Finally, Star Wars fans got their first official look at Rian Johnson's wildly anticipated Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which is due to hit theaters on December 16. Going back to Skellig Michael in Ireland, the footage began with... oh, why do I need to tell you. Just watch!
WOW! OK, so, you have watched the first official trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi a few times, and studied every frame. You might have questions. Lord knows we had a few. We ran through the top ones that spring to our mind while talking all things The Last Jedi, starting with...
How Much Of This Movie Will Be Rey Training With Luke?
We knew, from the moment Star Wars: The Force Awakens ended with Rey (Daisy Ridley) handing a lightsaber back to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) that a chunk of The Last Jedi would involve the Jedi Master potentially training his new Padawan. Though, we also know that Luke LOST several young Jedi in a scene that is referenced later in this trailer -- more on that in one second. We get a few great shots of Rey training with Luke, but will she pull an Empire and leave in the middle of training to go help her friends? Luke, recognizing that impatience, will likely get a good chuckle out of that.
Why Does Luke Want The Jedi To End?
The trailer ends with a kicker of a line, with Luke saying, "I only know one truth. It's time for the Jedi to end." This can be interpreted so many ways. Being a Jedi plucked Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) out of obscurity, and elevated him to extreme levels of power. It was his destiny, of course, but one can also argue that being a Jedi has brought Luke intense pain. He's reeling from the loss of his best friend, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and he has spent an undetermined amount of time in exile. Does he hate the Jedi line now? Does he want to end it to protect any other potential Jedi from suffering his same fate?
Who The Hell Are Laura Dern And Benicio Del Toro Playing?
The Star Wars: The Last Jedi panel answered some mysteries about one very important character, a mechanic named Rose who will be played by Kelly Marie Tran. But there are two new actors who have been added to the Star Wars universe with The Last Jedi that we didn't get any insight into... and they didn't show up in this first trailer (that we could see). You don't cast actors the caliber of Laura Dern or Benicio Del Toro for cameo roles. But Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is choosing to keep these two closer to his vest, hoping that the morsels of Kelly Mari Tran news will satisfy fans. (It likely will.)
Where's Snoke?
The notion of training will be an important one for Star Wars: The Force Awakens (if we had to guess). Not only is Rey training with Luke Skywalker, but at the end of The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) was summoned to return with General Hux to the feet of Snoke for more training. We got a shot of Kylo Ren wielding his three-pronged lightsaber in the trailer, but no signs of the Big Bad known as Snoke... a mysterious and powerful villain who is pulling a lot of strings in this new trilogy of films.
When (And How) Will Finn Wake Up?
This is a similar question to the Rey inquiry. So far, Star Wars: The Last Jedi seems intent on breaking up our new trio of heroes, and we're curious just how long they will be sidelined. Rey will be training with Luke. And Finn will remain in a coma, as we can see him sleeping in a medical apparatus (above). But for how long? Not too long, I'd imagine, as John Boyega told fans from the stage at Star Wars Celebration that his former Stormtrooper will continue to choose between fighting with the Resistance, and fleeing from the pull of The First Order. As Boyega warns, with a smile, "He's not playing this time."
Who Destroys Poe Dameron's X-Wing Fighter?
There are a number of scenes of aerial battles in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer, from the Millennium Falcon to several X-Wings taking on TIE Fighters. But do you know who's missing his ship? Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron, the best damn pilot in the Resistance. In what looks like a fiery battle scene, Poe and BB-8 fail to get to Poe's X-Wing fighter. Because he's so skilled, he likely can fly almost anything he gets his hands on. Get this man into a ship, because the First Order is coming!
Is This Kylo Ren's Helmet, Or Lord Vader's?
When last we saw Kylo Ren's helmet, he dropped the (admittedly heavy) mask on the gangplank, right before confronting his father, Han Solo (Harrison Ford). The Starkiller Base where they had their confrontation was destroyed in The Force Awakens, so is this the remnants of Kylo's helmet? Or is this burned and twisted metal what's left of Darth Vader's mask, which Kylo kept as a dark keepsake of his idol?
What Does The Rebellion Need On This Beautiful Planet?
As EW just revealed following the Star Wars: The Last Jedi panel, those are Resistance fighters flying those new aircraft across the surface of the alien planet of Crait. The director calls it "a mineral planet" that has mines on it, and he says that it's largely uncharted and "way out there" in the galaxy. What importance will it play in the new movie? We have to wait a few more months to find out.
Is This A Flashback?
A pivotal moment. This is Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 witnessing the destruction of The Jedi Temple. It's a moment that we believe we saw during Rey's flashback in The Force Awakens, where Luke's hand lands on R2 and the two are bathed in the glow of fire. The next shot in the trailer shows what I believe is Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) stomping through fiery ruins, but does that mean that she is responsible for the destruction of the Temple? It's possible this is trailer deception, though we didn't see The Knights of Ren in this trailer, so the timeline is wonky. This likely is a flashback, which Luke will experience as he continues to train Rey... and doubts whether or not that's a good idea.
So, that's the trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. What questions do YOU guys have about the sequel, now that you have seen some footage? The movie opens in theaters on December 16. Today, that feels like an eternity.
