The Force Awakens - Thoughts and Reactions (SPOILERS WITHIN)

Brandon Rhea

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I'm going 5o be honest, I left the theater not knowing the names of the main characters introduced apart from Fin. That cannot be too good of a sign, lol.
That's entirely on you, tbh. Their names are said throughout the movie. And as far as first films in each trilogy go, Rey and Finn (and Poe, to an extent) are the most fully realized characters so far. Much more so than the basic archetypes of the original trilogy heroes, and way more so than the vaguely defined characterizations of the prequel characters.
 

Ser Gregor

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@Shoggoth@Flamejetxx I dont think the new timeline will take out all the EU powers, though I could be wrong. What I do hope is that it will deal more with the mystical aspect of the Force and move away from the video game flavor it has kind of acquired.

@Green Ranger The only explanation that I like for that is that Jedi can use lightsabers practically because their precognitive powers let them deflect blaster bolts.
TBH I have always disliked viewing the force as a series of discrete abilities and techniques. I have never RPed utilizing specific Force Powers.

Also, that's a totally realistic explanation. You have little to no chance of deflecting blaster bolts without the aid of the force, thus making lightsabers useless outside of a melee.

Physically I dislike the notion that lightsabers are heavy, as the only thing that should potentially weigh anything is the hilt.
"Heavy", to me, implies that they simply have weight to them, which can easily be explained via technobabble. To me, a properly constructed lightsaber should weigh about 3-4 pounds (roughly that of a Japanese katana). Kylo's, due to the sloppy construction, could weigh more. It definitely looks like it has some heft behind it.

Personally making the lightsabers have weight adds to the possibilities. I much prefer it that way.
 

Marcus

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Well it's not just the weight but also the weight distribution and balance. A properly made Katana would balance perfectly in the hand, but a laser/plasma beam sword would have no counterweight from the hilt. I don't mean to be pedantic, but I feel the lightsaber, while similar to a Katana or kendo stick, is different, even if it has "weight".
 

Ser Gregor

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Well it's not just the weight but also the weight distribution and balance. A properly made Katana would balance perfectly in the hand, but a laser/plasma beam sword would have no counterweight from the hilt. I don't mean to be pedantic, but I feel the lightsaber, while similar to a Katana or kendo stick, is different, even if it has "weight".
Plasma has mass and thus weight behind it. The technobabble involved in explaining how a lightsaber is even feasible/possible is rather staggering. It is comparatively simple and straightforward to explain that the plasma, when energized, imparts mass and thus weight.

Also, you wouldn't WANT all of the weight on the hilt. That would create a horribly unbalanced weapon. It is still a sword, and you do not want to fight with a poorly balanced sword.
 

Marcus

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Fair enough, although oxygen has mass too and it floats in the air (ok overly simplified). But point taken, @Ser Gregor . I still contend they need more training than a blade or even a vibroblade. Even SW Saga D20 had that in their rules, although they had legends materials to go off. Anyways no need to beat a dead horse. Lightsabers are laser swords, but the FS character makes them magically delicious.
 

Jake

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@Ser Gregor

I mean, yeah technobabble can kind of explain everything, but in this case it's going to have to change the idea of what a lightsaber is. Plasma is essentially a weightless, ionized gas (relevant to Marcus' example that oxygen also has mass but this isn't necessarily correlated with weight). There's an early episode of the Clone Wars (started watching 'em the other day) where Ventress also shoves her lightsabers in a wall and uses them to slow down her fall down an elevator shaft. By all logic besides "Clone Wars is higher canon so it automatically takes precedent" this shouldn't work: lightsabers are frictionless weapons (I'm pretty sure accepted technobabble is that this is because their form is generated by an electromagnetic field holding the plasma in place). I've killed a character on this site in a duel because of this exact situation: he tried to slow his fall with a saber and it... didn't work.

I dunno. I'm against it. I think it goes against how lightsabers work. Laser katanas are lame. What's the point?
 

Ser Gregor

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Episode I established that a lightsaber has resistance when moving through solid matter. Qui-Gon requiring to slowly cut through the blast doors on the Droid Command Ship.

There is far more canon to support lightsabers having weight than there is supporting them being weightless now.
 

Logan

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The term "science fantasy" can be used to explain most of the things that are technologically or scientifically inaccurate in Star Wars.
 

Silverface

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RE: "Why isn't this like the Prequel's lore!"

To quote Yoda: "You must unlearn, what you have learned"

Everything's changed. What we knew from the PT doesn't apply to the ST, as the ST seems to be utterly ignoring it for the most part.
 

Jake

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Yeah, it's pretty much an irrelevant detail that will come up in a few niche contexts in duels or whatever as far as this roleplay goes, so it's not a big deal.
 

Saul

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So I read this interesting theory on Kylo Ren, and if it hasn't been shared yet it should be. The theory goes...:
Ben Solo betrayed Luke Skywalker to defeat Snoke.

The idea originates largely from the fact that Kylo Ren is struggling against the Light, and tells the mask of Vader that he will finish what Vader started. Anakin was chosen to balance the Force, eliminate the Dark Side. He failed, and his son for one reason or another doesn't want to (a good Jedi should avoid violence, perhaps). So he joins the Dark Side to gain the power to defeat Snoke. He's still weak in Episode 7, because he's not trusted by Snoke, largely because he is still struggling with the Light. But when he kills his father, Snoke now believes he can trust Kylo Ren enough to train him further. With that power, the theory goes, Kylo will attempt to kill Snoke, fulfilling what Anakin started by eliminating the Sith.

It could be that this unfolds in Episode 8, in the end Kylo fails and instead is entirely consumed by the Dark Side. Hearing of what transpired, Luke/Rey on his behalf must redeem him in Episode 9. Alternatively, he succeeds, but in doing so becomes consumed by the Dark Side and becomes the Sith Lord. In which case, he must be redeemed yet again.

What do you guys think of that theory?
 

Pen

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I for one hope that this next movie takes the chance to delve more into the training of a Jedi. Like Luke showing Rey how to make her own lightsaber, teaching her a form and ways to use the Force.
I might be weird, but I was always interested in seeing the pupil being taught and rarely get to see it in this universe. With Luke's short lessons with Yoda and Old Ben, and the complete lack of seeing Anakin being taught, this is what I'm wanting to see most in the next episode.

I think that would be direction for episode eight, now that I think about it. Kylo goes back to Snoke to complete his training, while Rey and Luke work on getting her ready. Have flashbacks to Luke teaching his pupils and Kylo's turn to the darkside and more insight on how the First Order came to rise.
 

Silverface

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But we see that in TCW, the training and saber making I mean. Unless you mean whatever hokey new methods Luke cooked up. Which aren't going to be the same as the overly formalised institiution that was the Jedi Order.


Luke's redneck hick methods would probably be pretty cool to see though. Especially if he climbs into a backpack and makes Rey carry him across an obstacle course like how Yoda taught him.
 

The Derp of Hooves

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So went to see tfa yesterday and loved it, though some parts were meh to me... well give a better review after work but if give it a solid 8/10
 

Pernicious

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I don't know if its been mentioned yet... but did anybody see possible foreshadowing regarding Rey's quarterstaff?

I'd put money on her getting a double bladed lightsaber.
 

Cainhurst Crow

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Kylo ren is either going to be redeemed and fight alongside the others and live, sacrifice himself in trying to kill snoke or save the others, or not be redeemable and thus die. It's the only routes that would make his character arc complete and I'll be interested in seeing what happens.

As for reys training, I think we all want to see what it entails, just to get a clue of what happens. Personally I think the force will in some way play a part in it, rey being offered like 7 different items to pick and trusting the force to tell her which to choose. A way to bring in some more eastern philosophical stuff that fits in universe. And while it would be cool to see rey build her own lightsaber, using the skywalker legacy as I'm calling it is somewhat important for story reasons.

Well, unless something crazy were to happen and kylo ren were to be redeemed and then be given that lightsaber after his current one breaks. :P

I've heard hearsay that boba fett could be in the next films as a grizzled bounty hunter on the resistance side, and helps take on finn in a weird veteran/apprentice fashion, and eventually finn gets the slave 1 and the armor and becomes like a new boba fett, but actually useful as well as being a good guy.

I consider that theory mostly bullshit, to be honest. But it would be nice if finn got some training as well from someone. Maybe even poe dameron.
 

Fen Vel

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Honestly I'd like it if Poe and Finn went off and did some mission together, I found their parts in the film a ton of fun and really liked seeing them interact.

I really do hope that now they have the first film done, out there and people back interested in Star Wars they take the next two somewhere new and interesting.
 
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Pen

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Just keep in mind, it is the Dark Side's turn to win in this trilogy. :O
 

Saul

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Did anyone see the Asian officer during the briefing on the 'death star' thing? I wonder if they're going to try to diversify the ethnicity of main cast later (looking at you, Rogue Squadron) and have an Asian officer be the CAG for Rogue Squadron, while Poe is Rogue 1? Either way, he's the first Asian character to actually be given a line and have a crisp and clear shot of his face in a Star Wars movie (the A-Wing pilot from Ep. VI had less screen time, and his line was "Ahhhh" before dying - which doesn't count in my book)
 
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