Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

Wonderful the ways of the Force are.

If the Force wants to have a new Jedi all of a sudden - it just happens. Its what the Awakening is about.

Is that what happened to you? You just awoke one day and had force powers? It took me 13 years of public school, four years of undergrad and two years of grad school and I still can't force fetch my beers.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind...

Minor nitpick but his name is Kylo, Ren is his title, they reversed it for them, so it's like Vader Darth...

As far as Ren, she had no idea she could use the force until that moment, but no doubt heard stories about what the Jedi could do. When Kylo was probing her mind, he opened himself up to her and that allowed her to do it. His reaction and what she learned showed her that she could use the force.

It's not like the stormtrooper listened to her the first time, it took several tries. Also if Qui-Gon was correct and the Force is a living thing with a will, then it would take steps to make sure Ren wasn't killed.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Apparently he was waiting for something to happen.

but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

He was shot in the gun with a bowcaster bolt, and he was also fighting with Ren for that saber.

Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

For Rey and the force, see the bottom of this post. R2-D2, remember C-3PO speculating that he may not turn back on without Luke around, and notice he comes back online once Rey turns up at the Resistance base? Hmmm...

As for Ren, you mean at the end of the fight just before the planet starts breaking up? He already started the fight after getting shot in the gut with a weapon we saw send fully armored Stormtroopers flying, and just took a lightsaber to the face after exerting himself a ton on top of that injury, he was probably pretty spent at that point.

A certain point of view? Um....no. I don't follow you at all. I'm actually dumbfounded on how to respond to that reasoning. So from that movie someone in the galaxy would believe that Han & Leia had three children?

Not at all, but it's early in the morning, I can understand your confuzzlement.

Elements from the EU have been repolished, retooled, taken apart and put back in a slightly different way.

So Jacen, excellent duelist, great at telekinesis (freezing the movement of molecules for instance) and force speed, has (as far as I can tell) been merged with Kyp Durron (who could use the force to render a lightsaber useless).

Meanwhile, the great pilot Jaina and mechanic Anakin have been merged into Rey.

So the EU is right there, under our very noses.

I think any similarity to EU content is just coincidence. I don't believe any of the writers have much, if any, knowledge of or interest in the EU. One of the reasons they ditched it.

However I got the feeling that even content from 1-3 and the TV shows have been pretty much ignored as well in TFA.

I disagree. Remember that the EU is called "Legends"....which basically means it's not wrong....but they aren't beholden to it. It's not like every character has just been wiped out. They are free to use any character that has been created, but they don't have to follow any story that that person has even done. So....they can use someone like Dengar, but all the stories that he's in aren't necessarily true. He has a ship called the Punishing One, but he might not have pulled Boba Fett from the belly of the Sarlac. If someone says, "Well....Dengar really did x, y, and z before....", they can respond with, "well, that was just a legend or rumor. It's not true". It's not like there isn't a Dengar.

So, I feel like the writers will take whatever they can from the EU, but reshape it to how it fits in with the current story.

I don't think you really even have to go that far with it. There are so many **** books in the EU that just about anything they do with these movies, whether intentionally referencing them or not, is likely to feel like something that's already been written.

Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

Her reading his mind was less hard to swallow than her flying the falcon so well never having flown it before.

But i let it go as JJ does not understand the force.

Within 5 minutes of practice in the Falcon's game room Luke was blocking blaster bolts with his eyes closed, and goes on to use it to sense where to shoot the Death Star's surface to do the most damage and make a non-computer assisted shot that veteran fighter pilots were saying was nearly impossible with computer aid.

Touching the lightsaber is the spark that opens her to the Force, during the mind probe she discovers the connection goes two ways and is able to use it against Kylo, and after discovering she can read minds she tries to take the next step. At the very least the Force is magic again, I'd say JJ understands it better than George did in the prequels. I mean, there thankfully wasn't a scene where Kylo Ren draws her blood to test her midichlorian count *shudder*

As for the flying, it's not like they gloss over it, she says herself she doesn't know how she did it. It's also not like she'd never touched a starship's controls, unless I misunderstood that she knew how to fly the first ship they were running to. Luke and Anakin were force sensitive natural pilots too...

Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

Wonderful the ways of the Force are.

If the Force wants to have a new Jedi all of a sudden - it just happens. Its what the Awakening is about.

Is that what happened to you? You just awoke one day and had force powers? It took me 13 years of public school, four years of undergrad and two years of grad school and I still can't force fetch my beers.

Well, try to utilize some money then next time you want to fetch a beer.

it's not that Rei could read minds, it's that Kylo was invading hers and didn't expect her to be able to look into him as he looked into her

Its like the force lightning that can be pushed back to the sender

Boomerang-Effect

I understand your opinion (I loved the movie as well), but I just can't get behind this attitude. For far too many years have I put up with people telling me that I'm not a "true Star Wars fan" because I like the prequels. I don't think it's ever anyone's place to tell someone else whether they are or are not a true Star Wars fan.

But I'm glad you enjoyed it on your subsequent viewings. I'm seeing it a second time tonight and I hope I love it just as much as the first time.

Really? Cool. I didn't really care for them that much because of reasons (or personal character flaws?) of my own. What was it you liked? I've been looking for insight from a fan of them for quite a while and, well.... you guys are hard to come by. :[

Frankly, the prequels were fun. I agree that they had some flaws. Some characters weren't portrayed as we had imagined. Some of the setups didn't quite jive with what we learned in the original trilogy. But for all of that, it still felt like a romp through the Star Wars galaxy on the big screen. It was fun to see characters like Obi-Wan and Anakin interact together rather than just hear that they did. I understand that it could have been better, but to me it is way better than not having the prequels at all. I can't explain it, but I'd rather re-watch the prequels than watch pretty much any other non-Star Wars movie. They just interest me so much more.

So....what's the whole deal with the Resistance? I mean, why not the Republic forces? Why do they have to have a separate armed force that they pay for anyways? Who is the Republic? Surely more than 5 planets in one system, right? Where does the Resistance stand with those 5 systems gone?

How did the First Order form? When did the Rebels stop fighting the Empire? How much of the universe is in either hands? What's the current balance of power? No idea!

To an extent, we see bits of it in Aftermath (the book).

Things to note from that:

• Mon Mothma is talking to two aides about what the republic is going to be like
• The capital isn't going to be Coruscant. It's going to be...well, it's not fixed, it moves around (kind of a rotating presidency). Apparently it was in the Hosnian system at the time Hux fired the Starkiller gun and wasted it.
• She hands back Palpatine's emergency powers very soon after Jakku - with no real imperial fleet to speak of to threaten it, the Republic stands down its 'Grand Army' aside from a small 'central fleet' which, we can assume, got blown up with the Hosnian worlds.
• The remaining fleets - the bulk of the republic's armed forces - are system defence fleets answerable to each world - so Naboo's fleet, Kashykk's fleet, Mon Calamari's Fleet, etc, etc. With no central political or military command, no-one is going to be prepared to commit their fleet to help anyone else - i.e. weaken their own defences just as the first big military threat in a decade hoves into view.
• The First Order - the leftovers of the Empire - had sort of a cease-fire with the Republic. After Jakku, they supposedly no longer had the firepower to seriously threaten the Republic, so the republic essentially gave them a ceasefire provided they headed off to the outer rim and didn't come back.
• Since there was a cease-fire in place, the Republic Fleet wasn't actively hunting or fighting them, but was held back to protect the capital in case they tried something (a weapon like the Starkiller gun never having been considered).
• At the same time whilst 'officially' the Republic had a ceasefire, 'unofficially' they funded the Resistance - an organisation based out in the outer rim/badlands/arse end of nowhere that was responsible for standing up to the First Order and stopping them trying to rebuild the Empire out in the sticks. Hence why the 'unofficial militia' has access to new-generation T-70 fighters.

Overall, I liked it.

The one thing that bugged me, I guess unsurprisingly, is something that bugged me with JJ Abram's Star Trek films - you get the feel that space isn't very big.

You don't get to see a planet from another planet like that - at lease, not several separate planets, and the fact that every planet is only a few seconds warp/lightspeed travel (seriously it's like a minute and a half of continuous shot) apart really gets to me. At least make it seem like they've spent a while in hyperdrive - R2 and Chewbacca had enough time for a game of chess, Luke had enough time to do lightsaber 101.

The only other thing - after all this time, this is the first time Han's ever had cause to use the bowcaster? I mean, the second time it's not like he even needs it - he puts his pistol away and takes the wookie's gun.

I normally accept the fact that everyone has an opinion on everything. And that's fine. Different perspectives make the world interesting. However, after 1 prescreening, and two more viewings, I've made my final decision. Anyone who doesnt agree this movie is amazing is either simply not a Star Wars fan, or they love being the voice of opposition, aka trolls and hipsters. The door is over there.

I understand your opinion (I loved the movie as well), but I just can't get behind this attitude. For far too many years have I put up with people telling me that I'm not a "true Star Wars fan" because I like the prequels. I don't think it's ever anyone's place to tell someone else whether they are or are not a true Star Wars fan.

But I'm glad you enjoyed it on your subsequent viewings. I'm seeing it a second time tonight and I hope I love it just as much as the first time.

umm... the fact that you DO like the prequels makes you more of a SW fan than others. Yeah, not as good as OT, has problems in other areas, but it is still SW, if you DON'T like the prequels (no you dont have to LOVE them or think they are the best) then I'd say you're not a SW fan. That's kind of the definition of being a fan, even when you're team loses or under performs you still cheer for them.

But see, that's the issue. I used to feel the same way until I realized just how hypocritical that was. Why is it okay for me to tell someone that not liking the prequels means they're not a fan when I resent them saying I'm not a fan for liking the prequels? Star Wars is big and Star Wars is for everyone, but not all Star Wars is for all people. Some people will devour it wholesale, but others are a bit more choosy in which parts they prefer. That's fine. That's great, even! As long as we're all partaking of the big banquet that is Star Wars.

Rey clearly took a semester at Hogwarts and learned some Defense Against the Dark Arts from Snape.

Rey was never trained in the force ...

That's an assumption. We don't know that she wasn't trained, we only know that she doesn't remember being trained.

This post contains spoilers from the new book: Before the Awakening.

7. How is it that Finn and Rey just seemed to know how to use a lightsaber so efficiently. Really. Even Luke had to have training.

Well, Finn was a stormtrooper and Rey was proficient with her staff. So even though they'd never used a lightsaber, they were both probably experienced melee combatants. Which is more than Luke ever was.

Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

Her reading his mind was less hard to swallow than her flying the falcon so well never having flown it before.

But i let it go as JJ does not understand the force.

finn was lame until the third act

I liked Finn through-out the movie. I thought that his character was a great tool for showing that Rey wasn't just a damsel in distress.

Its like the force lightning that can be pushed back to the sender

Boomerang-Effect

I could get on board with that, but Rey has had no experience with the force. With that perspective too, Luke, having had force training should have been able to push back Palpatine's force lightning.

Rey was never trained in the force ...

That's an assumption. We don't know that she wasn't trained, we only know that she doesn't remember being trained.

She thought the force was make-believe though.

As much as a I loved the Movie, I feel like Rey's instant Force Mastery was just to move the plot along.

which is sad.

for instance, it would have been just as fun to see Rey escapce her cell on the base, without using the force, maybe using her tinkering skills?

Rey was never trained in the force ...

That's an assumption. We don't know that she wasn't trained, we only know that she doesn't remember being trained.

She thought the force was make-believe though.

If it can be assumed that she learned of the force before 5, she may very well have thought it was just childhood daydreaming about legendary myths.

As much as a I loved the Movie, I feel like Rey's instant Force Mastery was just to move the plot along.

which is sad.

for instance, it would have been just as fun to see Rey escapce her cell on the base, without using the force, maybe using her tinkering skills?

See! Someone else gets it.

As much as a I loved the Movie, I feel like Rey's instant Force Mastery was just to move the plot along.

which is sad.

for instance, it would have been just as fun to see Rey escapce her cell on the base, without using the force, maybe using her tinkering skills?

See! Someone else gets it.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Try this out:

Luke screwed up the training of Ben et al. He foresaw, however, a chain of events that would fix his mess. So he gave part of the map to R2D2, with instructions to go low power until R2D2 detected the presence of Luke's child.

Also salty about the mandalorian banner about that one chick's bar, not sure why it was there.

500 years ago, in her pirate days, Maz stole the entire Mandalorian fleet. She's kept the one banner over her bar as a trophy.

Where did you find this info? The whole "pirate queen" turned out to be nothing but some sort of friendly grandma. She bakes cookies and hands out light sabers.

I made that up because it was a fun story to explain a bit of weirdness. *shrug* the Galaxy is big.

She cobbled together an old flight sim from a downed Y-wing leftover from the battle of Jakku. She spent her nights flying the sim since it was too dangerous to go outside at night.

Wait! So SHE'S A GIANT GAME NERD?!

still in the "old yeller" vibe.

what the film got right, though: tie-fighters and their pilots and stormtroopers seem at least halfway competent. no more "I'm playing the idiots incompetent evil ones.."

was a joy to see the ties wreck basically everything (except poe of cause, because plot and such. but that's okay).

also a big plus (shouldn't say that too loud, so..): no jarjar and no ewoks to be seen!

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Try this out:

Luke screwed up the training of Ben et al. He foresaw, however, a chain of events that would fix his mess. So he gave part of the map to R2D2, with instructions to go low power until R2D2 detected the presence of Luke's child.

Nice, but why didn't R2 wake up the first time Rey visited the Resistance base? Why did he only wake up after Starkiller Base was destroyed?

This post contains spoilers from the new book: Before the Awakening.

7. How is it that Finn and Rey just seemed to know how to use a lightsaber so efficiently. Really. Even Luke had to have training.

Well, Finn was a stormtrooper and Rey was proficient with her staff. So even though they'd never used a lightsaber, they were both probably experienced melee combatants. Which is more than Luke ever was.

Finn had melee training as a stormtrooper. He used swords, vibroaxes, maces, shields, and other weapons. It's no surprise he's proficient enough with the lightsaber.

Overall I enjoyed it. There were a few things that didn't make sense to me.

Rey was never trained in the force but could read Ren's mind, know that the force could be used to control minds, and control the mind of a stormtrooper.

What is up with R2D2? He switched off, but then just happened to switch on and have a nearly complete map?

Ren has force ability to stop blaster shots, but can't force grab his lightsaber from the snow?

Her reading his mind was less hard to swallow than her flying the falcon so well never having flown it before.

But i let it go as JJ does not understand the force.

She cobbled together an old flight sim from a downed Y-wing leftover from the battle of Jakku. She spent her nights flying the sim since it was too dangerous to go outside at night.

So she'd know the dimensions of that ship she would not know the falcons and because the cockpit is offset on one side it makes it even more difficult.

The force guides you it doesn't instantly make you familiar with any weapon or ship if it did there would be no need for Jedi temples.

Minor gripe but it did irritate me.