After three years of fanfare, hype and countless rumors,Star Wars: The Force Awakensbrought balance to fanboys around the world when it finally hit theaters last weekend. Disney’s $4 billion purchase of LucasFilm is already paying off huge dividends, with this sci-fi blockbuster shattering box office records over its first few days of release. Now that fans are savoring this new adventure in a galaxy far, far away, the countdown has already began forStar Wars: Episode VIII, set for release on August 12, 2025.
Before that next sequel adventure arrives, the first spinoff,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will hit theaters on July 12, 2025, which is set between the events ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the SithandStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, centering on a mission to steal plans for the firstDeath Star. It isn’t known if this spinoff will offer any connections to this new trilogy, but it will certainly satiate the undying appetite ofStar Warsfans across the galaxy. Still,Star Wars: The Force Awakensnot only provided the highly-guarded story fans have been waiting decades for, but it also revealed new secrets for fans to ponder as the countdown continues towardsStar Wars: Episode VIII. We’ve decided to break down the 14 biggest secrets that we need revealed inStar Wars: Episode VIIIbelow, so if you haven’t seenStar Wars: The Force Awakensyet, be warned, because there will beStar Wars SPOILERSbelow.
The Force Awakensis already a hit with both fans and the nation’s critics alike, with an impressive 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Box office records have fallen by the dozen, with the highest advanced ticket sales in history and the highest Thursday preview gross in history, with $57 million. These figures lead toStar Wars: The Force Awakensscoring a jaw-dropping $238 million over its three-day opening weekend, shattering the record set this summer byJurassic World($208.8 million). It also became the first movie to make more than $100 million on its opening day ($120.5 million).
A new generation ofStar Warsheroes were introduced inStar Wars: The Force AwakenswithJohn Boyega’s Finn,Daisy Ridley’s Rey andOscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, along withAdam Driver’s villainous Kylo Ren.Mark Hamill(Luke Skywalker),Harrison Ford(Han Solo) andCarrie Fisher(Leia Organa) are also reprising their iconic roles from the original trilogy. TheStar Wars: The Force Awakenssupporting cast includesDomhnall Gleesonas General Hux,Lupita Nyong’oas Maz Kanata,Gwendoline Christieas Captain Phasma,Andy Serkisas Supreme Leader Snoke andMax von Sydowas Lor San Tekka.
Much to the delight of many fans,Star Wars: The Force Awakensalso marks the firstStar Warsmovie thatGeorge Lucasis not involved in. The franchise creator was expected to serve as some sort of consultant onStar Wars: The Force Awakens, and the sequels that will follow, but he revealed in several interviews that Disney wasn’t interested in his ideas, although he said earlier this month that he “really liked” the movie. Still, even withoutGeorge Lucasat the helm, the franchise is in very good hands, with producerKathleen KennedyandStar Wars: The Force AwakensdirectorJ.J. Abrams, who will serve as producer on the several follow-ups coming in the next few years.
Star Wars: The Force Awakenswill be followed by the first spinoff,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, arriving on August 17, 2025. Star Wars: Episode VIII is slated for release on July 30, 2025, withStar Wars Anthology: Han Solo Moviearriving on July 28, 2025 andStar Wars: Episode IXpremiering sometime in 2019. Lucasfilm is also developing aThird Star Wars Spin-Off Movie, which is presumably set to arrive in 2020.Josh Trankwas initially set to direct, before he left the project earlier this year, and LucasFilm hasn’t announced his replacement yet.
Star Wars: Episode VIII directorRian Johnsonhas already shot some scenes for this sequel at Skellig Michael Island in Ireland, a key location inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, but principal photography won’t begin in earnest until this spring. While there is very little we know about that new adventure, we do know that there is a lot left to be revealed about the new characters inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, whether it be their family heritage, or where the villains may have escaped to. Star Wars: Episode VIII is shaping up to be even more of an epic adventure than its predecessor, but, for now, all we can do is speculate about the secrets that will be revealed, and how they may shake the foundation ofStar Warsfandom to its core. And perhaps some of the thingsStar Wars 7got wrong can be righted.
So, with all of that being said, we present the 14 biggest secrets teased inStar Wars: The Force Awakensthat we absolutely need to be revealed and/or resolved inStar Wars: Episode VIII. This is your absolute last and final warning. If you haven’t seenStar Wars: The Force Awakensyet,ENORMOUS SPOILERSwill be revealed below. If you’re still with us, we begin whereStar Wars: The Force Awakensends.
14[1] Where is Luke’s island of exile and why did he choose it?
Technically, we know part of the answer to this already…In a manner of speaking. The final scene ofStar Wars: The Force Awakenswas shot at Skellig Michael Island in Ireland, which early rumors had pegged as some sort of Jedi temple. That rumor was among the few that was actually true, since Han Solo reveals inStar Wars: The Force Awakensthat the last he heard, Luke had set off on a journey to find the very first Jedi temple, and he was never heard from again. What’s ironic is, while a good portion ofStar Wars: The Force Awakenscenters around finding the map to Luke Skywalker, when it’s finally put together, we don’t actually know WHERE in the galaxy this sanctuary is. Since the First Order obviously had no clue where Skywalker was located, Luke chose his isle of exile wisely, but we still don’t know why he retreated there. Rumors have surfaced that this Jedi temple houses a great power, which Luke may or may not be guarding. One can only hope thatStar Wars: Episode VIIIpicks up RIGHT whereStar Wars: The Force Awakensleft off, and, if anything else, we’ll finally get to hear Luke Skywalker speak for the first time in over 30 years.
13[2] Who are Rey’s parents?
DirectorJ.J. Abramshas become a Jedi master himself in the art of not only keeping secrets, but giving fans just barely enough to go on. Earlier this year, he revealed that it’s no coincidence fans weren’t given the surnames of Rey and Finn, both in the lead-up toStar Wars: The Force Awakens, and, as it turns out, in the movie itself. Many were hoping that Rey’s mysterious heritage will be unveiled once and for all inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, but it seems that will be a secret left for another movie to answer, presumably (hopefully),Star Wars: Episode VIII. Many fans already think that the most obvious answer is true: that Luke Skywalker is Rey’s father. But, here’s another thing to consider.
We know that Luke Skywalker was training potential Jedi recruits in the aftermath ofStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, before his pupil Ben Solo betrayed him and became Kylo Ren. So, then, why wouldn’t Luke include her in this training? With the rise of the First Order, one would think Luke could use all the help he could get. He would also surely know how strong she is with The Force, so why banish her to a life of solitude and misery? Also keep in mind that the most obvious answer isn’t always the correct one, and it’s possible that her force strength could have been passed down from others. Still, whoever Rey’s parents may be, hopefullyStar Wars: Episode VIIIprovides us with the answer.
12[3] Why did Rey experience those visions after touching the lightsaber?
As soon as the official title forStar Wars: The Force Awakenswas unveiled, many wondered how said force would awaken, and, who it would awaken within. The answer, as many had suspected, was Rey, who provided perhaps one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, when she bested Kylo Ren in a battle of Force strength. Before that exciting moment, though, her powers were teased during a scene at Maz Kanata’s bar, where this mysterious creature presented Rey with Luke Skywalker’slightsaber, which she had kept hidden in the basement. When Rey touched this ancient Jedi weapon, she had a powerful vision of pivotal Jedi moments from the past, present and future. While this is an obvious display of Rey’s force strength, we have never seen any other Jedi have visions like this before. Many believe that, since it was Luke’s lightsaber, her vision could be attributed to Luke being her father. Still, wouldn’t Luke have had the same visions, when presented with HIS father’s lightsaber? Speaking of Maz Kanata…
11[4] Who is Maz Kanata and why does she have Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber?
Star Wars: The Force Awakensfeatures two very important characters portrayed through motion capture, who are, ironically, the largest and smallest characters in this adventure… as far as we know. Supreme Leader Snoke is only seen through a hologram projection, but, until proven otherwise, we are to assume that he is a massive creature that rules the first order. The other character is just as mysterious and important, the diminutive Maz Kanata, a former pirate who is over 1,000 years old and runs a bar reminiscent of the Mos Eisley Cantina. But, the basement below hides the bar’s greatest treasure, Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, which Maz gives to Rey. Since this is the first we’ve ever heard of Maz Kanata, the big question that remains is: how did she come across Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber?
We know this is the same lightsaber that fell into the massive void when Darth Vader cut off Luke’s hand inStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, never to be seen again. Luke Skywalker himself presumably didn’t know where the lightsaber fell to, since he made his own lightsaber inStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. So, how, then did it fall into Maz’s hands?Star Wars: The Force Awakensbegins decades after that iconic event, and since Maz specifically says that this was Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, and that it’s “calling” to Rey. Did Luke find his weapon in the years afterStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, only to entrust it to Maz? It’s certainly possible, but if that’s true, why did he leave it with Maz? Hopefully her connection to Luke and/or the events of the original trilogy will be answered inStar Wars: Episode VIII.
10[5] How and when did Supreme Leader Snoke come into power? And what does he REALLY look like?
It’s clear thatSupreme Leader Snokeis, essentially, The Emperor ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens, with Kylo Ren serving as the Darth Vader and General Hux taking on a role similar to Gran Moff Tarkin inStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Snoke was one of a handful of characters who were never seen in any of the footage/photos/posters leading up toStar Wars: The Force Awakens. When we finally saw Snoke appear via a hologram in the movie, it raised many questions about this villain’s true size (remember, The Emperor’s hologram was much larger the first time we saw him), but also, how he truly came into power.
All that we know about The First Order is that it was born out of the ashes of the fallen Empire, but when exactly this happened is up for debate. The character’s officialStar Wars Databaseentry states that Snoke has no permanent base of operations, and that he is “strong” with the Dark Side of the Force. It never states whether or not Snoke is a Sith, or how he is so strong with the Force. Many fans compared Snoke toThe Wizard of Oz, with his mysterious methods of communication, but hopefully we’ll get to see Snoke in his true form soon, and learn more about how and why he formed The First Order.
9[6] Is Finn’s secret heritage just a red herring?
Star Wars: The Force Awakenshas been praised for its diversity, with its three leads being a woman (Daisy Ridley), a black man from the U.K. (John Boyega) and a Guatemalan native (Oscar Isaac). As a whole, though, theStar Warsfranchise isn’t exactly steeped in diversity, at least among its human characters, with the only two prominent black characters being Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). When it comes to Finn, a.k.a. FN-287, we know he was raised from birth within the First Order, but they most certainly didn’t actually GIVE birth to him. As with Rey, directorJ.J. Abramshas said that it’s no coincidence that Finn’s surname has not been revealed, with many fans speculating that Finn is either a descendant of Lando or Mace. Lando appears to be the most viable answer, since Mace lived decades before Finn and it isn’t mentioned that he has any children, especially since the Jedi order forbids it. It’s certainly viable that Lando settled down and had a child afterStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, but even if that’s the case, did the First Order just swoop in and take Finn directly from birth? It’s entirely possible that Finn’s heritage is just a red herring, a mystery that may or may not ever be solved.
87What does BB-8 say to Rey at the end ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens?
At the very end ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens, one of the last lines of dialogue is Leia telling Rey, “May the Force be with you.” But shortly after that, BB-8 says something to Rey, which Rey responds to with only a nod and a stern look. Obviously, we can’t decipher BB-8-speak yet, so it isn’t known what the belovedBB-8actually said to Rey, but since this happened just after one of the franchise’s most iconic lines, and just before she journeys to meet Luke Skywalker for the first time, BB-8’s robotic message may certainly be of some importance. It’s worth noting that BB-8 didn’t accompany Rey on her journey to the Jedi temple with R2-D2 and Chewbacca, and many fans have wondered why the Resistance sent just Rey, Artoo and Chewie to meet the man both the light side and the dark have been searching for. Given howStar Wars: The Force Awakensends, most have assumed thatStar Wars: Episode VIIIwill pick up directly where this last adventure left off, so hopefully we’ll learn what BB-8 said to Rey in this highly-anticipated follow-up.
7[8] Who are the Knights of Ren?
We heard briefly about The Knights of Ren before the release ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens, and we only got one photo of these mysterious characters before the movie came out. Most assumed we’d learn more about the Knights of Ren in the movie, but apparently this is another mystery to be addressed at a later time. The scene in the above photo came from Rey’s vision after touching Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, with some speculating that the dead bodies scattered around these Knights could be some of Skywalker’s Jedi pupils that Kylo Ren turned against. Then again, since Rey’s vision showed moments from the past, present and future, sort of like a Jedi version of Greensight fromGame of Thrones, it’s certainly possible that this shot could be foreshadowing an upcoming slaughter inStar Wars: Episode VIII, or perhaps even inStar Wars: Episode IX. The only other mention of the Knights of Ren is when Snoke says that Kylo is their master, but how long after Kylo’s betrayal of Luke did he form these Knights of Ren? Is it possible that these Knights are also Jedi pupils that betrayed Luke WITH Kylo? Certainly we know that Ben/Kylo turned against Luke, but it was never explicitly said that he did so alone.
6[9] How will Kylo Ren complete his training?
After the anti-climacticlightsaberbattle between Kylo Ren and Rey, the ever-present Supreme Leader Snoke dispatches General Hux to retreat before the entire Starkiller Base explodes. Snoke orders Hux to retrieve Ren and come to his undisclosed location, before ominously teasing that it’s time to complete Ren’s training. This is a very important line, because it teases thatStar Wars: Episode VIIIwill actually show how the Dark Side trains their pupils. Sure, we’ve seen what lead Annakin to become Darth Vader, but we never saw how he was “trained” to complete his Dark Side skill set. The same goes for Darth Maul inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. We saw him as a highly-skilled Sith apprentice to the Emperor, but we never actually saw any of his “training,” so to speak. We still don’t know if Snoke is part of the Sith or not, but, even if that isn’t the case, we very well may see how Snoke completes Ren’s training. Many assume thatStar Wars: Episode VIIIwill take place directly afterStar Wars: The Force Awakens, given the cliffhanger ending, but it’s also possible that there will be a large gap in time between the movies, although we don’t know for certain.
5[10] Does the First Order have a second Starkiller Base waiting in the wings?
Many fans are seemingly both delighted and annoyed thatStar Wars: The Force Awakensfeatured a lot of the same tropes and plot devices as the one that started it all,Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Both movies featured an exiled Jedi, an immense weapon of mass destruction and colorful characters as far as the eye could see, just to name a few similarities. The heroes ofStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hopedestroyed theDeath Star, just as Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron and the rest of the good guys inStar Wars: The Force Awakenstook down the Starkiller Base. We know that the Empire went ahead and built a second Death Star inStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, so does this mean that history will repeat itself once again? Does The First Order already have plans in the works for a second Starkiller Base? It’s certainly possible, and perhaps they’ll even construct a base without that one crucial weakness that always gets exploited.
