Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

[Batman]

Somebody Forgot the URL tags and the http prefix.

[Adam Reynolds]

Based on those two scene numbers, it appears the internal shot of the X-wing pilot and the external shots of X-wings are not the same scene. This doesn't make much sense as it appears to clearly show the same thing: X-wings flying low enough over water that they fly though it.

Obviously this seems to imply that those numbers are not simply the placement of those scenes in the final movie.

[The Romulan Republic]

Somebody Forgot the URL tags and the http prefix.

I copied the link off the top of the page. Said stuff was not included.

Yes, I can be rather inept about computer stuff. My apologies.

Edit: Anyway, regarding the names story, I'm intrigued (and disappointed) that the person with the lightsaber in the teaser is identified as male.

[Havok]

Based on those two scene numbers, it appears the internal shot of the X-wing pilot and the external shots of X-wings are not the same scene. This doesn't make much sense as it appears to clearly show the same thing: X-wings flying low enough over water that they fly though it.

Obviously this seems to imply that those numbers are not simply the placement of those scenes in the final movie.

Uh, are you talking about the card numbers?
In the original card series, you had IIRC characters, scenes and ships all in their own number range. That is all that this is.

[Soontir C'boath]

If Wookiepedia is to be believed, the empire only lasted 25 years. It wouldn't be farfetched to me to see the empire splitting along Separatists lines again and fragment even further from within the loyalists as well which would be a great way to keep a sort of continuity.

That would mean it fell just after Endor, though what is the source on this? Until the new movies there is nothing anymore with regard to that era. As for splintering, this also happened in Legends as well. In the Wraith Squadron trilogy, Han and Wraith Squadron actually enter into an alliance with an Imperial admiral so that they can jointly hunt Zinj.

I am just offering a speculation on what path they may take past ROTJ given what occurred during the prequels.

[Havok]

Officially 2015.
349 days until Star Wars.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Now to commemorate the fact that a Star Wars movie is coming out in the same year Marty McFly traveled to in a DeLorean time machine, we need the Back to the Future theme in lightsaber noises. Someone get on that, right quick!

[Adam Reynolds]

I was just generally thinking about the issues of Abrams Trek films and the problems with them and what that means for the new Star Wars movie.

Despite their flaws, the SW prequels still gave an amazing setting with the fall of the Old Republic. And this is not to mention all of the interesting new environments and ideas we saw. What can the new movies give to rival that? Especially if they spend half the movie on Tatooine, which is how things appear from the trailer.

I feel like the underlying problem with Abrams Trek films was the lack of effective worldbuilding in the setting and the lack of depth to the setting in those films and the consequences of character actions in terms of impacting the larger setting. Vulcan was destroyed and it barely mattered, the Enterprise crew committed an act of war against the Klingons and no one seemed to care. I suppose in some ways this was faithful to the serialized nature of Trek as an old TV series, but it still feels wrong. Even the Marvel movies are doing a better job with this than Trek.

As for worldbuilding, there was nothing that felt at all new in these films. Everything was a rehash of what we had previously seen done slightly differently. While I found them entertaining as popcorn movies, they were hardly good in the same sense as classic Trek. I fear the same thing happening here.

And another related issue is that of the possibility of the new films failing to show any positive impact of the actions of the heroes of the OT. On a more minor note, did Luke and Leia have a positive impact by killing Jabba and destroying his organization? When Vader killed the Emperor and the Rebels blew up the second Death Star there was a sense that this was the beginning of the end of the Empire. It was a purely triumphant ending. If the Sith are back and the Empire still is mostly in power, what did the heroes accomplish?

[The Romulan Republic]

I think the destruction of Vulcan is something Abrams largely did well. It was a big change to the status quo, made Nero much more threatening, and had a major effect on Spock throughout the rest of the film. I would honestly say it had more significance than the destruction of Alderan in the A New Hope.

I do think, however, that Into Darkness did way too much rehashing old stuff, though to be fair, it did not have the same writers as Episode VII. And I think that having the Sith and Empire be major villains in the new Star Wars films is a horrible idea, not because it means the heroes didn't accomplish anything-they did regardless-but because its repetitive and seems anti-climactic after Return of the Jedi unless they try to make the new films even more epic, in which case they run the risk of going over the top trying to top Palpatine and Vader.

[Iroscato]

They undoubtedly achieved a lot on ROTJ - destruction of another massive, expensive battlestation, cutting off the head of the snake and the death of his henchman all in one fell swoop - but that doesn't mean the empire would completely disintegrate. I could see a sort of galactic-wide routing campaign working quite well for the plot, with the resurgent Republic bulldozing the ever-shrinking Imperials until they get their hands on SOMETHING that gives them a second wind. Maybe the new Sith will assume control of the remnants of the Empire and begin turning the tide.
Perhaps the trilogy will see a fully or partially revived Sith order facing off against the new Jedi Order. Could be kewl.

[Adam Reynolds]

I think the destruction of Vulcan is something Abrams largely did well. It was a big change to the status quo, made Nero much more threatening, and had a major effect on Spock throughout the rest of the film. I would honestly say it had more significance than the destruction of Alderan in the A New Hope.

Alderaan was one planet out of millions, not a species homeworld. But I agree Leia should have shown more emotion. Though her characterization always seemed to me that her response to anything negative was to push down the emotion while also getting revenge and dealing with the problem. She had the same response when Han was frozen in carbonite. While there was initial shock, she never even remotely broke down because of it.

I do think, however, that Into Darkness did way too much rehashing old stuff, though to be fair, it did not have the same writers as Episode VII. And I think that having the Sith and Empire be major villains in the new Star Wars films is a horrible idea, not because it means the heroes didn't accomplish anything-they did regardless-but because its repetitive and seems anti-climactic after Return of the Jedi unless they try to make the new films even more epic, in which case they run the risk of going over the top trying to top Palpatine and Vader.

I wonder how much the things that bothered me were Abrams and how much they were his writers? I don't think he actually had writing credit for Into Darkness, now that he does perhaps his ideas would be better. If nothing else we have Lawrence Kasden back, was it he or Lucas who was more behind the Vader reveal?

As for bringing back the Jedi and Sith, I don't actually have a problem with that idea. When the EU has tried other ideas they have inevitably been far worse than Jedi vs Sith. I would much rather see more Sith than Yuzhan Vong.

They undoubtedly achieved a lot on ROTJ - destruction of another massive, expensive battlestation, cutting off the head of the snake and the death of his henchman all in one fell swoop - but that doesn't mean the empire would completely disintegrate. I could see a sort of galactic-wide routing campaign working quite well for the plot, with the resurgent Republic bulldozing the ever-shrinking Imperials until they get their hands on SOMETHING that gives them a second wind. Maybe the new Sith will assume control of the remnants of the Empire and begin turning the tide.
Perhaps the trilogy will see a fully or partially revived Sith order facing off against the new Jedi Order. Could be kewl.

That might actually be the case, that the Empire has been shrinking for decades and now the Sith are able to give them a second chance in something of a devil's bargain. And what would make these new Sith dangerous is not that they are powerful as much as it is the fact that there are no real Jedi to oppose them. What might be an interesting strategic situation for the galaxy is if no one is really in power anywhere and there is little law and order with most planets trying to be on their own. We have already seen good guys in power in the PT and bad guys in power in the OT, the only thing left would be no one in power. This was what I always thought this era should have been in the first place, something parts of the EU did somewhat effectively.

[The Romulan Republic]

A galaxy with no major power would indeed be interesting, and it would fit well with the films. The Empire apparently collapsed, but the small guerrilla group that is the Rebel Alliance is too small to seize control of all of its territory.

[Havok]

Well we should see a new teaser or trailer tomorrow from that big Star Wars Con they have every year.

[The Romulan Republic]

I heard their was a new trailer due out on the 16th. Looking forward to it.

My main hopes are that we'll see some of the old heros and a good space battle.

[DarthPooky]

ITS OUT GO ON YOUTUBE

I don't now how to do links yet

[FSTargetDrone]

ITS OUT GO ON YOUTUBE

I don't now how to do links yet

BOOM:



Please be good please be good please be good...

[The Duchess of Zeon]

I'm now wondering if that desert planet actually isn't Tatooine but was instead of a garden world wrecked by the aftereffects of a massive number of starships crashing to the surface in a huge battle during the post-Endor fighting, like Honoghr in the Clone Wars supposedly was in the EU. That would be so awesome...

[Skywalker_T-65]

I'm now wondering if that desert planet actually isn't Tatooine but was instead of a garden world wrecked by the aftereffects of a massive number of starships crashing to the surface in a huge battle during the post-Endor fighting, like Honoghr in the Clone Wars supposedly was in the EU. That would be so awesome...

JJ dropped the name of the planet during Celebration's panel. Spoiler

Jak...Jakooie...something that starts with a J.

Point being, it's not the most non-backwater backwater in the universe.

EDIT: Spoilered it. Stupid me forgetting that.

[FSTargetDrone]

I'm now wondering if that desert planet actually isn't Tatooine but was instead of a garden world wrecked by the aftereffects of a massive number of starships crashing to the surface in a huge battle during the post-Endor fighting, like Honoghr in the Clone Wars supposedly was in the EU. That would be so awesome...

Possibly. I hope so, because I am weary of the movies showing us Tatooine again and again.

In any case, aside from the obvious ones, it looks like we see a pair of our original heroes as they are mentioned.

[Raesene]

I don't want to wait until december...

[Borgholio]

Spoiler

Jakooie? Sounds like a word I've heard Ewoks say during RoTJ. Is this post-holocaust Endor? *ducks*

Edit - probably better spoiler even though it's just me being a smartass.

[fractalsponge1]

They chopped off the bridge of the ISD.

More seriously...very excited now. Avoiding spoilers is going to be hard.

[General Mung Beans]

Looks like the Empire will remain the villains. The new Sith lord (?) looks rather ominous even if it looks like his wearing a ski mask.

[Borgholio]

Ghetto Edit - at 1:11. Is that Darth Revan?

[Skywalker_T-65]

Ghetto Edit - at 1:11. Is that Darth Revan?

It's Driver, Spoiler

Kylo Ren? Somethin like that.

. At least I think it's his character...that been confirmed yet?

I do remember rumors that he's Spoiler

something of an artifact collector, hence Vader's helmet. So, IIRC, Revan hasn't been retconned out by new material...so it could be his mask. Maybe. Depends on how much EU sneaks its way in I suppose.