Wikipedia has a good synopsis that will explain the plot of the film so you can get caught up.
We know that voice over about the Force is Luke Skywalker talking, but he doesn't actually say anything in the film, so why do they have it in the trailer? Because when Luke says, "You have that power, too," he's addressing us, the audience. There's no one else he can be addressing but us. So why would he do that? To remind us of how powerful each and everyone of us are in our individuality, which is what the film is truly about: being an individual, being you and who you really are and are meant to become (which is why Finn [John Boyega] is so important). So, why does arguably one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history not get more film time? I think there are at least two reasons.
that Abrams himself revealed the First Order existing on the same premise and operating on the same principles as the Nazis, so the storm troopers and Kylo Ren all symbolize aspects of socialism (and we shouldn't be surprised because the film Abrams--who is Jewish--did before Star Wars VII was Star Trek Into Darkness, and that was also a thoroughly and explicitly anti-socialist film as well). So, Star Wars VII: the Force Awakens provides us with three basic kinds of "lack of identity," three of which can be said to be good, and the other inherently bad.
Yes, Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe; is this accurate and what we should be doing? Sure. E.A. Poe had significant talent, but had even more significant struggles in his life and didn't receive (hardly any) recognition for his talents while he was alive. This is a lesson in fame. However, for Poe Dameron (who will also be in Star Wars VIII) he offers us the good example of how we should be the best at whatever it is we do--as he is the best pilot in the Resistance--and that which we are the best at, should be at the service of all humanity to preserve freedom and end tyranny. Poe is how we should all be, more or less. "Poe" might also refer to another film, however, specifically, the 1964 classic, Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. "POE" is used throughout the film as standing for "Peace On Earth," which could be a viable reference Abrams is making because the Dark Side (i.e., resurrected Nazis ransacking the world) are trying to bring us to the brink of war, either Civil War in America, a third World War in the Middle East or both.
Now, back to Luke Skywalker.
If you are going into hiding, why on earth (or any other planet) would you leave a map telling people where you are in case they want to find you? The map isn't so much a map as to "where Luke is hiding," as to "how he got to where he is." That is, how Luke Skywalker, a simple no-body from nowhere, came to be the Last Jedi Knight; yes, there is a map for that. This answers the questions other bloggers and reviewers are asking: why is it that Rey, of everyone, is the one who goes to find Luke when they have never even met before? Because her trip she takes to find him is really a foreshadowing of the events to come in Star Wars VIII which demonstrate how Rey is really going to find herself. When she's climbing all those steps on Skellig Michael, and passing all that barrenness, that is what she herself will have to go through interiorly in order to fulfill her potential to become the new Jedi. Next question: does Luke Skywalker want to be found?
Yes.
Other critics have contended that, when Luke turns around and sees Rey standing there, he doesn't want her, or anyone else, to be there, and I disagree with this. Why is it that R2D2 suddenly wakes up from his dormant slumber to deliver the rest of the map? Luke did that. Bear with me, if you will. Recall how, in Star Wars: A New Hope (the very first Star Wars film released when they were all young) Ben (Alec Guinness) is killed by Vader and while Luke is standing there, Ben says, "Run, Luke, run!" and how Ben is always "there" to help Luke along and guide him when to "Use the Force." Luke does the exact same thing for Rey in Episode VII which we have seen Ben and Yoda do for Luke. Luke all ready knows Han Solo is dead and that Kylo Ren did it; he also knows that Snoke has taken Kylo Ren to "complete his training." It's Luke using the Force at Maz Kanata's pit stop to open Rey's mind so she will begin to understand what she has to do, and find his light saber (it's undecidable if Luke guided Han to Maz's to get his light saber, or--knowing Han as Luke does--Luke originally left his light saber at Maz's because he knew Han stops there and could have someone retrieve it for him when he was ready for it; this point doesn't matter so much because, honestly, it's probably a combination of the two). Can we prove that Luke is using the Force to call to Rey at Maz's? Yes.
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that Abrams himself revealed the First Order existing on the same premise and operating on the same principles as the Nazis, so the storm troopers and Kylo Ren all symbolize aspects of socialism (and we shouldn't be surprised because the film Abrams--who is Jewish--did before Star Wars VII was Star Trek Into Darkness, and that was also a thoroughly and explicitly anti-socialist film as well). So, Star Wars VII: the Force Awakens provides us with three basic kinds of "lack of identity," three of which can be said to be good, and the other inherently bad.
Yes, Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe; is this accurate and what we should be doing? Sure. E.A. Poe had significant talent, but had even more significant struggles in his life and didn't receive (hardly any) recognition for his talents while he was alive. This is a lesson in fame. However, for Poe Dameron (who will also be in Star Wars VIII) he offers us the good example of how we should be the best at whatever it is we do--as he is the best pilot in the Resistance--and that which we are the best at, should be at the service of all humanity to preserve freedom and end tyranny. Poe is how we should all be, more or less. "Poe" might also refer to another film, however, specifically, the 1964 classic, Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. "POE" is used throughout the film as standing for "Peace On Earth," which could be a viable reference Abrams is making because the Dark Side (i.e., resurrected Nazis ransacking the world) are trying to bring us to the brink of war, either Civil War in America, a third World War in the Middle East or both.
Now, back to Luke Skywalker.
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I have done a rather extensive analysis of Luke's costume here all ready, but let's recap some items, shall we? The image on the left is taken from Star Wars: a New Hope, when young Luke was quite young and he blurted out whatever came into his mind (note the wind tossing his hair about, which symbolizes his thoughts blowing in the wind). The image on the right is a costume test for Luke and what he wears in the last scene; why a hood? Since our thoughts originate in our head, hair and hats (or anything worn on top of the head) can symbolize what it is we are thinking. Wearing a hood usually means that someone is keeping their thoughts "under cover," or to themselves. The beard? in ancient times, only the barbarians--the uncivilized--wore beards, whereas the Romans who were civilized were clean shaven, so the beard came to symbolize a man who lived by his appetites rather than a code of conduct (such as social norms or religious principles). Beards, however, can also denote wisdom because a man has detached himself from worldly affairs (the vanity of being clean shaven) to pursue affairs not of the world, and this applies to Luke. The colors of his robe are earth tones and that denotes humility, unlike Kylo Ren who thinks he is so strong and invincible (in spite of his fear he won't be as powerful as Vader). Luke, then is humble and knows the Force is greater than he is and he's not going to fall for the vanity of the Dark Side the way other members of his family have. The belt Luke wears denotes both chastity (he hasn't been consorting with whores in his exile) as well as a vow he has taken, which we don't know what that is (maybe something like always serving the Light, or trying to convert Kylo Ren back, etc.). The outfit, while all the same color scheme, is several different colors; why? If it were pure white, then Luke would have arrived at where he needs to be, the summit of his training and powers within the Force, but even after thirty years of exile, Luke still has power that he doesn't know he has because he is so strong in the Force, his ability to use it is nearly limitless. |
Yes.
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This is a photo of Skellig Michael in Ireland where the scene with Luke was shot, i.e., Luke's place of exile. Why? Of all the places in the universe where Luke could have hidden, why here? Because it's surrounded by water, and it's a rock. Brilliant, huh? We know that water is an important symbol in its three stages. Water in liquid form means that someone has just begun to think about something; we see this when Han, Finn and Rey land at Maz Kanata's, and there is all this water: Han has started to think of having Rey has his second mate, Rey has begun thinking of what it would be like to have Han for a father (Kylo Ren divulges this to us) and Finn has started thinking about what he has to do to escape punishment by the First Order. So, what is it that Luke has been thinking about for thirty years but hasn't thought through completely? The existence of the Jedis. Who will be the next Jedi? When will they make themselves known? Will they turn to the Dark Side? The Force has revealed to Luke that Rey is supposed to, in some way if not straight out, be a Jedi or at least learn to use the Force. As stated elsewhere in the post, when Rey arrives, the steps she goes up, the quiet and solitude, the barrenness, foreshadows the journey and its hardships which lie ahead of her. Why is Luke on a giant rock? Because he himself is "a rock," solid and sturdy, unwavering in his dedication to the Light and fight against the Dark Side. There is another symbol for water that isn't as well known, but may very well be applicable, and that is water as a symbol for the emotional life. Rather than be locked up in a library and reading ancient texts, Luke is surrounded by his emotions (the water) and trying to steady himself (the rock) so his emotions can't be used against him in an upcoming battle (the way his emotions have been used against him with his father, for example). |
Eat Your Art Out,
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The very last note: whenever you see two actors who have been in a film together before, doing a scene together in another film, it's because the director is, in some way, paying homage to that film where he saw those two actors, in this case, JJ Abrams is paying homage to the Coen Brothers and their film Inside Llewyn Davis, and the scene where Oscar Isaac (who plays Poe) and Adam Driver (who plays Al Cody) are singing a song with Justin Timberlake's character, Please Mr. Kennedy, about not getting sent into outer space (you can watch a clip of the scene on YouTube here).. Why? Abrams seems to be making the comment that, without space travel, we wouldn't have the saga of the Skywalker family, and all the great works of art which space exploration has given rise to (like Abrams' other pet project, Star Trek). Like the Coen Brothers, Abrams wants liberals to think about cutting our exploration of space because it has brought us so enormous benefits and helped to push ourselves to achieve great success. |