We know the entire main cast for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But what about cameo appearances? Who do we hope to see turn up?
There are many things riding on Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it arrives in theater this week. But though there are known knowns (Han and Leia are in the movie), known unknowns (Rey and Finn’s last names are being kept secret) and unknown knowns (where is Luke?), the thing I want to discuss are the unknown unknowns. Because if there’s one thing we can be guaranteed, it’s that J.J. Abrams will be bringing the fan service in this movie to the faithful, and probably as hard as he did with the Star Trek reboot in 2009. That means lines we heard in the original trilogy be reiterated (C’mon baby, don’y fail me now already having been revealed in the Chinese trailer.) But just as important as lines, will be those pop up characters from the original series into the new one. The all important surprise cameos.
Now, we know already that Wedge won’t be showing up, since Dennis Lawson was very vocal about his refusal to return. And we do know that Admiral Ackbar will be in it. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing other fan favorites. Here are the Top Five Characters we hope to see.
Nien Nnub: We know that Lando isn’t in Episode VII, though he might be in Episode VIII. A good way to foreshadow that? Bringing in his partner in dealings and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, Nien Nnub. The Sullustan arms dealer and smuggler has a history with General Leia Organa, as one of those hired to smuggle survivors of the Alderaanian genocide out of the reach of the Empire. Even if Lando is not part of the new movie, General Leia has been gathering loyalists, and Nnub is sure to be one of those she would rely on. Wookiepedia currently lists him as a pilot with the Resistance, so chances are high he’ll turn up.
Max Rebo: The little blue Ortolan with large ears and an elephantine nose, Max is the leader of the Max Rebo Band. You may remember the band from such intergalactic hits as “Jammin At Jabba’s.” (It was never a number one hit though, held from the spot by the smash hit and universal earworm “Cantina Theme.”) The reason we’re hoping to see Max, turn up, even if we hope to stay out of dens of smugglers and thieves, is due to the promise of a “New Cantina type scene” that J.J. Abrams let slips a few weeks ago. Hamilton heads are especially excited for this, since Lin-Manuel Miranda helped write the tune. Perhaps Max will have a number one smash at last.
Mon Mothma: Now this is a character that if she appeared in the new trilogy would be one of the few to appear in all three sets. Mon Mothma was first seen in Return of the Jedi, she was the elected leader of the Rebel Alliance, and famous for her line about how “many Bothans died to bring us these plans,” after the Death Star raid. She also appeared in the Galactic senate in the prequels, as a senator from Chandrila, whose choice to help stand up to the Emperor was clearly part of what lead her to be elected leader of the Rebel Alliance. But even if she does not turn up working for the resistance in The Force Awakens, one would expect we will see her in the stand alone movie Rogue One, which focuses on the events of that Bothan raid.
Boba Fett: You didn’t actually think we would get through a list of “characters fans would like to see cameos of in the new movie” without mentioning Boba Fett, did you? Perhaps the most famous minor character of the original movies, the clone of bounty hunter Jango Fett. yes, we all know that the original Boba feet was knocked into the pit of Sarlac to be digested over a thousand years. But for heaven’s sake, he was a clone. That means they could make more of him. You don’t think that J.J. Abrams won’t find some way to reference Boba Fett in the new movies? that’s what characters like Boba Fett are *for.*
Jawas: Yes, I want to see a sandcrawler full of Jawas. Why? No, I don’t need an R5-D4 model or an R2-D2 or even a droid who speaks the binary language of moisture vaporators. I just want them to drive by, or perhaps march by, singing the Colonel Bogey March.
Someone here you didn’t see? Perhaps we already know they’re in the movie! Make sure to check out the entire Star Wars Force Awakens cast list.
Next: Star Wars The Force Awakens: When does the movie come out?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in TWO DAYS YOU GUYS.