ST Plot/character rumour discussion

We've just had a tidal wave of potential info from decent sources, so what does everyone make of it?

I think the idea of Luke turning bad is cheap, I suppose it would harken back to his temptation on Dagobah and it would "rhyme" with Anakin's story..



..but there are better ways of connecting the films.

"Kira"'s supposed back story is cool though and i'm really liking the sound of Max Von Sydow's character, if that's true then he could be one of the most interesting characters in this universe so far..

I'm a little concerned by this:
"Cut to the outside of the Cantina as a Planet/Moon is blown up outside, Han is present here (Wearing a thin cut, waist length leather jacket, boots etc, a “Matching outfit”) oh and he still has his blaster"

Costume sounds all wrong, Han should be more of a retired suit type after all the fame and politics he might have got involved in with Leia over the years.. In my opinion anyway.

Any word on Adam Driver? I believe this is him in the set photo along with Harrison.



I'm guessing he's like a new but vastly expanded version of Wedge for the new trilogy, a perspective to see the space battles from.. But there must be more to this character.

Oscar Isaac.. No idea what he's up to but I believe he'll become the new captain of the Falcon with Chewie and the droids being brought with him and Daisy into the 4th trilogy.

I'm unsure how they're going to fit all these characters into roughly 130 minutes (if they're sticking with conventions) surely with the amount of time that has passed between films we'll need a much longer movie? I really hope the pacing feels like that of the original trilogy.

Also.. Nothing on Leia or 3P0! At least by my knowledge. I'm also fascinated by how different Mark Hamill looks over the past few months, I have no clue what to make of it but I can definitely see him being a hermit. I was kind of hoping he'd be running a small scale jedi order but oh well..

Any theories?

 

shouldn't you already know the answer to your own question JJ.

 

Take all rumours with a pinch of salt , only a small amount of rumours will make it through..............

 

I know the whole Lucas "Rhyming" thing is joked about a lot, and its a strange concept, but I kind of liked it in the PT. But the important thing to note is that it doesn't have to be as literal as "another skywalker falls to the dark side". Any main character who starts out good and gradually turns could satisfy the rhyming element. (Also, if they really wanted to follow this - and I doubt JJ has even thought about it - then they wouldn't be having someone turn to the dark side in this one. This one would be the light-hearted introduction and the temptation for a character to turn wouldn't appear until the next episode). Anyway, I've always seen the rhyme as more of a thing to do with style and tone rather than a literal storyline anyway (even though Lucas is describing it in the context of the storyline in that clip.)

I've never actually seen that photo before. That looks like Driver to me, although the other character's face isn't as clear.

Mark is the most confusing one because of the new rumors. I can't believe that the beard is a mislead though; I'm pretty sure we'll see it in the film. And I can't believe that Lucas/Arndt/Abrams/Kasdan would go with the Darth Luke route. It just doesn't mesh with VI for me.

 

That's what i'm hoping will be the case!

 

Oh wow, JJ Abrams!!!

 

My hopes seem dashed at this point, to be honest. I liked the idea of Luke having disappeared, but not for thirty years. Han and Leia being married and having twins was something that was debunked from the get go, but now I'm hearing that they might not have been that involved with each other after the rebellion, anyway. Now it's rumored that Boyega is just some disgruntled storm trooper (just gotta have somebody be one, huh, JJ?) and Ridley has no ties with any of the former cast. Not to mention, Luke has no family, either. So, I guess the Skywalker name will die with Luke, eh? Serkis is only in a minor role? One of the best actors in this shindig is hardly in the movie? Really? There are also rumors indicating that Driver is just some pilot now? Heh. And whatever happened to Von Sydow being the most vicious bastard to ever be in a Star Wars film? Now I'm hearing he's just cyborg dude in some cantina. I feel that Isaac and Gleeson are the best of the new, younger actors, but since we haven't heard much about them, it has me worried that they won't much more than minor characters, too. The worse of the rumors is just too much to bear, though. Luke has turned to the dark side? Huh?

God, I hope all of this is just rumor...I really do.

 

It isn't even fit to be called a rumour, it's speculation based off a piece of concept art that might not even be used in the movie and to say that the character in the art is Luke sounds like a real stretch to me because now his beard is fake? Pay it no heed.

 

The connection to Luke supposedly is that you can see Luke's jaw in the costume, but it sounds suspicious to me. They say it looks like Mark's jaw, but how would you really know that considering its concept art and Mark doesn't have any real identifying marks on his face. If if was Harrison Ford in the cyborg, and you could see his chin scar then that would be one thing, but Mark is pretty average. Now, if we had seen the cyborg have a beard, it would be a whole different story.

 

What's funny is that JJ Abrams actually could post tidbits in here and everyone would yell "FAKE!" at him and drive him out.

10 people could probably look at the same pic and you would get 10 different opinions on who the cyborg might be, if the concept even made it to screen. Let's not forget, as bobbyroberts has pointed out in his excellent latest Rumour Control podcast for Full of Sith (which everyone should check out and pay attention to as regards how the whole spoiler game plays out) ,there was concept art of Yoda as a garden gnome at one point. Just as Darth Maul didn't end up being a Sith witch or didn't wear a golden costume with a crown of feathers.

 

My favorite JJ-connected "leak" I've seen is on one of the other star wars news websites. There's a user posing as JJ's cat who talks in the lolcat talk and posted all this strange stuff. It was pretty hilarious.

 

According to Indie Revolver...

http://indierevolver.com/2014/10/03/lets-pump-the-brakes-on-that-big-episode-vii-theory/

Based on this set report, I do believe a cyborg character made it into the final film. Might be Adam Driver after a mid-film transformation, might be someone different (MVS? Gleeson? he's bearded too, so no)

Lupita Nyong'o is even shorter than Hamill, so if this person is tall it can't be her. It could be Gwen Christie after some sort of catastrophic mid-film injury, that's possible.

I don't think the color of the actor in the production art matters (apparently there's some pictures of Boyega's character as a white guy). But Boyega's short and stocky, not tall and slender, so the guy on set couldn't be him...

I trust set reports way more than concept art for this very reason...

ETA: MVS is 6'4"... Adam Driver is 6'3"...

 

Maybe Adam Driver gets blown to smithereens in his black x-wing after his heart is hurted, it gets sucked into a black hole or sumptin and he comes out like the robo-chick in Superman III. I dunno i'm crazy... tssssssss tssssssssss <snrrrrf>


On another note, who here would be bother if Han and Leia AREN'T together? I think they should go this route and explain it that they had an amicable parting, Han is off doing his thing and Leia is just busy running the galaxy and trying to save peace. No time for love in these troubled times.

 

There is probably 1% of truth in each rumour, fun thing is trying to guess which 99% is actually rubbish

 

I'm a Han/Leia fan (as you can tell from my profile pic) and I can totally not seen them together 30 years later. If Han is a military man, it makes sense that he wouldn't be with his wife and that things are just too hectic for them to be together. And I can't imagine their marriage or relationship would have been a bed of roses considering they are both strong-willed people. That doesn't mean they don't love each other. I REALLY, REALLY want them to have a kid though. I think they deserve a legacy. Luke will always have the jedi and those he teaches, but I'd like to see the family carry on and something concrete to bond Han and Leia with each other and with the force (their offspring (at least one) being a jedi).

 

As I've said before, these rumors probably are coming from JJ just to **** with our heads.

 

All this 'Bad Robot'-stuff--- They are not even trying...

 

If these leaks are genuine "leaks" then the blame really does lie on JJ and no one else. If he wasnt so damn secretive about the project as not
even releasing the characters names...fans are going to scratch and claw and go above and beyond for any piece of info.

What bugs me more than "leaks" are trailers and TV spots that reveal too much. Remember the Dark Knight Rises... all the promos, TV sports, trailers etc... a savy fan culled over 40 minutes worth of footage.

 

A point I made in the other forum is that with a lot of JJ's old projects, he'd be this secretive about it, but would create these internet-based mysteries and Alternate Reality Games that were tough as heck to solve and required team work. None of this stuff ended up being important in the plot of the film, so it was spoiler-free, but it would lead up or hint about something or it would give a sense of the tone of the project. I know a lot of that stuff doesn't work for Star Wars but they could still do something like write a little "kind of prequel" novel and release a chapter a month until the movie comes out.

 

Erhm, they have cast the only person in the world who is a star solely due this his voice acting of digital characters, and then we get leaked pictures of a cyborg villain. Do people need this spelled out for them? Andy Serkis will voice and perform a digital villain. This fits perfectly with his career and the Star Wars tradition of having totally digital or puppet central characters.

Looking at these rumors as a whole I believe they are pretty much accurate. They are essentially making a sequel to The Godfather here, and we know how it usually goes in those instances. They will bring as much of the popular elements back from the OT without being a rehash and tacky. That means Hoth, Millennium Falcon, Han Solo, Leia, Vader, Stormtroopers, Star Destroyers and an ass kicking Luke Skywalker, to name the obvious ones.

Now obviously they won't go back to Hoth since that would be way too obvious a rehash and unbelievable coincidence, but you can go to another snow planet, which give you the same effect.

Millennium Falcon can be brought back with ease, but it can't be captained by Han Solo (at first). So they give it to someone like Isaac instead. We don't know much about his character, but usually looks play a big part in acting choices. Does he look like he could play a scoundrel? Most definitely. Think his role in Robin Hood only more sympathetic. But since we already have the old Han Solo in the film, and he will be expected to "Indy it up" and act like it, so Isaac won't replace him. Likely he will be the new Lando Calrissian, and will of course develop some sort of relationship or have an encounter with Han so he can get one more chance to pilot the Falcon in an iconic moment.

Han Solo is already in the film, but for the reasons already talked about will take on a little different role. If that picture with Driver is him it appears he will play an Air Force General of some sort. This fits his age and his progression in the OT. It also gives you the opportunity for him to pilot something, or be a part of that environment. The fact that he left shooting of the film earlier than some of the other actors indicate he will play a more reserved character. I'm thinking a decent introduction at the start, then a big Falcon moment in the third act, with maybe some small scenes thrown in here and there.

Leia is hard to predict. My own opinion is that they will try and reverse much of the criticism of her character arc in the OT and bring her back to a more strong, political leader. I think the rumors of her not being married to Han makes sense. Them having children and basically being 30 year older version of the end scene in ROTJ would be too obvious and not fitting with the "dark theme" running in big movies these days.

Vader is dead so he can't be brought back in any obvious way. Not even as a new villain with a similar look. But if you bring him back just as a helmet and a memory, having him be a symbol and inspiration to a new villain, that is about as much Vader you can throw in this film without face palming the audience.

Stormtroopers, and the Empire in General, can be brought back and will be brought back. Boyega got that rugged, stern soldier look. I can easily picture him as a Stormtrooper who runs away on a quest with Ridley. But he also have that mild mannered disposition of a good man who will not turn to evil. This fits with him leaving Ridley when supposedly she gets involved with the villain.

Star Destroyers. No pictures of anything like that yet, but we all know they will bring in some big badass ship.

Luke Skywalker. Personally I don't see a chance in hell they are turning him to the Dark Side. The fan base would murder them for that, and we know from the prequels how large and powerful the Star Wars fan base is. Not going to happen imo, and I'd put money on that. Since it seems they are scrapping the happy go lucky world you imagine after Jedi, I think it makes a lot of sense to make him a hermit. A new Yoda, and he can still kick some serious ass as a warrior. The fans expect this and will give the movie an automatic 3 stars if Luke ignites a light saber and does something cool.

Daisy Ridley to me looks like a more down and dirty version of Leia and Padme. I can totally picture her as a scoundrel or going on some quest. If I heard a rumor she was going to play a princess or a political leader I wouldn't give it a second thought, cause she just doesn't have that look. Imo the rumors about her going to some ice planet to find a jedi master or something makes perfect sense for the character she will look credible portraying. She also has that slight [nope] look in her eyes, which makes her a dark side candidate. And having character fall to the dark side, or be tempted, is about as rhyme as you get in a Star Wars film. She's giving me vibes of a female Anakin.

Driver going by the picture appears to be a pilot. Someone said he will be our man to follow in the space battles, and I can see that. He's ruggedly handsome, but without giving any Jedi vibes. I see him playing the role Luke played in the space battle in ANH and ESB.

Von Sydow. I once heard someone say the movie Minority Report was ruined from the get go since they hired Von Sydow to play the role he does in that movie. Him playing a villain would be beyond obvious, and considering the guy is 80 something he will not in any way play a role that requires him to be around for all 3 films. I'm thinking he will be a sort of exposition character in a minor role, since his age will enable him to remember the days of the old republic. Someone said he is a mystery guy in a cantina? Sounds about right.

The rest I don't care too much to know, since I don't see them being much else than support for the plot. Maybe Gleeson turns into something.

Going by my assumptions and speculations here I'm picturing this skeleton plot:

Movie opens by introducing us to Han, Leia, Ridley, Boyega and Driver. There is still some turmoil in the Galaxy, maybe a recent new threat, and all the characters go through some sort of conflict or unhappiness. Driver, Han and Leia are our links to the New Republic, Boyega and possibly Ridley (though she could be independent) are the links to the Empire. For whatever reason Ridley ends on a quest, meets Boyega along the way, and comes into contact with a new unseen villain. They get information from Sydows character on where and what to look for. This cantina is also where we might get introduced to Isaac. There will not be tons of light saber action. Luke, Ridley and the new villain will be it I think, maybe one more minion. At some point Isaac is introduced with the Falcon. Possibly helping Ridley and Boyega go to that ice planet and find the new villain. There will be a big reveal or moment on this planet, having Ridley team up with the villain and Boyega going back with Isaac and maybe Han. There will be a big space battle where Driver gets to shine. The films end on a happy, but looming note.

But where does Luke come into this? He will either be a mentor or a hero, but if Ridley teams up with the villain, what will his connection be? Driver, Isaac and Boyega will have "plain jobs", so even though they may be force sensitive I don't see the process of making one of them into a Jedi starting so early. Also, I think Boyega is really the only choice here, but having both him and Ridley be force sensitive seems too big of a coincidence. Apparently Ridley meets this new villain at about halfway through the film, which makes a lot of sense dramatically, but that doesn't leave Luke much room to interact with her before hand, if we assume he will be this Obi Wan type hermit who might mentor her. Maybe Han flushes him out? Leia?

A key to Luke's character I think is the inevitable lightsaber duel. If they follow ANH they will only have one in the middle (likely Ridley vs. cyborg), if they go by the rest of the films there will be a big showdown at the end. Personally I think the opportunity for a big duel at the end is too tempting for Disney and JJ to pass on, so this is maybe where he is introduced, at the tail end. Defeating the "apprentice". I think it's a given there will be a trilogy spanning villain who we will not get to see in any big action until the second film, maybe third. An option is to use Serkis as a Maul type villain, he is after all a bit quirky to fill a Sidious type role. Think Grievous and his casting makes perfect sense. Either Luke defeats him, or there will be a fight with Ridley. But if Ridley takes on the "Maul role", I also see Serkis playing the main villain for the whole trilogy. Though I'm not sure I like the idea of having cyborg do that job. The exact role of Luke and the main villain are the roles most up in the air. The rest of the cast sorta make sense in a much more obvious way.

As long as they stay away from Luke as the villain I think this is actually looking kinda good. Positively surprised.

Mod edit: language

 

Okay let a newbie take a crack. I've only been lurking for some time, so apologies if something is way off or already proven wrong-

DR- I think/hope she is the main hero. For this reason, I also think/hope she is a Skywalker/Solo. The episodes should follow the family in my opinion. Which begs the question…why would she be on a desert planet?? How would our heroes let that happen? Only thing I can come up with is she is believed dead- probably since a very young age.

Because she apparently meets up with Han/Chewie fairly early in the movie…I’m guessing she is Luke’s believed dead daughter. Maybe she doesn’t even know who she is. Maybe her “death” (and her mothers?) is what pushed him into exile because he felt his anger growing??

So as she discovers her family, her origins, these characters- we rediscover them right along with her.

I just don’t think she would be Han’s daughter because the big reveal would happen too soon in the movie, assuming the plot details we have heard so far are true. (about it being a search for Luke)

I also like the idea that Luke bucked the rules so to speak, fell in love, had a child (or 2??), and then regretted it when things went bad. Went into hiding, etc. That would explain the solitude in my opinion- pain, regret, and fear of turning evil.

Or maybe she is Han/Leia’s kid, and no one figures it out until the end somehow??

It does rhyme with the previous trilogies in a way though. Slave who doesn’t know his destiny, Farmer who doesn’t know his destiny, Orphan who doesn’t know her destiny.

**I also believe Abrams, etc will deny she is actually related to the very bitter end. Even if it become obvious.



MVS- I’m thinking he has been the caretaker of DR, and maybe is at the same time a bad guy. Perhaps using DR as bait this entire time, waiting for Luke to figure it out? My guess is this a demon she is going to have to face in the movie- this man who she has trusted is actually evil, etc. Maybe explains some of the artwork?

****I did have a thought about Kanan from Rebels- what if the last scene of Rebels is the crew transmitting the Deathstar plans to Leia right before being destroyed over Tattoine. Kanan is badly hurt but survives and takes up exile, unknowingly to anyone, on Tattoine and this is MVS? They are going for a “shared universe” thing, right?

Boyega- I buy the deserted Storm Trooper thing, being hunted by GC, etc and I think it’s a great idea and story arc. Similar to Bounty Hunters after Han…


Driver- I much prefer the idea that he is an impatient, angry Solo kid who has a secret affinity for his grandfather. Maybe he is angry he was never properly trained, maybe he has a little brother (pip?) who seems to be more gifted and get all the attention? Maybe he’s still angry over his cousin/sister’s “death”?

So he goes about, secretly, collecting artifacts and studying the dark side. Maybe even has made a friend or two that he should not have made? I don’t like the random aristocrat rumor- not enough emotional weight in my opinion. However, I am torn between Driver and Gleason being a Skywalker who turns dark...so if Driver is just in this one or ends up with a smaller role I'm thinking Gleason turns over the course of 8.


Lupita- I like the idea of her being some type of political leader who is critical of not only the Empire, but the Rebels and force users. The public doesn’t like Jedi now, and she is an outspoken political critic of them too. This is where she and Leia bump heads? Over the course of the films she gains an appreciation for Jedi but is also able to convince Leia/whoever that even the new Rebel Alliance has ignored certain planets or something?


Gleason- Maybe he doesn’t show up until later in the film and is revealed to be Luke’s son. Perhaps when Luke went into hiding after his daughter “died” he took a small number of Jedi with him to train in solitude…one of them being his son. Or he was simply raised by Han and Leia. The big 3 potentially being DR, Boyega, and him moving forward? If Driver isn't a Solo who goes bad...I'm thinking Gleason is the one who takes after his Grandfather.


I have a feeling Isaac’s role isn’t as big as people think for some reason. At least not in this movie. I think Boyega is essentially the Han. I just think Isaac as “the Han” is too obvious and on the nose. I prefer the idea he is a bounty hunter...maybe hired by the empire to hunt force sensitives? Has an interaction early on, while after Boyega, with DR/Kira that sticks with him. Spark of feelings, and she impresses him by outsmarting him and helping Boyega get away. Later in the film he has an opportunity to capture Boyega, but lets him go as to not hurt Daisy. Then he has a larger role in 8, maybe Daisy has to find him for help or something. This also sets up a love triangle.


As far as the big baddie? No idea I think it has to be someone at least talked about in the movies, if not the Emperor resurrected himself. I also doubt cloning will just NEVER be talked about again, so I’d guess that will play a role…

 

Plagueis. I would really like to see Plagueis. After all, if at least some part of James Luceno's book is 'truth' in the new timeline, he is the true mastermind behind everything

 

Adam Driver: The oldest Solo. Can't decide if he will have been somewhat trained in the force or gone rogue but eventually turned to the darkside. Driver's quote that the movies are in another galaxy but have the every day themes of "siblings, parents," etc... makes me think that these will be themes involving his character. Han and Leia have tried, with no success, to somehow save him from himself but they've had to move on for their younger daughter....

Daisy Ridley: Youngest Solo. Almost ten years younger than her older brother. She looked up to him and he doted on her but he "died" when she was relatively young. Parents are overly protective of her and she is not force-trained. Leia's family history gets revealed by her political opponent (played by Lupita) with info fed by Driver's character. Daisy had no clue that her grandfather was the infamous vader. But her parents have one more thing to tell her....her brother isn't really dead but has fallen to the dark side. In anger, Daisy takes off and lives in isolation and solitude. Gets a message from her uncle Luke via the lightsaber and decides she wants to become a jedi apprentice to save her brother. Reconnects with her dad and Chewie to help find Luke (who she knows aren't far because other than Alliance bodyguards staking her out a distance away, she is aware her dad has been monitoring her movements but giving her space). Han reluctantly helps her, with the notion that Luke will talk her out of it once they find him.

Boyega: Stormtrooper who is force sensitive and has had it with the Empire. Sent to desert planet with Christie to find whoever Driver is hunting (Daisy). He takes off and becomes part of Daisy and Han's entourage. Gives them information on Driver and his motivations without knowing the connection.

Isaac: Driver's best friend growing up. Military rising star. Han takes him under his wing, somehow trying to substitute for the son that he lost. Which is why Isaac is in the front seat of the Falcon while Han is trying to protect his daughter on her quest. Daisy resents Isaac's position in her family and the fact that he also has the Falcon (albeit temporarily) sets her off. He is part of the love triangle that will involve Daisy-Boyega-Isaac.

Christie: Imperial commander.

Lupita: Leia's political rival.

Gleeson: Ideally, Luke's son who's been raised with his cousin, Daisy. But really the dark horse. Looks like a jedi or alliance?

Pip: If Driver isn't a Solo, candidate for Daisy's twin. Strong in the force and fighting skills but more interested in politics like mom or may act as his mother's bodyguard. Will eventually use jedi skills. Larger role in films VIII and IX.

 

These all remind me of Mace Windu is going to be the next Sith. Actually, they are pretty good. Very in depth by the last couple of posts. I don't have any insight right now, but wanted to bump this to start any new discussion.

 

Some very interesting family / characters connections, Knessa84. Sound viable to me and it definitely connects the dots with all of the characters.