The Jedi Council: Which Star Wars: The Force Awakens character are you most excited for?
As we move ever closer to the theatrical debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, more and more information is starting to be revealed. In that light, which The Force Awakens character are you most looking forward to seeing in action? Our Jedi Council ponders this most important of topics. Please be wary of some minor spoilers, and may the Force be with you.
David (Razor) Harris: Without a doubt, the character that I am most looking forward to seeing in action is Kylo Ren. Whether or not he’s a true Sith Lord, or just some misguided Force sensitive person attracted to the power of the Dark Side, I want to know more. Ever since that first teaser, where he stumbled into the snowy forest and lit that badass lightsaber, I have been consumed with my thirst for more knowledge of this mysterious character.
Instead of quenching said thirst, the second teaser trailer only served to make it worse, by showing Kylo Ren not only use what looked like a Force Push, but also an incredibly powerful looking two-handed downward stroke of his lightsaber. And that’s another thing that makes Kylo Ren so interesting to me, his saber. It appears to have been crafted of mismatched parts, with wires showing, and it also seems as if it is meant to be used by both hands.
Of course, I’ve heard the rumors of his origins. I won’t go into them here, but if he is the son of the original cast, then his Force sensitivity does make sense. It would also explain why he seems to be obsessed with Darth Vader. One of my favorite rumors is that the First Order follows Kylo Ren because they believe he is in fact Darth Vader. But maybe he is Vader’s grandson and uses his obsession for the ancient Sith relics, like Vader’s burned mask, to further that ruse.
Either way, come December 18, I will have my ass firmly planted in my local theater’s seat, anxiously awaiting Kylo Ren to rain down some badass Sith-like destruction…because after all, I am nothing, if not Sith at the very center of my dark little heart.
Elaine Tveit: The character I am most looking forward to seeing promises to be one of the greatest heroines that Star Wars has ever seen. Rey, the junk scavenger who plies her trade on the desert planet of Jakku, is a member of the “Big Three” main characters of the original trilogy, alongside Poe Dameron and Finn. Currently, her background (and lineage) remain a mystery, but many, including myself, are speculating that she is the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia. How she ends up on Jakku, we don’t know. In fact, we don’t really know ANYTHING about Rey, or any of these new characters beyond what a few rumors and hints have revealed.
With so little to go on, it might seem premature to choose Rey as the The Force Awakens character I’m looking forward to seeing the most. But in fact, there are many reasons to look forward to The Force Awakens with particularity to what Rey will bring to the film and the franchise as a whole. As I said, she’s one of the main characters, so she’s bound play an important role in film (and the sequel trilogy) overall; secondly, her dark hair and delicate features remind me of Natalie Portman and Carrie Fisher, who played Padme Amidala and Princess Leia respectively, and this may indicate that she is a part of the Skywalker line; she’s the first Star Wars heroine to have more than a supporting role to the primary main character; and she has a unique look that is both rugged and beautiful, and very inspiring to cosplayers.
The fact that Rey appeals to cosplayers brings out another important quality: her ability to connect with an audience. We haven’t even seen The Force Awakens yet, and much of the fandom is already in love with her. I can’t wait to see Rey in the whole movie, and see what depth and wonder she brings to the saga.
Mike Valverde: Since I have more of an attachment to my theories of who Poe Dameron is, he is my choice for the character I am excited to see come to life in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. There are a few things that we know about Poe that make him an exciting character to pay attention too. First, Poe is Jedi, or perhaps a Jedi in training. He flies an X-Wing T-70 and is part of Alliance due to the symbol on his helmet. He also wears the symbolic code of the Aurebesh on his flight jacket, which reads “pull to inflate.” Which I think leads to sarcasm I think we will see a lot of in Dameron.
If he is indeed from the Aurebesh language, he may have come from the Settled Worlds, as it is used or originated from the common folk. To find the Settled Worlds, you must locate the Tython system of planets. In which there is a planet named Tython where the Jed’aii order called home, thousands of years prior to the formation of the Galactic Republic. In 36,453 BBY, eight great ships known as the Tho Yor brought Force-sensitive pilgrims to study the Force.
My images of Poe Dameron is a young Han Solo, who is brash and forthcoming in every way. Someone who is passionate and good-hearted, but also can get himself into trouble. I think Poe will do amazing things in The Force Awakens, and we will truly get to know his story, as he has been announced to be in the sequel. In my opinion he will be part Han part Luke and part Poe, and will drive Princess Leia crazy.
Joe Prescott: There’s any number of characters that I’m looking forward to seeing in Episode VII. We all want to see the classic characters again, but as the new ones go I’d say Finn has caught my interest from the first moment of the teaser trailer. A seemingly dishevelled and confused Stormtrooper pops up on screen, frantically looking at his empty surroundings and leads the trailer into a mix of uncertainty and fear, saved by the Falcon flight and the title music at the end. This character was later revealed to be named Finn, portrayed by British actor John Boyega, and has appeared since in the second trailer and various promotional material. I first saw Boyega in his debut movie Attack the Block, which is highly recommended, and I am excited to see him in this role as it looks like Finn might be having a bit of a tough time.
So far we’ve seen him bewildered in the desert, removing his Stormtrooper mask and looking bewildered, running from an explosion in a state of bewilderment and grabbing what appears to be Rey’s hand having been knocked down by bewilderness. It’s unclear as to what is causing this state of uncertainty with him at present, but there are minor details so far regarding his character including his defection from the First Order and his friend dying in front of him. That sense of humanity never sits well with the Sith so his character is shaping up to be a complex and interesting addition to the galaxy. We’ve never seen anyone realise the terror of the Empire and opt to escape and by doing so he will show how grounded by morality these characters can be, and it will certainly help audiences grow fond of this new character and connect with them on an emotional level.
The whole “he can’t be a clone” thing has thankfully long worn off, such a petty ridiculous argument, and Boyega has started to fully immerse himself in the fandom by donning a trooper helmet at Celebration and mingling with the crowds. So Finn is looking to be a conflicted Stormtrooper who chooses to run from his evil duties in favour of helping the new heroes and in doing so becomes a hero himself. That formula works and had done partly with Han in the Original Trilogy, from a certain point of view. We’ll see how his story develops in December and hopefully continue with him throughout the series.
Kyle Warnke: Much has been made of J.J. Abrams’ declaration that The Force Awakens would return to the lived-in feel of the universe in the original trilogy by relying on good old-fashioned practical effects. But let’s be honest: Practical effects probably can’t adequately depict everything that Abrams and Co. dreamed up, so there will still be an abundance of CGI imagery in this movie.
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as CGI isn’t inherently evil, as long as it’s used in a way that stimulates the imagination. And with the revolutionary techniques pioneered in motion-capture technology, Star Wars has an opportunity to meld this discipline with realistic sets and props to craft an even more believable universe.
That’s why I’m most looking forward to seeing the character of Maz Kanata, the space pirate queen who lords over a castle of smugglers and thieves. For one, I’m a big fan of Lupita Nyong’o, who delivered an incredibly heartbreaking performance in 12 Years a Slave. And I’m also digging the stylings of the character so far. She looks like a close cousin of Yoda, with a short stature and an old grandmother-type presence.
But mostly, I’m excited to see the technological possibilities that the filmmakers explore with this character. Both Star Wars trilogies are defined by the times they were made in, and this sequel trilogy will be no different. The Force Awakens may be remembered not by its exclusive use of practical effects, but by its melding of the tangible atmosphere of the original trilogy with the thrilling computer-generated spectacle of the prequels.
Next: Andy Serkis' Role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Officially Revealed