Analysis of The Force Awakens — Luke Skywalker: The Resolving of Gray

The premise that Luke has vanished is immediately intriguing. Like most people, I assumed when Episode 7 was first announced that Luke would be a central mentor figure from the beginning, having reestablished some form of Jedi Order. His absence raises many questions: Why is he missing? How long has he been gone? What could […]

Analysis of The Force Awakens — General Hux: Fanatical Madman of The First Order

As suggested by the junior novel Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy, and confirmed in the Visual Dictionary, General Hux is the son of Commandant Brendol Hux. During the time of the Empire, Brendol, unimpressed by the Imperial recruitment system, conceived the idea of raising stormtroopers from birth in order to emulate the loyalty […]

Analysis of The Force Awakens — Finn: Born for One Purpose, Destined for Another

Like Rey, Finn is on his own hero’s journey. It starts with the death of fellow trooper FN-2003, aka “Slip.” This trooper’s identity was established in the anthology novel Before the Awakening and confirmed in the Visual Dictionary. Slip was the weakest link in Finn’s unit and Finn was reprimanded by Captain Phasma for helping […]