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'Star Wars: Episode VII' Gets a Name

schwit1 writes If you feel a disturbance in the Force, it's millions of voices suddenly crying out the new title of Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. The reveal comes as the movie finishes its final day of shooting (with many more months of post-production to come.) Although there were still a few days left of shooting, the cast of the J.J. Abrams film already celebrated their wrap party last weekend, following a bumpy few months of principal photography thrown into crisis when Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford, broke his leg on set in an accident involving a falling door on the Millennium Falcon.

51 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. No thank you by TangoMargarine · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I wasn't interested in seeing J.J. Abrams skullfuck Star Trek; if you think I'm going to watch him do it to Star Wars as well, you're sorely mistaken.

    Not even mentioning the name. After midi-chlorians...the Force is already awake...just no.

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    1. Re:No thank you by jovius · · Score: 3, Funny

      At least Millennium Falcon seems to be in the correct shape.

    2. Re:No thank you by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

      Whats wrong with the shape? do you think it's not aerodynamic enough for space?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    3. Re:No thank you by roc97007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The ST reboot really divided fans. I skipped boy scouts to see The Man Trap when it first aired, consider myself a fan of TOS, less so of the ones that came after, (when they transitioned from action-with-a-dose-of-philosophy to Endless Meetings) and I really enjoyed the reboot. Just sayin'. I even enjoyed Into Darkness.

      But regardless of what one thinks of Abrams, he wasn't responsible for the midichlorian silliness. Lucas had crapped thrice (some would say three-and-a-half times, to include certain aspects of RotJ) on Star Wars long before Abrams got his mitts on the property.

      I think Abrams has done good stuff and bad stuff and stupid stuff. (The Enterprise engine room is a great example of "stupid stuff".) But I suspect, whatever he does with Star Wars, it'll be better than The Phantom Menace. (I still think Lucas must have had a stroke while they were in planning for TPM, and everyone was too frightened of him to mention that he wasn't making sense anymore.)

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    4. Re:No thank you by istartedi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Retcon Midichlorians out of Star Wars. Shouldn't be too difficult to do.

      "At one time, it was believed that the Force was the collective intelligence of microscopic organisms. Later, Jedi scientists discovered that they were merely attracted to the Force, not the creators of it".

      As an added bonus, we'd get Jedi Scientists which sounds like it could be really cool if they didn't fu.... oh well, so much for that plan.

      Now if you'll excuse me, duty at the Jedi Science Academy calls...

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    5. Re:No thank you by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

      if you think I'm going to watch him do it to Star Wars as well, you're sorely mistaken.

      That's okay then. I've never given a moment's thought to what you think.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    6. Re:No thank you by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I wasn't interested in seeing J.J. Abrams skullfuck Star Trek; if you think I'm going to watch him do it to Star Wars as well, you're sorely mistaken.

      Not even mentioning the name. After midi-chlorians...the Force is already awake...just no.

      Millions of the rest of us will enjoy seeing it without you.

      Millions of the rest of us will see it without you. Some, perhaps most, will enjoy it.

      fify

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    7. Re:No thank you by TangoMargarine · · Score: 2

      The ST reboot really divided fans. I skipped boy scouts to see The Man Trap when it first aired, consider myself a fan of TOS, less so of the ones that came after, (when they transitioned from action-with-a-dose-of-philosophy to Endless Meetings) and I really enjoyed the reboot. Just sayin'. I even enjoyed Into Darkness.

      I like "classic" Trek because it is actually optimistic and tries to make you think; the plot isn't about the Federation betraying some guy who then goes back in time and starts blowing up entire planets full of civilians while Chris Pine gets to smirk around the bridge of the Enterprise which has been conveniently given to him.

      But regardless of what one thinks of Abrams, he wasn't responsible for the midichlorian silliness. Lucas had crapped thrice (some would say three-and-a-half times, to include certain aspects of RotJ) on Star Wars long before Abrams got his mitts on the property.

      Yeah, no argument there. But I know better than to say, "how could they possibly do it worse" because as soon as I say that and go see it, there's a strong chance I'll find out.

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    8. Re:No thank you by Sir_Eptishous · · Score: 2

      The first reboot that he did was a complete skullfuk, I agree.
      However, "Into Darkness" was actually pretty good. I was hesitant at seeing Cumberbatch play Khan, but damn, he did a helluva job. It's good.

      --
      We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
    9. Re:No thank you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      That is odd since these are sequels and not reboots.

      And also they are movies, not TV shows, in this case.

      Be that as it may...

      Man of Steel is way awesomer than the old superman movies. Drop the nostalgia and watch them, and you will see.
      Dark Knight was way better than the batman movies of the 90's, and you know it is true.
      Battlestar Galactica. Only a moron would argue.

      So there's three....and I didn't even have to mention gimmies like Dr Who.

    10. Re:No thank you by TangoMargarine · · Score: 2

      Oceans 11, the original was an awful musical.

      Really? Well, it had the Rat Pack in it which I thought people regarded highly.

      The Fly, the original costumes and make up took away from the story

      Both the original and the '80s version are rated in the 90th percentile according to Wikipedia.

      Scarface, the original was from 1932
      True Grit, the original was a spaghetti western

      Neither of those are really criticisms...

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    11. Re:No thank you by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Most of the utilitarian design shift was supposed to happen during the clone wars. You can see this with the introduction of the Y-Wings, the Z95s, and the ARC-170s.

    12. Re:No thank you by Hussman32 · · Score: 2

      I think you got two out of three. Man of Steel, while I give a lot of credit for the production design and origin story, had way too many buildings getting Superman/Zod trails followed up with Primal Screams...Richard Donner's version was much better (except for the world rotating backwards, I personally view it as a visualization that he had the power to reverse time).

      I'm definitely looking forward to Episode VII.

      --
      "Who are you?" "No one of consequence." "I must know." "Get used to disappointment."
    13. Re:No thank you by Aeros · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Exactly. People are going to bitch about this film no mater what. I just look at these peoples posts and shake my head. What are they actually contributing to the world except their bitching-n-complaining? Im sure most of these complainers will bitch about the film after they see it but still purchase the dvd/bluray and watch it several more times.

    14. Re:No thank you by TangoMargarine · · Score: 2

      Battlestar Galactica. Only a moron would argue.

      Well, I guess I'm a moron then. (And before you ask, I watched the entire show through to the very last episode.)

      The two incarnations of BSG were from very different times, culturally. And if you say rebooted BSG *as a whole* was better than the original, even not having seen more than an episode or two of the original, I'd have a hard time believing that. If you limit it to the miniseries and the first two seasons, maybe; but after that it was just an extended slow-motion train wreck of plot threads that didn't have a logical conclusion.

      And God, I was tired of Roslin. If I was more motivated, I'd go through and count the number of decisions she made where she DIDN'T just ignore everybody who was telling her what the sane thing to do was. Democracy my ass. I swear she got some sort of sadistic joy from telling everyone to fuck off as often as possible.

      But BSG is the sort of shot I don't usually want to watch (everybody is all angsty and hating each other and everybody has to make Hard Decisions about who to shoot in the face in order to survive, etc. etc.) so I'm sure there are plenty of arguments as to why it was quality.

      Man of Steel is way awesomer than the old superman movies

      In Man of Steel, wasn't Superman's enemy his own sadness and depression? Just from that description, I vowed to never watch it.

      Dark Knight

      Okay, you've got me there. BB and TDK were awesome, although I found TDKR strictly 'meh.'

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    15. Re:No thank you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      True Grit, the original was a spaghetti western

      Methinks you don't know what a "spaghetti Western" is. "True Grit" is not one.

    16. Re:No thank you by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

      Might as well be box or cube shaped for all I care.

      We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile ...

      Wouldn't it be great fun if Star Trek invaded Star Wars?

      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    17. Re:No thank you by witherstaff · · Score: 4, Informative

      One of the expanded novels explained that the kessel run was a gravitational nightmare from black holes so the shorter distance a ship could do it meant they knew the best routes and/or the ship was strong enough to survive.

    18. Re:No thank you by Artifakt · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Midiclorians is a special grade of boner - it doesn't make sense, goes against the existing continuity, AND if it's true, the whole moral stance of the Jedi is a lie (as in, they don't get more power by meditating, learing to control their emotions (all that stuff Yoda was teaching Luke in the original series), and somehow becoming morally fit to serve as the galaxy's force for order and niceness, their power comes simply from being genetically prone to high Midiclorian counts). Midiclorians mean no one can become even the poorest grade Jedi by trying to follow all of Yoda's teachings, even if they practice for their entire lives. All that talk about not giving in to fear because it leads to anger is just guff to manipulate the masses. This is all something the film that introduced Midiclorians specifically announced was affected by heredity, and the whole point is reinforced by Luke being a descendent of the most powerful Midiclorian bearer known.
                With Midiclorians, the Jedi are genetic superhumans who lie to the rest of the galaxy and only claim their authority comes from their moral code and devout worship of the Force. The Jedi and Sith become nothing but two cabals of hidden Nazi Ubermensches, and whichever one wins will continue lying to the common people, practicing cynical realpolitik, but neither group will really believe in such values as truth, democracy, or freedom - the Jedi will just use their lies to put the old Princess system back into power instead of the new Emperor. I quit watching the series after that, because I fully expected the next movie would reveal Yoda was a cannibal necrophiliac and Han's grandmother was really Heinrich Himmler. Frankly, Star Wars would have to stand on a stack of Wookies equal to the total number of Midiclorians every Jedi in history was infected with, just to be able to see the slimy underbelly of the morally bankrupt ending to Ralph Bakshi's Wizards. (Which was repugnant, if funny, but much more palatable than what Star Wars became).

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    19. Re:No thank you by o_ferguson · · Score: 2

      You can fuck right off about Oceans 11. The original was wonderful because the underlying tale about morality was just totally boffo. The remake was amoral bullshit.

      --
      - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
    20. Re:No thank you by o_ferguson · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Which is why he's perfect for Star Wars.

      --
      - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
    21. Re:No thank you by dywolf · · Score: 2

      Man of Steel has one glaring flaw.
      No John Williams theme.
      That is an unforgivable sin.

      --
      The guy who said the election was rigged won the presidency with the second-most votes.
    22. Re:No thank you by dywolf · · Score: 2

      Thou shalt not speak ill of the original Battlestar Galactica!

      *hums the theme to himself while hugging himself and rocking back and forth*

      --
      The guy who said the election was rigged won the presidency with the second-most votes.
    23. Re:No thank you by Gryle · · Score: 3

      Indeed! How dare someone else enjoy something I didn't! The nerve!

      --
      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
    24. Re:No thank you by TangoMargarine · · Score: 2

      Well, I'm so glad you managed to elevate the discussion by complaining about people complaining. That's so much better than the initial complaining.

      Sup dawg, I heard you hate Internet bitching so I gave you a forum that involves lots of Internet bitching, so you can go there and see people bitching, and get mad, and contribute to the bitching yourself. Oh, and condescension.

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    25. Re:No thank you by mrchaotica · · Score: 2

      I think Abrams has done good stuff and bad stuff and stupid stuff. (The Enterprise engine room is a great example of "stupid stuff".)

      WTF? You think the engine room is a better example of stupid stuff in Abrams-Trek than Kirk being promoted from a (fuck-up, insubordinate) cadet to captain in the space of a few days and then keeping the captaincy after the crisis has passed? Or interstellar transporters, which would render starships entirely obsolete (if they didn't just ignore that implication)? Or any number of other plot holes big enough to drive a starshi-- no, a galaxy-class starshi-- no, a fucking borg cube through?!

      Fuck, man, JJ sucks so bad even goddamn V'ger could fit through his plot holes!

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  2. proper name! by rogoshen1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Star Wars Episode VII: Belated Cash Grab" ?

    1. Re:proper name! by The_Rook · · Score: 4, Funny

      star wars episode vii: rise of the lens flare

      --
      when religion is no longer the opiate of the masses, governments will resort to real opiates.
  3. I think Brooks had it with by stewsters · · Score: 4, Funny

    Star Sars Episode VII: The Search for More Money.

    1. Re:I think Brooks had it with by Iniamyen · · Score: 4, Funny

      Star Wars the FLAME THROWER!

    2. Re:I think Brooks had it with by Iniamyen · · Score: 2

      Good idea; I would gladly wipe my ass with Jar Jar Binks' face.

  4. Pretty cool by kruach+aum · · Score: 2

    I like the name; I think it's good. The most interesting part of star wars is the force (and the jedi, as the primary force users). Suggesting that the force is central to the story by naming it in the title gives me hope.

    1. Re:Pretty cool by wiredlogic · · Score: 2

      Suggesting that the force is central to the story by naming it in the title gives me hope.

      Would that be a new hope?

      --
      I am becoming gerund, destroyer of verbs.
    2. Re:Pretty cool by ifiwereasculptor · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The jedi were cool and popular. So they based the whole prequel trilogy around them, and we all know how that turned out. Sometimes the best thing you can do if leave the coolest chacter in the sidelines.

    3. Re:Pretty cool by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 2

      Let me ask you this: did we really need a pod race? What does it establish? What does it add? Is it exciting? And yet we spend a good half hour on that bullshit on Tatooine, half an hour that could have been spent observing the ways of the Force. I wonder if there's even a hundred people who liked the original trilogy who had a positive opinion on Watto. Was that something we needed, George Fucking Lucas?

      The Pod race? Is that really the worst way you can think of that they ruined Star Wars? They ruined Star Wars for me with the battle of Endor, Awwww ... cute little teddybears. I would not shed any tears if they reshot that entire part of the original trilogy with Wookies like was originally intended (or so some SW fanboy told me). Then they threw in Jar Jar Binks... and that asinine battle between the Gungans and the Droids. A civilisation that can produce shield generators is tossing stuff at the enemy with catapults and throwing cavalry at tanks? Really? I can't decide which is worse. And then there is the scene where Yoda stumbles onto that landing pad with his cane and alluvasudden is he bouncing off the walls like a rubber ball as he duels Count Dooku. The list goes on, and on, and on... The whole movie theatre burst out in hearty laughter when that Yoda/Dooku duel scene came up. For a moment I felt like I was watching a Monty Python movie. I rather like the animated Clone Wars/Rebels series though, since there is a bit less braindead slapstick in it and once in a while you are treated to a scene where the clone troopers and commando droids are behaving in a way that vaguely (emphasise vaguely) resembles the way real soldiers would behave (the regular of the Droids are so stupid even the kids think it's unrealistic). It's really a pity how Lucas and the studio marketing and management monkeys have managed to screw up Star Wars, it's an awesome fantasy universe in many ways. It's also remarkable how popular Star Wars is despite all the ways they have FUBAR'ed it.

      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    4. Re:Pretty cool by RavenLrD20k · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The reason I lump all three prequels into the "suck" category is the fact that Anakin Skywalker as portrayed by Christensen completely breaks continuity from Darth Vader as he was in the original trilogy. The prequels would be fair movies on their own if they didn't break that continuity of character that needed to flow into the story of the original trilogy (plot holes not withstanding). Vader was brooding, analytical, calculating, and intolerant. Granted the expanded universe books have been declared null and void to the discussion of the movies, but if I remember right, those books have said that the brooding and calculating traits were with Anakin from the beginning when he was found by the Jedi; which contributed to his being consistently alienated from the Jedi Order. Looking at the portrayal in the prequels (regardless of this is to be blamed on Christensen or the writers), that Anakin was whiny, impatient, reckless, and thoughtless right up to the moment he burned. Essentially, Anakin had the complete emotionally opposite core personality from Vader. People's core personality won't change like that unless they suffered major brain injury (not something that was indicated when he burned in the fire pits).

      Another part of the prequels that broke the Anakin story for me was the whole messiah complex that was going on. On one hand, I can see the irony of inserting that into the story. "He's the one who will restore balance to the Force." Well, he did. He increased the weight on the Dark Side to counteract the complacency of a Light Side that had been suffering from having too much power for too long. But it's also something that contributed to breaking the character continuity. Vader would have come from a child who was bullied by everyone, and set up to fail often (nurturing his intolerance for the failure of others). Someone who was berated every time he opened his mouth (becoming a man who only speaks when absolutely necessary). Someone who was chastised for putting a voice to his pain (emotional expression is nullified). Someone perpetually on the outside of society's cliques (perpetually the loner). Someone who's survival and success depended on his ability to quickly create a strategy of subversion and the balls to act on it. Anakin was none of this. He was the entitled brat that always wanted more, never shut up about how he was supposedly wronged, always sought acceptance of others, and never came up with a plan of action on his own. Whenever he was bullied he was always rescued, beginning with Qui-Gon rescuing him from Watto and ending with Palpatine rescuing him from the fire pits.

      Think back to the prequels: Anakin was a capable fighter, but he always got into a situation he needed to be saved from...and there was ALWAYS someone there to pick him up and kept him from absolutely failing. When did we ever see Vader needing to be saved from a situation? Hell, when did Vader ever truly lose control of a situation? Maintaining situational control is not something an entitled brat ever learns to do. When they start losing control of a situation, self-control will go out of the window and there wouldn't be any regrouping to recalculate, only perpetual knee-jerk reactions. Those with an entitlement complex don't adapt well to adversity. Those who are constantly beaten down, however, do; and Vader's success is through his ability to quickly formulate and act on a new plan.

      tl;dr version using chess piece powers as reference: Prequel Anakin was a pawn that does not offer a logical character path to have grown into Vader's Queen to Palpatine's King.

  5. falling door on the Millennium Falcon? by Ecuador · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, it was supposed to be kind of an old wreck back in Episode IV, I guess by now it is a wonder it is flying at all...

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    1. Re:falling door on the Millennium Falcon? by Pfhorrest · · Score: 2

      Que? Cómo "que" una broma? Quiso decir "queue"? O "más probablemente "cue"?

      --
      -Forrest Cameranesi, Geek of all Trades
      "I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like trolls, flames, or spam."
    2. Re:falling door on the Millennium Falcon? by o_ferguson · · Score: 2

      I wonder if this sequel will finally explain what happened to those Imperials who were knocked out during the Death Star landing in Ep. IV and stowed away in the smuggling compartments? I always figured one of them had woken up and subsisted on the corpses of the other ones while sneaking around in the bowels of the ship causing havoc. That's why there are so many mechanical problems with the MF later in the OT.

      --
      - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
  6. My predictions by Aboroth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Here's what I expect, in so specific order.

    1.) Lens flares, so you can't see what's happening clearly!
    2.) Shaky cam, so you can't focus on anything happening!
    3.) Ultra-close-up action, so you don't know who is doing what in fights!
    4.) Previously known characters acting against their established personalities, for no good reason, and against all reason in general.
    5.) Teal and orange! In every scene, teal and orange will provide the color contrast.
    6.) C-3PO and R2-D2 will appear for some stupid fucking reasons and tie into the mythos in even more unlikely and retarded ways.

    1. Re:My predictions by Sir_Eptishous · · Score: 2

      4.) Previously known characters acting against their established personalities, for no good reason, and against all reason in general.

      This. Is. What. Will. Happen. Again. And. Again.

      --
      We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
  7. Talking Star wars moivie by geekoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    this takes me back to /. during the 90's.
    Sooo who are we pouring hot grits on now?

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  8. I'm optimistic... by Prien715 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    After the terrible new trilogy, I'm cautiously excited by the new movie written by Lawrence Kasdan, who had zero involvement with the episodes 1-4, but did write such films as The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    They'll be plenty of eye candy (to be sure -- so did the originals!), but maybe having a good writer (who made almost all the Star Wars films you love -- and none of the ones you hate) means you'll have a good story?

    --
    -- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
  9. Re:Movie ordering by roc97007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I recall distinctly, back in the seventies, when the original Star Wars was really taking off, there was discussion that Lucas had envisioned nine movies total, in the order of 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9. This ordering was the result of the decision to start in "the middle of the story" to get viewers immediately into the action, and then backfill later.

    Many years later, I think when TPM was being planned, Lucas disavowed any concept of 9 films, insisting he only ever planned 6. But now we're back to nine. Go figure.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  10. Re:Episode X by SeaFox · · Score: 2

    We milk the cash cow...oh, and Force Force something.

    That's the next movie's title.
    Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Force is Forced

  11. Re:Movie ordering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Many years later, I think when TPM was being planned, Lucas disavowed any concept of 9 films, insisting he only ever planned 6. But now we're back to nine. Go figure.

    Disney altered the deal. Pray they don't alter it further.

  12. Re:Bring back Jar Jar binks while you're at it by Narrowband · · Score: 4, Funny

    Jar Jar Binks is simply evidence that George Lucas got his studio projects mixed up, and somehow Roger Rabbit ended up in Star Wars.

  13. Re:It's wrong already! by keith_nt4 · · Score: 2

    The Force is an energy field in all living things. It separates us, penetrates us and binds us together. If energy can neither be created or destroyed but merely transferred, why would one think it can be "awakened" or gone to sleep?? C'mon JJ, don't let us down!

    Well if I can put on my "nerd glasses" for a second I think I have a theory on that. I mean assuming that Clone Wars cartoon show is still "canon" and hasn't been relegated to the "legends" category (like the expanded universe books/etc. And yes, I watched the whole clone wars series. Nerd.). Clone Wars (the one with 22 minute episodes, got canceled with some open story arcs) had some episodes about the dark side taking over, but out of the this imbalance in the yin/yang relationship resulting in a new generation of force wielders would come about (foreshadowing Luke in other words). There were some really strange episodes in that series. Hard to believe it was for kids.

    Anyway I think it ties in with that sort of thing. After all, as the story goes the Jedi were effectively extinct by episode 4. The one admiral (whatever) on the death star called it a some old religion and Luke/Han had never even heard of it. So in the sense that the "chosen one" of Luke Skywalker will be rebooting the entire concept of the Jedi order from scratch and it will go from Vader and the emperor being the primary people left doing anything force-related to Luke's new concepts/re-founding of the light side...I'd say it's actually an intriguing/accurate title. Seems like it's a better title than "the light awakens". That doesn't any more sense than "the force awakens"

    .

    Of course, if you want to read too much into it you could say this move is really passing the baton on to a new cast of characters. I mean how much running around/falling/jumping/whatever that original cast do, anyway? I would have expected them to be in this movie about as much as Obi Wan was in episode 4. If you look at it that way it could mean it's "30 years later" (as in, decades after Return of the Jedi) and a generation of new light-side Jedi are taking over. So the force is "awake" in that sense. Lots of new Jedi, lots of new people using the force. I haven't read anything about the new movie, I have no idea if this is remotely accurate.

    --
    "UNIX is very simple, it just needs a genius to understand its simplicity." -Dennis Ritchie
  14. Re:Movie ordering by Kartu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually, twelve:

    "Mark Hamill has stated that Lucas told him in 1976, while filming the first film in Tunisia, that four Star Wars trilogies were planned. Lucas suggested Hamill could have a cameo role in Episode IX, which might be filmed in 2011.[1][4] A Time magazine story in March 1978, quoting Lucas, also contained the assertion there would be 10 further Star Wars films after The Empire Strikes Back.[5] Gary Kurtz was also aware of proposed story elements for Episode VII to IX before 1980."
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

  15. Re:Movie ordering by amxcoder · · Score: 2

    I specifically remember a childhood rumor going back to the early/mid 80's that there were 9 stories total. Obviously, for years, the other 6 never came, and it kinda turned into an urban legend until the announcement of the first 3.

  16. Re:Movie ordering by roc97007 · · Score: 2

    > Hell, the most common trope the Star Wars universe is the idea of redeeming some character from the Dark Side, which is ultimately an allusion to, or inspired by, the character arc of Anakin/Vader.

    ...and it's a good concept, and was used to very dramatic effect in Return of the Jedi. (And somewhat made up for all the ewoks nonsense earlier in the film.)

    But the effect was somewhat destroyed by Anakin's portrayal as a spoiled jerk in the prequels. You got a sense, by the merciful end of whatever the third prequel was called, that Anakin really REALLY needed to die. Like, right now. He appeared to have no redeemable quantities whatsoever, and you couldn't wait for his appendages to be removed in garishly done CGI.

    So, looking back, or forward (that's the trouble with time travel, you can never... sorry wrong show) to Vader's change of heart and betrayal of the emperor, it comes off less as his good side (properly foreshadowed) coming through, but rather that he couldn't decide whether to continue to cast his lot with the emperor at the expense of his son, or carry out his earlier Plan B, which was to "rule the galaxy as father and son". Or that he was just being wishy-washy.

    See, as portrayed in the original series, you could imagine Vader finding some redemption. But as portrayed in the prequels, you couldn't see that happening. He was the worst of self-absorbed jerks.

    A better writer/director would have portrayed Anakin/Vader more as a person doing what he thought was right, and ending up making a mess that he regretted. Not regretting because it got his limbs severed, but because he felt some kind of genuine remorse for the actions he felt necessary. (And no, having Jones shout out a corny "Nooooooooooooo" at the end isn't sufficient.)

    There was a lot of potential in the concept for a really compelling story. But instead we got lots and lots of quirky digital effects.

    Now, some people say that Lucas was always a hack, and he just got lucky with Star Wars (the original film). I don't think so. I think he was a true visionary. But... something happened to him, starting in the 1980's, and he.. I dunno... lost his muse. And by then was so powerful that nobody on the crew dared say "Um, George, this is crap."

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.