What Force Friday Taught Us About Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Ah, Force Friday. A day where understocked aisles of Star Wars merchandise were quickly vacated and millions of dollars were made in revenue for Disney and various retailers. But more importantly, it was a day where quite a bit about the state of the Star Wars Galaxy circa The Force Awakens popped up.
Minor spoilers ahead! There’s nothing Alderaan-shattering, but some may want to tread with caution when looking through this article.
Let’s start with the toys. Firstly – you know Jakku’s boar-like creatures? Their species has a name now: Happabore.
We also got a closer look at some of the supporting characters in the movie – including Constable Zuvio, Sarco Plank, Ello Asty, and Teedo, Unkar’s Thug, and BB-8. What you might have missed is a set including General Hux, a Guavian Death Gang Enforcer, PZ-4CO, and Goss Toowers (shown below, courtesy of Entertainment Earth – also included are Kylo Ren and the Grand Inquisitor).
The official Star Wars Databank was also updated to cover some information about some of the less-important characters from The Force Awakens – in addition to some other information on the setting.
- Teedo, Unkar Plutt, and Sarco Plank reside on Jakku. Constable Zuvio is implied to be there as well.
- The Guavian Death Gang and the Kanjiklub Gang are two criminal organizations.
- Takodana is indeed a planet name – the name of the planet where Maz and the various outlaws are located. ME-8D9 is a protocol droid that is present on the planet.
- Starkiller Base – the station that General Hux is using – is a planet converted into a weapon that’s strong enough to destroy entire Star Systems. Furthermore, the First Order’s arsenal includes Torture Droids, Snowspeeders, and Star Destroyers (including the one seen in the trailer named Finalizer). Riot Control Troopers and Flametroopers are part of the First Order’s ranks.
- The Resistance have access to X-wings and soldiers equipped to carry out hit-and-run tactics. Members of their ranks include Goss Toowers, Ello Asty, PZ-4CO, and B-U4D.
On to the major characters. We’ve learned from the various toys and masks that have audio that Finn and Kylo Ren have American accents, while Captain Phasma has a robotic-sounding British accent. Kylo Ren’s voice is surprisingly not augmented much, and – for the most part – he speaks calmly in stark contrast to his outwardly violent behavior. Something that interested me about the “speaking” merchandise is that the designation “FN-2187” is spoken twice – once by Phasma, and once by Finn himself. Aside from the cute little nod to the cell block where Princess Leia was being held, the first two letters of the designation – “FN” – sounds extremely similar to the name “Finn”. It’s likely that “Finn” is not the character’s real name, which a creative way of explaining why he has no surname.
There are a number of quotes worth discussing. The first five are from Kylo Ren, the sixth is from Captain Phasma, and the last two are from Finn.
- “I feel it, too.” – This is very clearly alluding to the “There has been an awakening… Have you felt it?” quote from Supreme Leader Snoke, and is most likely Kylo Ren’s immediate response to the query.
- “Is it true? Are you just a scavenger?” – He could be talking to virtually any character on Jakku, but I think it’s likely he’s talking to Rey – and he’s sensing that she’s Force-sensitive.
- “I am immune to the Light.” – Typical bad guy bravado, or something more? In any case, it seems possible that the “Light Side” is just simply referred to as “The Light” in Disney’s Star Wars canon.
- “That weapon is mine!” – He’s obviously talking about the Luke-saber. Perhaps he actually owned it at one point, like some have speculated.
- “Together, we can destroy the Resistance and the last Jedi.” – A typical “we can rule together” statement, if it’s not just another line he speaks to Snoke. Interestingly, the way this is worded suggests that Luke is the last (known) surviving Jedi.
- “Submit your blaster for inspection.” – Phasma is clearly displeased with the firing accuracy of one of her Stormtroopers – probably Finn, who likely reports to her.
- “I never should have rescued you!” – Finn is probably talking to Poe. This is probably a throwaway joke line in the middle of the escape sequence from the Star Destroyer Finalizer.
- “We go back to Jakku, we die.” – Finn talking to Rey – obviously taking place after the Millennium Falcon escape sequence. While Anakin and Luke both wanted to leave Tatooine to explore the Galaxy, perhaps Rey simply felt more comfortable on Jakku.
As for the plot of the movie itself, the Topps Cards reveal the gist of the events in Act One – there’s an attack on Jakku, Finn deserts the First Order, he meets up with Rey, and they ditch the planet of Jakku. Han and Chewie find themselves back home, and later on, Poe Dameron swings by with his X-wings to presumably save the day. Oh, and for some reason, Luke’s first lightsaber is important. Many of the above quotes seem to support this narrative structure.
Stay tuned for an in-depth follow-up article covering what we’ve learned about the post-Palpatine Galaxy from the five Force Friday novels, Shattered Empire, and Uprising.
(Author’s note: I would have gotten this piece out much earlier, but I had to deal with unexpected technical issues. Better late than never!)
Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.
Loving the sound of Starkiller base but then i’m a sucker for keeping everything as close to stuff in the OT as possible. 😀
Puzzled why that dreadful Star Wars logo bastardisation is still being trotted out for the Happabore though :-/
I have posted here before as philce3k. This is my first time using Disqus.
Where can you buy the latex mask?
There is a possible origin of Knight of Ren described in Aftermath.
As a whole I was disappointed with aftermath I like the new characters but it just lacked something for me I don’t know it’s because I don’t usually read Star Wars books anymore I’m more into The Wheel of Time type of books which are much more in depth. I was hoping maybe get some insight on what Luke was doing. do other people agree with me or am I wrong in this opinion.
Aftermath reads like a novel in its earliest draft form. It needed a good 6 months worth of rewrites.
the aftermath book is the first book of a trilogy is the same author writing the other two I know that may sound like a strange question but I would like to see someone else do it because I like the characters just the story overall underwhelming. I did just read Darth Plagueis and really enjoyed it I read it due to the rumors that Plagueis it may be in episode 7 that author knows how to write a book.
I expected more hint of TFA, where the character from OT was going , a new character who could have some relation with TFA character
I am so sick of people obsessed with boba fett and what became of him. Perhaps he is irrelevent to the story of this new trilogy?
I can’t agree with you any more. I have never thought he was that great of a character.
I beg to differ. I am not particularly consider myself Boba fan. But among the characters from OT, he has infinite possibilities , only because he has not been associacted with a mortal actor. His mysterious background was tarnished to some extent by PT, but not completely. That’s why Lucas Film and Simon Kinberg has taken substantial time to develop
his own anthology movie.
I liked what they were doing with the character in the Clone Wars cartoon show. but I just never liked them in the original trilogyand would rather see other characters explored more.
I also noticed that there’s a brief reference to the KOR in the Luke Skywalker novella.
– Pomojema
tell me TELL ME THE REFERENCE
It’s something about a frieze showing Jedi fighting masked warriors. Nothing too huge, but I found it interesting considering that the concept art for other KOR members all show them wearing masks.
When do the new Topps cards come out? I’m getting confused as to when certain items are available
Does anyone know when the Topps cards are set to be released? I am getting confused as to when certain items are becoming available…
They’re all ready out here in the UK. I have them – not many but I have them.
OH so is the Ice Planet a weapon?? That would explain why there’s an entire army there: to protect it..
.
I like that they are finally using the name Starkiller.
BIlly Mitchell fan for brainwashed hater due to the partially fake doc?
I am a Billy Mitchell fan because he is the greatest Champion in the history of video games, and possibly the greatest champion in any realm of organized competition. Consider Billy’s awe-inspiring records:
First acknowledged highest overall score on Donkey Kong, with 886,900 in 1982.
First to reach, together with then game partner Chris Ayra, the ultimate 256th “split-screen level” of Pac-Man, achieved summer 1983.
Moved the record score for Ms. Pac Man to 703,560 in January 1985. Score not surpassed until 2001, by Chris Ayra.
First person to achieve a perfect Pac-Man score of 3,333,360, achieved July 3, 1999 at Funspot Family Fun Center in New Hampshire.
As of September 2010 (28 years after setting initial Donkey Kong record) this is the one championship Mitchell still holds, sharing it with 6 other players as of August 2015.
Moved the record score for Donkey Kong Jr. to 957,300 in 2004.
First acknowledged million-point score on Donkey Kong, with 1,050,200 in 2007.
Moved the record score for BurgerTime to 7,881,050 in 1984.
Became fifth (and last, as of 2015) person to achieve a score on Centipede, in marathon play, of over 10 million points, achieved July 8 1985.
Recaptured the world records for both Donkey Kong (1,062,800 points) and Donkey Kong Jr. (1,270,900) on the weekend of July 24, 2010.
Wasn’t he played by that little dude from Game of Thrones in that movie pixels?
Yes, Peter Dinklage played a character based on the World Champion Billy Mitchell.
Its a nice nod, but I feel like its overly referenced: Vader’s secret apprentice starkiller, a separatist superweapon starkiller, Bendack starkiller in KOTOR, Luke’s childhood friends named starkiller, starship starkiller…etc…
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Starkiller
But I suppose as long as the EU is reset I’m glad the name made it into new canon.
The expanded universe is not cannon in the Force Awakens.
True- canon wise this is the “first” appearance of the word starkiller
Even then, The Force Unleashed was never canon. Especially not the extended edition of the first one, where you go out and kill the main heroes of the OT.
In regards to “the last Jedi” quote, considering it is the same plural or singular, you cannot deduce from that statement alone whether he is referring to one individual (Luke) or multiple Jedi. He could just as well mean Luke and Leia, they would still be “the last Jedi”
True. I feel like he would have said, we will destroy the Jedi or destroy the last OF the Jedi if there were a handful, but since Jedi is the plural and singular we cannot be sure. Personally I hope luke has a full academy of students, but I think rumors are against me on that one. Perhaps by the end of episode IX we will at last see the order restored
Am I the only one that’s worried about the idea of the Starkiller base? It seems like we’re just re-treading the idea of the Death Star again. I didn’t even like Return of the Jedi all that much.
All about the execution man, we’ll have to see.
I’m not totally against it, because you’re right, it’s about how they execute it. I just don’t like that we’re doing another “giant ball of doom” mcguffin because of the limited possibilities those usually present.
Then again, the writers they hired are actual writers, so I’m hoping they’ve figured out something I never would have. So, like you say, we’ll see!
Agreed, far better than 2nd Death Star, only to be destroyed through almost identical attack plan.
Let´s give the planet a random name….what abou Death Star 3? 🙂
Completely different. To destroy Starkiller Base they have to fly as fast as they can down a treacherous valley then fire Neuton missiles into a lava tube that goes straight the the core.
I’m starting to think that this dumb plot was written by one of the Disney execs’ kids.
Well the commander of Black Squadron is named Poe. So maybe one of their teenage kids. Oh, and one of the characters is named for a Beastie Boys Album. Even has ‘Born to ill’ on his helmet. Not shitting you.
they threw out lucas treatment and arndts script 3 MONTHS before they started filming making a script from scratch(3 months is not a good timeline to make a script let alone a good one)…its becoming apparent that they fucked up especially when the marketings only focus is on anything but the stories and characters(who might not be that interesting or good). we might end up with another superman returns all nostalgia and no plot
The Star Killer base is a whole planet. The planet is the weapon, it is able to destroy whole Star Systems.only way to destroy it will be blowing the planet up with the Aliiance weapon “freedom star” a deathstar that was under construction at the same time the 2nd one was being built, but the resistance hijacked it and painted it Orange and white….ok…ok…the freedom star was made up.haha…but sadly…the resistance will have a weapon capable of destroying planets.and Leia will be proud of this technological terror and thinks the Force is insignificant to its power…since even tho she found out she was Force sensitive 35 years ago and is the daughter of the most powerful force user in history, she will not be using it for some reason.lol
What’s this Grand Inquisitor character? I’m assuming it’s not TFA.
Rebels. And so Grand he’s already been killed off.
The Grand Inquisitor was the Pau’an dude from the first season of Star Wars Rebels. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_Inquisitor
– Pomojema
“I feel it, too.” – This is very clearly alluding to the “There has been an awakening… Have you felt it?” quote from Supreme Leader Snoke, and is most likely Kylo Ren’s immediate response to the query.
“I feel it, too.” would be a pretty stupid reply to “There has been an awakening… Have you felt it?”
That would be some pretty awful dialogue and would have me worried about the rest of the film. But I don’t believe that’s in reply to that line, obviously something else.
Keeping believe in Kasadan. I think he managed to make up very intriguing
storyline for TFA. And the purpose of the first episode of the trilogy is always introduction of characters. Acting of new lead protagonists concern more.
yes kasden has screenwriting…but so does abrams. i think this script is gonna be a mixed bag overall
I think the guy who wrote the article didn’t think enough there. Everyone makes mistakes after all.
I really hope that Luke is not the last jedi but with that line it sounds lik he may be. I have hopping that the Irish island is home to the New Jedi temple. But I starting to think it were luke hass neen hiding out. I don’t really like the idea that Luke Skywalker would go in hiding. Just doesn’t seem right to me.
Remember that “Jedi” is also plural. This line could be referring to multiple individuals.
I hope so
You know, I never would have read it that way until you pointed it out, but that makes complete sense.
Good point.
I feel like I just read the plot to the OT. And nothing makes me more discouraged that the “last Jedi,” comment. 30 years after a Jedi achieved the greatest PR stunt in the history of the Jedi, and no one is out trying to become one. Silly!
It´s clear to me that they created this plot JUST to reuse lightly the original 3, and not to “inaugurate a new gen of heroes”. If new heroes were the main topic this movie wouldn´t be set 30 years after ROTJ,
I think the “Last Jedi” thing is a red herring. There’s been plenty of info dropped that suggests Luke has trained a small number of Jedi. That’s probably why he vanished—to train others, safely, in secret.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the rumored big fight at the end reveals that Luke is far from the last of the Jedi. To borrow a line from the old EU, he’s “the first of the new.”
I think you’re half right. I think he trained a few new Jedi, but the First Order killed them all (except for Rey and Kylo). Luke went into exile because the grief and rage were hard for him to control. He followed Yoda’s lead, spending years just communing with the Force in solitude.
someone has obviously not read any of the new books released on Force Friday…Luke goes off and get’s a new jedi temple to start training Jedi…my guess is that by the time Episode 7 timeline fits into the puzzle the knights of Ren have hunt them down and wiped them out and they have been searching for Skywalker ever since.
People forgot to add chewbacca might get beat up because if you look at one of his eyes in the new black series he has a black purple bruise
I think Chewy gets beaten up real bad which makes Han and the audience really angry, so Han has a really bad ass moment where he saves Chewy but sacrifices himself in the process. Thus freeing chewy from the life debt (obviously chewbacca will be reluctant to leave his best friend behind but eventually has to). Just speculating…
we know han’s gonna die…1st or second film..probably first. in that poster finn is with chewie and i gotta say. it looks right. han dies…is finn his new life debt?
force friday sucked. my local walmart is till out of stock. i had to order my kylo ren 12″ on ebay. the shirts were pretty bad too but got a couple kylo and stormtroopers
YOU SUCK
uh no it seriously did
You Seriously Do.
I’m sure it was awesome for the people who did get their products though. 🙂
yea lucky for them lol
This plot sounds like garbage.
they threw out lucas treatment and arndts script 3 MONTHS before they started filming making a script from scratch(3 months is not a good timeline to make a script let alone a good one)…its becoming apparent that they fucked up especially when the marketings only focus is on anything but the stories and characters(who might not be that interesting or good). we might end up with another superman returns all nostalgia and no plot
They started from scratch as the sets were being built, this production sounds just as rushed as Alien 3.
I have a bad feeling about this…
Actually I have a very bad feeling about this… the “mystery box” is starting to sound like code for “we’re up sh*t creek without a paddle”…
If there isn’t anything in the box, its not a mystery. Its just a shell game.