Star wars episode 7 trailer

[Mathim]

After Palpatine came to power, they did create an Imperial Academy on Carida. It was prestigous to go there. Which is where Han Solo was before he became a smuggler and was where he met Chewie rescuing him where he was a slave. It was rare that there was a non-human within the Empire. Even women were treated unequally. The few who stood out were Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss, who was featured in the Timothy Zahn books, and Admiral Daala from the trilogy books where Luke was establishing his Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. Daala was mentioned to have been Tarkin's mistress.

Though some of the rumors I have been hearing leaving me a bit confused. Luke exiled? Palpatine is back? Does this mean that events of Return of the Jedi are excluded? Or, are they using story elements involving Palpatine resurrecting through the use of clones of himself from the Dark Horse comic?

Since none of this was in the movies, I'm assuming it's all non-canon? But from the sound of things, I do think that if those are elements they're going to be using, then yes, that'll be drawn from the comics I glanced at and saw those things you mentioned. That's the trouble with selling out, not being able to keep continuity straight.

[Inkidu]

Star Wars has... levels of canonization.

At the tip top is the movies.
Then general comes the stuff that is acknowledged as canon by Lucas (I think the light-side ending and events of Forced Unleashed for example)
Then everything else.

So the mass of books is absolutely one hundred percent ignorable. :\

[Vorian]

So the mass of books is absolutely one hundred percent ignorable. :\

No, they officially threw it all out entirely now. :/

[RubySlippers]

I always saw the movies as women don't serve in combat but they may be in vital roles like manufacturing and perhaps logistics or rear field management freeing men to do combat duties. Perhaps they are like the old WACS in that. I saw more discrimination in the non-humans clearly largely absent from serving.

[Stella]

After the Prequels and retconning the EU canon, Star Wars can't hurt me anymore. So it doesn't matter how bad the new films will potentially be. I don't feel particularly excited, and I don't feel any sense of dread either. It's just another film to me now.

[SapphireStar]

I forgot to mention Ysane Isard, she ran Imperial Intelligence during Palpatine's reign while they were fighting the Rebellion. She was ruthless and powerful. In the novel and comics, women did take on more fighting roles, Mara Jade for one. Others had other prominent roles, from Senator to Intelligence or Smuggler/Mercenary/Bounty Hunter.

Looking at the new lightsaber, the crossguard seems a bit unnecessary. Though, looking back, in the Jedi Academy trilogy, Kyp Durron had crafted a lightsaber with an adjustable blade. I can see that having practical uses, especially in close quarters, shortening the blade to almost a short sword or dagger length. It makes me wonder if they are going to use elements of the Lost Tribe of the Sith for the new film. There was a Force Entity used in it which was corrupting force users.

[Zakharra]

Giving a lightsaber a crossguard strikes as an excuse to cut your own hand off... and that design doesn't even seem to protect  the hand (as the beams don't connect meaning an opposing lightsaber would slide now the crossguard then chop the lightsaber (and likely hand) in two.

Anyway, of course I'm excited; it's a new Star Wars film. While I may not be the biggest fan of J. J. Abrams he's generally a solid director and for me did a fairly decent job of the Star Trek remakes (although I know a lot of Trekkies hate them) so I expect the film to be better than the prequals if somewhat generic and not necessarily capturing the essence of Star Wars.

You're less likely to cut your hand off with this one: 

It looks decent and the hilt doesn't look like it's going to snap off in your hand either. It's not clunky or odd looking like most of the other ones are.

[Vorian]

You're less likely to cut your hand off with this one: 

It looks decent and the hilt doesn't look like it's going to snap off in your hand either. It's not clunky or odd looking like most of the other ones are.

That looks much better

[RubySlippers]

I studied that light saber more I have a theory, its a model that uses side venting to cool the mechanics you notice it seems more misty than the blade and has a delayed activation to the main blade. It also explains the extension bits which could not block a sliding light saber blade but be more chimneys for the excess energy.

[Inkidu]

A few things I'm going to speculate upon:

1.) Now that I see the physical cross-guard I think that it could stop a downward sliding blade.

2.) He looks to be overclocking the lightsaber. Thus Rubbyslipper's venting thing looks more credible. The beam does not look stable.

3.) It could be a really old model. Like Dooku was said to use one of the out-of-vogue fending models.

[RubySlippers]

Or a more powerful version of a light saber perhaps it has more energy in the blade and offering benefits fighting force users with light sabers and it looks damned intimidating a common dark force user trait to scare the crap out of lesser beings.

[SapphireStar]

It could also be dependent on the type of crystals being used. If I remember correctly the higher quality the crystal the better the blade. The construction of the lightsaber is usually dependent on the person wielding it. Kyp Durron's lightsaber, while under the influence of Exar Kun created a lightsaber which utilized three crystals unlike the typical single crystal lightsabers wielded by Luke Skywalker and others.

The extended hilt guard could be reflecting the energy of the blade with a mirrored surface, or it could utilize smaller red crystals positioned to the side which when the energy of the activation of the main blade then flows through the smaller crystals creating the two smaller extensions.

[RubySlippers]

Aren't Geek fights fun!

Seriously its a bad ass light saber in any event, but could be either an older Sith model or an older wider used model or an innovative new model.

Qui Gon also used an older model with added battery packs for more endurance so there is lots of options than the trendy designs.

I want to see a longer preview from what I suspect the Sith are back, it would have to be explained unless the Emperor either cloned his body and transferred to it OR there was another Sith apprentice than Lord Vader.

[Zakharra]

  Or another Sith master and apprentice hiding in the shadows. There can't be just 2 Sith in the entire galaxy... Maybe it's just two at a time show themselves, but just two Sith for thousands of years? It would be amazing that the masters lasted long enough to train apprentices before being killed/dying off.

[consortium11]

  Or another Sith master and apprentice hiding in the shadows. There can't be just 2 Sith in the entire galaxy... Maybe it's just two at a time show themselves, but just two Sith for thousands of years? It would be amazing that the masters lasted long enough to train apprentices before being killed/dying off.

Depending on if they keep the existing EU canon or not, that's been exactly the case; the "rule of two" (one master and one apprentice at a time with the apprentice either eventually killing their master or being killed and replaced by another apprentice) had been in place for thousands of years until Palpatine came along and put in his "rule of one" (one master and lots of assistants but none who would ever replace him).

That said the term "Sith" has always been a slightly nebulous, vague one. At different times it's referred to a distinct alien race, the results of interbreeding between that race and former Jedi, dark side followers in general and dark side followers of a specific religion/philosophy. Even if the new films do stick to existing canon with regards to the Sith they could still have new Sith appear.

[Stella]

They retconned the EU canon. Official source. So I really wouldn't count on anything EU being considered canon unless it has appeared in the six films we've had so far. In fact, I'd say we've got buckley's of any EU characters or tech making it in.

I thought it might've been nice if we had a break from the Jedi vs Sith stuff. There could be so many other great villains who don't require a snazzy new lightsaber design. For me, I've seen my fill of it.  There's so many other interesting species and planets and places and potential villains!

[consortium11]

They retconned the EU canon. Official source. So I really wouldn't count on anything EU being considered canon unless it has appeared in the six films we've had so far. In fact, I'd say we've got buckley's of any EU characters or tech making it in.

They have... but they've also said that anything in the EU is free to use if writers want (and we've seen some EU things included in the new media which is canon, albeit sometimes in a different format). In addition, isn't the rule of two in the existing films already (I seem to recall it being mentioned, even if not formally by name... something along the lines of "there will always be two... a master and an apprentice")?

I thought it might've been nice if we had a break from the Jedi vs Sith stuff. There could be so many other great villains who don't require a snazzy new lightsaber design. For me, I've seen my fill of it.  There's so many other interesting species and planets and places and potential villains!

Unfortunately I think Sith and lightsaber battles are pretty much ubiquitous when it comes to Star Wars now... even in the EU it feels like every other story ended up being a repeat of the Anakin/Darth Vader thing; young Jedi is a hero of one story/series, falls to the dark side and becomes the villain of the next story/series. I'd also note that even in the EU where there's less need to appeal to non-hardcore fans the only time I can really recall a "big" story appearing that didn't feature either the remains of the Empire or a new Sith we got the Yuuzhan Vong... which wasn't exactly a popular story.

Personlly I'd love to see something akin to the Thrawn books included but I'm not exactly optimistic. I think you'll get what you'd expect from a Star Wars film directed by JJ Abrams with a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and with Lucas doing creative consultancy work and being made to restart the franchise having lost a lot of good will with the prequels; nothing too original, Sith, lightsabers, lots of deep sounding mumbling about the force, some decent action scenes and a whole lot of lens flare (although Abrams has said he'll tone the flare down).

[Inkidu]

I've come to the long-thought-out conclusion that Lucas didn't lose nearly as much goodwill as Star Wars fans wanted him to. Star Wars is still incredibly popular with the world at large, and he was never going to be able to make the movie the fans wanted anyway. Never ever, never gonna happen. *Shrugs*

I watched all six movies a couple of years ago with full critic mode after graduating and it's my critical opinion (which I get doesn't matter that much in the world at large) that nostalgia bias and cultural-economic import (that is just the movies) aside all six movies basically hit in the inner ring of the target if not a bullseye. Empire Strikes back is probably the high point and Attack of the Clones is the low point, but again, they all hit pretty much in the same spectrum

Personally, I don't think anything in the series warranted the vitriol and raw hatred it got.

Though like I said, Lucas was doomed to failure.

[MasterOfWhispers]

From the looks of it, If I'm to understand it right. It seems writers are going to cherry pick some of the best aspects of the EU modify those aspects and add them into this new continuity. I really hope that's the case because say what you will about the EU, but those books, games, and additional media have actually had some really amazing stories and characters backing them. That being said these are things I want them to bring in from the EU in to what essentially is a new Universe:


Characters and aspects from the Thrawn Trilogy: I think we can all agree that the Thrawn books were some of the best of Star Wars EU Canon. Thrawn is an amazing villain and some of the characters such as Mara Jade and Talon Karde really helped give a sense of life to the Universe. I think it be really cool if Thrawn would perform a face turn and join the New Republic side and help build it up. Granted, It's wishful thinking on my part. I just want to see the man live. Come to think of it, The only way I can see Thrawn join the New Republic side of things is that he sees and opportunity to take it over and use it for his own goals. An almost Napoleon Bonaparteesque role. Would also like to see the Solo Twins as they were well developed in EU.

Aspects of The Kotor and old republic video games: Personally like to see HK-47 appear in the present era star wars. From what I remember of Star Wars Galaxy the player character can actually re-activate him and set him loose in the galaxy. I'd also like to see a reference to at least Revan here and there. Maybe even a force ghost or cameo of him appearing. Would be awesome if the big bad for this series of movies would be the original Sith Emperor from Old Republic (Although I think he would have been killed or had died off. Who knows)

The Yuuzhan Vong:Villains who actually gave the force users a run for their money. Haven't read much about them but their concept is something I like. Can't see they'd be introduced in this trilogy as it seems the trilogy is focusing on the theme of an old generation passing the torch to a new generation. They'd be awesome though in either another trilogy or as a plot line for some future Star wars T.V Show.

The Original Mandalorians: I absolutely hated the Clone Wars did with their own interpretation of Mandalore. That plotline and back story basically neutered them. I heard Rebels may actually return them to their own routes. I have to catch up on that episode actually. I'd like to see them return in all their Jedi Hunting glory here.

That's it for now though. There is probably more I want them to add. Can't think of any more though.

[Vorian]

I think you've covered the highlights pretty well, yeah.

[Mathim]

I've always wanted to see a lightsaber in the form of a sai. Lose range but gain defense. Probably an unfeasible shape, though.

[Inkidu]

The one I always wanted to see was light-ulaks



Or like some kind of three-section staff with the "blades" end pieces.

[Vorian]

I've always wanted to see a lightsaber in the form of a sai. Lose range but gain defense. Probably an unfeasible shape, though.

I'm sure I saw one in Clone Wars era material somewhere, can't remember where. That particular design didn't look very practical though - but with a beam or sufficiently lightsaber resistant material added across the guard it should work.

[Annisthyrienne]

This is not necessarily canon or whatever, but maybe the reason they had to stop using clones is that the facility on Kamino was destroyed, perhaps by rebels.  That would explain it.  It would be unlikely that there would be other facilities elsewhere that could do it on such a massive scale or as efficiently simply because the Kaminoans treated it like a business, and their cloning techniques were their trade secret.  They would no more let that get out than the secret recipe for classic CocaCola or the eleven herbs and spices blend for KFC.

Also, the clones that were in use would have mostly died out by the time Luke Skywalker reached the age he was in the first three movies.  They were created to age more rapidly so they could be trained and come online as adult soldiers within about 5 years, and I believe I read somewhere that they were only really expected to have a service life of about 20 years.  You have to figure the Clone Wars were going on for some time before Palpatine became the Emporer, and then it took time for Luke to grow to his early adulthood, say 20-21 years old.

Another thing to consider I think is that once the Empire had been established, the need for a massive clone army was not as great.  They Empire was not really at war, even with the rebellion, right away.  Mostly, the task at hand would have been to police and patrol local systems that fell under the Empire's jurisdiction, and who best to do that than locally recruited humans?

Just my two cents.

[Vorian]

Personally, going by the EU canon, I think it's more likely that Palpatine destroyed Kamino himself to take direct control over the cloning technology for his own purposes. Or more likely Thrawn handling the job for him.