Opening crawl

Episode VII
THE FORCE AWAKENSLuke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed. With the support of the REPUBLIC, General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE. She is desperate to find her brother Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice to the galaxy. Leia has sent her most daring pilot on a secret mission to Jakku, where an old ally has discovered a clue to Luke’s whereabouts

Synopsis

Assault on Tuanul

"We’ve got company."―Poe Dameron

Flametroopers open fire on the village of Tuanul.

Approximately thirty years after thedestruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the last known surviving Jedi, has disappeared. Both the First Order, a successor to the fallen Galactic Empire, and the Resistance, a military force backed by the New Republic and led by Luke’s twin sister,General Leia Organa, scour the galaxy in an attempt to find him.

Resistance pilot Poe Dameron was sent on a secret mission to the village ofTuanul on the desert planet Jakku, to meet with village elder Lor San Tekka, who had obtained a star-chart to Luke Skywalker’s location. During the meeting, First Order stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma attacked the village. Poe and hisastromech droid BB-8 attempted to flee in their X-Wing starfighter, but a pair of stormtroopers disabled the engines. With no alternative, Poe gave the star-chart to BB-8 and ordered the astromech to flee. Poe remained behind to cover BB-8’s escape.

After stormtrooper FN-2187 was deployed, his friend FN-2003 was hit withblaster fire by Poe. FN-2187 went to help his squadmate, but FN-2003’s wound proved fatal, wiping his blood on FN-2187’s helmet. This deeply affected the stormtrooper, and when ordered by Kylo Ren to kill the villagers, he refused to fire. When Poe tried to take a shot at Ren, the Knight casually caught the blaster bolt in mid-air with the Force. Poe was subsequently taken prisoner, while the rest of the villagers were slaughtered.

Escape from the Finalizer

"Do exactly as I say and I can get you out of here."―Finn to Poe Dameron[src]

Finn and Poe Dameron walk through the halls of the Finalizer to escape.

Returning to the Finalizer, FN-2187 felt significant stress from the mission, and Phasma noticed his distress. She told him to submit his blaster to be checked, making sure he fired a shot. Knowing he would be re-evaluated and discovered for not firing on the villagers, and with his faith severely shaken in the First Order, he decided to desert. After failed attempts of torturing Poe for vital information about the star-chart of Luke Skywalker’s location, Ren used his mind probe Force power to get the information from Poe in his head. Ren learned that the star-charts were located within BB-8, and informedGeneral Hux about the revelation.

FN-2187 freed the captured Poe Dameron from his cell, and the two stole a Special Forces TIE fighter. FN-2187 manned the guns, killing several of his former comrades in the hanger, and then disabling the Finalizer’s turbolasers. During the escape, Dameron asked the stormtrooper his name, to which he replied with his number. Not content with calling a man a number, Dameron named the trooper Finn, from the FN in his number. Finn liked the name, and went on to use it. Dameron also told him that the map vital to the Resistance was located within his astromech droid. The TIE was hit by a missile fired from theFinalizer, sending it spiraling towards the planet below

Escape from Jakku

"I’ve had a pretty messed up day, alright?"―Finn to Rey[src]

Finn and Rey observe nearby Stormtroopers that are looking for BB-8.

Elsewhere on Jakku, BB-8 encountered ascavenger named Rey while struggling against being captured by a green-skinned humanoid scavenger namedTeedo. She freed the droid and sent it on its way, but BB-8 was insistent on remaining with Rey.

Finn and Dameron ejected from the TIE shortly before it crashed, each landing separately some distance from the wreck. Making his way to the crash, he found Poe’s jacket, but no other sign of the man, and the fighter sunk into the sand. Believing Dameron to be dead, he discarded his armor and eventually arrived at the nearest settlement for water.

When returning to a settlement to collect payment on scrap, two thugs hired byUnkar Plutt attempted to steal the droid, but Rey fended them off with her staff. BB-8, with Rey, then saw Finn and identified the jacket Finn was wearing as that of its owner, so Rey attacked Finn, believing him to be a thief. After Finn explained his intentions, as well as claiming to be another member of the Resistance, the First Order tracked Finn to the settlement, and launched an airstrike in attempt to search for BB-8 and the star-chart. Rey, Finn, and BB-8 managed to escape Jakku in the Millennium Falcon by flying it through the Graveyard of Giantswhile Finn fired on and destroyed the pursuing TIE fighters. With the TIE fighters destroyed, they escaped into space.

Skirmish aboard the Eravana

"Chewie, we’re home."―Han to Chewbacca[src]

Han and Chewie are reunited with the Millennium Falcon once again.

The Falcon broke down and left them stranded. The ship was in major need of repairs, so Finn, Rey and the BB-8 began working to fix it. While they were working on repairs, the ship was caught in atractor beam by a freighter. Initially believing themselves to be captured by the First Order, they met their real captors: Han Solo and Chewbacca, the former owners of the ship. Upon boarding their old vessel, Han and Chewie went about inspecting their ship and found two stowaways, Rey and Finn, who he assumed were the thieves that had stolen the Falcon. When Rey and Finn explained that they were going to take a droid named BB-8 to the Resistance as he had a map that would reveal Luke’s location, Han and Chewie agreed to help them.

Unfortunately, Han’s freighter, theEravana, had been boarded by two notorious criminal factions, the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub, whom Solo was indebted to. Not wanting Rey and Finn to be involved, Han placed both of them in the lower corridors of the freighter while he and Chewie went to meet with the criminals, with BB-8 accompanying them. The smuggler tried but failed to convince both parties that he would fix things eventually, with the Guavian Death Gang negotiator, Bala-Tikrecognizing the BB-8 astromech droid from a First Order bounty placed on it. They demanded that Han hand over the droid and any stowaways he might have on board. As the scuffle continued, Rey accidentally released three rathtars. They successfully escaped the gangs and jumped into hyperspace in the Falcon. Bala-tik then ordered his men to inform the First Order that Han Solo and the droid unit are aboard the ship.

Meeting with the Supreme Leader

"Our strategy must now change."―Snoke to General Hux[src]

At Starkiller Base, a planet converted into a superweapon, powered by draining a star, and capable of destroying star systems, Kylo Ren and General Hux were summoned by Supreme Leader Snoke. Hux suggested to use the Starkiller Base superweapon to destroy the government of the New Republic and the Resistance. Snoke granted Hux the permission to do so. Snoke revealed to Ren that the astromech droid containing the star-chart now resides in the Millenium Falcon along with his father, Han Solo. Ren learned from him that to overcome the temptation of the light side of the Force, he would have to kill his father.

Journey to Takodana

"I have lived long enough to see the same eyes in different people."―Maz Kanata[src]

Han, Rey, Finn, and BB-8 travel to Maz Kanata’s castle.

Han explained that Luke tried to rebuild the Jedi Order, but an apprentice of his turned to the dark side and became Kylo Ren, destroying all that Luke had built, including the other Padawans that Luke had trained. Feeling responsible and blaming himself for the failure, Luke went into exile.

Solo took Rey, Finn, and BB-8 to the planet Takodana to meet with Maz Kanataat her castle. Han said that she had run her castle for over a thousand years. Unbeknownst to all, spies from different sides have taken notice of the group.Bazine Netal alerted the First Order, and a droid spy alerted the Resistance. While Han and Chewie spoke with Maz, Finn headed out to make a deal of his own. Finn hired Sidon Ithano and his first mate Quiggold to take him away to the Outer Rim for work. Rey implored Finn not to leave, but to help the Resistance instead. Finn, however, insisted on leaving, to disappear from all his troubles.

The conflict within

"Forgive me. I feel it again… the call from light. The Supreme Leader senses it. Show me again, the power of the darkness, and I’ll let nothing stand in our way. Show me, grandfather, and I will finish what you started."―Kylo Ren to Darth Vader’s mask[src]

Kylo Ren seeks guidance from his grandfather, Darth Vader.

Attempting to seek guidance from his grandfather, Darth Vader, Kylo Ren sits quietly in his meditation chamber. In front of him is the burned helmet of Vader, recovered from the funeral pyre on Endor. It’s been carefully enshrined in a place of honor. Kylo senses a disturbance in the Force, and reveals that the light is pulling him in again. He then asks his grandfather to show him the darkness, and to pull him back to the dark side of the Force. Having lost the pilot Poe and failing to recover the item he is after, he expresses his regrets as if speaking to the ghost of Vader.

A call from the Force

"Rey… these are your first steps."―The voice of Obi-Wan Kenobiduring Rey’s vision[src]

Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 as seen in Rey’s Force vision.

After Finn leaves, Rey hears the screaming of a young girl and finds herself wandering deeper into the Castle to find the source. She descended to a sub-chamber that was filled with relics of the past. There she was called by the Force to a lightsaber that had previously belonged to Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke.

Upon touching the lightsaber, she received a series of visions. Rey glimpses moments in time from the saber, in which she found herself in Cloud City whereLuke battled Darth Vader, she then saw Luke placing his metallic hand on top ofR2-D2 near a fire, and then she found herself lying in the rain at night and woke up to see the Knights of Ren surrounded by slaughtered victims. She then noticed herself as a child watching the departure of her parents, yelling out to them to come back, and being told to quiet herself. Rey then found herself being chased by Kylo Ren in a snowy forest. Rey pulled herself out of the vision in terror. After the vision, Maz Kanata explained to her the lightsaber’s history and that it was now calling to her. Frightened by her vision, Rey refused to keep the lightsaber, running off into the woods with BB-8.

Destruction of the Hosnian system

"Today is the end of the Republic!"―General Hux[src]

General Hux orders the firing of the Starkiller Base superweapon.

After gaining Supreme Leader Snoke’s permission to fire the Starkiller Base’ssuperweapon, Hux chose the Hosnian system, which hosted the capital of theNew Republic, Hosnian Prime, as well as the New Republic Starfleet, in order to demonstrate the power of the First Order in an attempt to wipe out the "illegitimate" government of the New Republic in one fell swoop. The test was a success and Hosnian Prime, home of theGalactic Senate, four other planets in the system, and an unknown percentage of the New Republic fleet were annihilated by the First Order’s superweapon. The destruction of the Hosnian system was visible from the surface of Takodana. This prompted Finn to re-evaluate his choice to leave.

Battle on Takodana

"I need a weapon!"
"You have one!"―Finn and Maz Kanata[src]

Rey watches Maz Kanata’s castle being under attack.

The First Order, tipped off to BB-8’s presence, arrived to Takodana and attacked Maz Kanata’s castle. Flying in with TIE fighters and Atmospheric Assault Landers, the First Order swiftly assaulted the castle and leveled it, killing many of its inhabitants. BB-8 followed Rey into the forests surrounding the castle, and the First Order was unable to locate the droid until a stormtrooper officer reported to Kylo Ren that the droid had been sighted in the company of a girl. Ren deployed stormtroopers to the woods before heading into the woods himself, hunting Rey down and eventually cornering and capturing her.

During the fighting at the castle, despite killing multiple stormtroopers, Han, Chewbacca, and Finn were captured by the First Order. However. Resistance T-70 X-wing fighters led by Poe Dameron, arrived to fight the First Order. A fierce dogfight ensued and resulted in the destruction of many First Order TIEs and the deaths of many stormtroopers from X-wing strafing runs.

Back in the woods, Kylo Ren was notified of the Resistance attack by another stormtrooper officer, who asked him to call in more troops. Rey encountered Kylo Ren at the woods, and shot at him with her blaster pistol, but Kylo restrained her using the Force, and captured her. Ren ordered the First Order to pull out, saying they had what they came for. As the battle raged on above the castle, the remaining First Order troops boarded their ships and retreated, taking the captured and unconscious Rey along with them. Despite the First Order being driven off, Han witnessed his son carrying Rey away.

Reunited at the Resistance Base

"How can I reach him when Luke couldn’t?"
"Luke was a Jedi, you’re his father."―Han and Leia[src]

Han Solo and Leia Organa are reunited.

Han is reunited with Leia when he, Chewbacca, and Finn are brought to the Resistance base on D’Qar. BB-8 encounters the astromech droid R2-D2, who, as C-3PO explains, has been dormant since Luke’s disappearance. It is revealed that Han and Leia are aware that their son is Kylo Ren, and that their son’s fall to the Dark Side caused them to separate, with Han returning to his smuggling business, and Leia spearheading the activities of the New Republic and the Resistance. As Starkiller Base prepared to wipe out the world of D’Qar, the site of the Resistance’s headquarters, the Resistance planned an attack of their own. Finn had given them the Base’s blueprints, which revealed a critical weak point that, if destroyed, would eliminate the Base. However, they would need to do it before the base fully charged its weapon.

Rey’s capture

"You’re afraid… that you will never be as strong as Darth Vader!"―Rey to Kylo Ren[src]

Rey was brought to the Starkiller Base and interrogated by Kylo Ren, wanting information on the map to Luke Skywalker. However, the darksider had a difficult time probing her mind, and Rey was able to reach into Ren’s mind. In the silence and intensity of the moment, Rey mentally fights back and, with an intense gaze, tells him that she senses his fear sensing his fear at being weaker than his maternal grandfather Darth Vader. Upon realizing that she was Force-sensitive, she used a mind trick on her stormtrooper guard, allowing her to escape. Rey then made her way through the Starkiller Base, honing her Force abilities while using stealth. Kylo revealed to Snoke that Rey had the ability to use the Force, and Snoke commanded Kylo to bring Rey to him. When Kylo discovered that Rey escaped, he threw a fit of rage.

Battle of Starkiller Base

"Give it everything you’ve got!"―Poe Dameron[src]

The battle over the trenches of Starkiller Base.

Han Solo piloted the Millennium Falcon to Starkiller Base accompanied byChewbacca and Finn. Their objective was to disable the shields and allow the X-Wing squadron to strike, although Finn’s main objective was to rescue Rey. Flying through the shields at lightspeed, theFalcon landed roughly on the edge of a cliff. Han, Chewbacca, and Finn snuck into the main base and captured Captain Phasma, who they forced to disable the shields before disposing her in a garbage chute. They reunited with Rey, who had already escaped on her own. With the shields down, Blue Squadron and Red Squadron led by Poe Dameroncommenced their assault. They fired on the base’s weakpoint, but failed to destroy it as the First Order sent TIE Fighters to stage a counterattack and throw the Resistance into chaos.

Finn prepares for his lightsaber duel against Kylo Ren.

Seeing this, Han, Chewbacca, Finn, and Rey tried creating an opening by planting thermal detonators inside the base. Han then confronted his son, Kylo Ren, named Ben at birth, on a bridge over a large pit, pleading with his son to reject Snoke and return to the light side of the Force. Ben, removing his mask and seeming almost regretful, handed his lightsaber to Solo, and asks for his father’s help, in which Solo replied that he would do anything for him. Ben then thrusted his weapon through Han’s chest. Witnessed by Rey, Finn, and Chewbacca, Han stroked his son’s face for the last time, before falling to his death. Enraged, Chewbacca, Rey and Finn start firing at Ren and the stormtroopers. Chewbacca injured Ren with his bowcaster, but Ren chased them out of the base. Ren caught up to Finn and Rey in the forest, and knocked Rey out by Force pushing her into a tree. An angered Finn pulled out Luke’s old lightsaber and attacked Ren in a rage. However, Ren easily overpowered the former stormtrooper and dealt him a grievous injury. Suddenly, Rey usedtelekinesis to pull the Skywalker’s lightsaber into her hand and attacked Ren.

Poe flies in and destroys the base’s weak point.

During this time, the thermal detonators went off in the base, allowing Poe to fly in and destroy the base’s weak point thirty seconds before it drained the sun to charge the superweapon. This caused a chain reaction to go off, which destroyed the base and leveled the entire planet’s terrain. Rey and Ren continued fighting, and Ren initially held the advantage. However, by calling on the Force, Rey was able to overpower Ren and deal him a severe wound while breaking his lightsaber. They were separated, however, due to a trench forming between them. Rey returned to Finn and began to despair as Finn would not wake up and they were trapped on the rupturing planet. However, Chewbacca arrived with the Millennium Falcon to rescue them. Inside the main base, chaos abounded as General Hux had departed and there was no way for anyone to escape. Hux, meanwhile, reported to Snoke, who ordered him to rescue Ren in order to complete his training and to flee the Base. The Millennium Falcon and the remainder of the Resistance fleet managed to escape Starkiller Base as it erupted into a ball of fire, and entered hyperspace to return to D’Qar.

Locating Luke Skywalker

"May the Force be with you."―Leia to Rey[src]

The Resistance celebrated their victory while Leia, Chewbacca, and Rey mourned Han’s death. R2-D2 suddenly awoke and revealed that he held the map to Luke’s location, with the only piece of the map missing being the one BB-8 was given by Poe. Together they completed the map and revealed the location of the planet on which Luke Skywalker was hiding. Finn was recovering in the medical unit, and Rey kissed him on the head and thanked him for everything as he slept. With R2-D2 and Chewbacca in tow, Rey followed the map to the distant planet, and journeyed across the island of the planet, which she had previously seen in her visions. She came across Luke and presented him with his old lightsaber.