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[SPOILERS] Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Thread #3) - That's Not How the Force Works

bryanee

Member
I say this as some one who has never enjoyed a single Star Wars film and I've seen them all but I really, really like this one. There wasn't a single second where I wasn't into it.

Surprised the hell out of me. I do have one complaint and that was Phasma, I was expecting more from her.
 

shrek

Banned
Loved the film but didn't like the implementation of Snoke or Ren. Who the hell even is Snoke and why does he seem even more powerful than the Emperor? How did the First Order get so powerful? And Ren came across as a big pussy tbh and I feel he wasn't very well developed. I think that's why when it's revealed he's Han's son it comes across more as a "Huh?" than a "ZOMGOMFG" cause we literally know nothing about this guy. I feel like the casting for him was off (looks like Snape) and that they missed an opportunity to present him in an appealing way. They should have had him try to seduce Rey or perhaps mislead her in some other fashion. Maybe "Ben" meets her, gains her trust, but subsequently the big twist is that "Ben" is Ren and suddenly Rey has a tough decision to make.

And rather than tell Ren's backstory so briefly, why not show it? I was expecting a flashback or something.

Just my two cents.
 
If I compare the Starkiller to the Death Star in ANH, it falls way short narratively.

But it's not that different from the Death Star in ROTJ. It's of secondary importance to the overall plot.... and instead of having a tightly-edited ANH style quest to destroy it, it's just one of 3 concurrent action scenes. When it blows up, it's like an afterthought. The movie does nothing to build us up and get excited for its destruction. It doesn't really matter all that much, because the lightsaber battle is the real conflict.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing it. It's a bit sad that this trilogy starts with such a limp central concept...

I think the bold is what you're supposed to think about Starkiller Base.

In ANH, the Death Star basically was the antagonist of the film. The final conflict isn't really against Vader (Luke doesn't "beat" Vader, Han swoops in at just the right moment) - it's against the Death Star.

Rather than trying to achieve that structure all over again, in TFA, Starkiller Base is a representation of the state of the antagonists of the film - the First Order is still trying to be the Empire in the age of a New Republic (complete with planet-destructing might), and Kylo Ren is trying to put out his inner light so he can become more like Vader.
 

Arthea

Member
Well, you know those video games that are not at all generous with their checkpoints? You'll spend a bunch of time overcoming one challenge and then learn that you have to do a second challenge along with the first all in one go because there's no checkpoint in between. It's like, c'mon man. There's this feeling that you've already achieved but you're still having to do it again for reasons. That's kinda the feeling I get with the Death Star sequels.

Maybe this is a whack comparison though.

That's not the best comparison, true, but I get what you mean.
OTOH, think about it this way, there is this incredible weapon that takes care of your problem one planet at the time (or one system at the time now) and you are a bad guy, wouldn't it be your top priority to make it as fast as you can, if it gets destroyed?


Asking wasn't the problem.

I really can't fathom what problem is, I don't know how to react to your reaction to my innocent joke. I probably shouldn't
 

Staccat0

Fail out bailed
Loved the film but didn't like the implementation of Snoke or Ren. Who the hell even is Snoke and why does he seem even more powerful than the Emperor? And Ren came across as a big pussy tbh and I feel he wasn't very well developed. I think that's why when it's revealed he's Han's son it comes across more as a "Huh?" than a "ZOMGOMFG" cause we literally know nothing about this guy. I feel like the casting for him was off (looks like Snape) and that they missed an opportunity to present him in an appealing way. They should have had him try to seduce Rey or perhaps mislead her in some other fashion. Maybe "Ben" meets her, gains her trust, but subsequently the big twist is that "Ben" is Ren and suddenly Rey has a tough decision to make. Just my two cents.
For whatever it's worth, I LOVED that they didn't present Ren's lineage as a twist. We've done that.
 
I'm extrapolating nothing.

Here's how the first exposition chamber scene goes.

1) Just before BB-8 escapes with Rey and co on the Falcon
2) Chamber scene: Hux or Ren says the android escaped and is surely on its way to the Resistance.
3)Snoke says then we must change our strategy and says something about how the new Jedi must not be allowed to rise
4) Hux says the weapon is ready. Snoke says good. Hux says by taking out the Republic Leia will have no allies and thst they will easily stop her before thry find Luke
5) Hux leaves and Snoke and Ren talk about feeling the force awakening.
6) Nazi speech and Republic Senate goes boom



Next chamber scene

1) Rey is captured, Ren orders them not to worry about BB-8 anymore
2) Rey escapes
3) Second chamber scene
4) Ren tells Snoke she escaped.
5)Hux says Ren ordered them not to get the froid because the girl was supposed to be enough so now surely the droid is in the hands of the Resistance.
6) Snoke orders they target Leia's base with the weapon and destroy them before they can get to Skywalker.
7) Rest of movie happens

This is what happened in this movie. I didn't extrapolate anything. Snoke considers preventing the Resistance from finding Luke to be their top priority and every decision he makes in this movie itself is with that goal in mind. This is explicitly stared at least twice in frankly heavy handed exposition. I don't understand how you missed it.

Had they got that droid in Jakku they would not have blown up the Senate.

None of that follows the slightest logical sense. If the Droid and Luke were the most important issue, it would've seen more focus from The First Order than simply two commanders.

Again, you're too blindly focusing on the angle of the movie rather than the motivations and ultimate goals of the characters in the movie. It's fine to do that (because that's what the movie wants) when you're focusing on what's happening in the movie but when you're trying to use the narrow focus of the movie to claim that a major character's only motivation also happens to be the narrow focus of the movie... then you're clearly missing the larger scope.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I think the bold is what you're supposed to think about Starkiller Base.

In ANH, the Death Star basically was the antagonist of the film.

Rather than trying to achieve that structure all over again, in TFA, Starkiller Base is a representation of the state of the antagonists of the film - the First Order is still trying to be the Empire in the age of a New Republic, and Kylo Ren is trying to put out his inner light so he can become more like Vader.

I can see that. I definitely got the message that Kylo was a pathetic wannabe of Vader.

Was there a message that TFO was a pathetic wannabe of the Empire?
 

Burt

Member
I'm fine with everything except the secret-sun-sucking-hyper-light-speed-laser-shooting-undefendable-interstellar-transgalactic-insta-multiple-habitable-planets-in-the-100-mile-corridor-destroying-beam-of-omnipotence+1

And then they went and said

"...oh yeah, and you thought the death star was bad?"

*record scratch*

baby, you ain't seen nothing yet
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
In all fairness, in a universe where you can build planet-destroying superweapons it...kinda makes sense to build one.

Pretty much. Especially how the dark side is emulating the nazis in these movies. The whole quest for bigger and better weapons makes a lot of sense. It's a show of power more than actual power.

But on the other hand I can see how there is a bit of Death Star fatigue.
 

Lunar15

Member
I remember reading that the climax wasn't even originally going to happen on a death star type space ship, but rather in the underwater ruins of the second death star after it fell into another moon of Endor.

That would have been pretty sick.
 
I can see that. I definitely got the message that Kylo was a pathetic wannabe of Vader.

Was there a message that TFO was a pathetic wannabe of the Empire?

The General Hux speech is the best firsthand source for what TFO thinks about the state of affairs in the galaxy.

Today is the end of the Republic, the end of a regime that acquiesces to disorder. At this very moment, in a system far from here, the New Republic lies to the galaxy while secretly supporting the treachery of the rogues of the Resistance. This fierce machine which you have built, upon which we stand, will bring an end to the Senate, to their cherished fleet. All remaining systems will bow to the First Order and will remember this as the last day of the Republic!

What I get from this: this New Republic is a sham; long live the Empire!
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
I can see that. I definitely got the message that Kylo was a pathetic wannabe of Vader.

Was there a message that TFO was a pathetic wannabe of the Empire?

Both Hux and Kylo were wannabes in the end, competing for the leading position, but none of them actually ready for it.
 

Blader

Member
I remember reading that the climax wasn't even originally going to happen on a death star type space ship, but rather in the underwater ruins of the second death star after it fell into another moon of Endor.

That would have been pretty sick.

I don't think that was the climax, more like just one stop along the way.
 

Palpable

Member
Why exactly did Ford want Han to die in Empire Strikes Back and/or RotJ? I heard he only agreed to do TFA if Han died. I don't get it. Han Solo and Indiana Jones are what made him famous, why would he want Han dead?
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
The General Hux speech is the best firsthand source for what TFO thinks about the state of affairs in the galaxy.



What I get from this: this New Republic is a sham; long live the Empire!

I'd have appreciated a telling line that, from TFO's point of view, the Empire was a golden age.

Would have spoken volumes, admitting that it wasn't a golden age anymore, and they were desperately trying to get back to it.


Why exactly did Ford want Han to die in Empire Strikes Back and/or RotJ? I heard he only agreed to do TFA if Han died. I don't get it. Han Solo and Indiana Jones are what made him famous, why would he want Han dead?

He's not exactly the only Star Wars actor to come to hate the Star Wars phenomenon. He joins a long list of regretful actors including Alec Guiness and Jake Lloyd.
 
Why exactly did Ford want Han to die in Empire Strikes Back and/or RotJ? I heard he only agreed to do TFA if Han died. I don't get it. Han Solo and Indiana Jones are what made him famous, why would he want Han dead?
In Jedi he felt Han had no real impact on the story. He had a point, but I'm glad he decided to do TFA. His death had more impact than it would have had then.
 
I'd have appreciated a telling line that, from TFO's point of view, the Empire was a golden age.

Would have spoken volumes, admitting that it wasn't a golden age anymore, and they were desperately trying to get back to it.

I think it's already pretty heavily implied by TFO thinking this new Republic has "acquiesced to disorder" and patterning themselves directly after the Empire in pretty much every discernible way. I don't think we need another line of exposition to establish this.
 

Arthea

Member
Why exactly did Ford want Han to die in Empire Strikes Back and/or RotJ? I heard he only agreed to do TFA if Han died. I don't get it. Han Solo and Indiana Jones are what made him famous, why would he want Han dead?

I'm having deja vu moment there, I could swear there was post(s) exactly like this before. He didn't want other actor to take over ever, he isn't exactly young and all people die?
 

Ishida

Banned
He's not exactly the only Star Wars actor to come to hate the Star Wars phenomenon. He joins a long list of regretful actors including Alec Guiness and Jake Lloyd.

Yep, pretty much.

Alec Guiness hated it from the beginning, though, only acting polite in most interviews. And Jake Lloyd came to hate it due to all the angry manchildren harassing him and claiming for his blood, because the kid "ruined they childhoods".
 
I think it's already pretty heavily implied by TFO thinking this new Republic has "acquiesced to disorder" and patterning themselves directly after the Empire in pretty much every discernible way. I don't think we need another line of exposition to establish this.
Yeah, I agree. It doesn't really need to be said.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Yep, pretty much.

Alec Guiness hated it from the beginning, though, only acting polite in most interviews. And Jake Lloyd came to hate it due to all the angry manchildren harassing him and claiming for his blood, because the kid "ruined they childhoods".

Hmmm... Maybe Kylo Ren should have been played by Jake Lloyd? :p
 
Is c-3po's inclusion in the film anything more than a nuisance? He was a useful messenger in New Hope, comic relief in Empire and Jedi and a useless prat in the prequels.

What does he do here besides have a red arm (NEW TOY KIDS GO BUY IT) and exclaim obvious shit, something the film otherwise refrained from doing until he shows up?

Easily the most obnoxious part of the film besides Kylo's Anakin Skywalker impressions. Someone should gif younglings onto the screens he destroys with his lightsaber when he learns of Rey's escape.

Sorry if I'm repeating past grievances. I otherwise enjoyed the film :/
 
He's not exactly the only Star Wars actor to come to hate the Star Wars phenomenon. He joins a long list of regretful actors including Alec Guiness and Jake Lloyd.

That's not the answer to the question being asked at all.

He didn't really want Han to die in Empire, so that parts wrong anyway. He DID want Han to die in Jedi, primarily because he thought it was the best call for the character, and for the movie proper. He wasn't necessarily wrong, but he feels that the death he wanted then wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as the death he got now, which impacts the story in a far greater way.

Whether Han's dying was part of his agreement as to whether he joined on or not isn't known, actually. Many assume that's the case (I myself also figured it had at least something to do with his negotiations), but I don't know that it's been stated definitively one way or the other yet.

Even if they'd said "I dunno. You live to the next flick" the payday they gave his ass probably would have changed his mind.

Alec Guiness hated it from the beginning, though,

No, if he'd hated it, he wouldn't have taken the job. He thought it was lighthearted, lightweight, disposable kids film bullshit, but he didn't hate it. He came to hate the weight placed upon it, and the means by which that weight pigeonholed who he was as an actor, but he didn't "hate Star Wars" from the beginning.

One of the most relayed stories about Guinness' grumpiness features him telling a kid to promise him he won't go see the movie anymore. Not because he thought the movie was shit, but becuase the kid had seen it like, 100 times, and Guinness was like "Get some fucking perspective, kid. Thats about 200 hours you could have spent doing anything else."
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Is c-3po's inclusion in the film anything more than a nuisance? He was a useful messenger in New Hope, comic relief in Empire and Jedi and a useless prat in the prequels.

What does he do here besides have a red arm (NEW TOY KIDS GO BUY IT) and exclaim obvious shit, something the film otherwise refrained from doing until he shows up?

Easily the most obnoxious part of the film besides Kylo's Anakin Skywalker impressions. Someone should gif younglings onto the screens he destroys with his lightsaber when he learns of Rey's escape.

Sorry if I'm repeating past grievances. I otherwise enjoyed the film :/

R2-D2 and C-3P0 have been in every one of the mainline films and I expect that to continue.

That's funny because I'm kinda down on TFA and I loved 3P0! I thought he was genuinely funny in this.

That's not the answer to the question being asked at all.

And? Is this forum a question and answer session?
 
Is c-3po's inclusion in the film anything more than a nuisance? He was a useful messenger in New Hope, comic relief in Empire and Jedi and a useless prat in the prequels.

What does he do here besides have a red arm (NEW TOY KIDS GO BUY IT) and exclaim obvious shit, something the film otherwise refrained from doing until he shows up?

Given how little the film leans on that kind of storytelling, I'm hoping they meant for us to realize how annoying and unnecessary C-3PO is so they can sideline him even harder for the next one.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
Is c-3po's inclusion in the film anything more than a nuisance? He was a useful messenger in New Hope, comic relief in Empire and Jedi and a useless prat in the prequels.

What does he do here besides have a red arm (NEW TOY KIDS GO BUY IT) and exclaim obvious shit, something the film otherwise refrained from doing until he shows up?

Easily the most obnoxious part of the film besides Kylo's Anakin Skywalker impressions. Someone should gif younglings onto the screens he destroys with his lightsaber when he learns of Rey's escape.

Sorry if I'm repeating past grievances. I otherwise enjoyed the film :/

I think besides TPM, Jar Jar also ruined C-3PO, because the resemblance in behavior is way too obvious.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I think besides TPM, Jar Jar also ruined C-3PO, because the resemblance in behavior is way too obvious.

I think that's you.

He was written as a slick car salesman, and his "oh dear" slapstickery was a creation of Anthony Daniels, not Lucas.
 
And? Is this forum a question and answer session?

Are you being serious right now?

(Should I not expect an answer to this because of the nebulous definition of "forum"?)

Just to cover bases in the possibility you really don't know, and would like an honest answer: When you quote someone's question, and respond directly to it, the assumption is that you're attempting to address the question being asked. You didn't do that, AND you misrepresented the answer you DID give.
 
To be fair, Kylo was probably their Ace with no losses, until Fin showed up to screw their entire plans up.

Perhaps, though again, if Snoke is as scared as what Excelsiorlef is saying.. so utterly terrified of Luke and what Luke could do that he would destroy an entire system in hopes of simply hindering Leia from finding him...

It would still make no sense to only send Kylo and Hux. If absolute fear of Luke and a new Jedi Order are what is driving his decisions... there is no logic that explains why he wouldn't swing the entire weight of his force on a mission so utterly critical.
 

shrek

Banned
Do you guys see Ren being the main villain of this trilogy? I don't after he got his ass kicked by Rey.

Perhaps the Supreme Leader is going to move on and then seduce one of the heroes?
 
No, if he'd hated it, he wouldn't have taken the job. He thought it was lighthearted, lightweight, disposable kids film bullshit, but he didn't hate it. He came to hate the weight placed upon it, and the means by which that weight pigeonholed who he was as an actor, but he didn't "hate Star Wars" from the beginning.

One of the most relayed stories about Guinness' grumpiness features him telling a kid to promise him he won't go see the movie anymore. Not because he thought the movie was shit, but becuase the kid had seen it like, 100 times, and Guinness was like "Get some fucking perspective, kid. Thats about 200 hours you could have spent doing anything else."

Holy shit. So Guinness is to Star Wars what Eccleston is to New Who!
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I honestly don't understand how this answer relates to my post.

You said C3P0 reminds you of Jar Jar. I took that to mean they were both derived from the same brand of Lucas humour... but they factually aren't.
 

NimbusD

Member
Just saw it again for the second time today, and just gonna ramble for a second: So much more makes sense about the story that didn't the first time. Especially reading about deleted scenes from the first act about introducing Leia earlier with the senate. I definitely understand why they were cut, it would have ruined the excellent pacing and made her reveal with Han later less emotional than it was, but they butchered the whole explanation of anything about the republic and the first order. Smart editing move, but you can only do so much when that problem was just baked into the script. Problem was that there were too many characters and stories they wanted to tell yet they also wanted to keep the story on Finn/Rey and they couldn't have it both ways without having some problems. Ultimately I'm happy with the way they chose to fix it because we can get taht information elsewhere, but making a fun film comes first. I just wish they realized the problem at the script level, or at least in time for reshoots so they could have moved that explanation to at the resistance headquarters somehow. And definitely before they actually blow up the senate. There's no stakes there because you barely have a clue what's being blown up and why it's important and how exactly it affects the resistance and the battle to come. In my mind, it should have ALL been cut. Save blowing up the senate for the second film. Then you don't really have to explain anything in this film and can keep it to just Finn and Rey's story.

That also could have gotten rid of the 'need' for the starkiller base which is the worst thing about the whole film. As nice of a set peice as it is for some of those scenes, literally nothing makes sense about it. How it was made, i guess in secret, how it could possibly work, how it didn't destroy a sun the first time, how the beams could be seen from the ground, the shot of seeing 3 or 4 planets in close proximity being blown up. None of these things make sense even in the star wars world. Would have loved to have had a sensible ending to this movie.
 
Do you guys see Ren being the main villain of this trilogy? I don't after he got his ass kicked by Rey.

Perhaps the Supreme Leader is going to move on and then seduce one of the heroes?

Snoke is the main orchestrator.
Ren will be the main force in our heroes way.
 

Arthea

Member
Do you guys see Ren being the main villain of this trilogy? I don't after he got his ass kicked by Rey.

Perhaps the Supreme Leader is going to move on and then seduce one of the heroes?

but that doesn't mean anything, as his training isn't finished and now after he killed Han, it will be, but yeah he doesn't seem to be the main villain, only a second main villain.
 
Snoke is the main orchestrator.
Ren will be the main force in our heroes way.

I want to know how he was able to seduce Ben and how other characters knew him. I just don't see a person with a giant gash in the skull making waves with people on a personal level.

Han: "Yeah, this guy looks darkside to me. Look at that face, shouldn't he be dead?"
 
Do you guys see Ren being the main villain of this trilogy? I don't after he got his ass kicked by Rey.

Perhaps the Supreme Leader is going to move on and then seduce one of the heroes?

The film lays it on pretty thick that Rey and Ren are having parallel journeys in the ways of the force, going so far as to have a Super Duper Symbolic™ rift separate them at the end of their duel and having them both set up to receive training from very different masters at the conclusion of the film.

We'll see Ren be a presence throughout eps 8 and 9. Don't know what 'main villain' means though. I always figured Emperor Part Deux would be the final boss to slay.
 

Error

Jealous of the Glory that is Johnny Depp
I liked the new characters, specially Finn, a stormtrooper that defects is a pretty interesting angle to go for a new character but the movie brushes it over quickly and it's never mentioned again after the first 15-20 minutes and then brought on again during the last act to serve as a plot device "oh the new death star also has a weakness, I'm a lowly stormtrooper but everyone knows that. It's common knowledge!"

And it's weird how quickly everyone was trusting of him, instant-frienship like no one even doubted him? Where's his character arc?
 
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