These scenes did not make it into the final cut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens
We’ve recently gone through the Star Wars: The Force Awakens novel, and picked out several scenes that did not make it into the final cut of the film. These are the best scenes left out of Star Wars: The Force Awakens…
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Director J.J. Abrams has confirmed that roughly a dozen scenes were cut from the final version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, in fact there is around 10 to 20 minutes of the film that the director expects to include in the deleted scenes portion of the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Episode VII. With that in mind, and having just finished the Star Wars: The Force Awakens novel, we look at the best of these scenes that were not included in the theatrical release of the film.
Poe Dameron’s escape from Jakku:
In the film, we don’t know that Poe escapes, in fact, we are left wandering if the best pilot in the Resistance actually died when the elite TIE fighter he and Finn used to escape the First Order, crashed on the planet of Jakku’s surface. In the book, Poe awakens and stumbles from the crash site, and wanders out into the night. The next day he meets a scavenger and then some thieves and escapes them, using their speeder. So, while Finn was finding his way to the outpost where he meets Rey and eventually escapes the planet on the Falcon.
Unakar Plutt follows Rey to Maz Kanata’s castle and gets his arms ripped off:
In the film, the last we ever see of the disgusting Unkar Plutt, is when he runs out of his tent to yell at Rey and Finn as they speed away in the Millennium Falcon. In the book, Unkar actually follows our heroes to the planet of Takodana, where he confronts Rey at Maz Kanata’s castle. Angry that the scavenger stole the Falcon from him, Unkar begins to roughly handle Rey, until Chewbacca steps in and rips the villain’s arms off. Yes, Chewie ripped Unkar Plutt’s arms out.
It is strongly hinted that Kylo Ren knows who Rey is:
This is kind of slightly hinted at in the fim. During their lightsaber battle in the woods — Rey uses the Force to draw Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber to her hands — sending the saber flying past Kylo Ren. The alteration to this scene in the novel is, Kylo Ren turns to Rey and says: “It is you” which strongly suggests that Kylo did in fact have somewhat of a clue as to the real identity of Rey.
Kylo Ren actually boarded the Millennium Falcon and had a moment:
This never happened in the film. Han, Chewie, and Finn crash land on Starkiller base and begin the search for Rey. In the book, Kylo Ren, along with some First Order Snowtroopers, board the vessel. Here’s a cut from the book:
"“Kylo Ren ignored him as he strode past, his eyes raking every corner of the crashed vessel, looking for — he wasn’t sure. Something that might speak to him. Something recognizable, perhaps. There was nothing in the deserted cockpit, but he delayed leaving anyway, settling down in the pilot’s seat.”"
Of course, later in the film, Kylo nee-Ben Solo, and Han have a confrontation that sadly ends in Han’s death.
We want to hear from you. Have you read the Star Wars: The Force Awakens novel? If so, what were some of your favorite scenes? Let us know in the comments and on social media.