FAQ

The film takes place in 34 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin): 30 years after "Return of the Jedi".

Because Luke burned Vader's body, suit and all in a funeral pyre at the end of Return of the Jedi.

In a comic book adventure, a fellow droid sacrifices himself to save Threepio and his companions. Threepio adopts the red arm as a sort of memorial to the droid.

It's been thirty years since the Rebel Alliance defeated the Galactic Empire in the Battle of Endor and destroyed the second Death Star, and the galaxy is again in darkness. A tyrannical regime called the First Order led by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) is bent on dominating the galaxy, and the Resistance, a guerrilla force under the command of General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and backed by the reinstated Galactic Republic, fights to save the galaxy from the First Order. On the desert planet Jakku, Rey (Daisy Ridley), a desert scavenger with a mysterious past, crosses paths with the droid BB-8 and Finn (John Boyega), a former First Order stormtrooper, and Rey learns that the First Order is after BB-8 because BB-8 is carrying secret information on the whereabouts of the legendary Jedi knight Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who has disappeared, and that they must stop BB-8 from falling into the hands of the First Order and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a member of a Sith-like order called the Knights of Ren. Joined by the legendary space pirates Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), Rey and Finn set out to get BB-8 to the Resistance base; and they aid the Resistance in infiltrating the First Order's Starkiller Base on a snowy planet, destroy a powerful superweapon extending beneath the planet's surface, and stop the First Order from using the weapon to destroy the Resistance base.

Yes; Episode VII, The Force Awakens, takes place approximately thirty years after the end of Episode VI, Return of the Jedi.

Yes, both R2-D2 and C-3PO are in the film, though in a more limited capacity than they were in the other films. New droid BB-8 takes center-stage for this adventure.

The First Order's Starkiller Base is a planet that has been modified to house a huge lightspeed superweapon capable of destroying not just one planet (like the Death Star was) but multiple planets in a single strike from an entirely different system, targeting entire systems as opposed to one planet within its orbit. It is therefore much larger and far more deadly than even the Death Star was. The Starkiller Base was named after George Lucas's original last name for Luke Skywalker (who was called Luke Starkiller in early drafts of the original Star Wars). The base is so called because it is powered by draining energy from a sun. The name "Starkiller" had also been previously used in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, both the video game and the accompanying novelization, as the name of Darth Vader's secret Sith apprentice.

Keep in mind, the dark side/Sith have a very one-dimensional way of thinking. They never learn from their mistakes. Which is why they ultimately always lose. "We've built a space station capable of destroying a planet. Nobody will dare oppose us! Oh people opposed us and blew up our station. Alright this time we've built another station. Okay you blew that one up too. Now we've converted a planet into a massive weapon capable of wiping out entire systems. Nobody would even think to oppose us! Oh you destroyed that too? Well you won't dare oppose us now that we've fitted thousands of warships with planet killing weapons. Oh the entire galaxy is opposing us.."

No. The Force Awakens is an original story, though the creators said they would draw inspiration from the Expanded Universe, and they have to some degree. There are just too many characters and plotlines to try and tie in to a new film that your average movie-goer wouldn't understand. All stories previously published in novels, graphic novels, comics books, encyclopedias and other materials that tell what happened after the events of Episode VI, Return of the Jedi, are now referred to by Lucasfilm as "Star Wars Legends." As to what has not been retconned or otherwise is not different, the protagonists (or particularly Luke, Leia, Han, R2-D2 and C-3PO) of the original trilogy lived on, surviving for thirty years, in which time, Han and Leia were married and had a son who at some point adopted the ways of the dark side of the Force, taking on the archetype of the sorcerer in black who wields a red lightsaber. In The Force Awakens, it is only established that Han and Leia had one offspring; whereas in the old Expanded Universe, they had opposite-sex twins as well as a second son later on, the daughter being the last surviving offspring by the time of three decades after the events of Return of the Jedi. Chewbacca is also still alive and intact in the film versions of galactic history. The general idea of the Starkiller weapon is inspired by the Sun Crusher in conjunction with planetary defense concepts.

Finn, a.k.a. FN-2187, is a First Order stormtrooper who had been taken from his family at birth and raised/conditioned to be a loyal servant to the regime. In the novel Before The Awakening, his training in the First Order is detailed. He is the squad leader of a four man team of cadets, comprised of him, FN-2199 (a.k.a. Nines), FN-2000 (a.k.a. Zeroes), and FN-2003 (a.k.a. Slip). During his training, he gains the attention of Captain Phasma, due to his exemplary skills at leading his squad, marksmanship, melee and hand-to-hand fighting, combat tactics, and unit cohesion. He is said to be an elite Stormtrooper, with the potential to become an officer. Though Phasma starts to become suspicious of FN-2187, because he shows traits of empathy for Slip (the weak link in the unit). Finn also always felt like an outsider, questioning his role and the motives of the First Order. Even fellow Stormtroopers and his own unit recognize him as being different. The film starts with FN-2187 being sent into his first battle, then having one of his squad (Slip) killed immediately. Realizing he can't kill innocent civilians in cold blood, never fires his weapon. Phasma, already suspicious of him, schedules him for reconditioning.

It's explained in the novel Before The Awakening that First Order Stormtroopers still have their individuality. They have personalities, a sense of humour and so on. However, they are programmed from birth to be unquestionably dedicated to the First Order. They are also to have any empathy, compassion and remorse removed from their conscience. However, this does not always work. As mentioned by Captain Phasma, Finn was scheduled for "re-conditioning". So it's likely that it's common for Stormtroopers to commit certain offenses, which go against their programming. In the novel Phasma, it's mentioned that under Phasma's leadership, those who could not be re-programmed simply "disappear". In Rise of Skywalker, it's implied that Finn is force sensitive; that *something* told him it was wrong to follow the first order. So it's likely the force helped him pull away from the brainwashing.

In the novel Before The Awakening, it explains that Rey scavenged a flight simulator from the wreckage of a starship. Every night, Rey would practice flying the different ships available through different scenarios. Putting hundreds, if not thousands of hours into the simulator. Later on in the novel, after a sandstorm, Rey uncovers a near-intact hyperspace freighter. She spends several months repairing it, with the intention of selling it to Unkar Plutt. Eventually, she fixes it up completely and spends some time flying it around in the atmosphere. While her time flying an actual ship was limited, she at least had some experience. Which is why her rushed take-off of the Millennium Falcon was shaky to say the least. She also mentions in the film "I've flown some ships before, but never left the planet!".

No, First Order Stormtroopers are not and very few Galactic Imperial Stormtroopers were. The Galactic Republic, which became the Galactic Empire, originally had Clone troopers. However, throughout the years, the Empire started to phase out the clones of Jango Fett, or Clones altogether, and began to recruit or draft men from the normal Human populations throughout the galaxy. The First Order, while a remnant of the Empire, tried a different approach. They take infant children and raise/condition them from birth to be loyal servants to the Order.

No, there is not.

No, although the voices of both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor can briefly be heard in one scene.

Lando does not appear in The Force Awakens. But he makes a return in Episode IX.

TR-8R is the fan name for the riot control stormtrooper who gets in the melee fight with Finn. The name, is a play off the character's only line: "Traitor!" The character's real name is actually FN-2199, nicknamed "Nines". The novel Before The Awakening chronicles Finn's training as a First Order Stormtrooper, and Nines was part of Finn's unit before Finn deserted the First Order, which is why they recognized each other. In the story, Finn and Nines train in melee combat, and Finn actually bested Nines. Though that may be due to Nines being tired from fighting and beating four opponents previous to Finn.

No. Actor Denis Lawson, who played Wedge in the original trilogy, was approached to reprise his role, but when asked in an interview if he would appear, he simply said, "I'm not going to do that. It would just bore me." Lawson also turned down a cameo in Episode III as Captain Antilles, the long-time owner of R2-D2 and C-3PO in between Episodes III and IV. He does have a brief cameo in IX.

Kylo Ren's cross-guarded lightsaber is a unique design, never seen before in the Star Wars films. The lightsaber is based on an ancient lightsaber design, however the weapon itself is a fairly new construct by Kylo Ren himself (Sith Lords, like the Jedi, build their own lightsaber as part of their training). The cross-guards are actually vents to help disperse the immense power of the unstable main blade. The vents also act as two small extra blades, that both protect the wielder's hands and can be used to injure an opponent if engaged in a saber-lock (as Ren did to Finn). The blade has a crackling fiery appearance because the crystal itself is cracked.

On the Star Wars Rebels animated series, a visit to a world that was the site of an ancient Sith/Jedi battle reveals a green lightsaber of the "crossguard" design, revealing that light side users once had similar sabers as well.

The Force Awakens introduces several new planets to the Star Wars franchise. (1) Jakku is a desert planet similar to Tatooine. A majority of the first act takes place here. It is home to the desert scavenger Rey, as well as Lor San Tekka. (2) Takodana is a planet covered in forests and lakes. It is home to Maz Kanata, who resides in a castle that also serves as a watering hole to smugglers, pirates and spies to the Resistance and First Order alike. (3) Starkiller Base is a planet that has been converted into a new superweapon by the First Order. Using the power of the sun, the weapon is capable of destroying entire solar systems. It has forests but is also covered in snow. It's unclear if the planet has constant winter, like Hoth, or if it was caused by the First Order's depleting of the sun. (4) Hosnian Prime is the new home of the reformed Galactic Senate. (5) D'Qar is the home of the new Resistance base and is located in the Outer Rim. (6) Ahch-To is the home of the first Jedi Temple (according to the novelization).

Lor San Tekka is an explorer and a member of the Church of the Force. The church is for people with whom the Force is not strong but believe in the ideals of the Jedi Order. After the new Jedi Order was destroyed by the Knights Of Ren, Tekka retired to the planet Jakku, where he discovered part of the map that led to Luke Skywalker's location. Fans' theories suggest that he stayed on Jakku to keep watch over Rey, like Obi-Wan did for Luke. The canon Marvel comic book series Poe Dameron is set before the film and features Poe going around to different worlds on his hunt for Tekka, with the First Order also trying to find him first.

The leading theory is that Luke and Leia kept their lineage a secret from the galaxy, so nobody knew that Darth Vader was actually Anakin Skywalker, father to Luke and Leia. Growing up, Ben Solo was showing that he was force sensitive and also showing anger and despair. "Too much Vader in him." as Han says. So Leia sent Ben to train with Luke. At some point, Ben learns that Darth Vader is his grandfather. Possibly Snoke revealed this to him. If Luke and Leia kept their parentage a secret, they wouldn't have told the story about how Vader redeemed himself and embraced the light side by saving Luke and casting Emperor Palpatine into the reactor. It was simply assumed that Vader and the Emperor died when the Death Star was destroyed. Once Ben turned to the dark side and became Kylo Ren, he decided to take up his grandfather's legacy, which was to hunt down and destroy the Jedi in the name of the dark side. As far as Kylo knows, this is what Vader started and intends to finish.

While no concrete answer has been provided, implications to these are made in the short story "The Perfect Weapon", released as part of the "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens" book series. In the story, the character Bazine Netal (who appears in the movie as the female First Order spy in Maz Kanata's cantina) is hired by a mysterious client to get a package from a former Imperial stormtrooper who had fought in the Battle of Endor. While the contents of the package and the identity of the client were never confirmed, it is hinted that Kylo Ren was the client and the remains of Vader's helmet were the package.