Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

A lot of people have been complaining about that, but I think having Tatooine in at least the first of the new trilogy is essential. Tatooine is the one planet that connects all of the trilogies together.

I guess that's a good point. Hopefully it's only this movie, and hopefully it's a third of it or less.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by aiman04

New set photo.



http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/20...set-photo.html

Looks to me like a Tusken Raider camp. Something which we've only seen in the prequels. Oh dear. A link to the prequels. There'll be tears

[tigertron]

Am I the only one who is sick of Tatooine? sure, it has played some big parts and my best Star Wars films don't have Tatooine - TESB and ROTS(apart from that tiny bit at the end).

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by Sith

Another thing to consider, is that The Old Republic did have multiple Jedi vs. Sith Wars. There was no rule of two in the Old Republic time. The great Emperor Darth Vitiate lived over 1,000's of years. Technology was gained and lost during many battles that left planets in ruin. Lots of technology during this time was lost. The best ship factories often became targets.

Originally Posted by OptimusL

I'll have to read up on it again but I think the Infinite Empire was the most technologically advanced civilisation (I think they were one of the first to use hyperspace travel) with things like the Star Forge and then after their fall technology regressed and things like hyperspace travel weren't discovered until the Republic was first formed.

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that stuff. Still, I'm struggling with that amount of years. Maybe I'll come to accept it, or at least understand it better, if I read up on it some more.



On another note, my thought on the Expanded Universe is this: I'm not big on all the EA stuff, but I respect it for what it was -- which was just an expanded universe. StarWars is one of the few franchises that actually started with the movies, not the books, so whatever the movies dictate is what should be considered canon most. From what little I do know about the EU, I can see it doesn't necessarily all have to be cut from the the official canon. I believe the books and comics are getting a new start, because it's easier for the new Lucasfilm team to just draw a line between what was written prior to Disney's acquisition and everything new that will be coming out under their watch. Otherwise, it would take much too much time to go back and read every book and comic and decide through committee what doesn't work and what still could work. It's just much easier to wipe the slate clean and give the new team the flexibility to do what they want without beholding to some continuity they may end up conflicting with.

When it comes down to it, the Lucasfilm writers, directors, and producers may still actually draw influence from the old "Legends" line, though you can bet they won't be 100% faithfully adapting from it. In the meantime, until something new does come along that conflicts with an old book from that Legends line, there's really no reason why you can't continue to just consider it canon in your own mind.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by tigertron

Am I the only one who is sick of Tatooine?

Clearly not.

Personally, I'm not sick of it. As has been said before, it ties the films together. Both of the saga's heroes were raised there so hopefully it will have an equally pivotal role in this film.

[Kryptonic]

Tatooine is the heart of the Saga.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Tatooine is the heart of the Saga.

The "Saga" has no heart.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Darkstream

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that stuff. Still, I'm struggling with that amount of years. Maybe I'll come to accept it, or at least understand it better, if I read up on it some more.



On another note, my thought on the Expanded Universe is this: I'm not big on all the EA stuff, but I respect it for what it was -- which was just an expanded universe. StarWars is one of the few franchises that actually started with the movies, not the books, so whatever the movies dictate is what should be considered canon most. From what little I do know about the EU, I can see it doesn't necessarily all have to be cut from the the official canon. I believe the books and comics are getting a new start, because it's easier for the new Lucasfilm team to just draw a line between what was written prior to Disney's acquisition and everything new that will be coming out under their watch. Otherwise, it would take much too much time to go back and read every book and comic and decide through committee what doesn't work and what still could work. It's just much easier to wipe the slate clean and give the new team the flexibility to do what they want without beholding to some continuity they may end up conflicting with.

When it comes down to it, the Lucasfilm writers, directors, and producers may still actually draw influence from the old "Legends" line, though you can bet they won't be 100% faithfully adapting from it. In the meantime, until something new does come along that conflicts with an old book from that Legends line, there's really no reason why you can't continue to just consider it canon in your own mind.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the prequel era books eventually being brought back into the fold as canon - cheap way to re-release stuff and some of it ties in quite well.

Im surprised Shadows of the Empire wasn't kept too first one I ever read and enjoyed it at the time, though haven't read it since. The Nintendo game was great though.

[Astro Zombie]

Originally Posted by Elvis

The "Saga" has no heart.

The Saga has plenty of heart.

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by Elvis

The "Saga" has no heart.

Elvis died about 4 months after the original Star Wars was released in the theater. I wonder if the King saw it and what he thought about it.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Elvis died about 4 months after the original Star Wars was released in the theater. I wonder if the King saw it and what he thought about it.

Elvis probably couldn't get off the toilet to make it to the theater to have an opinion.

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the prequel era books eventually being brought back into the fold as canon - cheap way to re-release stuff and some of it ties in quite well.

Im surprised Shadows of the Empire wasn't kept too first one I ever read and enjoyed it at the time, though haven't read it since. The Nintendo game was great though.

Shadows of the Empire was one of the few Star Wars novels I actually read. I haven't read it since it was first released, so I don't remember much of it, but I do remember enjoying it back then. The one thing I do recall in the book, and has always stuck with me, is the way it describes how Darth Vader is constantly in pain and that he has the ability to actually heal himself and alleviate that pain by using his Force powers -- But it is so temporary because his Force powers draw from the Dark Side, which feeds off of pain and negative energy, so the very moment he starts to feel any positive comfort at all, it negates itself and only causes him more pain, frustration, and anger, making him more in tune with the Dark Side.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Thanks Ernest - I didnt know all the details but what you say makes sense

Don't have to thank me. LucasFilm owns all the Star Wars films, Fox just has distribution rights to Episode IV in perpetuity, but that's all it is. Distribution rights. Whenever LucasFilm wants to release the films, Fox gets the job. I can understand why this is confusing because people see the word "rights" and confuse that with actual ownership of the movies. Just imagine if LucasFilm wanted to release the films and 20th Century Fox refused. No one would ever sign a long-term distribution agreement with them again.

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Elvis

The "Saga" has no heart.

Give it a rest.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Elvis

The "Saga" has no heart.

Sure it does.

[Elandyll]

Imagine Luke, now a seasoned Jedi Master, visiting Tatooine one last time before embarking on some grand journey (to the Periphery?)... Imagine Luke in his Jedi Robes looking at those dual suns setting over the horizon with R2 and / or 3PO nearby.

What a great tribute to A New Hope it would be, as well as tying thing together...
After all this has also been the place of the (beginning of the) fall of Anakin - when he massacred those Tuskan Raiders, letting the Dark Side take him over, and the place where Luke's own journey started when he met Obi Wan.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

Imagine Luke, now a seasoned Jedi Master, visiting Tatooine one last time before embarking on some grand journey (to the Periphery?)... Imagine Luke in his Jedi Robes looking at those dual suns setting over the horizon with R2 and / or 3PO nearby.

Assuming you are being serious (wasn't sure with the smiley face) this is exactly what I fear Abrams would do!!

These films have to be their own things. We have already had the scene in A New Hope and a callback to it in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Do we really need it again ? Does every hero in Star Wars need to stand on that same spot looking out at the twins suns ? Kind of lessens the value of it in Ep IV.. Plus Luke isn't the "New Hope" anymore embarking on a new life etc.

So how about an opening shot of a Star Destroyer only this time it's the heroes on the bridge and they are chasing down the villains....Please no!!

These films cry out for something original or why bring the original cast back just to reprise a greatest hits of the originals ?? I hate to pick on you but wallowing in nostalgia for scenes from the original will ensure these films do not work at all.

PS I bet we also get a line of dialogue along the style of " A wise old Jedi Master once told me....." You could practically create a bingo card of things that they could reference.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Assuming you are being serious (wasn't sure with the smiley face) this is exactly what I fear Abrams would do!!

These films have to be their own things. We have already had the scene in A New Hope and a callback to it in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Do we really need it again ? Does every hero in Star Wars need to stand on that same spot looking out at the twins suns ? Kind of lessens the value of it in Ep IV.. Plus Luke isn't the "New Hope" anymore embarking on a new life etc.

So how about an opening shot of a Star Destroyer only this time it's the heroes on the bridge and they are chasing down the villains....Please no!!

These films cry out for something original or why bring the original cast back just to reprise a greatest hits of the originals ?? I hate to pick on you but wallowing in nostalgia for scenes from the original will ensure these films do not work at all.

PS I bet we also get a line of dialogue along the style of " A wise old Jedi Master once told me....." You could practically create a bingo card of things that they could reference.

Fair points but these aren't standalone films or a completely separate trilogy set in the same universe. They're the seventh, eighth and ninth episodes in an ongoing saga. Using the first film to bridge what we know and what's to come seems like a fairly reasonable way to go.

Could they overdo it? Sure but if they don't it could be freaking cool.

[Ernest Rister]

Guys...Lucas himself wrote the general outlines for the prequels. Michael Arndt fleshed them out. Lucas is working day by day with Abrams and Kasdan and everyone else as a consultant. I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse, but that's the lay of the land.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by octagon

Fair points but these aren't standalone films or a completely separate trilogy set in the same universe. They're the seventh, eighth and ninth episodes in an ongoing saga. Using the first film to bridge what we know and what's to come seems like a fairly reasonable way to go.

Could they overdo it? Sure but if they don't it could be freaking cool.

Surely the characters themselves are the bridge. They are an ongoing saga because of them...We don't need the same story beats, homage or not.

The films are getting so self referential sometimes it is almost a parody. I saw some shots in the new Rebels series where they have literally recreated the exact shots of the Tie Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon. I mean weren't the similarities to the scene already obvious enough ?

"I have a bad feeling about this" is the only bridge they need because despite its over usage, you just know its going to be in there.