Let me level with you real quick: I’m a nerd.
I don’t mean one of those girls that think it’s ironic and cute to be nerdy. I mean I am a genuine nerd. One of the things I am most nerdy about is Star Wars. I went to a party once and ended up sitting in the corner with a guy, arguing over whether Mace Windu was skilled enough to take on Emperor Palpatine. True story.
With that being said, when it was announced that there would be a new installment in the series, I was wary at first. Why do you have to go and mess with a good thing? I love Star Wars as it is, and I even like the prequels, despite the fact that most fans thought they were trash. I was even more concerned when I heard that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm.
My doubts were alleviated when the first teaser trailer came out. The opening narration, with the Darth Vader-like voice, made me shriek like a girl at a Bieber concert (I’d probably shriek at that concert too, grown up Bieber is just sexy).
Then the second teaser came out and I was like, finally! Chewy and Han Solo appeared, as well as the helmet of Darth Vader. I felt better knowing there was a blending of both old and new story lines.
Finally, on October 19, the official trailer came out for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. You can watch it for yourself below.
When I watched the trailer, I got chills and goose bumps all over. I think I replayed it three times, so needless to say, I’m pumped. If after watching the trailer you’re a little confused, let me give you a run down on what you need to know, from a certified Star Wars nerd:
- Who is that new girl you ask? Her name is Rey, last name unknown, although director J.J Abrams says the lack of a last name is intentional. In my opinion that probably means she’s the offspring of an important character (that’s just me speculating). We know Rey is a part of The Resistance, so she’s one of the good guys, and it looks like she wields a blaster like a badass.
- That droid looks nothing like R2D2. The new droid is BB-8, he is an astromech droid. The sphere design is homage to the pre-production design of R2D2. BB-8 belongs to The Resistance, although we aren’t sure which character it is connected to.
- We are now giving a name and face to the storm troopers. Storm troopers, up until now, have always been unidentified enforcers of the Galactic Empire. Now they are affiliated with The First Order, which is the new military organization formed after the Galactic Empire. We see the character Finn take off his storm trooper helmet and abandon his role as a soldier, under the pretense that he has “nothing left to fight for.” We have no idea why he leaves The First Order and joins The Resistance, but based on the trailer it seems like Rey and Finn are somehow connected.
- There is a wannabe Darth Vader. That is Kylo Ren; verdict is still out on whether he is going to be as hot as Anakin Skywalker was. Kylo is a bad guy, associated with The First Order. He looks like a Sith, but Abrams said he is actually just a warrior with the force. The dark side supreme leader Snoke commands him. Either way, Kylo Ren has a freaky obsession with Darth Vader. He tells Darth Vader’s crumpled helmet that he is going to, “finish what you started.” My question is, why is he talking like Vader? Clearly this guy is a poser.
- R2D2 is back!? We get a flash in the trailer of what looks like R2D2 being patted by a hooded character, but we will have to wait and see.
- What is Han Solo’s role? We see Chewy, Han, and the Millennium Falcon all reunited working for The Resistance. Based on the trailer, Han Solo looks like he is acting as Finn and Rey’s mentor. He is shown giving them advice, and explaining what happened during The Rebellion. I thought it was strange that apparently everyone thinks the events of The Rebellion were just myths.
- Are Han Solo and Leia Organa married! There is a small scene in the trailer where Han Solo is hugging an older Leia (I have to admit, both Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher aged well). We know that the pair was very much in love and happy at the end of Return of the Jedi, however there was no wedding or sign that they ended up together. We can’t tell from the trailer whether the Han and Leia stayed a couple, or if they were hugging because they are reunited in The Force Awakens.
- Somehow, Finn has Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber. Yes, that blue lightsaber that Finn is wielding, is in fact Luke’s. There is no confirmation yet that Finn even knows of the force or will become a Jedi.
- Where is Luke? While he isn’t pictured, you know that voice you hear narrating the second teaser? That is Mark Hamill, AKA Luke Skywalker, which gives fans hope that he will return and eventually play some sort of role in the new installment.
If your not a Star Wars nerd, at least now you can follow the movie when one of your friends or your significant other drags your to the theater. Be sure to reserve your ticket now, and see The Force Awakens December 18!