Rey is an awesome successor to Luke Skywalker as the central figure in the new trilogy, but is she related to the hero of the original films? Theories range from Rey being a Skywalker to a Solo to a Kenobi, but she could easily be any of these or none of them. There is clearly a connection to the Skywalker clan teased when she touches Luke’s lightsaber or when Luke, Han, and Leia interact with her, but who is she really? Things are less clear with Rey than any character in the STAR WARS saga, and it is that mystery that makes it so interesting to see if all will be revealed in Episode VIII.
"); postscribe('#'+dynslot, 'cmnUNT("inline'", tile_num++, 0, "'+dynslot+'");'+'ipt>');
Finn had the most complete arc of any new character in THE FORCE AWAKENS and yet we still know nothing about him. A brainwashed stormtrooper who turned against the First Order, Finn’s family is a mystery as is whether he will become a love interest for Rey or follow a path to be a Jedi. Finn wielded a lightsaber in the film and on the posters, but he was bested by Kylo Ren and given a critical injury to his spine. Was Finn the rare non-Force sensitive user of a lightsaber or does his murky backstory hint at greater things for him?
Another character eliciting a ton of theories from fans, Supreme Leader Snoke seems to have quite a bit of Dark Side in him. Mentor to Kylo Ren, Snoke seems to want Luke Skywalker destroyed as much as anyone, but his true motivations are unclear. It is also unclear as to how he rose to such prominence in the First Order and we never heard anything about him in the Original Trilogy. Some have suggested that Snoke could be Darth Plagueis, mentor to Emperor Palpatine, since his theme in THE FORCE AWAKENS is eerily similar to music from REVENGE OF THE SITH. Whatever the case, I just want to know if the guy is seventy feet tall or if he just has a Napoleon complex.
THE FORCE AWAKENS kept Luke Skywalker’s location a mystery for all but a minute of screen time. Mark Hamill uttered no dialogue but came face to face with Rey before the film ended. Luke’s face bore a knowing expression as to who Rey was, but the emotions seemed to be conflicted between happiness, anger, and sadness. Luke seems to be at an ancient Jedi temple of some sort, but has he been meditating for all these years or just hiding from Kylo Ren? Is there more to his plan than just waiting for everything to blow over? I certainly hope there is more to Luke’s last decade that standing on the edge of a ruined building, waiting for someone to bring him back his lightsaber. And why the hell would he leave a map if he didn’t want to be found?
There are lots of theories about Kylo Ren. Some think he is truly good and posing as evil to help take down the Sith. Others think his tale is an adaptation of the fall of Jacen Solo who would go on to become Darth Caedus in the Legends novels. What we do know is that he killed his father, Han Solo, and that is not typically an act you can redeem yourself from. Kylo Ren has been trained as both a Jedi (as Ben Solo) and now under Snoke to use the Dark Side of the Force, but he was still bested by the rookie Rey and left with a gnarly facial scar. Will he seek revenge and complete Snoke’s plan and Darth Vader’s legacy? With Benicio Del Toro teased as the villain in Episode VIII, will Kylo Ren still play a substantial role?
"); postscribe('#'+dynslot, 'cmnUNT("inline'", tile_num++, 0, "'+dynslot+'");'+'ipt>');
The fall of Anakin Skywalker to become Darth Vader was not a story widely known around the galaxy outside of Obi-wan Kenobi and Yoda. But, Luke learned the truth and shared it with his sister, but after Vader redeemed himself at the end of RETURN OF THE JEDI, was his bravery touted around the known universe to those who once feared him? Kylo Ren seems to have still believed in the Dark Side tale of Vader and Han Solo still remembers the black suited villain. Does the galaxy still fear the Sith Lord or are we not getting the whole story?
When asked how she came into possession of Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber last seen falling with his severed hand in Cloud City, Maz Kanata hinted that it would be a story for another time. Well, dammit, it is time for that story. Thirty years is a good amount of time for Lobot or another employee of Lando Calrissian to find it on Bespin, but there has to be something more intriguing about it than that or Maz would have just said that. With the saber back in Luke’s possession, will he pass it down to Rey?
Teased as the coolest new addition to STAR WARS, Gwendoline Christie’s chrome trooper was a waste of screen time. Last we heard, Han and Finn were talking about throwing her into a trash compactor. Everyone has said that Christie will be back as Phasma in Episode VIII, so I just hope she can actually live up to her potential as a villain instead of existing just to lower the shields.
The villains in STAR WARS just cannot seem to make massive super-weapons without leaving vulnerabilities easily exploited by their foes. But, once again, the bad guys are cowering and plotting their next move. Snoke, Hux, and Kylo Ren seem to have a plan for what they will do next, but what could it be? It better not be an even bigger gun because that would just be silly. They did manage to destroy the Republic which is a big blow to the Resistance, but I have to believe they have more up their sleeve than just shooting at the rebels.
"); postscribe('#'+dynslot, 'cmnUNT("inline'", tile_num++, 0, "'+dynslot+'");'+'ipt>');
Very little was revealed about what the Resistance did for the last three decades after RETURN OF THE JEDI. We know splinter groups like the First Order have kept General Organa and her band of rebels on their toes. We also know that the Republic partnered with the Resistance prior to being decimated by the Starkiller Base in THE FORCE AWAKENS. With their resources vanquished, what will they do next? We know Leia’s search for Luke was a top priority, but in the wake of Han Solo’s death, what will they do now? And will Poe Dameron play a bigger role in the next phase of their plans?