Ten years ago, Disney's Star Wars was making waves with the production of The Force Awakens, the first film in what would become known as The Sequel Trilogy.

Over the past decade, these films have sparked both celebration and debate among fans. Starting this week, and throughout July, we'll be revisiting Episodes 7, 8, and 9, and peeking into the future of the Star Wars universe.

Today’s episode is all about our first adventure with the Scavenger Rey, the Traitor Finn, the Hot Shot pilot Poe, and of course, Kylo Ren. We're diving deep into The Force Awakens!

The Pre-Force Awakens Era:

• The sale of Lucasfilm in 2012
• The state of Star Wars before the new trilogy
• The Expanded Universe vs. Canon debate
• George Lucas’s original plan for the sequels, which included Leia rebuilding the Republic, Luke finding new Jedi, and the mythology of the Whills.

A New Direction:

• How J.J. Abrams and Disney took a different path from Lucas’s vision
• Insights from production designer Rick Carter and J.J. Abrams on the changes
• George Lucas’s feelings of betrayal and Mark Hamill’s reflections on the differences

Our Initial Reactions:

• Excitement from the trailers, including the iconic "Chewie, we're home" moment
• Personal feelings and reactions from December 2015 to now
• Favorite moments from The Force Awakens

Classic Star Wars Themes:

• Family: From Han and Ben’s confrontation to Leia’s hope for redemption
• Friendship and Loyalty: Finn’s journey from the First Order to finding a new purpose
• Redemption: Leia’s belief in the light still present in Ben

While The Force Awakens didn't follow George Lucas’s original story details, it captured the spirit of the original Star Wars films and set the stage for a new era.

We've got SO MUCH more to share about the show and everything going on around it. Read it all HERE.

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