Taking place in a galaxy far, far away, we will take a look at the world’s newest blockbuster and continuation
of everyone’s favorite space opera, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which came to theatres this December.

The seventh installment of this new trilogy is the first Star Wars film to not be directed by George Lucas. As anticipated, the film has inspired a whole new generation of fans and made record breaking numbers at the box office. However, we all know that just because a movie does well in box office does not mean it will be well-received.

There has been initial distaste for the film among die-hard fans. The first movie seemingly covered all the bases of plot similar to “A New Hope (Episode IV)”: a droid carrying top secret information, a hero awaiting greatness, spherical death machines, and the murder of a mentor. On a large scale, the new film could be seen as a complete reboot of the first movie and has led to mixed reviews. However, the film does have its charms that saved grace from its plotlines. One such charm is that the film, by technicality, passes the Bechtel test. The test relies on two named female characters talking to each other about something other than a man during the movie. This was a feat not achieved in the original trilogy, but was met in the prequels.

Star Wars is a series that conquered the world in one fell swoop, aging gracefully; any mention of it seems to transpire science fiction and land straight into its own mythology. There are multiple forms of media which Star Wars has successfully infiltrated. It seems that the series is embedded into our culture. The announcement of another movie would have the same effect. With the distaste for the prequels still lingering from the early 2000s, having an interesting and talented thespian take up the mantel of the Star Wars franchise was definite. Such expectation sits proudly on the shoulders of Daisy Ridley, an unassuming and brilliant actress coming up in England. With the role as Rey, she deploys her talent through building a character on screen, taking her from a scavenger of a desert planet to a woman warrior. She proves herself proficient in holding the audience’s attention when the camera merely watches, and still puts forth the same ferocity of the former leads.

The film also offers a broader representation, not just with a female lead. Joining the ranks of the cast, audiences first meet Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, a dashing pilot whose capable charm leads audiences into Resistance military ranks and headlong into battle. John Boyega, a soldier that breaks rank for morality, brings a sense of heart and humility to the film while bringing Ridley’s character to her destiny. The rumored mention of LGBT representation and subplot romance in future installments may also round out the Star Wars franchise for a modern audience.

In addition, taking up the director’s chair is none other than J.J. Abrams, who directed the reboots of another famous space opera. Abrams has proven through past projects that he will bravely venture where none have gone before, warranting a few jaw-dropping moments in his work. Abrams left us with awe-inspiring scenery from the United Kingdom filming sights. Similarly, the film set is composed of built sets, only using computer graphics to create the unreal atmosphere of deep space and aerial battle for dramatics. Now, what can fans do to quell some unanswered questions?

The novelization of the movie has been published, including deleted scenes that did not make the final cut. Other forms include standalone books that give a closer look on the individual backgrounds of each new character. Also, Clone Wars, an animated series consisting of six seasons of canonical stories, takes place between the three year gap of the second and third prequel. This show is available on Netflix, and was produced by George Lucas; each episode is an action-packed look at all the action that was missing from the political subplots.

May the Force be with you, and have fun with the crazy fan theories.