I woulda loved the most clever movie of all time as well...in lieu of that I'll take one that didn't offend us and sets up well.

I think you got that.

 

[sam_gordon]

There are a million holes...

I can't figure out why you're obsessed with dissecting "holes"

What matters is what they do with everyone and thing moving forward...not whether they crossed ever T this time...

I woulda loved the most clever movie of all time as well...in lieu of that I'll take one that didn't offend us and sets up well.

I think you got that.

Because the story is a big part of my enjoyment. A story with "holes" means that falls short for me.

I must have missed a memo. Can you point out where you get to decide "what matters"? Obviously it matters for you, but I need some more. Like a story that doesn't keep making me go "how did they get there" or "you expect me to believe that?" Obviously I'm willing to suspend belief for some things. Others, not so much.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's Star Wars...there are tons of holes in all of them.

Why did Luke skywalker fly into empty space off the ice planet when solo had half an armada chasing him?

How did darth Vader drift off into empty space after the Death Star blew and get back so easily? Hitchhiking?

There's so much going on it would be a twelve hour movie if you tried to tie all of it off.

There's this myth that the original Star Wars were fantastic stories. Empire was a fantastic movie...but I don't think they were the best stories ever.

They just grabbed everyone with the total package.

This was a reboot...we won't know how effective Abrams did till May of 2017.

I can wait.

 

[GaryDis]

I just saw it this afternoon.

One thing that people are forgetting about the fight between Kylo and Rey is that Kylo had taken a blaster shot in the leg from Chewbacca. They showed him favoring that leg a little bit, but it would have been better if they had consistently shown it. It makes sense that the injury would have given Rey a big advantage, they just didn't choreograph the sword fighting well enough to get that across.

Also, some people have commented about Resistance versus Republic. I thought that was obvious from the scroll at the beginning. The Resistance is to the Republic what the Continental Army was to the Continental Congress, i.e., the Resistance is the organized military that's supporting the Republic.

Finally, how did the first people with access to the Force learn to use it before there were Jedi Masters to do the training? In other words, is it that implausible that some people could pick things up naturally? It's a common enough trope.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Also, some people have commented about Resistance versus Republic. I thought that was obvious from the scroll at the beginning. The Resistance is to the Republic what the Continental Army was to the Continental Congress, i.e., the Resistance is the organized military that's supporting the Republic.
.

Hmmm...I don't agree here.

I think what they were trying to portray was that the republic had gone non-combative. As in they are my earlier example of Vichy France.
They were portrayed to me as kinda just sitting it out. Neville chamberlain.

The resistance was bare bones and the "first order" obviously was rocking some serious hardware.

And the line specifically given to old red arm was a drop of the "republic fleet"...

If they eradicated the government...which was in some new place it appeared before they were nuked...then that 3PO line was obviously a very non discreet teaser

 

[BagOLaughs]

I had the same thoughts myself GaryDis

I think what they were trying to show was Kylo had the training and discipline but Rey had raw power but no skill. However the fight didn't really come across very well. Oh well.

Just saying I LOVED the movie, sure there were some not great points but, in my eyes, there was nothing bad about it. I love Rey... she's a girl to look up to!

 

[BrianL]

I would like clarity on the Republic's status as well. They couldn't have been completely out of it as the Resistance relied on the Republic Fleet for backup. I think The Resistance was a specific arm that deals with the threat of the First Order specifically, keeping them out of proper Republic space (however it is defined by that time; I imagine First Order occupies at least some of what was once the Republic).

Then there's the planet that was destroyed by the hyper laser. Was that the seat of power for the New Republic. Why not Coruscant? Was it just where the Fleet was stationed? They were just a little unclear on all this, though they will probably flesh it all out in books and comics, etc.

 

[bcla]

How did darth Vader drift off into empty space after the Death Star blew and get back so easily? Hitchhiking?

This was a reboot...we won't know how effective Abrams did till May of 2017.

First of all, it wasn't a reboot, but an official continuation of the series. Abrams's Star Trek was a reboot.

As for Darth Vader - his TIE fighter was supposed to be experimental, with hyperdrive and life-support systems built in.

Also, some people have commented about Resistance versus Republic. I thought that was obvious from the scroll at the beginning. The Resistance is to the Republic what the Continental Army was to the Continental Congress, i.e., the Resistance is the organized military that's supporting the Republic.

It's supposed to be a private military that's tolerated (but not specifically supported) by the New Republic. The New Republic is supposed to have its own minimal military force.

http://www.starwars.com/databank/the-resistance

A small, secretive private military force, the Resistance was founded by rebel hero Leia Organa to monitor the actions of the First Order. Most New Republic power brokers tolerate the Resistance while regarding Organa and her fighters as dead-enders with an unfortunate fixation on the past. Organa’s cash-strapped movement relies on credits, ships and equipment quietly funneled to it from the few senators who share her concerns.​

 

[GaryDis]

it wasn't a reboot, but an official continuation of the series

I believe that when people accuse it of being a reboot, they don't mean in the literal sense, the way The Dark Knight rebooted the Tim Burton Batman series. Rather, the overall plot line is such a mirror of #4 that it feels like it's telling the same story, that of a young person left on a desert planet with no knowledge of his/her ancestry but huge strength in the force and a mission to defeat a dark side warrior who is mentored by and subordinate to another mysterious master of the dark side - a mission that can only be met by first getting training from the last surviving Jedi knight.

Get rid of the the references to Yoda and Vader, the Han Solo and Leia plot lines (but maybe keep Kylo as the son of the Resistance general), rename Rey to Luka and it's more of a literal reboot.