# Star Wars Episode VII anticipation thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936 "2013-08-23T02:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/241 "2014-11-29T14:27:34Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > That being said, I like the look of the trailer overall. I wonder if it’s an age/experience thing, because initially picking up on small things like, an attempt to create a realistic feel to the ships, by having a contrail coming off the Falcon, 🙂 but then my adult cynic steps in and wonders, how could there possibly be enough moisture in the atmosphere of Tatooine to create a contrail! :smack: Maybe it’s a chemtrail! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/242 "2014-11-29T14:42:09Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Maybe it’s a chemtrail! 😉 Maybe they were dumping the waste holds when the Tie Fighters attacked? Or better yet, maybe Han took up farming and was using the Falcon to spray his dirt crops, when out of the sun sprung the dastardly Tie Fighters. Pulling the straps of his soiled overalls up onto his shoulders and wiping the perspiration from his brow, Solo powers the old bucket of bolts into an incredible dog fight, while Chewy roars incoherently. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/243 "2014-11-29T15:22:26Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > There is indeed a _lot_ of story in the EU that people like. I have already seen one online article complaining that a cool character like Grand Admiral Thrawn will now never come to the big screen. I’m okay with “The EU” as a whole not being canon since some of it is pretty crap, but it would be great if The Thrawn Trilogy and Rebel Dream and Rebel Stand were transplanted straight into the new canon. The climax of Rebel Dream would be glorious to see in the cinema: a Super Star Destroyer providing close air support from orbit. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/244 "2014-11-29T17:29:34Z")
It has been confirmed from multiple sources that the voice in the trailer is Andy Serkis. If he plays the antagonist, it should be memorable and awesome. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/245 "2014-11-29T18:26:47Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Or better yet, maybe Han took up farming and was using the Falcon to spray his dirt crops… I don’t know–Han always struck me as more the type to raise livestock–more of a rancher, y’know. I bet he’s got a few herds of [some sort of herbivore](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Nerf) that he raises for meat and hide. Anyway, I popped in to the thread expecting to see a lot of excitement and anticipation after the trailer. Instead, there seems to be a conscious, deliberate effort to be unhappy w/ the trailer and the eventual movie. I don’t get it–sure, the prequels were a disaster, but these aren’t the prequels, and we’ve seen some decent Star Wars stuff since then. Plus, George Lucas is no longer in control (though he’s not far enough away from the franchise for my liking). There’s no reason right now not to be at least cautiously optimistic. Ah well. I’ll just have to be extra excited to make up for y’all. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/246 "2014-11-29T20:40:56Z")
This might be a bit of “no fun allowed” thought, but does anyone else find it a little sad how much the prequels and now this sequel have to pander to older fans? Returning trio, Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca…such a strait jacket of creativity. If it’s just a touch of the familiar to get people back into the universe then OK, but I’m not too optimistic about this point. Seems kinda desperate. I’m mostly curious how the Rebels in any sense won after RotJ, or what the political situation is like now. The Death Star is blown up, the Emperor and Vader are dead…and? Aren’t the rebels a rag tag team, while the Empire is a galaxy spanning alliance with a huge army (what happened to all those star destroyers in that last battle?) and hundreds if not thousands of political stooges to secure their rule over all the different planets? I just kinda assume there’d be a whole host of business types who wouldn’t want to see the Empire go away. Was Palpatine a load bearing boss? Is the Galaxy torn apart by internal division? Are there still remnants of the Empire left? And so on. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/247 "2014-11-29T21:10:11Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > This might be a bit of “no fun allowed” thought, but does anyone else find it a little sad how much the prequels and now this sequel have to pander to older fans? Returning trio, Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca…such a strait jacket of creativity. If it’s just a touch of the familiar to get people back into the universe then OK, but I’m not too optimistic about this point. Seems kinda desperate. > > I’m mostly curious how the Rebels in any sense won after RotJ, or what the political situation is like now. The Death Star is blown up, the Emperor and Vader are dead…and? Aren’t the rebels a rag tag team, while the Empire is a galaxy spanning alliance with a huge army (what happened to all those star destroyers in that last battle?) and hundreds if not thousands of political stooges to secure their rule over all the different planets? I just kinda assume there’d be a whole host of business types who wouldn’t want to see the Empire go away. Was Palpatine a load bearing boss? Is the Galaxy torn apart by internal division? Are there still remnants of the Empire left? And so on. The EU explores this. I get the sense that, among senior leadership in the Empire, loyalty was driven by fear of Vader and Palpatine (and perhaps their most trusted advisors), and not by any personal or patriotic duty. Once Vader and Palpatine are dead (and, IIRC, the commanding admiral killed when the flagship crashed into the Death Star), I’m not sure if there would be much to hold them together against even the relatively modest Rebel fleet. I bet most of the Star Destroyers surrendered shortly after the Death Star blew up. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/248 "2014-11-29T23:10:51Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > This might be a bit of “no fun allowed” thought, but does anyone else find it a little sad how much the prequels and now this sequel have to pander to older fans? Returning trio, Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca…such a strait jacket of creativity. … Sometimes creativity thrives in a bit of a straight jacket … And as the prequels showed, sometimes not. The trick is to throw bones to the core fan base with references that only they will appreciate, be true to that which is canon, and still create something new and exciting able to stand on its own as something fresh to someone who is completely unfamiliar with anything that has come before. _That_ takes some creativity. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/249 "2014-11-29T23:35:16Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The trick is to throw bones to the core fan base with references that only they will appreciate, be true to that which is canon, and still create something new and exciting able to stand on its own as something fresh to someone who is completely unfamiliar with anything that has come before. _That_ takes some creativity. And it’s basically what Disney has been doing for the past 7 years with Marvel. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bruce\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/250 "2014-11-30T02:41:19Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV7-V2qCREY) Photo montage video. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/251 "2014-11-30T04:46:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And it’s basically what Disney has been doing for the past 7 years with Marvel. Yes, but most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is composed of lesser known character such as Ironman, Captain America, Thor, with Hulk being the one exception. The general public had never heard of Guardians for example. That gives them a lot of flexibility. On the other hand, a goodly proportion of the worlds population has at least a passing familiarity with Star Wars and you have legions of fans who are impossible to please. The prequels suffered from this, I thought ROTS was along with ESB the best in the saga thus far. It was very dark. The fight scene in AToC was first rate, But you have huge legions of fanboys ready to pounce and be disappointed by pretty much anything. And if they try to be too much like the OT, do remember, most kids in their twenties grew up on the prequels and are meh on the OT, so you might end up disappointing them too. Which is why IMHO, the stand alone films are going to be lot better received than the main saga. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/252 "2014-11-30T12:46:49Z")
LEGO version of the trailer: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qpfWrh1scZU/maxresdefault.jpg "Lego Star Wars Stop Motion Animation The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpfWrh1scZU) Brian ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/253 "2014-11-30T12:51:26Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > “Aren’t you a little black for a Stormtrooper?” [“We ain’t found shit!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4OBUupicWg) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/254 "2014-11-30T12:52:35Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > LEGO version of the trailer: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpfWrh1scZU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpfWrh1scZU) > > Brian I see your Lego version, and raise you one [George Lucas version!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng) ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/255 "2014-11-30T16:26:59Z")
My theory on the hooded figure? Boba Fett . ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/256 "2014-11-30T17:15:27Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I see your Lego version, and raise you one [George Lucas version!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng) Spot on, I also noticed the makers of many other recent movies abusing of what one can cram into a frame thanks to digital effects. Reminded me of the epic take down of the prequels by Mr. Plinkett: > [@](#): > > **Rick McCallum** : [About the prequels] “It’s so dense. Every single image has so many things going on” > > **Mr. Plinkett** : F\*\*\* you, Rick Berman! You had to ruin this too?.. Wait a minute, that is not Rick Berman… What is it with Ricks? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/257 "2014-11-30T17:18:10Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I’m mostly curious how the Rebels in any sense won after RotJ, or what the political situation is like now. The Death Star is blown up, the Emperor and Vader are dead…and? Aren’t the rebels a rag tag team, while the Empire is a galaxy spanning alliance with a huge army (what happened to all those star destroyers in that last battle?) and hundreds if not thousands of political stooges to secure their rule over all the different planets? I just kinda assume there’d be a whole host of business types who wouldn’t want to see the Empire go away. Was Palpatine a load bearing boss? Is the Galaxy torn apart by internal division? Are there still remnants of the Empire left? And so on. The sense I’m getting from the trailer is that the war is far from over. There’s still TIE Fighters and Stormtroopers and guys wearing rebel logos. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/258 "2014-11-30T18:35:39Z")
It definitely needs more Ewoks. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/259 "2014-11-30T18:44:12Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The Extended Universe wasn’t “tossed in the trash” – it’s just that… another Universe. We tell the King Arthur story, or the Batman story, or dozens of others, in many different ways and many different universes… I see no reason why Star Wars (or Star Trek, or Game of Thrones, etc.) has to only have one “legitimate” canonical Universe. They’re all legitimate, and all canonical, in my view – they just don’t all happen in the same universe. A long time ago in an Extended Universe far, far away… > [@Aeschines](#): > > Right, they are two separate points: > > 1. I think it’s going to suck based on what I know of the story so far and based on the fact that Abrams is directing. Kasdan’s participation, however, is a point in its favor. > > 2. The EU has interesting stories that now, it would seem, will never be told on the big screen. If Abrams does do a shitty job, then fans will be pissed that their EU hopes were cockblocked by him and Disney. If Abrams does a good job, then most of them will embrace the new direction. I’ve never gave much credence to the EU. Most of it seems like published fan-fiction claiming to be “canon” Star Wars. At best, some interesting ideas and a way to fill the void for lack of films in the franchise, but the last thing I want is a book adaptation written by a host of two-bit authors. Let the films be “canon”, if at all. > [@wolfman](#): > > My complaint is… > Not fucking Tatoonie again! There is literally a whole galaxy of exciting and exotic places you can have fun with, more places than could be explored in a million lifetimes. That’s the best part of this kind of huge-scoped Sci-fi, why do we constantly get dragged to that piece of shit backwater nothing of a planet? > It’s like telling the story of the Earth, but having half of every story set in an Indiana bowling alley restroom. I can’t imagine the entire movie dwells there (and we do see some X-wings flying over a lake, so it must be another planet), but it would make sense for Luke to return to his homeworld to live out his semi-retired Jedi days (like Obi-Wan). > [@Alessan](#): > > Speaking as a SW fan but not an EU reader… that sounds like a profoundly stupid story. _Most_ agreed. > [@sparky\_1](#): > > Hey, you’re right about the different height Stormtroopers! Yeah! > > I’ve thought the idea of Stormtroopers just being clones was dumb, dumb, dumb! Why not have them be enlisted men with a stake in the game? > > Or better, a mix of conscripts pressed into service? > > Anything better than dumb clones all raised the same in some sterile academy. > > And I hope Abrams does a special scene to restore the mysticism that is the force. Thinking about it, Obi-Wan decided not to bring up the midichlorian BS with Luke, and described it in a more mystical way. So, hopefully, that information has been completely lost, never to be “rediscovered” or mentioned again. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936/260 "2014-11-30T19:00:01Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > It definitely needs more Ewoks. Quiet, you! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-vii-anticipation-thread/666936.md?page=14)