How did Star Wars: the Force Awakens evolve during the development process?

What were some of the early ideas

they were playing with that didnt end up in the final film? The new book The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens
gives us a peek inside the development of Episode 7, from the earliest concepts to post production.
Did you know that Starkiller Base was originally called The Doom Star? That Poe Damerons character began as a
Jedi or Bounty Hunter? Or how about that they toyed with the idea that Anakin Skywalker would appear in the film as
a Force Ghost? Learn about how The Force Awakens changed from the earliest story ideas to the movie youve now
experienced.
Before we begin, I should note that the process of imagining concepts for the film began before a director was even
signed on to the project. At first artists would work with the films initial screenwriter Michael Arndt to create guided
imagery, compelling visual concepts that invoke symbolism. Some of what is below might just be some ideas that
were thrown at the wall during those early days, while other stuff you can see a glimpse of what evolved into the final
film.
We should learn more about the development process of the movie when the Making of book is released in spring
2016 (lets hope it serves the Rinzler books proud). But for now the Art of The Force Awakens book gives us our more
extensive look behind the development and evolution of this project. When available online, Ive included some of the
concept art and preview pages from the Art Of book (which is a must buy in my opinion).
Now lets dive in.
Rey Was a Hothead Loner Named Kira
Reys original name was Kira and while its not specifically stated, her early concept designs looked like they were
modeled after Kristen Stewart. Screenwriter Michael Arndt described Kira as a loner, hothead, gear-head, badass,
and the early story focused on Kiras journey of self-discovery, from fearful Force-sensitive to master.

A Double-Bladed Two-Colored Lightsaber

One of the more interesting visual concepts presented in the idea phase was a piece by co-production designer Rick
Carter that showed a double-sided lightsaber, with one side having a blue blade and the other side with a red blade.
They were playing with the motif of fire and ice, and while it looked cool, the concept didnt fit with the story that was
developed.
Rey Wanted Desperately to Leave Jakku
Rey is extremely reluctant to leave Jakku in the movie, but in the earlier versions of the story Kira was eager to leave
the junk planet. Concept art shows Kira longingly watching spaceships departing from the planet.
In the early versions of the story, Rey worked in a used car lot of sorts for an elderly father figure, an old Republic
pilot. The Millennium Falcon was among the ships on the lot. Watching ships come and go every day, she would
daydream about leaving the junk planet and exploring the galaxy.
This idea almost made the final film visually. In the trailer you see a shot of Rey cleaning materials she salvaged from
the Star Destroyer. In the original cut of the film, she looks at a mother and her daughter, both dressed in fancy
clothes, stepping onto a ship at the port. Rey had a look of happiness, not envy. This is definitely an aspect of Rey
that has evolved, but you feel shades of it in the final film with Rey collecting artifacts of Rebel pilots. Her
backstory for the film involved her spending her free time learning how to fly on flight simulators.
Finn Was Originally a Han Solo Type
The character that became Finn was originally named Sam. Screenwriter Michael Arndt described Sam as pure
charisma and the early concept art showed him as a young white man. You might describe his look as a smuggler

type, a cross between a younger Han Solo and Anakin Skywalker from the prequels.
They quickly came to the idea of Sam being a former Stormtrooper who witnesses either a firing squad or an airlock
ejection of a captured Rebel crew member. Its that event which was the turning point where he decides to run and
helps Poe escape. But before Poe was a resistance pilot, he was something else
Poe Dameron Was Almost a Jedi or Bounty Hunter
Poe Dameron began his life as John Doe, which is a tentative name and fitting considering the characters original
fate. Oscar Isaac has revealed that Dameron was originally supposed to die in the crash landing on Jakku, but J.J.
Abrams eventually decided to write the character into the second half of the movie.
The concept art depicted him as a black man in his 30s or 40s imagine a younger Samuel L. Jackson as a Rebel
officer. At one point he was almost a Jedi, and then a bounty hunter, before they settled on him being a Republic
military man. They even toyed with the idea of giving him a Wookiee sidekick when he was a bounty hunter.
Is Rescued By an Indigenous Tribe
After the TIE fighter crash-lands on Jakku, Poe Dameron originally abandoned Finn (then still named Sam) in the
wreckage. But Sam is rescued by an indigenous alien tribe who take him back to their village and perform a healing
ritual where Sam is reborn a hero. This might sound a bit hokey, but its also an idea based with the Heroes Journey
structure that George Lucas followed for the original trilogy. And this is where he would have encountered Maz
Kanata
Maz Kanata Was Originally Going to Be a Puppet
Production wanted to have a Yoda-like mentor in the movie and played with many different concept designs, most of
which looked like variations on Yoda short and green, with big ears (you can see some of the art above). Maz
Kanatas character originally appeared as a more traditional shaman, and Im guessing she was originally set to
appear in the tribal situation that Finn (then Sam) finds himself in. Later Maz evolved into the owner of a bar in Crime
City where seedy alien species would gather to drink and gamble and our heroes first meet Han Solo.
The design of Maz Kanata took longer than expected and they ran out of time to create the character as a puppet
(just as they had done for Yoda in Empire) as they originally wanted. Maz was one of the last designed characters for
the film, finalized in October 2015 just months before the films release.
The Map Was Hidden Inside the Death Star, Now Submerged Under Water
One early idea had a piece of the second Death Star submerged underwater on this junk planet, with Rey going on an
adventure to scavenge goods from the old space station. One piece of concept art shows her diving, swimming
through the Death Stars trench. She would find a hidden map inside the Emperors tower that would tell us where the
Jedi are and where Luke is hiding. Later concept art shows Rey taking the Millennium Falcon underwater to find the
Emperors chamber submerged deep underwater.
Starkiller Base Was Built on Dantooine and Called the Doom Star
Starkiller Base originally began as an Imperial Snow Base with a super weapon. The super weapon was going to be
built inside the planet of Dantooine. You may recall Princess Leia attempts to convince Grand Moff Tarkin to destroy
Dantooine with the Death Star in A New Hope, in her attempt to save her home planet of Alderaan. The idea was that
an old Rebel base on Dantooine was retrofitted by the Empire.
The supergun was originally set inside an old volcano, with X-wing fighters trying to dive-bomb into it. The idea came
later that the base would steal the energy from the suns in a system, literally and metaphorically bringing more
darkness to the galaxy. The name of the base was originally Doom Star.
Anakin Skywalker As a Force Ghost
The production considered bringing Anakin Skywalker back in Force Ghost form. One image showed Hayden

Christensen as Anakin talking to an old, exiled Luke Skywalker. The idea evolved and at one point the Force Ghost
would flow back and forth between Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker, showing him as a character with both a dark
side and a light side. For whatever reason, the idea of brining Anakin back as a force ghost was dropped completely.
Kylo Ren Began As Jedi Killer, a Darth Vader Copycat
Many bad guys were explored in the development of Star Waers Episode 7. The idea that kept coming up was a
villain known as Jedi Killer. Its not clear how this exactly evolved into Kylo Ren, but it seems like the concept of the
Jedi Killer was incorporated in the Star Wars Rebels animated series as Inquisitors.
In fact, Christian Alzmanns unused concept art for a Sith Jedi Killer was later used for the Fifth Brother in Rebels.
Another idea for the Jedi Killer involved a red mask with a black circle. That design looked very cool and because it
was not used for the villain, they decided instead to use it in the film for the Guavian Death Gang.
For a while, J.J. Abrams apparently liked the idea that the bad guy would be dressed in a costume that looked very
similar to Darth Vader in order to mess with Lukes head. The conceit may have been that Darth Vader had a specific
title and look to him and that the other lords of the Sith that followed would have a similar look. Im sure we see
shades of this concept in Kylo Rens obsession with Vader.
One version of the Jedi Killer was somehow sustained by sun matter, and a piece of art showed him in his meditation
chamber eating sun energy in the room. A few of the concepts for Jedi Killer involved a floating droid sidekick, which
looked like the interrogation droid from A New Hope crossed with an Imperial probe droid.
The Resistance Developed a Super Weapon Called the War-Hammer
General Leia appeared earlier in the story and was shown developing a super weapon which was referred to a the
War-Hammer. The super weapon wouldve been several times the size of a Star Destroyer and took the form of a
massive ship with a huge front that could penetrate any shield and was able to deploy ships through it.
Han Solo Was a Down-and-Out Drunk Space Cowboy
Early concepts for old Han Solo incorporated a more Sergio Leone-style Western look, with a long duster jacket,
combed-back hair, and a beard.
Kira and Sam would originally first encounter a down-and-out Han Solo on a planet they were calling Crime City.
Concept art shows Solo drunk at a table in a seedy bar in the moment we would have first met the character in this
film.
Rey Had a Flying Droid; BB-8 Started As a Probe Droid Named Surly
Reys character Kira originally had her own droid, which started out as a small, hovering, almost probe-like droid that
would follow and help the scavenger.
The earliest concept art of John Doe (Poe)s droid looked like a circular R2-unit head on a Imperial probe droid body.
After J.J. Abrams came to the idea of the droid having a circular body and round magnetic head, BB-8 began to really
take shape.
But BB-8 was not the original name of the droid. He was originally given the temp working name of Surly. The first
place we were to meet the droid was in a droid repair area on a Star Destroyer where he was to escape incineration.
656
SHARES
Jakku Was Not Always a Desert Planet
Jakku was one of the first concepts the team came up with. At first it was going to just be a planet where an Imperial
space station crashed, but quickly it evolved into a junk planet with a wrecked Imperial Star Destroyer among other

things. Jakku wasnt always a desert planet. They explored ideas of a junk planet be covered in ice and snow, or
covered with overgrown greenery, or partly covered with water. Inspired by Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s and the
Afghani short filmBuzkashi Boys, the junk planet evolved into something more Old West.
Darth Vaders Castle Was Almost Leias Resistance Base
Ralph McQuarries unused original concept art of Darth Vaders castle from Empire Strikes Backinspired the idea of a
castle among the landscape on this junk planet. They played with putting the villains castle on various other differentlooking planets.They eventually settled on a green-looking planet. The idea was for it to be Princess Leias castle,
where the heroes find her after leaving Crime City. The castle of course would be obscuring the subterranean
Resistance base. But in the final movie Maz Kanata gets the castle.
Space Pirates?
One idea involved a bunch of alien space pirates raiding the Millennium Falcon. Another piece of art features the
pirates having captured Reys oval-looking ship and making her walk the plank as their ship flies over the planets
ocean. Im guessing the ideas for these pirates somehow evolved into the gangs that board Han Solos freighter. A
scene for the film was planned and probably shot involving one of the space pirates speeder ship not stopping for
Finn as he trekked through the grueling heat to Nima Outpost on Jakku.
Snoke Was Almost Female
Supreme Leader Snoke was one of the last characters finalized for the film, alongside Maz Kanata in October 2014.
Neither J.J. Abrams nor creature creative supervisor Neal Scanlanwanted Snoke to be old and decrepit like the
Emperor, and at one point they even explored the idea of the character being female. They even built a full-size
maquette of the concept. Im assuming this must have been before Andy Serkis was hired to play the role via
performance capture.
If you enjoyed this feature on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, you may want to check out some of the following
articles:
The Ultimate Guide To Star Wars: The Force Awakens Easter EggsWe Have the Answers To 26 Unanswered
Questions of Star Wars: The Force Awakens10 Insights From the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Novelization Not in
the MovieStar Wars Episode 8 Theories: Who Is Reys Father?Who Is Constable Zuvio and Sarco Plank and where
were they in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
The Star Wars: Episode VII news continues to roll in today! Thanks to our friends from Latino-Review, it looks like we
know who the villains in the story will be. First things first SPOILER ALERT.
So far what we do know about the movie is that Luke Skywalker's lightsaber crash lands on a planet where it is found
by the characters played by Daisy Ridley andJohn Boyega. This leads them on a search to find Luke, during which
time they come across Han and Chewie. They team up and continue to search for Luke who has been missing since
the events of Return of the Jedi. Apparently Luke is being held captive.
Now on to some new information! The villains of the film are the Inquisitors, who are loosely based on the Inquistors
from the Expanded Universe. We've previouslyheard these referred to as Jedi Hunters. The are described as being
"mixed with the hardended Sith look of Rebels' villain." They are the defenders of the Sith Order and theyve been
around for a very long time. The site goes on to explain:
When our hero(es) find Luke and the Inquisitors are revealed, Lukes explanation on the history of this order is going
to trigger a flashback to explain that the Inquisitors have been tied into the Sith all along.
That flashback is said to include a much younger Princess Leia that will be played by Carrie Fisher's daughter, Billie
Lourd, as previously rumored.
One other huge thing that we will see in this flashback are the Inquisitors serving none other than Darth Vader! That's
right folks, it sounds like Vader will be making his return to the big screen as well. It will only be a brief one, but he'll

be there! Suddenly that "far-fetched" rumorabout WWE Superstar Sheamus being inEpisode VII doesn't seem so
crazy anymore.
That's all the information we have on this stuff so far but, like always, we'll keep you updated with all the Star Wars:
Episode VII goodies.
Some SPOILER filled details have leaked out from someone who claims to have read the second draft of the script for
Star Wars: Episode VII. We will treat the following information as rumor for now, but Latino-Review has been sitting
on this information for awhile. The only reason they released it now is because some of the details have been
reported by several other news outlets, which led them to believe that there was some truth behind it.
Some of the info here is stuff we've already reported on, so this helps confirm those rumors, and then there is new
information that have some massive SPOILERS. So you know what to do if you don't want anything spoiled for you
Bye!
In case you've decided to stick around for some spoiler-filled fun, here's "Mizzlewump's" list of information!
- Leia is made leader of the Republic after her predecessor's death
- Han is a retired veteran of the Republic fleet
- Luke hasn't been seen in nearly 30 years
- the lead character is Han and Leia's daughter
- the other lead is the child of Lando, and either a male or female depending on who is cast
- the other lead is a Stormtrooper, also either a male or female depending on who is cast
- dialogue for these two characters is very rough in the second draft
- Luke has no known offspring
- The Empire still exists in the form of a number of loyal galaxies and are in a state of cold war with the Republic
- The Empire is simply referred to as the "Empire," and the Republic is referred to formally only once, as the
"Galactic Republic;" no "New" anywhere
- There are no Jedi whatsoever, and people still speak as if they are extinct, with Luke being "the last of his kind"
- The main antagonists are an older student of the Emperor, and his apprentice
- The apprentice takes control of the power dynamic between the two pretty quickly...
- The Republic are excavating ruins on a neutral world for a weapon; the world factors into tense negotiations the
Empire have had with the Republic, and is referred to as the "Sith Homeworld"
- Loredump: In the script, the Sith are a couple thousand years old, founded by an ancestor of Palpatine called Ruin;
the apprentice in this film also goes by that name
-The ruins within the Sith Homeworld are a control station; the planet itself is the weapon
- Luke saves the day at the end, but in a bad way; he has changed."
There's a strong possibility that Lando's kid could be played by Lupita Nyong'o. We've previously heard that Daisy
Ridley is playing the daughter of Han and Leia, and that John Boyega is rumored to be playing the Stormtrooper. I
can't help but think thatAdam Driver will play the Emperor's older student and that Game of Thrones star Gwendoline

Christie could be his apprentice. I'm just speculating, but regardless of who is cast in which role, I'm sure that this is
going to be an awesome movie!
JJ Abrams first cut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was almost two hours and forty minutes in length. Lets be
clear, thats his first cut of the movie, not the assembly edit. The film was chopped down to 2 hours and 16 minutes
for the final theatrical release, with a reported 20 minutes of scenes getting axed in the last month of editing alone. A
dozen full scenes were left on the cutting room floor, not to mention snippets of scenes, moments of dialogue etc.
A lot of these scenes had near-complete visual effects, and some of the characters and moments removed can be
seen in some of the merchandise and books. So what was left out of the final theatrical cut? Lets try to find out.
Warning: The following post contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Dont read this post if you havent
seen the movie.
Before I get into my exclusive information, lets first reiterate what Abrams has said about the editing process. Talking
to Entertainment Weekly about one cut shot, Abrams revealed more about the process of cutting some of the scenes
and moments out of the final edit of the film:
So we ended up leaving those things out. Sometimes you discover that things you would have cut off a limb to shoot
on the day are absolutely inconsequential, and in fact less impactful than if you were to remove it As much as you
try to kick the tires and write and shoot only what is necessary no one wants to waste anyones time when
youre in the editing room you realize, for instance, that introducing the character there actually diminishes their
power. Or, giving that information actually distracts you from what you should be concentrating on. Or, having that
moment happen concurrent with that moment actually gets in the way of both things like that.
So what scenes and moments were cut from the final theatrical release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens? We dont
know everything. We only know what weve heard from our various sources, mixed with reports from other websites,
and cross-checked with the narrative presented in the novelization and other tie-in books. What follows is a list of
scenes and moments that didnt make the final cut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Lightsaber in Space
This one might be the most notable as it was one of the first rumors reported about the film. And while the opening
sequence didnt end up in the final film, it was real.
Originally the film was supposed to open with a different scene immediately following the crawl. The camera was to
pan down as a hand holding a lightsaber (or maybe just the lightsaber and not the hand its unclear). The
lightsaber is is the one that belonged to Anakin Skywalker, which Luke Skywalker lost in Bespin when Darth Vader
chopped off his hand. The saber originally flew by through space, heading towards a planet. This shot was cut late in
the process.
General Leia and the New Republic
In the film, General Leias appearance is saved for late in the film. Leia first shows up as Han, Chewie and Finn
outside Mazs castle following the First Order attack. But originally she appeared much earlier in the film. Her
appearance set up the Galactic senate, with Leia having a conversation with Korr Sella (played by Maisie RichardsonSellers), the dark-haired woman who is featured in the balcony scene when Starkiller base blows up Hosinian Prime.
The Visual Dictionary features the above screenshot (right) of Korr, which appears to be a shot from this sequence in
the movie. The book also explains that Leia, with a reputation twisted by corrupt politicians, relies on the young envoy
to make her case for the Senate to take direct action against the First Order. While I dont know the exact extent of
what was filmed, the scene is described in the novelization as follows:
As usual, Leia did not waste time on small talk: You need to go to the Senate right away. Tell them I insist that they
take action against the First Order. The longer they bicker and delay, the stronger the Order becomes. She leaned
toward the other woman. If they fail to take action soon, the Order will have grown so strong the Senate will be
unable to do anything. It wont matter what they think. Sella indicated her understanding. With all respect: Do you
think the senators will listen? I dont know. Leia bit down on her lower lip. So much time has passed. There was a
time when they were at least willing to listen. And of course, the Senates makeup has changed. Some of those who

were always willing to pay attention to me have retired. Some of those who have replaced them have their own
agendas. She smiled ruefully. Not all senators think Im crazy. Or maybe they do. I dont care what they think about
me as long as they take action. The emissary nodded. Ill do all I can to ensure the Resistance gets the hearing we
deserve. But why dont you go yourself, General? An appeal of this nature is always more effective when delivered
firsthand. Leias smile thinned. I might make it to the Senate, yes. I might even be able to deliver my speech. But I
would never, never get out of the Hosnian system alive. I would have a terrible accident, or become the victim of
some deranged radical. Or I would eat something that didnt agree with me. Or encounter someone who didnt agree
with me. She composed herself. I have total confidence in you, Sella. I know you will deliver our message to the full
extent of your considerable abilities. The emissary smiled back, grateful for the confidence the general was
expressing.
I dont know why the scene was cut, as it probably provided clarification about the relationships between the
Resistance, the New Republic and the First Order, while also setting up Korr and the Senate for the explosive
sequence later in the film. Im guessing that saving Leias appearance for later gave the former Princess a better
introduction and didnt slow down the momentum of the first act.
Finn Tries to Hitch a Ride Into Town
After Finn crash-lands on Jakku, we dont see a whole lot of his long exhausting trek to the Nima Outpost. But Im
pretty sure they shot a scene where he attempts to hitch a ride into town. The above piece of concept art is featured
in The Art of The Force Awakens book, and it was created shortly before filming began. The official novelization also
features the scene. Finn flags down the ship, not caring if it is occupied by followers of the First Order. Here is an
excerpt:
The speeder was large, battered, and packed with an assortment of scoundrels representing several different species
none of them noted for their compassion. Yelling down at him and making rude gestures, they rocketed on past
without so much as slowing down, leaving in their wake only dry dust and derisive laughter. Thank you! To the vocal
sarcasm he added a mock bow. Oh, yes, kind fellow travelers, thank you so very much! Thanks a lot! He continued
muttering under his breath, utilizing words and phrases from a half dozen worlds that would have seen him busted in
rank had he employed them in the presence of an officer. No need to concern himself with anything like that
anymore, he knew. He was no longer a trooper in the service of the First Order. Should he ever again find himself
among its adherents, the last thing he would have to worry about was censure for the use of bad language.
Its also worth noting that the speeder pictured in the concept art is something that evolved from earlier versions of the
script, when they wereworking on the idea of space pirates.
Contable Zuvio Keeps the Law
Weve already talked a bit elsewhere on the siteabout Constable Zuvios deleted scene. Many fans have wondered
where the character was to appear since he has been featured in various toy lines and books. His appearance in the
film must have been cut very late in the process. His scene in the film would have taken place right after the thugs
attack Rey in an attempt to abduct BB-8.
From what Ive heard, local peacekeeper Constable Zuvio steps in to break up the tussle. After settling the issue
with the Constable, Rey heads back to her dwelling, keenly aware that the dastardly Unkar would like nothing better
than to get his hands on her new droid. From what I can glean, the moment with the thugs would have played out
differently in the film, as originally Finn (FN-2187) had not yet escaped from the First Order at that point. BB-8
recognizing Finn would have happened the next day. So the moment you see in the film of Finn about to help Rey
with her attackers was either a reshoot or a clever edit.
Who Is Luke Skywalker?
If youve read any number of interviews with filmmaker J.J. Abrams talking about why he wanted to make this movie, it
was the question of Where is Luke Skywalker? that sucked him into the project. He also mentions in some
interviews that he was interested in the idea that, three decades after the Battle of Endor, people might not even
remember Luke. One of the ideas that first brought the filmmaker to the project was an image of a teenage girl (like
many teenagers in todays world, who did not grow up with the original trilogy) asking, Who is Luke Skywalker?

Originally when Finn tells Rey that BB-8 has a map to Luke Skywalker, Rey responded asking that exact question.
While that moment was one of the initial ideas that brought Abrams to the project, he probably realized through
editing that it didnt make any sense that Rey wouldnt know who Luke was but a few scenes later would have heard
about the Jedi. So the line was replaced with I thought he was just a myth.
Han Solos Dice
In the film, Han Solo and Chewbacca recapture the Millennium Falcon (Chewie, were home), and Solo smirks as he
steps back inside the ships cockpit. In the first cut of the film, Han used to hang the golden set of dice back indside
the cockpit. Of course, the dice are from the Cornelian Spike game of sabacc in which he won the Falcon from
Lando Calrissian. A photo of the dice is featured in the Visual Dictionary book.
Maz Uses Force Powers to Stop Stormtroopers
In the original script, Maz Kanata had Force powers. After the First Order begins their attack on the castle, Maz used
her Force powers to cause the ceiling to cave in on a group of stormtroopers that had them cornered. In the
sequence, Han Solo was forced to stall the stormtroopers to allow Maz to concentrate. There was a funny back and
forth between him and the trooper. Han runs out of things to say so he rats out Finn, revealing that he recognized
Finns stormtrooper boots this is how he knew he wasnt Resistance.
Unkar Plutt vs. Rey
They reshot some of Mazs castle scenes. Originally Unkar Plutt, the Jakku junk buyer played by Simon Pegg,
showed up at Mazs castle and confronted Rey about stealing his prized possession, the Millennium Falcon. The
sequence happened right after Finn confessed that he was not with the Resistance. Here is an excerpt from the
novelization:
He smiled. It did not improve his appearance. The ship you stole. The Millennium Falcon. You cant really track a
ship while its in hyperspace but when it emerges, and particularly after it sets down somewhere, there are ways.
Expensive, but in the case of valuable property, often worth it. Definitely worth it in the case of the Falcon. It happens
to be fitted with a covert Imperial homing device. Old technology, but still quite functional. To which my presence here
can attest. Didnt take much to get the necessary relays working. No one in the hall was paying them the least
attention, she noticed worriedly. In a place where everyone minded their own business, she found herself wishing
fervently for someone to butt in. She twisted defiantly in Plutts grasp. I suggest. Kindly. That you let go of me. Now.
Despite her attempts to pull away, he drew her steadily closer. She could not avoid the fact that his breath was a
suitably aromatic match for his visage. I suggest, less kindly, that you come quietly with me. Otherwise well begin
right here, where you can provide some entertainment for this galactic rubbish. Putting his face so close to hers that
they were almost touching, he lowered his voice. Im gonna make you and that wearisome droid pay for what youve
done.
Rey attempted to defend herself with the new blaster that Han gave her, but Plutt was easily able to remove it from
her hands. After Plutt issues Rey a threat, Chewbacca steps up and forcefully removes the gun out of his hands. Rey
was glad to have someone to protect her. Unkar tells Chewie, Half a Wookiee aint much to worry about, not against
all of me, and begins to poke Chewie in his injured arm. Of course, this made Chewbacca angry. Here is another
excerpt from the book:
Grabbing the thrusting arm, a roaring Chewbacca twisted and ripped it off at the shoulder, throwing the dismembered
limb clear across the room. Looking down at himself, Plutt let out a scream of agony as his underlings hurriedly fell
back. The arm landed on a table where a group of four-armed, long-snouted Culisettos was gambling. With an
annoyed huff, one of them picked up the amputated limb and absently tossed it aside, allowing the game to resume.
Its possible that this moment was cut for the PG-13 rating, although usually the MPAA doesnt give the R-rating for
alien blood and guts (Im not even kidding). I wonder if if this scene were still in the film if people like screenwriter Max
Landis would still think Rey is a Mary Sue.
Maz at the Resistance Base

After having her castle destroyed, Maz originally was rescued by the Resistance and taken back to their base on
DQar. This is where she had a conversation with General Leia and this is where the shot from the trailer comes from,
of Maz handing the General the lightsaber. J.J. Abrams decided that there was really no reason for Maz to come
back to the Resistance base as she didnt have much to do in the later story.
Rey Sees Visions of Empire Strikes Back
Reys original Force vision used to feature a shot where she sees Vader cutting off Lukes hand on Bespin from a
different angle than weve seen inThe Empire Strikes Back. This is why Hasbro produced Empire Strike Back-era
Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker action figures for The Force Awakens toy line. In the final film, we do see Rey
stumble through a corridor on Bespin, and if you listen carefully in the background you can hear Luke yell
Noooooooo!!!!
Also, there was a sequence in Reys vision that explained how the saber got from Bespin, landed on a planet, got
discovered, and was passed along over the years. This sequence revealed that the lightsaber opening was actually a
flashback and that the planet was not Jakku.
Snowtroopers and Kylo Ren on the Millennium Falcon
There was going to be a scene where snowtroopers board the Millennium Falcon. The image above left appears in the
Visual Dictionary. I dont know exactly what happened in this sequence, but I assume the snowtroopers do a quick
search of the ship and find no one on board.
But the cooler scene involved Kylo Ren and the famous space ship. After sensing Han Solo may be near, Kylo Ren
finds Solos ship, the Millennium Falcon, in the snow outside the base. Kylo actually boards the ship and enters the
cockpit, where he begins to have an emotional moment. Maybe its that he remembers this place from his childhood.
Maybe its because in an alternate life he would be in this seat right now next to his father. He lowers his head and
says Han Solo Now, thats a scene I almost wish had remained in the film. Maybe it slowed down the story as it
was reaching towards its climax, or perhaps it made Kylo Ren too sympathetic?
Leia and Reys Conversation
Leia and Rey originally had a longer discussion at the end before the General says May the Force be with you. Here
is an excerpt from the novel which might echo what was filmed:
Im proud of what youre about to do, she told the girl. Rey replied in all seriousness. But youre also afraid. In
sending me away, yourereminded. Leia straightened. You wont share the fate of our son. I know what were
doing is right. This is how it has to be. This is how it should be. Leia smiled gently, reassuringly. I know it, too. May
the Force be with you.
Snowspeeder Chase
The biggest action sequence that ended up on the cutting room floor is perhaps a snowspeeder chase that happened
outside Starkiller Base. Finn and Rey stole the speeder to escape First Order stormtroopers. Here is an excerpt from
the scene from the novelization:
Careening over a snowdrift as Rey struggled to maintain control of the unfamiliar machine, they scattered small local
creatures in front of them as they sped toward the containment center. Snow is cold! Rey squeezed the speeder
between a phalanx of willowy alien trees. Its the complete opposite of Jakku! Try living here, Finn told her. There
are only two seasons: winter, and dead of winter! A sudden boom and the speeders course wobbled. Theyd been
hit! Switching systems around like a card sharp dealing on a busy night, Rey succeeded in maintaining speed. A
second shot barely missed them. A glance back showed a second snow speeder in pursuit and closing. Finn
realized that the way its driver was shooting, if he got any closer, he could take them out with his next burst. They
had to do something, and fast. Rey was skilled at driving, and he was skilled at Switch! he yelled. They made the
difficult change only because they had to, with Rey still in control of their vehicle but Finn now in position to
accurately return fire. Multiple blasts hit nothing, as Rey slalomed around and between trees while Finn fought to take

out their pursuer. Damn driver knew what he was doing, Finn thought with grudging admiration. The man might even
have been a former squadron mate. He tried not to think of that as he aimed and got off another burst. This time his
shot struck home, sending the trooper flying. Whether hed killed him or not Finn didnt know, but the pursuers
speeder slammed into the trees and burst into flame. Got him!
This is why a new snowspeeder was featured in the cross section book, as well as featured in the toy line. This is
also why the Vanity Fair piece included photos of Kylo with snowtroopers.
Darth Vaders Redemption Is Dismissed
One scene we mentioned in our round-up of moments from the official novelization was originally in the film. The
dramatic and moving redemption of Anakin Skywalker at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi is dismissed by Snoke,
who sees his heroic turn as a moment of weakness for an amazing man:
Kylo Ren, I watched the Galactic Empire rise, and then fall. The gullible prattle on about the triumph of truth and
justice, of individualism and free will. As if such things were solid and real instead of simple subjective judgments.
The historians have it all wrong. It was neither poor strategy nor arrogance that brought down the Empire. You know
too well what did. Ren nodded once. Sentiment. Yes. Such a simple thing. Such a foolish error of judgment. A
momentary lapse in an otherwise exemplary life. Had Lord Vader not succumbed to emotion at the crucial moment
had the father killed the sonthe Empire would have prevailed. And there would be no threat of Skywalkers return
today.
Some other bits were lost including:
Leia originally gave a speech to the Resistance in the war room after the destruction of Starkiller Base.C-3POs
appearance in the war room was cut slightly.The moment when Kylo Ren ignites his lightsaber in the first teaser
trailer.Lots of bits of dialogue from the trailers dont appear in the film, including: Maz: Who are you? Rey: Im no
one. Maz: Just let it in. Finn: Ive got nothing to fight for.Youll notice that Finn gives Rey his jacket as they
approach the Main Oscillator building in the third act, as the jacket switches from one character to another with no
explanation.The reaction shot of Rey from the trailer was from a larger moment which was in many of the evolutions of
the story Rey is cleaning the parts she scavenged from the Star Destroyer piece while looking at the old wrinkly
woman. She looks over at a mother next to her daughter, both dressed in fancy clothes. They are about to board a
spaceship. And thats where the smile reaction shot came from.
According to the Star Wars: The Force Awakens script, the planet that Luke has been hiding on and where Rey finds
him at the end of the film is actually called Ach-to. This planet features a "pristine and mighty" ocean that is "dotted
with random, beautiful, mountainous black rock islands," as well as "countless green trees."
Lucasfilm's Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo on twitter confirmed the findings in the script including the planet that
Luke was found on.
So if you can see the WGA script, yes, the name of the planet from the end of the movie is there.
— Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) January 1, 2016
/Film notes that the word Ach is Hebrew for brother and they speculate that could mean something to the
relationship between Rey and Luke. However, to think that Rey is Lukes sibling instead of possibly his daughter
would seem out of place.
But what the Star Wars: The Force Awakens script does confirm is that Luke known who Rey is when they finally
meet at the end of the film. The screenplay says that Luke doesnt need to ask her who she is, or what she is doing
here. The script also describes Luke Skywalker as having kindness in his eyes
Reys visions when she touches Lukes lighsaber confirm that Cloud City was shown. And the scene when Luke is
touching R2-D2 is when Kylo Ren attacked his new Jedi Academy.
The script also confirms that Rey was left in the care of Unkar Plutt (Simon Pegg) , the junk dealer of Jaku as the

script says Unkar Plutts meaty hand holds her thin arm while the starship that brought her there flies off towards
the desert sun.
And then we have Kylo Ren . The screenplay details that Ren is horrified and somehow weakened when he kills
his father, Han Solo. This may explain why he became overmatched by Finn and Rey during the final battle.
The Force Awakens novelization confirms that Snoke informs Ren that Darth Vaders connection and love to Luke
was the reason the dark side fell, giving more weight to Rens decision to murder his father.
The script even goes even further to show that Rey, not Ren, has a harder fight with the dark side.
During the battle with Rey, the script emphasized that Ren feared for his life, noting that Rey nearly killed him before
she realized that she was standing on a greater edge than even the cliff the edge of the dark side."
The novelization of The Force Awakens goes as far as to say that Rey heard an amorphous voice urging her to kill
Ren, which, according to the audio book, appears to be Supreme Leader Snoke. Seems like Episode 8 will be
dealing with Reys fight with the dark side.
All of this is setting up for what will happen in Episode 8. Thankfully, fans will only have to wait a little more than a
year when Star Wars: Episode 8 releases in 2017.