# Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Seen It (Assume Spoilers Within) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645 "2015-12-16T23:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 50
**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:** [December 29, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/981 "2015-12-29T19:20:01Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Some speculation about First Order Supreme Leader Snoke (hate that name!): More on that [here](http://moviepilot.com/posts/3702214). Some fans with a fine attention to detail have pointed out similarities in the soundtracks of episode 3 and episode 7. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/982 "2015-12-29T19:34:30Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Mainly that Wedge and Lando were, at that point, still approaching their targets (Lando was going for the main core, and told Wedge to hit an important piece of supporting equipment nearby). Wedge’s line is basically that sort of next-level boasting that isn’t even boasting, just a matter-of-fact observation that the task is as good as done. > > He hasn’t even hit the target yet, but he considers himself already homeward bound, because it ain’t no big deal. That’s part of Wedge’s charm in the old series. In a galaxy full of over-the-top scoundrels and badasses and knights and wizards and princesses, he’s just that one cool-headed guy doing his job, which happens to involve tripping up giant mecha, drawing fire from Darth Vader himself, and helping to blow up massive superweapons. It’s just all in a day’s work for the guy. Huh. I had understood him to be saying he’s already planning to do the thing Calrissian said to do. “Already on the way out that way to do that thing…” But now I see (after reading the above and rewatching the battle of Endor scene) that he’s saying he’s already on the way out away from the area because the job is practically done etc like you said. Hrm. This whole Wedge Antilles thing kind of bothers me. I’ve never, not even once, ever noticed him–he feels to me like an extra with lines. But lots of people glommed onto him as an interesting and representative figure, and probably my tending to ignore him is exactly in line with what people are taking him to represent. What I can’t figure out is how intentional this was on the part of the filmmakers. Does he in fact have a major role to play in the story and I have failed to notice it? Or does he in fact have only a minor role to play and others have done the good work of reinterpreting it? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/983 "2015-12-29T19:54:01Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > he feels to me like an extra with lines. But lots of people glommed onto him as an interesting and representative figure Suppose he hangs out with Boba Fett after work? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/984 "2015-12-29T19:56:40Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > …Does [Wedge] in fact have a major role to play in the story and I have failed to notice it? Or does he in fact have only a minor role to play and others have done the good work of reinterpreting it? The latter, I think: [Wedge Antilles | Wookieepedia | Fandom](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wedge_Antilles) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/985 "2015-12-29T20:27:23Z")
At that, there’s a cute little [article](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/12/the-ballad-of-admiral-piett/420570/) in THE ATLANTIC about Admiral Piett, the calm and efficient officer who politely does his job in the original films, getting promoted by (and _not_ getting Force-choked by) Darth Vader; I mean, sure, he’s _evil,_ but it’s not a Memorably Over-The-Top Evil; Competent Low-Key Evil is just kind of human. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/986 "2015-12-29T20:27:58Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Hrm. This whole Wedge Antilles thing kind of bothers me. I’ve never, not even once, ever noticed him–he feels to me like an extra with lines. But lots of people glommed onto him as an interesting and representative figure, and probably my tending to ignore him is exactly in line with what people are taking him to represent. What I can’t figure out is how intentional this was on the part of the filmmakers. Does he in fact have a major role to play in the story and I have failed to notice it? Or does he in fact have only a minor role to play and others have done the good work of reinterpreting it? It might not be intentional, but he’s the only pilot who flew the sorties that killed both Death Stars, and he lived to tell the tale. That’s got to count for something. ---
**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:** [December 29, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/987 "2015-12-29T20:46:04Z")
He also flew on Hoth IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/988 "2015-12-29T20:59:53Z")
Roped that AT-AT, even. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/989 "2015-12-29T22:11:01Z")
Watched ep 1 last night. God God, what an awful movie! Not sure I have the stomach for the next 2… Actually, watching all of the flicks right after another has made me less impressed with them as movies. Each of the middle 3 has neat scenes, but 2 is just a middle ep with a lot of down time on Dagoba (sp?), and it is really hard to forgive those Ewoks. Then, the fact that someone could even dream up Jar Jar and company is sufficient to question their judgment. Now, after having been sold, the franchise is something else entirely. Just saying, the original movie was pretty exceptional, but that’s about it. The concept and timing of that movie, and the marketing of that movie, impress me more than the execution of the franchise over time. Oh yeah - another nit. How big are these planets? “Let’s head over to the Dagoba system and find this one guy.” Really? You wouldn’t want to narrow it down to a hemisphere at least? They do the same thing a couple other times. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/990 "2015-12-29T23:16:06Z")
[Kylo Ren and Stimpy](https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--NMVYf8HM--/t_Preview/b_rgb:535a62,c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1446230212/production/designs/224584_1). Steempy, you eembecile! ---
**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:** [December 30, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/991 "2015-12-30T00:31:14Z")
I saw it a second time and paid close attention. Before Rey closes her eyes Kylo is winning the fight - Rey is just blocking and retreating. When he says something about the force and she closes her eyes (Like Maz said to) does she start to win. And this time I did catch the “Rey this your first steps” in the flashback sequence. Brian ---
**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:** [December 30, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/992 "2015-12-30T01:04:18Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I saw it a second time and paid close attention. > Before Rey closes her eyes Kylo is winning the fight - Rey is just blocking and retreating. When he says something about the force and she closes her eyes (Like Maz said to) does she start to win. Yes, I think she had a muscle memory triggered by the word “Force” there. Before that moment, she was not fighting with the Force. After, she was. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/993 "2015-12-30T02:54:04Z")
Did anyone think that the animals being transported by Han and Chewie were similar to the monster in the Space 1999 episode Dragon’s Domain ? Knowing that Sci Fi writers watch all these shows, that would not surprise me that it would be a inspiration ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/994 "2015-12-30T04:37:40Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > At that, there’s a cute little [article](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/12/the-ballad-of-admiral-piett/420570/) in THE ATLANTIC about Admiral Piett, the calm and efficient officer who politely does his job in the original films, getting promoted by (and _not_ getting Force-choked by) Darth Vader; I mean, sure, he’s _evil,_ but it’s not a Memorably Over-The-Top Evil; Competent Low-Key Evil is just kind of human. Heh. And see: [Punch-Clock Villain - TV Tropes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PunchClockVillain) > [@ssgenius](#): > > Did anyone think that the animals being transported by Han and Chewie were similar to the monster in the Space 1999 episode Dragon’s Domain ?.. I hadn’t thought of that before, but yeah, you’re right, they kinda were. A lot more mobile, though. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/995 "2015-12-30T05:20:57Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Huh. I had understood him to be saying he’s already planning to do the thing Calrissian said to do. “Already on the way out that way to do that thing…” > > But now I see (after reading the above and rewatching the battle of Endor scene) that he’s saying he’s already on the way out away from the area because the job is practically done etc like you said. > > Hrm. This whole Wedge Antilles thing kind of bothers me. I’ve never, not even once, ever noticed him–he feels to me like an extra with lines. But lots of people glommed onto him as an interesting and representative figure, and probably my tending to ignore him is exactly in line with what people are taking him to represent. What I can’t figure out is how intentional this was on the part of the filmmakers. Does he in fact have a major role to play in the story and I have failed to notice it? Or does he in fact have only a minor role to play and others have done the good work of reinterpreting it? He’s a consistent minor character, who seems to exist for purposes other than being a central character or being anonymous canon-fodder. Such qualities (shared by Boba Fett and Admiral Piett) give the impression of a persistent universe that need not necessarily revolve around the Hero and Villain. I’ve found that many TV shows will have such characters (presumably because their actor was easy to work with or had some connection with the producers or casting directors), who never quite become _important_, but are consistently _there._ Mr. Kyle and Yeoman Rand on Star Trek, Zack Allen, Lou Welch, and David Corwin on Babylon 5, and I’m starting to realize I don’t watch a lot of TV shows that aren’t sci-fi. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/996 "2015-12-30T05:41:45Z")
Saw it tonight. Loved it. More please. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/997 "2015-12-30T06:52:16Z")
My thoughts (because people really care)…? •Up and down. The first half up—it _felt_ more like a pulpy Star Wars adventure movie—the second half started slogging. Lots of talking, technobabble, rehashing…and gloomy. •The dialogue, as a whole, was both better written and better delivered than that of the prequels. Hands down, I’ll admit that. •The score was…surprisingly unremarkable. I think I could easily pick out one melody distinctive to the film at the beginning, during the scenes of Rey’s grind on Jakku, but that’s about it. Nothing else really made an impression, aside from being vaguely Star Wars-ey, or reusing old cues. Hell, the _prequels_ all had recognizable themes. Iconic ones, even. This didn’t even have the Beastie Boys, much less a recognizable bar band. •There’s definitely a tonal shift from the previous films—all of them—in style and shot composition, especially. It felt like a more “modern” movie. And, personally, I think it lost some of it’s flavor for it. Even the CGI-heavy boom-zoom action scenes of the prequels were set up like paintings, or at least postcards, of an instant in a locale, a set stage…this one, if not totally, and mostly in the latter half, felt much more like the camera was taped to someone’s head as they whipped through a chaotic, smoke-strangled battlefield… …I guess that’s not a fair comparison, in itself. _Cloverfield_, for instance, had almost that very premise, but I could at least still tell the sets apart as the plot progressed. All in all…this felt like a _spinoff_ than a sequel, to me. And _I_ grew up watching the _Ewok Adventure_ movies on the Disney channel. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/998 "2015-12-30T07:04:45Z")
Okay, I read the whole thread before posting … yay me!! Saw it last night with some old friends and a couple younglings. I liked it. Definitely going to see it again while in theaters. I feel the disappointment many of you express, very meta/rehash of original movies. Would have been great to see some more original story, but hey I saw the Star Trek reboots and the preview trailers and …well what can you expect? I certainly was not expecting it to impress me the way Star Wars did when I was an eleven year old nerdy kid. During the tentacle monster bit (yeah Space 1999) I thought “OK this is just ridiculous and stupid.” Its a ridiculous movie in a magical world where technology or force-wanking and most of all plot, can make anything happen. Same with the originals. You have to take it for what it is. When some one said the shield generators have to be taken down the whole theater laughed. It was stupid before and its stupid now. Its just some shallow and borrowed tactical explanation so our underdog heroes can go do their plucky best with lots of pew! pew! We got to see most of the old characters we love and even Golum showed up. I liked the new characters. Rey is a great badass (yes impossibly so). Fin was good too, I love the determination he shows when he lights up the sabre to take on Kylo. Adam Driver made an imposing bad guy, and with a face like that of course the mask has to come off. I did not expect the Falcon to be an actual character, but of course it is. The restraint with which they used BB8 was well done he was cute and didn’t cross the line. C3PO has a red arm cause he is always losing parts and getting rebuilt; and yeah… probably to sell toys. And I thought there were lots of great shots against spectacular vistas like there should be in Star Wars. It was amusing that all those planets hung out in visible distance of each other so that everyone could watch in horror together as they all got skewered by the hyperspace death star rays. Should have lived in a planetary system that didn’t so wantonly abuse orbital mechanics and celestial distances I guess. Visually spectacular scene and watching it was obvious that cool visuals was the only reason for all those red shirt planets to be hanging out together. I wanted to blare out ‘You SHALL NOT PASS!’, when Han went out on the bridge but I resisted. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/999 "2015-12-30T07:14:02Z")
Oh hey no ones mentioned the bit about the Tie fighter sinking into the sand and then EXPLODING!!! hugely. I get it that it must be the scary sinking sand Rey warns BB8 about …but I was totally expecting a big sand monster. ---
**Author:** ![Bonaventure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Bonaventure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonaventure)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645/1000 "2015-12-30T07:23:07Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > I wanted to blare out ‘You SHALL NOT PASS!’, when Han went out on the bridge but I resisted. No, on the second viewing in the theater you need to go full George Costanza and yell out, “That’s gotta hurt!” right when the light saber goes through Han. Hilarity will ensue. Search your feelings, you know it’s true. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645.md?page=49) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-the-force-awakens-seen-it-assume-spoilers-within/740645.md?page=51)