Three Things in the "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" trailer that got me excited
/I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with geekdom. Have we always been this skeptical? Have we always ripped down everything we love out of some strange need to justify our fandom?
I watched the new trailer, and I got goosebumps. I get it; some folks still feel burnt by Episode I. But I don't, and I will go to this new Star Wars movie on Dec. 17 (I've already got tickets!!!) with hope and anticipation, like a kid, because after all, isn't that the whole point? Isn't what what consuming media like this all about?
So here are the three things which got me stoked about this new trailer.
1. Character-driven story
As much as a trailer really can show this, this appears to be very character driven. In the original trilogy, the story revolved around four characters: Luke, Leia, Han and Darth Vader. This movie seems to revolve around Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren. And of course, we get to see the old crew too. The original trilogy worked because we loved the characters, and where the prequels fail, it's often around under-developed or unlikeable characters.
2. It's going to be something new
Repeat this phrase ten times: WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER STAR WARS MOVIE!!! I know many diehards were disappointed about Disney's decision to throw aside all of the novels, comics and games which filled a vibrant Star Wars universe after Return of the Jedi. Though I consumed almost the entire extended universe, they made the right decision to ditch it. The EU had become so bogged down with history that doing a new trilogy based on that universe would have been like walking through mud. I still love the best stories of the EU, but we needed something fresh, something new.
3. Awesome bad guys
Iconic villains define the Star Wars universe, bad guys like Darth Sidious/Palpatine, Darth Maul, Count Dooku, Jango Fett, Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, and Boba Fett. Kylo Ren looks pretty badass, and so does Captain Phasma. As important as it is to make us care about the protagonists, we also need to feel something tangible about the villains. The new villains seem to deliver the right notes.
As you might be able to tell, this trailer got me excited. I've watched it a bunch, shared it with my daughters, and talked about it with family and friends. If you're a Star Wars fan, get excited, feel like a kid again, walk in with hope. Will the movie be great? I have no idea, but the trailer hinted at enough goodness to fuel a lot of hope.