Snoke: “When I found you…
Kylo overlooking an assembly of First Order troops and vehicles. With the size of the space and the sparks raining down, this makes me think this is inside Snoke’s Mega-class Star Destroyer, The Supremacy.
The Supremacy is Snoke’s mobile command ship, large enough to create, repair, and store the First Order fleet. Rather than having a permanent home base, this is where Snoke chooses to reside, always on the move and hidden in the Unknown Regions.
“…I saw raw…
“…untamed power!
Kylo, likely on Crait, hopefully on Mustafar! An echo of his grandfather’s march on the Jedi Temple.
“And beyond that, something truly special.”
Kylo is in Snoke’s throne room. Snoke’s Praetorian guards can be seen in the background.
Praetorian Guards
In the Behind the Scenes footage, Adam Driver can be seen practicing a fight with staff-wielding warriors. This could be a battle with Snoke’s guards as a test for Kylo. Daisy Ridley can also be seen practicing a fight with enemies using similar staff-like weapons… Could they be taking them on together?
I imagine Snoke is talking to Kylo when he speaks of raw power, but what if he is speaking to Rey, and what is it about either of them that he finds “truly special?”
Rey: “Something, inside me…
A recreation and continuation of the last scene in TFA. Luke is finally reunited with his father’s weapon. Note his hands shaking as he reaches out for the saber.
Note the possible damage on Luke’s hand. This seems to indicate that this is the same mechanical hand that was shot by a blaster in ROTJ, though that is an odd choice on Luke’s part to never replace it.
“… has always been there…
“… but now it’s awake…
Rey walks towards a mysterious, dark tree. It seems that this is where the ancient library is. I speculate that this tree is the first Jedi temple that Luke sought after. Its shape could have been an inspiration for the spires of the temple on Coruscant.
It could also be the ancestor of the Force tree kept in the Jedi Temple, which would explain why that tree was so sacred for the Jedi.
“… and I need help.”
Rey, like Kylo, has much potential, but she needs training. Will Luke help her control her power, and what will he do with her if he chooses not to?
Rey trailing with the Skywalker saber on the island as Luke watches from a distance.
As Luke watches in astonishment/horror, Rey cracks open the ground as she meditates.
Luke: “I’ve seen this raw strength only once before…”
“… It didn’t scare me enough then…
Luke emerges from the burning rubble of his Jedi temple. I had assumed that Luke arrived at the temple after Kylo had destroyed it, but it seems that Kylo (perhaps with the aid of the Knights of Ren) defeated Luke as well as his students in the battle. This may also be the reason why Luke has no more synthetic skin over his mechanical hand, burned away in the fire.
“… It does now!”
It seems Luke has seen enough of Rey’s powers to know he wants nothing of training her. He ignored the raw power of his nephew and doomed the galaxy, but he will not make the same mistake again. But what will he do with Rey if he will not train her?
Kylo: “Let the past die…
An angry Kylo smashes his helmet. Note that he is wearing his TFA outfit and this is likely early in the film. He also has some sort of bandage on the lower half of his face wound as it heals. What drives him to destroy this symbol of the Knights of Ren, and which made him closer to the image of his grandfather Vader?
“… Kill it if you have to…
“.. That’s the only way to become what you were meant to be.”
Is Kylo speaking to Rey here, instructing her to kill her past to become what she is meant to be? What is revealed about her past that must be destroyed? What was she meant to be in his eyes?
Kylo preparing to fire on the ship that is carrying his mother in order to further bring himself into the embrace of the dark side. She seems to sense his presence, perhaps trying to communicate with him through the Force. There is hesitation and conflict within him.
This battle above D’Qar, the location of the Resistance base in TFA, seems to be near the opening of the film, so Kylo likely does not fire on the ship. But is it of his own will, or does something else prevent him from destroying his target?
The Falcon pursued through a crystal cave, very reminiscent of the chase through the Star Destroyer graveyard in TFA.
This is possibly on the mineral planet Crait. Note the large, red colored crystals. Could these be giant red kyber crystals? We know that red crystals occur when they are “bled” by the dark side of the Force. Could the battle of Crait be fought over possession of these crystals, bringing yet more of Lucas’s original ideas into play? In some drafts of the original Star Wars, kyber crystals could amplify the Force in a person enough to turn the tide of battle, even allowing Luke to destroy the Death Star.
It is also interesting to note that on December 27 there will be a one-shot comic – The Last Jedi: Storms of Crait – showing Luke and Leia on Crait before the events of The Empire Strikes Back. The official synopsis of the comic promises to reveal the “secret” of Crait.
It seems Chewie has a little friend who wants to be just like him… D’aww!
Poe: “We are the spark that will light the fire that will bring the First Order down!”
Note Billie Lourd, Carrie Fisher’s daughter, as Lieutenant Connix in the above image behind Poe.
It has been revealed that Leia sees Poe as the future of the Resistance and a potentially great leader. This could be part of a last stand speech before a battle they may not return from, but one that will cause others to take up the cause.
Poe using his newly modified X-wing in the battle above D’Qar.
Finn, in First Order disguise, finally has a showdown with Phasma in what looks to be a First Order ship under attack. Note that Finn is using the same type of weapon FN-2199 used against him in TFA. Phasma uses a rather primitive spear, which fits with her backstory as revealed in her novel.
Note also the AT-ST like walker in the background.
More fighting above D’Qar, including an electrified BB-8.
Luke: “This is not going to go the way you think!”
Who is Luke speaking to? He is on the ground and looking up at someone as if he was attacked. Did Rey put him there!? Or is this an encounter with Kylo or Snoke? The line could be a warning to Rey that things will go wrong if she continues on her path, or it could be a warning that he is more powerful than his attacker knows… I hope that latter.
Crystal furred fox-like creatures running for shelter on Crait as the door closes. Myself and others have half-jokingly called these Kyber Foxes. Perhaps their crystal fur is an indication that they are creatures close to the Force and important indicators of the nature of Crait?
Leia contemplating the upcoming battle on Crait and a direct confrontation with her son? Luke’s words of warning continue over these shots, indicating a grim outlook.
Rey dives into a dark, cavernous pool and emerges shaken, a stone-faced Luke looking on. Is this a test? What did she learn down there? This reminds me of an abandoned concept for TFA where the heroes had to locate a submerged piece of the Death Star II wreckage in order to retrieve the map to Luke.
Note the skeleton of a vicious looking creature that is in the water here. Is there a living one down there too?
Finn captured by the First Order. Is this before his fight with Phasma? What is his future? Will he become what he was meant to be?
The area that Kylo was looking down on in the first shot.
The battle of Crait, featuring the new AT-M6 walkers, aka Gorilla Walkers.
Snoke: “Fulfill… your… destiny!”
An amazing looking Snoke using his frightening power – similar to that demonstrated by Kylo in TFA – to not only restrain, but torture Rey in something straight out of The Exorcist! How can she possibly resist this power?
Rey: “I need someone to show me my place in all this.”
Rey needs someone to not only train her, but to give her a sense of where she belongs in the universe. It looks like Kylo is offering her that chance once again! Will she take it? Is Kylo offering to guide her on the path to the dark side, or has something changed within him?
These shots are deceptive, though, as the shot of Rey seems to be from earlier in the film based on her clothing. I believe she is speaking to Luke here, though Kylo clearly is offering his hand to her, echoing his grandfather’s offer to his uncle long ago. I personally think it would be interesting to see her make the choice Luke did not (and which she already turned down in TFA) and take his hand…
Until next time,
May the Force be with you.
