STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Official Thread v.6

[shockaholic12]

You'd think

If tracking things makes you a badass, we can't ignore the sand people who ko'd Luke, that robot from ESB that found Hoth, and R2D2 for finding the Dagobah system.

Guess that makes everyone in the rest of the galaxy including the skywalkers, republic, & resistance total bitches because they didn't even notice a PLANET sized super weapon built in their own Galaxy.

 

[Kneepocalypse]

Apologies if the answer to this question is obvious, I may have just missed something, but why did the first order use the death-er star-er to destroy all the planets around the resistance and not the planet that the resistance was actually on?

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

Apologies if the answer to this question is obvious, I may have just missed something, but why did the first order use the death-er star-er to destroy all the planets around the resistance and not the planet that the resistance was actually on?

They wanted Rey alive to recruit her into Teh Darth Side IIRC.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Spoiler

Apparently it was a planet called Hasnian Prime. I believe the name was said briefly at some point. The New Repuics capital moved every election, but that was cut out of the movie.

Finally the discussion enters into substance instead of "durr ah didn't like it cuz it wuzn't eggzacklee what ah wahnted"

This was a good movie. The plot made sense; it was coherent and had weight to it, the characters were fun and seemed like people you'd want to be around; they had some charm to them. The decisions the main cast made were rational and backed up within the plot, the enemies were menacing, the visuals were fantastic, the sound/orchestra was perfect, the settings were appropriate and interesting and the pacing was on point. There were no serious flaws with this film, unlike the prequels which felt more like video-game cutscenes. People who enjoyed those prequels, got bless them, honestly can't tell the difference between good movies and bad movies. Which is fine, enjoyment in the cinema is an objective thing, but enjoying a movie and recognizing the difference between a good movie and a bad movie is not at all the same thing. I like lots of bad movies for my own reasons, but can recognize they're bad.

Nothing bad about this movie. Doesn't mean someone has to like it, but it was definitely well made and cogent.

Alright end rant, on to the substance of the new universe:

Spoiler

I wookiepedia'd this and now the New Republic changes it's capital every election year now, so it seems. So the First Order blew up three planets in the Republics capital system, the same system Han went too to drop off Rey, the little soccer ball droid and Finn.

How I've come to understand the new post Endor Star Wars universe is like this:

After Endor, which saw the Super Star Destroyer capital ship of the Imperial fleet destroyed and the loss of several admirals AND an important Grand Moff, along with the death of the Emperor and Vader, there was, naturally, a leadership crisis. Planets rebelled and some joined the rebel alliance, others claimed independence, etc. That's one of the main reasons the imperial fleet lost at Endor and withdrew from the battle without being able to destroy the rebellion, they lost all their leadership.

The empire reorganized and fought the battle of Jakku, which ended with an imperial rout. The rebellion had rallied enough systems to the cause of restoring the republic that they were able to defeat the imperial fleet outright - the imperial fleet also made lots of bad decisions during the battle and suffered a second devastating loss. That was basically the end of the empire. Some small fragments remained but the Rebellion seized Coruscant and reorganized the galaxy. They invited planets to join the republic but did not force them to join.

That's where the New Order was able to sneak in and gain some traction. There were certain planets that chose to remain "imperial" in a sense because they had a democratic right to do so. It seems the Republic recognized this as legitimate. So the "Empire" lived on in some places, but they weren't much of a force. The Republic had/has a massive fleet and millions (billions?) of inhabited planets supporting it.

Luke went on to try and re-start the Jedi Knights as the keepers of peace throughout the galaxy but failed to prevent some key students from turning to the Dark Side. I guess a major risk associated with teaching people about The Force is that people are flawed and might be turned to selfishness and rage for any number of reasons.

Luke taught some kids some lessons, and badda-bing badda-boom, he lost control of certain students. This "supreme leader Snoke" who may or may not have been a student of Luke's started a cult and recruited members, he managed to brainwash Ben Solo who becomes Kylo Ren with stories of his grandfather and promises of power, and any number of other cult-esque strategies that tear people from their families.

This cult gets in contact with whatever remains of the Empire and they form an "Alliance to restore The Empire" kind of thing, and either go on a warpath starting a full on Galactic war, or, they operate as a cult/independent territory and via cold war tactics they terrorize the Republic; it's not clear exactly what was going on politically in "The Force Awakens" (probably by design since Disney knew Abarams only had 1 film on contract and they didn't want him designing the entire new universe).

The First Order seem to have conquered a good portion of the galaxy, or at least intimidated several systems into joining their side, by the time The Force Awakens gets started.

"The Resistance" seems to have been formed within First Order territory, or, as an offshoot of the Republic that would not sit idly by and watch the Empire re-form under the guise of "free-elections" or whatever it is the First Order did to control systems.

So the First Order is either

A) In a full on war against the Republic, but they fear to engage the Republic fleet outright and the Republic Fleet is also unwilling to engage in a decisive battle, so there's a stalemate

B) In a Cold War against the Republic, where they engage in occasional skirmishes that see various territories ceded between one party and the other, followed by peace treaties.

C) Is a cult that is controlling the Republic behind the scenes and can't be crushed because of corruption

Whatever the case may be, they are also fighting a resistance within their territory that is supported by at least some elements of the republic, based on the lines of dialogue we heard in the movie.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

So you're saying he tracked them?
So you're saying it was vaders plan?

When exactly did fett capture them? Before or after Vader disarmed han and handed him over to fett?

Seriously, go rewatch it then come back an apologize. I'll be here.

youre being obtuse on purpose.. Its actually very funny. Youre literally disagreeing with what the Fn movie stated to the audience.. Youre laughable at best.

No the imperials had no clue to where Solo went, That's why they dumped their garbage while Solo and the crew hid against a tower on the star destroyer..

Fett took it upon himself to hide in the garbage shoot not the other bounty hunters who were also assigned with finding them. You clearly see the Star Destroyer go to hyperspace and Fett wait in the garbage while Solo revealed the Falcon (that had no working hyperdrive) obviously something Fett realized.

Thats more there than simply tracking. Fett literally outsmarted Solo at his own game. Vader and the Imperials as well as the other bounty hunters did nothing of the sort. BUT Fett did..


Vader even made it a point to specifically tell Fett, "no disintegration process." Did Vader say that to the all the other bounty hunters, the giant robot IG-88 or Bossk the giant lizard. NO he didn't. He specifically singled out Fett. Which just cements how much of a badass he is.


keep trying kid maybe youll actually watch the damn movie sometime.

 

[lsa]

not even close

F U.. F U Disney...

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Spoilers below. Don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet.

lol. Oh my fucking god. It was supposed to be similar to a New Hope. That was the point. Jesus tapdancing Christ with these nitpicky fans who cannot be pleased.

If anyone who didn't entirely miss the point and premise of this movie has an interest, there's a novel called Star Wars: Aftermath that explains the new-canon and politics behind the First Order and New Republic. I haven't read it myself but I've read the summaries, it's not well reviewed but the info on the plot is at least interesting.

 

[shockaholic12]

lol. Oh my fucking god. It was supposed to be similar to a New Hope. That was the point. Jesus tapdancing Christ with these nitpicky fans who cannot be pleased.

If anyone who didn't entirely miss the point and premise of this movie has an interest, there's a novel called Star Wars: Aftermath that explains the new-canon and politics behind the First Order and New Republic. I haven't read it myself but I've read the summaries, it's not well reviewed but the info on the plot is at least interesting.

there's "similar" and there's "derivative to the point I can go take a piss and come back to my seat and tell my girlfriend what happened in the flick while I was gone."

Some of the similar stuff was great, but by the end it stepped into the latter too much.

Good break-dancing lord, discussing a handful of the biggest moments of the plot is now nitpicking to people who liked it?

 

[in the]

I didn't watch any of the previews, always turned my head in the movie theater (like a kid with his mom when a nude scene came on). I shunned everything and tried to watch the movie tabula rasa.

It was GREAT. I halfway expected it to suck after Episodes 1, 2, and 3 sucked balls. So glad the movie was not made by Lucas. I think this is my second favorite Star Wars, right after The Empire Strikes Back. I want to see it again already.

 

[Medical Marijuana Man]

I might watch this on Monday. It's crazy how much it's earned so far in 3 days.

 

[Aegon Spengler]

there's "similar" and there's "derivative to the point I can go take a piss and come back to my seat and tell my girlfriend what happened in the flick while I was gone."

Some of the similar stuff was great, but by the end it stepped into the latter too much.

Good break-dancing lord, discussing a handful of the biggest moments of the plot is now nitpicking to people who liked it?

Spoiler

This movie was absolutely not "go take a piss and know the plot" worthy at all. If you're saying you saw the Han scene on the bridge coming, you're flat out lying. If you're telling me you knew who Kylo Ren was going to be before the movie started, once again; bullshit. If you knew exactly how Han would react when he met Leia, or if you predicted that Rey was going to get that vision from the lightsaber, well good work Nostradamus, cause nobody else did. There was tension, mystery and freshness in this film.
It followed a similar path to a New Hope, as in yeah, there was a big climactic battle and we got to know an isolated hero, etc, and that's the whole point. Calling it "too similar" misses the premise of the movie and shows you didn't know wtf was going on when you were sitting there watching it - (hint, it's starting all over again, The Force Awakens). Not getting it is on you because the vast majority of the critics and people who have seen this movie picked up on the story the movie was trying to tell rather easily. If you/whoever did get it (doesn't seem like it) and just didn't like it, fine, enjoying movies is a matter of personal taste - but the whining is annoying and unwarranted and deserves to be checked.

This movie combined the new and the old very well and left the audience feeling like we took a trip through the future that was also kind of in the past (a long time ago in a galaxy far far away) and the past is something the characters in the story are no doubt afraid of; the audience should feel frustrated along with the old timers that the kids aren't listening and don't see how bad all this can get - it all makes perfect sense as a theme moving forward given the context this movie exists in today and at the end of the day it was an excellent, fun, space adventure movie that hit all its marks.

 

[KILL KILL]

Motherfucker froze a laser in mid air. How cool was that???

 

[phoenixikki]

Not a single memorable moment? I guess Kylo Ren killing Han Solo is a forgettable moment? Some people hate on stuff just to hate on stuff. It's like they're determined to be unhappy.

Dude, anyone with a brain could see that coming from a mile away.
But I am glad it happened. Harrison Ford actually asked Lucas if he could kill Solo, he got him iced. Close but no cigar. Now we got what was really intended.

 

[Lethal_Striker]

Most of the Original Trilogy characters won't live to make it past Episode 10 anyways, people should expect Luke and Leia to eventually die also. Maybe it happens offscreen after Episode 9 but it's going to happen eventually.

 

[taurus]

My question for those who have seen it though, is how would you rate it as a standalone film? What qualities (if any) allow it to outshine its predecessors? And would viewing it separate from the other films make it better or worse in your eyes?

Good point. Personally, If i didn't see the OG trilogy, i would rate it higher. This way...

Spoilers below. Don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet.

As Dragon said, copy of the New Hope.

There is one detail that needs to be taken into account. We saw the first time that Finn wielded the lightsaber, one stormtrooper was not only equipped with a lightsaber-resistant baton reminiscent of the electrostaffs of General Grievous' bodyguards, but also quite proficient in its use. That trooper was kicking Finn's ass with that thing.


That means that the First Order trains its troops in meele combat against lightsaber-wielding adversaries. So it is entirely possible that Finn wasn't entirely in the dark about how to fight against a dude with a lightsaber.

Oh yeah, forgot about that. I need to see it again, so many stuff happened, it's hard to remember everything...

mace Windu is the worst casting I've ever seen in a movie.

Except for the millennium falcon chase scene on Jakku. Which was absolutely amazing.

True...

 

[kuromusha]

Im 100% certain if FINN was a white dude there wouldn't be any complaints about him...

People still salty about him being PC or whatever they whine about now.. Rey being a feminist or whatever..

He had natural chemistry with everyone in the movie.

I was actually pretty apprehensive about Finn. Boyega did a great job.

 

[kuromusha]

I agree about Finn he shouldnt even be in the movie its all for pc crowd and as dumb as he is then able to use a lightsaber is beyond pathetic. Id beat the shit out of little JJ Abrams for ruining star wars just to push his pathetic agenda.

Spoiler

Lol did you even watch the movie? Finn was NOT able to use the lightsaber effectively. I mean he killed a couple of Stormtroopers (one I think) but he got his shit pushed in by the Stormtrooper and Ren

 

[Linkuei]

I loved the film, but did not like Rey's ability to go toe to toe with Ren in a light saber duel. That really made him look like a can. Injured or not, he should have made quick work of her. I would much prefer it if the fight ended with him coming out on top and the earthquake saving Rey.

I understand what you mean. But I think the next two movies will go in depth on how powerful she is. Same with him. I think what factor in was mix intimidation, interest, shocked, injuries, and emotions running in Ren when fighting her. I mean she was able to use the force instantly and fight of his mind probe like she done it before. They both seem extremely powerful with the force.

 

[Big Brown Clown]

They both seem extremely powerful with the force.

Agreed. Which makes it even more ridiculous that Fin wasn't immediately dispatched and was able to hurt Kylo.

 

[the ambush]

The Force Awakens squashes each of the Star Wars prequels before it, and I am someone who enjoys Sith. The question now becomes how good is TFA, IMO it is better than Jedi but I need another viewing to confirm it. Who else noticed Kylo Ren appeared to be an emo geek beneath the mask?