Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Guide

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi • December 13, 2017 Page 3 STAR WARS © & TM 2017 LUCASFILM LTD. As impressive as "The Force Awakens" was, director J.J. Abrams chose to follow the plot of 1977's "Star Wars" in broad strokes. (Both films featured a desert planet, orphaned nobody of a hero, a powerful villain dressed all in black, a war hero turned mentor and a planet-destroying superweapon.) Based on the trailers and teaser so far, it appears that "The Last Jedi" seems to follow in the footsteps of 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back." We have training sequences with a reluctant and reclusive Jedi master, armored walkers menacing the heroes on a snow-covered planet and an overall darker and more dire tone. Many Star Wars fans consider "Empire" to be the best in the series – so far, at least – so consciously aping a famous predecessor seems to be the right way to go. So far, the production hasn't let many details leak out about the plot of the film, aside from what can be gleaned from trailers and a single behind-the- scenes video. "Something inside me has always been there, but now it's awake and I need help." – Rey "This is not going to go the way you think." – Luke Skywalker Hotshot Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) ended the last film a hero after his small strike team successfully destroyed the First Order's Starkiller Base. It seems that he'll start the next film back in the thick of space-battle action. Numerous shots in the trailers show him running through corridors of Resistance battle cruisers with loyal Droid BB-8 hot on his heels. Less clear is what happens to Finn (John Boyega), the former stormtrooper turned Resistance warrior. At the end of "The Force Awakens," Finn was badly hurt by dark-sider Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). He clearly makes a full recovery, as footage in the film's second trailer shows him locked in a fiery confrontation with Captain Phasma (Gwendolyn Christie), his commanding officer from the days when he still served the evil First Order. With any luck, Finn will reprise his role as the emotional heart of the film. While Rey, Poe and Finn all had moments of heart and humor in the movie, Finn was the only of the three heroes who didn't have a special talent to fall back on. Rey was preternaturally gifted in the Force; Poe was an expert pilot. Finn's true gift was his conscience, which first prompted him to leave the First Order's evil ways behind, and then to join the side of good to fight with the Resistance. "We are the spark that'll light the fire that'll burn the First Order down." – Poe Dameron This is in keeping with the policy of secrecy deployed by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who tightly managed the release of information beginning with "The Force Awakens" to quash spoilers and maintain a feeling of surprise for Force-loving moviegoers. What we can tell is that "The Last Jedi" will feature a haggard, world-weary version of Jedi master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). While Rey (Daisy Ridley) ended "The Force Awakens" face-to-face with the reclusive hero on the remote world of Ahch-To, it seemed that Luke wasn't too keen to pass on what he had learned. "It's time for the Jedi to end," he intones in the film's first trailer, and based on the footage released so far, it might take some convincing before he begins to show Rey the ways of the Force.

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