010. What the new "Star Wars:The Force Awakens" Trailer told us

Disclaimer: All media and materials listed here do not belong to me. It is for educational purposes for the sake of discussion.

Warning: This article might contain spoilers, as we try to piece together what we can of the current information given to us about the movie.

Goosebumps, people...do you feel it?

Star Wars newest full trailer hits our screens not too long ago. And we're in raptures. Sites selling tickets online experienced too much volume that it crashed.

That is the headline. That is the gravity of the situation. That is the phenomena we call: Star Wars.

For those of you who haven't viewed the trailer, here it is:

Did it bring a tear to your eye?

I hope it did, because if it didn't, go watch it again.

There are lots of people theory crafting from all the materials online on the latest upcoming Star Wars film. So I've decided to take in a few sources for my theory-crafting in this article:

Enter, the 2015 Comic Con Panel in San Diego with the Star Wars TFA panel:

Watching the panel, made me think of the guidelines I would need to craft my theory. My theory of Star Wars TFA stars with the questions:Who and what are the characters?(in terms of motivation). We might be rushing headfirst into things by getting into the details without knowing what the bigger picture is. All the more, this movie is a beginning of a new story that has NOT been told to us through any medium about star wars, and if this source is to be believed, "It's an original story".

As we inch(agonizingly) closer and closer to the theatrical release of the movie, there are more telltale signs that TFA is shaping up to be a completely different story.

"The original saga was about the father, the children, and the grandchildren. I don't think that's a secret to anybody--that's in the novels--and the children were in their 20s and everything. But they've(Starwars:TFA has) taken it in a different direction, and I'm excited--they didn't use my story, so I don't know what they're doing." -George Lucas. Source here

Well, isn't that just great? everything we know about the Star Wars expanded universe will not be featured in the movie, instead the movie is moving towards a direction fans wouldn't know what to expect. No more Jaina, Jacen and Anakin Solo. No more Luke and Mara. No more Cade.

*And since episode seven is the start of a sequel trilogy, wouldn't it mean that they'd set up the movie to be an introduction of everything? it also makes more sense since we know the movie doesn't pick off from anywhere, so it's only logical that all the characters and location are given a background check, so that it can set up the stage for episodes 8 & 9.

Alrighty. So...The fundamental question. Who and what are the characters...what are their motivations? The bigger picture?

I know every filmmaker on deck is going to haunt me for this, but here goes.

In the Star Wars SDCC panel, Abrams stated(16:25) that, "It's literally storytelling 101[...] what do the characters want? who are they? what makes this interesting? What's unexpected?"

Okay Abrams, if you say so! Here's what we know:

1. Rey is a scavenger. As seen in the trailer, she is seen looking through the ships interior. She is seen with a staff(probably darth plagueis's?). She's with a droid, she knows how to fix things. But what does she want?
2. Finn used to be a first order stormtrooper who discovers a new purpose and joins the resistance. But really? who is he?why does he want to be a part of the resistance
3. Poe is the resistance's best pilot who gets captured and tortured by Kylo Ren. What is he fighting for? Why is he wearing a jacket instead of the resistance pilot attire?
4. Kylo is a part of the Knights of Ren, not a jedi and he wants to finish what Darth Vader started. Is it the death star? and why is he without his helmet in the trailer when he faces Finn?
5. What is Maz Kanata's part in all this? Is she the one that hands over the lightsaber?
6. Han Solo is still a rogue, and is still pretty much in love with leia...right?
7. Leia is probably a big part of the resistance, is she, like in the comics? already a general after the battle of endor?
8. Where is luke in this trailer? He's not even in the poster! We hear his voice in the second trailer though...

kylo without his helmet in the trailer

Deductions

Well.. Remember the part where Rey asks Han: "There are stories about what happened"

Han simply replies: "Its true..all of it..the dark side...the jedi...they're real..."

I take it at this point in the film, Rey doesn't know about the "stories", she just hears them. From that we can deduce that Rey and Finn are oblivious about events in the star wars world before they got help from Han. What were they running from? and why are they hunted by the first order? if Finn was the cause of it, and we know that he was stranded in the desert planet, why are they still pursuing him? what did Finn do?

Somehow, everything starts with Finn right? Rey was a "no one", her life didn't change, until she helped Finn. Poe was already part of the resistance to begin with, he didn't change.

My version of what's going to happen

A theory I've developed is that Finn discovers that the First Order is behind a world-destroying weapon, much like the death star(as seen in the poster).

We see the death star here, don't we? but the death star already blew up didn't it?

 So Finn discovers this and decides he is not the man to be involved in such a disastrous plan. That he shall not be a part of ending the lives of others. That's when he plans to leave the star destroyer. On his way he gathers allies and those of the First Order who are reluctant to participate in the treacherous plan. A fight ensues, and they have a battle at the hangar of the star destroyer.

Could this be the tie fighter that Finn and some FO renegades use to make his escape?

Or it could be that word got around that Finn knew too much and had a change of heart. His ship was sabotaged.

Which leads Finn to end up in Jakku. Which sets up his meeting with Rey.

Either way, Finn ends up in Jakku. Perhaps the star destroyer crashed into jakku while trying to chase Finn.

Rey the scavenger decides to scavenge the remains of a star destroyer

 

In the new trailer we see Rey in the interior of a battleship so big, it could possibly be a star destroyer. Rey the scavenger mustve seen the opportunity to scavenge a ship wreckage that she would've seen crashed the night before. She wants to investigate too.

 

While she leaves the wreckage with her loot, she bumps into a disoriented Finn. And they find themselves running away from the impending FO forces.

And that's where their adventure begins. They both want to pass on this information to people who can stop the First Order.

Phew.. So that solves our initial problem of Finn and Rey's purpose right? Rey is Finn's first step to getting the information about the death star in the correct hands. Finn ditches his FO suit and dons a jacket(couldn't be Poe's one, could it?)

Rey and Finn somehow finds Han(and it's not too hard to find him, if you're a scavenger, right?) because she has traded supplies with all the travelling mercs of the land. Now they end up in Han's Millenium Falcon. But it must've took a lot for them to convince Han. Knowing his nature, he would've been reluctant to let renegades on his ship.

But...something must've led Han to agree to bring them to meet the resistance, because in the trailer, Han affirms Rey's theory by saying; "It's true...all of it...The dark side...the jedi..."

And why do I believe in this theory? because the whole of episode VII is to establish and set up the stage for the later episodes, right? and don't forget that Han, Rey and Finn are in the chamber with the holograms of all the planets in the galaxy, so it must be a part in the movie whereby, our heroes gather to share information so that audiences inch closer to the truth. Again, I have to say, Han affirms this(whatever it is), to the shock of our heroes. This mustve been a momentous scene, one cant deny that.

So the answer to why Han is involved in the show, is because our heroes, Finn and Rey, leads the audiences to him. Some people might ask why he's in Jakku, but the thing is, Finn and Rey could've found him in another place entirely. What's important is that our heroes meet Han, which brings them a step closer to resolving their predicament.

Han brings them to another world in the galaxy...to help our heroes--


Enter Lupita Nyong'o character: Maz Kanata.

This is the concept art

 

A close up of the poster shows Maz Kanata

 

The comic con panel revealed a minor character called Papajoe which bears a resemblance to Maz Kanata

 

So Han takes our heroes to Maz Kanata's planet. Why? What answers can she give? who is she?
Maz Kanata is a pirate whose castle is a place for stragglers, smugglers and travellers to seek refuge. That's her background. But why would she help our heroes?Han must've owed her something.

Han leads Finn and Rey to meet Maz Kanata

Or it could be as simple as Han trying to find parts for his Millenium falcon so that he can make the jump into hyperspace(due to the fighting with the tie fighters along their journey or something).

In any case, they end up at Maz Kanata's Castle, which is in Mandalore. Many of you might scream that this could be a meetup with Boba Fett(which could possibly be) but I don't think our heroes would want to meet him, they have no reason to.

Anyways, Annie Leibovitz took pictures of Maz Kanata's castle which had the same stone walls as the above picture of the castle exterior.

In the trailer we hear Maz Kanata's voice asking: "Who are you?", "The force...it's calling out to you...just let it in..."

I'm pretty sure that if she(Maz Kanata) can sense that, she's force-sensitive. Another thing I'm sure of, she has luke's lightsaber...and she gave it to General Leia Organa.

I'd totally understand why Kanata would've had that saber, she's a pirate! What I don't understand is why would she give it away? We now know who she is, but we don't know her motivations. Could she be a jedi in hiding? This I cannot solve. Anyone has ideas?

 

Moving forward, we know that Han successfully got Finn and Rey safely to the resistance home base.

 

Just in time as the resistance gets ready to foil kylo's plan before its too late

Han and Leia are safe too

We see the millennium falcon in the background behind Finn.

The resitance forces decide to act on the new information of an impending death star as all our heroes are now engaged in the battle.

 

Mystery surrounding Kylo Ren

 

 Kylo Ren according to Abrams is not a finished article yet. So I expect him to be a character who turns around to be good in the end.

 

"We didn't really have a lot of conversations about 'bad' or 'evil' actually when we were shooting it. It was more, erm..what do you think it. is..the difference being bad and being right. I think there's a huge difference, someone who thinks they're bad is kind of like a selfish thing and it's mostly about them and hurting somebody else, you know, taking what they want, but, (someone) thinking that they're right is something different. Like a...that's almost like more evil. A group of people who decided that they're morally right in behaving a certain way. And I think that's kind of the way we approached it. In a less bad person(way)."

 

That's what Adam Driver says in the SDCC panel about his character. To which Donald Gleeson(General Hux) says: "That's what I am though, I am evil".

 

This conversation highlights Adam's character as 'more than meets the eye'. He might have started of as the bad guy but realises in the end, that he has a code which he lives by and that he's not necessarily pure evil.

 

Is killing, everything kylo? Or is there more to you?

Why I propose this theory is because darth Vader whom Kylo worships ended up being good. Not discounting the fact that he takes off his helmet to reveal his face in the trailer. When a bad guy turns good, he usually takes off his helmet,no? Or at least it's signalled that he's nothing to hide anymore.

 

 

Some of you may scream that Kylo with the helmet off is still trying to hit at Finn, but consider this. Maybe, Finn reveals to Kylo that the cause he's(Kylo) been leading is a lie, and in that moment of confusion, Kylo lashes out at Finn.

 

 

 

Mystery surrounding Luke Skywalker

 

Strangely, Luke has been left out of the latest trailer.And we keep wondering why. My spider senses suggest Luke might actually exile himself to live a recluse life after seeing his father die like that and knowing that he is the only jedi left in the whole galaxy. He might have resumed his self training in the ways of the jedi.

 

One thing we do know though, is that he's still a jedi(picture source:http://epicstream.com/news/First-Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Photo-of-Luke-Skywalker-As-A-True-Master-Jedi)

 

...and that he's still in the movie.

 

In the end, that's just my theory. I hoped you have enjoyed reading my post. Do let us all know on your theories based on all the Star Wars TFA trailers in the comments section below:)

Oh, and do visit my ebay store for more cheap star wars or superhero goodies!http://stores.ebay.com/Confaderal

2015©Confaderal

 

 

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003. How to make your Yoda!

Disclaimer: I do not own the images which are credited. Those pictures which are credited are taken from sources elsewhere to supplement or support this article for educational purposes only.

Source: Comic Vine. Rybo. edited b Frozen Phoenix

Hello all,
With the new emergence of my blog, I've decided to document the process by which I created my first polymer clay sculpture! I needed someone iconic to be my masterpiece, so it's only right I choose our master: Yoda!

Materials I used for creating Yoda:

1. Fimo polymer clay "Classic"(white)
2. Galvanized wire
3. Wire cutter
4. Aluminium foil
5. Toaster oven
6. Sculpting tool
7. X-acto Knife
8. Small brush(make sure bristles are close to each other)
9. Mr hobby acrylic water based(matt white)
10. Mr hobby lacquer (green)
11. Daler Rowney acrylic(cadmium brown)
12. Daler Rowney acrylic(Lemon yellow)



Credits:beading.com.my

1. Galvanized wire. Mine is too thick, but I figured I should wait till this is finished before I get a thinner one coz
my models are not that huge to need a wire to support that much of weight.



7. X-acto knife. This is a very useful tool for slicing little chunks of clay for a rope for example. I used this for cutting excess.

6.Sculpting tool. The front part is a flexible rubber tool to help smoothen out crevices or just simply touch upon
my figures.



Flexible rubber point.

8.Small Brush...for painting. DO NOT USE brushes that are white, as those are too rough, it might scratch your
clay...just my 2 cents:)



3. Wire cutter. Because scissors can only get you so far in life...

9. Mr Hobby acrylic water based(Matt White). I wouldn't need this if yoda's robes were pure matte white. So
this is going to mix with yellow, to achieve that off-white-beige look on his robes.

10. Mr Hobby lacquer based Green. For his skin and parts of him where the sun don't shine.

11. Daler Rowney's Cadmium Brown for the inner robes.

12. Daler Rowney's lemon yellow( to be mixed with white)..Ratio of yellow to white>1:10.Remember that

This is a makeshift paint palette, by law, it' supposed to be an ice cube tray. Why? coz you can clean it easier,
especially when you're dealing with lacquer. See below.

Mr Hobby Color Chart, for reference.



Before we begin...HAHAHAHA! always cracked me up
source:9gag

#1 Reference. Credit: blog.scarecrow.com. This picture is important as it shows his limbs.

#2 Reference. Credit: nightscribe.com. Side view of the master



#3 Reference. Credit: Comic Vine. Rybo. edited b Frozen Phoenix

Let's start off with his face. An old mans' face will always be easy to learn, but difficult to master. Look at the ridges on his forehead, the lines on his eyes, lips and chin. Even his nose bridge have lines. Notice the double/triple eyelids and his wise bulbous eye bags? Once that is out of the way...
Take the time to study the pictures, take note how his body structure is like. I noticed his arms are longer than his legs. Another important feature I find is that Yoda slouches. It could be that he has been living for 800 years, or it could be that this is his habbit. I don't know, either way, he's slouching.
Alrighty! So you've got the materials and you've studied the pictures closely. Let's jump into making the Yoda...






1.I started of making the armature(bone structure)



2.Covered the structure with aluminium foil to keep it into place until
I got this.



3.Slowly I started to sculpt the details. Whether you start with the head first or body first,
is solely preference.

4. I prebaked his light saber first. Once done, I inserted it into his hand, like so.

5. Now I begin to sculpt his robes, starting with the innerlayers before moving outwards to his outer robes. This is also
the time to insert his fingers and toes.

6. Add some finishing touches here and there. Also I added his eyeballs in, as well as added his eyelids.

7.Once satisfied with the results, bake him in a foil pan according to optimum heat level as indicated by the clay manufacturers' recommendation.(remember to heat the oven around 20 mins first, to keep a steady temperature)

8. Baking is done! now to add some hair on the dude. I used cotton from my pillows and pasted it on his head using-
the sculpeys' "bake & bond". Do it while the clay is still hot. 

Would you look at that!!<3



9. So I painted him with lacquer green, but kept his robes painted with acrylic water based. I had to paint it a few rounds for the acrylic parts.

10. So I painted the outer robes with white, but it proved to be too white..



11. I mixed the matt white with a little bit of yellow, yellow to white ratio> 1:10. And this is the final piece









Boom! Toy Yoda!

There you go. Master Yoda, in the flesh. Well, not exactly. Stay tuned for more clay sculptures by me as well as toy
Reviews. See You Again!

2015©Confaderal
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