Is there a max number of times someone can watch the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer? No? Okay, good. (proceeds to watch it approximately 100 more times)
There’s a lot going on in this trailer so let’s talk about it and discuss the best moments (in chronological order of the trailer)!
10. Rey on Jakku
The trailer starts with our new heroine – Daisy Ridley’s Rey (who may or may not be a Solo). We see her scavenging and once more with Poe Dameron’s (Oscar Isaac) astromech droid, BB-8, but perhaps what is most exciting here is the voiceover between her and Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o). This is the first we’ve ever had any interaction with the pirate character and it sounds like she’ll be a pivotal character for Rey’s personal journey.
9. Finn’s Stormtrooper Roots
We’ve known since the first trailer that Finn the Stormtrooper (John Boyega) crash lands on Jakku, but now we know a little more.
Such as the fact that he seems to be shot down by the First Order – perhaps they learned he no longer wanted to be part of them? However, the most telling moment for Finn in this trailer is when he says: “I was raised to do one thing. But I’ve got nothing to fight for.”
Has the First Order successfully taken over the galaxy? Is it simply assumed that everyone will join them and people aren’t given a choice? The Resistance might even be more ragtag and disgraced than the Rebel Alliance was.
8. Kylo Ren
First: We have lens flare. I repeat: We have lens flare. Okay, moving on.
“Nothing will stand in our way. I will finish what you started.” Cue shot of Vader’s burned mask. We know that Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) thinks of Vader as a martyr and this further reaffirms that. We often see Kylo with the First Order in this trailer, but I have to wonder if he’s also working outside of them as well. Are the Knights of Ren part of the First Order or a separate faction that sometimes shares common interests with the First Orders? And is Kylo currently standing on a Starkiller base?
I have so many questions, Abrams!
7. Poe Dameron in Trouble
Out of our new trio, Poe Dameron is the one we’ve seen the least. We know he’s an excellent pilot for the Resistance, he gets a mission from Leia, and that he comes across Finn and their fates become intertwined. That’s about it (unless you’ve read some of the comics and books that’s part of the Journey to The Force Awakens).
But it looks like his role will be a lot juicier in the film – we see him in handcuffs being led by a Stormtrooper and also this shot of him being tortured by Kylo Ren. I think this is one of the more powerful shots of the trailer and one I’m the most curious about. I can’t wait to see how the new trio comes together.
(Okay, maybe I’m a little biased. But can you blame me? Oscar Isaac. As a Resistance X-Wing pilot.)
6. Road Trip with Han Solo
We see several shots of Finn and Rey with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) which makes me think one thing: adventuring road trips with old man Solo! I am all about that.
However, even more interesting is when he tells Finn and Rey, “It’s true. All of it. The dark side, the Jedi, they’re real.”
So in this time, the events of the original trilogy are considered legends or myths. I’m willing to bet this is part of the reason we haven’t seen Luke (Mark Hamill) at all yet. Maybe the First Order is purposely suppressing truths about what happened 30 years ago and the victory of the Rebel Alliance.
5. Jungle Planet Battle
There’s plenty of action in this trailer – just check out the awesome composition of this shot with the wave of Resistance X-Wings headed straight for the Stormtroopers!
Scenes keep going back to the jungle planet where we first saw Finn and Poe together, Rey, and more familiar characters. There’s a level of trust between Finn and Poe already, which means this has to take place later on in the film. Could it be the massive battle at the finale of the film?
4. Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) in the house! Look at how cool she is. Also she’s definitely on a desert planet, probably Jakku, and the shot of Kylo immediately after seems to be from the same moment. I think this is from the beginning of the film – maybe the First Order is looking for Finn or Rey or Han (or all three)?
3. Will There Be a Major Death?
I’m not gonna lie – this shot worries me. Rey looks genuinely distraught, the way someone would after being completely defeated… or seeing someone you care for die. I can’t shake the feeling there’s going to be a big death in this film and that it’s going to turn out to be a character we all adore.
2. The Princess and the Scoundrel
Honestly, do I even need to say anything? (Except for the fact that, once again, this shot is from the jungle planet – is Han about to go in to battle? Has something happened with Luke?)
I got especially emotional when I heard Han and Leia’s theme in the trailer, too. And just let that sink in: a new score by John Williams!
1. Finn vs. Kylo Ren
Watch this scene again: Finn doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he’s determined anyway. I think Finn is going to turn out to be a great hero. However, this also makes me consider once again that maybe Finn isn’t Force-sensitive, but he simply has Luke’s lightsaber for some reason. I think Rey is the one who’s Force-sensitive and the last voiceover (who fans think might be Leia), saying to let the Force in, is spoken to her.
Also check out Kylo Ren not wearing his mask!
What a great trailer. It’s exciting and drops hints, but doesn’t give anything major away. It’s enough to give fans a taste and make the next two months last forever, but it still makes sure that once we all see the movie for the first time, we’ll go in relatively unspoiled.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, and Max von Sydow is set to come out on December 18, 2015.
What are your favorite moments from the trailer? What theories do you have? Let us know in the comments!
