Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens (SPOILERS)

I've always assumed the Empire didn't simply collapse after the battle of Endor. That idea does not subvert my expectations.

But I'm open to other subversive ideas, like Han's life being a bit of a let down after the intense period of heroics. I could see him as a broken, bitter man who redeems himself through one last adventure.

It needs a subplot where Leia starts to feel trapped in her relationship with Han, and joins the local furry group. This results in an embarrassing yet hilarious encounter with Chewbacca and Han as a couple.

And would give Lelia's line of "I can't believe you came in that thing" a whole new meaning.

I can see how Han after a life of being a "scoundrel" would find the life of being a responsible leader not something he wants. This would make him willing and excited to have his old life of adventure back.

Well, goodie-goodie for you!

The Special Edition updates really seem to drive the point home that the Empire is overthrown, though. If we go by what we saw on the screen, the evidence is that the Empire has fallen.

Yes! I can see Han Solo as the husband of a prominent politician (Leia) and, after having given up his freewheeling former life, now feels a yearning for some action.

But if *I* were writing it, I'd go one step further. I'd make it so Han and Leia *didn't* live happily ever after. They parted ways not long after RotJ, and Han's now running a bar/casino (a la Rick Blaine) on some remote backwater world or stuck in some small-time piloting job somewhere.

Yeah I bet the helicopter ride was cheaper then one days salary for Harrsion Ford.

I've always looked at it as the Empire collapsed but then the planetary governors took over and start fighting among themselves.

Yeah, a bunch of Neolithic teddy bears defeats a super-advanced military unit and that causes the collapse of a galaxy wide empire... And people wonder why I put ROTJ at the same level of suckiness as the prequels...

I suppose one could imagine that the Empire was holding on to power somewhat tenuously, hence the dissolving of the Imperial Senate and the construction of the Death Star. It could be that when the Emperor was killed and the second Death Star destroyed, that widespread rebellions broke out all over the place...perhaps including on many of the remaining Imperial ships.

So, I could see it going several ways: (1) the Empire is dead/the Republic is restored, (2) the Empire still exists, but with reduced influence, (3) the Empire has broken up into several smaller entities, and, even, (4) the Empire is still pretty much as strong as it ever was.

Be interesting to see which way the go in Episode VII...

Lucas however screwed it up however with the whole Stormtroopers are clones. Because clones won't rebel. They follow their orders.

There is no reason to think the clones might not develop independent personalities. I realize the EU has been de-canonized, but there is at least one book that goes with that very premise.

I thought The Clone Wars covered some of that ground.
Clone Wars is canon, because Lucas worked on it.

I've only watched about 5 episodes so far, and maybe it does. If so, good, but better still if we didn't have them as clones at all.

The retcon of giving the storm troopers Tamuera Morrison's voice in the OT super special sucky editions was bullshit. Not to mention, if they were clones, then "aren't you a bit short for a storm trooper," opens a big can of worms. How the hell did Luke pull that off?

The original Star Wars didn't take itself so seriously.
Over the years, Lucas bought into his own hype, and got all pseudo-intellectual about it.

Then again, "aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper" opened up a nitpick to begin with, since he was wearing full-body armor that pretty much required him and the original occupant to be about the same size...

Actually, those two kind of explain each other. He was shorter, but not so short that he couldn't use the armor; which made it hard to notice when in action; but because the others were all the exact same size, being clones, it was still easy enough to spot for Leia.

It looks as if Fords broken leg has royally fucked up the movie........

http://io9.com/harrison-fords-injury-may-have-completely-screwed-up-ep-1594838394

But that's premised on the claim that Ford has a starring rather than supporting role. My understanding was always that the OT people would only be in supporting roles. Also, a fair amount can be done by shooting from the waste up. They were already having to do that with Peter Mayhew.

What happened to Mayhew?

He's an old fucker and has knee and back issues that leave him needing a cane. Probably inevitable when you are that tall.

Nope, Michael Arndt's draft was scuppered specifically because the suits wanted the OT cast in bigger roles.

Didn't know that, and not how I would have done things. Oh well, maybe it's time to call Billy Dee Williams and redirect some of Ford's role to him.

You know that if it was Lucas still in charge, they'd just CGI Ford's head onto a fake body.

Episode VII: The Wrath of Lando

This guy is ready.

Ridley Scott did it in GLADIATOR in 2000. In 2014 you wouldn't even notice.

What I heard was that Ford's injury is significant because the plot entails

Wouldn't it make more sense to...

Probably, but the marketability of the film overrides such concerns.

We don't need to use the spoiler tag in here -- the thread is clearly labeled to contain spoilers. Anyway, a lot of this is just speculation -- spoilers require that we actually know.

Anyway, Solo could chase Luke with a broken leg, he sits in the Falcon's cockpit doesn't he?