In A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens

I am so excited! This year, for my resolution project, I’m rewatching the Star Wars franchise. I chose it because I love Star Wars, and I thought it would be fun to re-watch the movies in order of release date, with perhaps a bit more of a critical and appreciative eye than I have before.

This month’s installment: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

The Premise:

Three decades after the Empire’s defeat, a new threat arises in the militant First Order. Defected stormtrooper Finn and the scavenger Rey are caught up in the Resistance’s search for the missing Luke Skywalker.

Spoilers for a 4-year-old film ahead.

My first thought is: Thank God! After Episodes I to III and Clone Wars, I was so ready for this one. If I recall correctly, there was a massive shift in the creative process with this one. Along with that shift came a new sense of excitement, hope for the franchise, and a feeling like those last four movies never should have happened and so Star Wars fandom acted like they hadn’t. Going to see this new Star Wars movie in the theater felt very much like I was going to see the first Star Wars movie in 30 years. Even though I’m re-watching all of the movies this year, it felt like this one was a long time coming.

Let me address the elephant in the room. The excitement for the new trilogy came because George Lucas gave up control of the franchise, selling it to Disney. I don’t know how much input or control he had on any of the other movies. Presumably he had final say before anything went public. At any rate, he became the target for blame by much of the Star Wars fandom. Of course, as I’ve watched that fandom over the past several years, it seems to be particularly toxic. No one can do anything right with their beloved franchise. This makes me wonder exactly what it is they are a fan of to begin with, and what they think is so precious that nothing else can live up to it.

I admit, given the direction of the last four films, I was ready for someone else to take the helm of the franchise. As a creator, it breaks my heart to say it. Star Wars is George Lucas’s baby. For better or worse, it it is his, and we should all still honor that. Whatever we think of what he did with the franchise, he created something that Star Wars fans are passionate about.

The other part of this new trilogy that I was totally ready for: a female lead actually getting the credit she deserves.

A lot of the plot of this movie was similar to that of Episode IV: A New Hope. We have the orphan on the desert planet whose family heritage is a mystery but in whom the Force is strong. We have a rebel who has a tendency to run from trouble, except instead of the rebel being Han Solo, it is Finn, an escaped Stormtrooper. We have the ever-so adorable droid; this time it is BB-8, not R2-D2. And we have a Sith Lord in Kylo Ren, who wears a dark mask, likes to use the Force to choke people, and is the grandson of Darth Vader. Oh, and now it isn’t a Death Star but a Starkiller that can destroy multiple planets at one time. So of course, the Rebel Alliance must find the weak spot and the best pilot in the galaxy will be the one to fire the kill-shot.

This trilogy has an interesting theme, though, which is that of redemption. Man Kanata says it plainly when she hands Rey Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and tells her that there is someone yet who could be turned, redeemed.

The main redemption theme focuses on Kylo Ren, the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia, now General Organa. He was being trained by Luke to become a Jedi when he joined the dark side. Han Solo meets with Kylo, tries to remind his son that he is loved, that there is good still in him, he is not truly of the Dark Side. Kylo responds by saying he is torn and there is one thing he can do that will end that pain. He kills Han. He thinks that will remove what good remains in him.

Finn and Rey learn not to run, to find a place to belong, and to be a part of a bigger cause; a personal redemption of sorts.

J.J. Abrams did some wonderful call-backs to the original trilogy. My favorite, at which I cheered in the theater, and watching it at home now, is when Han Solo and Chewbacca first show up on the Millennium Falcon and Han says, “Chewie, we’re home.” My second is when Han and Chewie are arguing. The Millennium Falcon has just been boarded by scavengers. Han says he’s going to talk his way out of it like he always does. Chewie argues, and Han says, “Yes, I do. Every time.” My least favorite was when Leia is mad at Han. There is clear history there beyond what we’ve seen, and C3-P0 says, “Princesses.” It is so dismissive and so wrong. I know it is meant to be a joke because Disney now owns the franchise so Princess Leia is now a Disney Princess, but it discredits all she has done for the rebellion. She’s just a stupid, silly princess.

Okay. Enough ranting. Every time I see Carrie Fisher on screen, I am saddened that we have lost her. I love her. I love when she says to Rey, “May the Force be with you.” It is a passing of the torch. It reminds me of the 2009 Star Trek movie, also directed by J.J. Abrams, when Spock Prime says to Spock, “Since my customary farewell would appear oddly self-serving, I shall simply say… Good luck.”

In conclusion: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I can’t lie, there is a certain sentimental pull that J.J. Abrams knows how to capitalize on to bring the audience back, something that was desperately needed after the previous four movies. Of course the lightsabers are great, and Rey going to find Luke, much like he had gone to find Yoda at the end of A New Hope, set against the backdrop of Ireland just pulls my heartstrings on a whole other level.

What did you think of The Force Awakens? What did you think of Princess Leia now being General Organa?

Up next: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.