Heartwarming / The Force Awakens

"You know, no matter how much we fought...I always hated watching you leave."

Han Solo: Chewie...we're home.

It's the first live-action Star Wars film in an entire decade, after many thought the franchise's glory days were behind it. To many fans, that much is already enough.

WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.

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• In an odd way, Rey off-handedly describing the Millennium Falcon as "garbage." The Falcon is a piece of crap, but it's OUR piece of crap. It has been since the beginning (what a piece of junk!). We wouldn't have it any other way.
• When Poe tells Lor San Tekka that General Leia will be grateful for the piece of the map to Luke's whereabouts, Tekka, an old friend of the family, says "General? To me, she's royalty."
  • This gets even better when you know the character was originally intended to be Wedge Antilles.
  • Fans started quoting this line en masse when Carrie Fisher passed away a year later.
• Poe surprisingly warms up almost immediately to a stormtrooper helping him escape. He asks him for his name and refuses to call him by the number he was designated with, referring to FN-2187 as "Finn" instead. He also asks if this is okay before really using it. The way Finn's face lights up upon being given a human name is utterly adorable, and he goes on to proudly call himself that for the rest of the movie.
  • This becomes more heartwarming (and a bit of a tearjerker) when you find out that First Order troopers tend to nickname each other and FN-2187 never had a nickname before because he never fit in.
  • Their short time spent together establishes them as good friends immediately. Finn's first reaction to seeing the crashed TIE fighter is to desperately dig through the flaming wreckage to try and find Poe.
• Poe's Angst? What Angst? attitude, despite everything that happens to him in the course of the film. This is Leia's "most daring pilot," after all.
• How much of this film was driven by simple acts of kindness and compassion, rather than any grand ideals. Both protagonists' Character Development is driven by those acts of kindness helping them overcome their fears and doubts and join the fight. In fact, Finn and Rey baulk at the idea and run when Maz tries to recruit them to fight the First Order/Dark Side for the abstract concept of "good."
• The movie goes to show how hard Rey has to work for her food every single day. Then she is offered more food than she's ever seen in her life in exchange for a droid she just met, and she tells Unkar Plutt "The droid is not for sale."
• Rey leaping to BB-8's defense when others try to take him away, and soon after chasing Finn when BB-8 believes that Finn stole Poe's jacket from his master.
• The moment Finn sees Rey, a total stranger, in possible peril, he immediately runs to her and tries to help before she takes cares of things herself. He wasn't (entirely) lying when he told Poe that rescuing him was "the right thing to do".
• The fact that one of the first things Finn did when he heard/saw the TIE fighters on their way to blow things up was grab Rey's hand and try and pull her away from danger. Mere hours after his Heel–Face Turn, and he continues to show that he is capable of selflessness.
• Right after waking up from being knocked out by one of the TIE fighter blasts, Finn's FIRST reaction is to ask Rey, "Are you okay?" Rey's expression of great surprise says it all. It's emphasized more in the novels, where Rey inwardly notes that she couldn't remember anyone asking her that question before.
• Moments after Finn and Rey take out the TIE fighters chasing them, they start excitedly gushing about the other's shooting/piloting skills. And in the novel, they even wonder why they're just standing there staring at each other.
• Every interaction between Rey and Han during the movie, where Rey proves that she's just as good at keeping the Falcon running as Han is. It becomes even more apt that, after Han is murdered by Kylo Ren, Rey essentially inherits it, going to find Luke accompanied by Chewie and R2.
• Han's words upon stepping onto his old ship again: "Chewie, we're home."
• The moment when Han steps into the cockpit of the Falcon, gives a big smile and rests his hands on the seats proudly, clearly feeling absolutely wonderful to be back at the helm of the ship once again, can put a smile on everyone's face.
  • The extended version of that scene has Han take the golden dice that once hung in the cockpit (seen in Episode IV) out of his pocket, give them a quick kiss, and hang them back up.
• Rey's awe at hearing that Luke Skywalker is real and at getting to meet Han Solo. Despite all the bad things that happened to them since Return of the Jedi, their heroism in the Original Trilogy was never forgotten, and has even inspired a new generation of heroes.
  • Even better, it is Han who speaks of Luke and Leia. At the beginning of the Original Trilogy, Han was a cynic who only lived by the maxim of getting money from his jobs. More than thirty years later, not only does he speak of the past with reverence, he even makes it clear that the Force (which he had derided as tales back in A New Hope) is something he believes in.
    Han: I used to wonder about that myself. I thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. A magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and light? The crazy thing is... it's true. The Force. The Jedi. All of it. It's all true.
• In a very perverse way, Kylo Ren's worship of Darth Vader is this. Anakin Skywalker spent his whole life wanting to be loved. Now, three decades after his death, someone who never even met him still does: his own grandson, no less! Unfortunately for the Galaxy at large, it's for all the wrong reasons...
• Rey's touching reaction to seeing the lush fields and forests of Takodana, after having lived on the harsh, barren deserts of Jakku for as long as she can remember.
  Rey: I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy...
• Upon arriving to see Maz Kanata, Han not-so-subtly offers Rey a place on the Millennium Falcon. Her face starts positively glowing.
  Rey: [in utter disbelief] ...Are you offering me a job?!
  • Also some Fridge Brilliance. Han also told another naive youth he just met that he could come with them, because he'd be useful after seeing them in action: Luke.
• When Finn reveals he lied to Rey about being part of the Resistance, he admits it was wrong and apologizes, then explains his main motivation was the look of admiration she gave him. It's clear from the way he describes meeting Rey that it was the best thing that ever happened to him.
  Finn: You looked at me like no one ever had.
  • Also the fact that Rey wasn't visibly mad about it, possibly even understanding. When Finn once more tries to convince her to run away with him to escape the First Order and she refuses, his response is simply to beg her to take care of herself, even if he is sad about her decision.
• One of the voices Rey hears during her Force vision is that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who welcomes Rey to her awakening to the Force.
  Obi-Wan: Rey... these are the first steps.
• After Chewie acts like a big baby when Finn tries to give him medical attention, it's sweet seeing Chewie being calmer when a medic on the Resistance base is more motherly.
• Poe reuniting with BB-8 once they all get back to the Resistance base. The little droid nearly knocks Finn over in his rush to go to his master, who he thought was dead. Poe is also ecstatic. His affection for the droid rivals that of Luke and R2.
  Poe: Ooooh! BB-8! My buddy!
• Poe and Finn's reaction upon finding each other alive is to give each other a great big hug. Finn then tries to return Poe's jacket, only for Poe to graciously let him keep it, even saying it suits him. The novel explains that Poe's had the jacket a long time and is very fond of it, which makes his actions even more generous.
  • Poe calls Finn, a man he couldn't have interacted with for longer than 20 minutes, "buddy". They haven't gone through much, but what they have gone through has clearly made them thick as thieves.
• When Finn asks Poe for a favor, he doesn't hesitate. He's already passed the word that this former stormtrooper saved his life, and he uses his influence as the Resistance's finest pilot to let Finn meet the most important person in the room: General Leia herself. They'd only known each other for what was less than a day, but Poe clearly appears to be the kind of man who makes sure his debts are paid back in full.
• Leia welcoming Finn and calling him brave because he helped Poe escape and had the courage to leave the First Order, especially since up to this point he thought of himself as a coward.
• After Rey is kidnapped by Ren, Finn's every action is made with a view to getting her back, no matter what. Even if it includes lying to the Resistance, he will do all he can to save one of his first friends.
• BB-8 going to check on Rey when she flees into the Takodana forest in horror at the Force Vision and the seemingly impossible choice between a hopeless life on Jakku and a potentially horrifying life as a Jedi. Especially since the act of kindness gets her back involved and she shortly after takes on the First Order and Ren to protect him.
• Finn's smile when he sees that Rey got away from Ren, and their tight embrace when she finds out it was all Finn's idea to come rescue her, which would have gone on longer if Han hadn't interrupted. In the novel, this realization even drives her to tears, and it goes up to eleven in the script.
  Finn: We came back for you.
  [She is speechless — this is all she's ever wanted ANYONE to do.]
• When Rey and Finn open the blast doors so Han and Chewie can start planting explosives on Starkiller Base, Rey is wearing Finn's jacket. It's still too early to label this Her Boyfriend's Jacket, but it's nevertheless heartwarming to see that Finn gave it to her, especially as she's still dressed in her flimsy desert garb.
• Both Finn and Rey desperately fighting against Ren in a lightsaber duel when the other gets hurt. They both fight to defend the other when they're down. Finn even turns his back on Ren first to check on her, and she throws herself on his wounded body and cries.
  • In that last scene, the planet is basically exploding all around them, and rather than try to potentially save herself, Rey just goes to Finn's unconscious body (that she can't move alone), holds him, and prepares to die together with him. Thankfully, Chewie saves them.
• Basically every interaction between Finn and Rey in the movie. They obviously bond and grow closer through each experience, expressing great concern for each other and making a nigh-unstoppable team. Should they become something more in the future, the friendship they built in this movie would make it all the sweeter.
• Han basically ran away from his wife, has clearly sunk into bitterness, and states that Leia doesn't want to see him. Her reaction to finally seeing him again? Smiling, telling him that she understands his actions, that hers weren't any healthier, and that she missed him. Despite being separated, and the terrible times both have gone through, they still clearly love each other dearly after all this time.
  • Amidst their awkward but still caring interactions, Chewie walks up to Leia, and the two embrace in the biggest hug. Chewie stuck with Han through thick and thin as Han avoided Leia, but the Wookiee and the general have no ill will between them and it's Wookie-Glomps galore!
    • Depending on how seriously you take the "life debt" concept from the Legends continuity, Chewie's debt extends to Leia because she's Han's wife. Leaving her behind couldn't have sat well with him, and he's still glad to see she's doing alright.
  • Throughout the saga, Han is always saying that you should never upset a Wookie... usually because the Wookie will rip you to pieces. Imagine just how upset Chewie must have been when he and Han left. Yet Chewie and Han are so close to one another that Chewie did not rip Han to pieces; he just let Han cope and recover in his own way. True friendship, through and through.
• Despite the fact that Ben was under Luke's tutelage when he fell to the Dark Side, Han bears Luke no resentment. Even though it's been years since they've seen each other, Han and Luke are still friends.
• C-3PO once again interrupts a tender moment between Han and Leia, but instead of getting angry like in The Empire Strikes Back, Han just looks like he's accepted this irritating droid is always going to be a part of his life.
• The fact that Kylo Ren is really named "Ben." Since Leia only knew Obi-Wan by his real name, you have to assume it was Han's idea. Just goes to show that underneath the sarcastic jabs, he really did like that old man. Old Ben was the man who got Han to take on the job that would lead to him meeting his future wife and set him on a path to find a cause greater than just himself. He may not have agreed with a lot of his ideas and took jabs at him whenever possible, but he never forgot him and honored him in his own way.
  • However, it is eventually revealed in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series that Obi-Wan introduced himself to a 10-year-old Leia as "Ben" during his mission of rescuing her, which makes it even more heartwarming that she named her son after the man who risked his life to protect her.
  • This could also be explained in part by how close Leia and Han both are to Luke, close enough to let him have a part in naming their child.
  • When Leia recounts Ben's Start of Darkness, she explicitly says it was similar to Anakin's, suggesting that she's accepted her father's redemption and the truth about the good man he was.
• At the end, Rey takes off to find Luke now that the map has finally been completed. But just before she goes, she stops by Finn, who's still out cold and recovering from being badly wounded by Ren, and assures him that she'll come back before tenderly kissing his forehead. After having been abandoned for so long with no explanation, goodbye, or anything for consolation, she wasn't about to leave the only person who ever came back for her when it mattered without the promise of them meeting again.
  • Similarly, the last shot we see of Poe is him running after the unconscious Finn as he's taken to medical. No matter what, Finn will have a friend to support him when he wakes up. Totally heartwarming for a stormtrooper who only a few days before didn't have anyone who cared about him.
• When Rey returns to the Resistance base after escaping Ren and witnessing Han's death, the only person in the chaos who heads straight for her is Leia, who has just felt her husband die. Even though Leia's own grief and despair, she embraces a young frightened girl she's only just met.
• Even though fans were upset that the two closest people in Han's life (Leia and Chewbacca) didn't hug after he died, J. J. Abrams gave a reasonable explanation that Chewie was busy making sure a critically-injured Finn got medical attention right away.
• When Artoo finally wakes up, C-3PO is there to quietly tell him "Oh, my dear friend, how I've missed you", you will believe that a robot can make you cry.
• Even before that, when we first see Artoo in the film, he's uncovered, and music that sounds almost magic-like is in the background. It's subtle but really sweet.
• Artoo immediately gets back into the old routine by chucking abuse at Threepio. It's a funny moment, of course, but it's equally heartwarming to see the old duo at it again without missing a beat.
• After that, Artoo shows the galaxy map with clues that will lead to Luke's location, with one missing piece. Poe then grabs the data drive containing the part of the missing map and gives it to BB-8, who then rolls beside Artoo and fills in the missing piece, finally completing the map, much to the delight of Leia and everyone else. It's a rather touching moment. Two droids, from two generations, working together to bring back the spirit of Star Wars we all know and love and make everything right again.
  • Moreso because BB-8 sees the missing piece and excitedly rolls over to Poe and ASKS him to take the chip out of the projector THAT IT'S ALREADY IN so BB-8 can finish the puzzle. And Poe does so just to please his little buddy.
  • Also the newfound hope that returns in Leia's. She may have lost her son to the dark side and her husband to her son, but now she has a chance of reuniting with another one of the most important men in her life: her brother. The little "Luke" she whispers when looking at the map shows that the new trilogy will keep the importance of their relationship.
• Just before Rey leaves to go search for Luke, Leia saying "May the Force be with you" to her is surely guaranteed to make you smile with nostalgia. Even more heartwarming considering that this is the first time the phrase is said by Leia herself, the only one of the original trio who hasn't had the chance to speak that iconic line in the series.
  • This particular moment was chosen for Carrie Fisher's part of the In Memoriam segment at that year's Oscars.
• As Rey and Chewie are preparing to take off, they both exchange a smile signifying a budding friendship between the two. Rey may have lost a father figure and Chewie may have lost his best friend in the whole galaxy, but in the end, Rey has earned a co-pilot and a new friend. And while Rey will never be able to replace Han, you can tell Chewie is looking forward to sharing many adventures with the young woman. In the novelization, Chewie even ruffles Rey's hair.
• The scene of Rey and Luke. It's powerful as the two have gone through so much in their own way and that Rey has given Luke a second chance to rebuild the Jedi once more while also accepting her destiny, especially how things went with Ben Solo. Extra points in that no words were spoken between the two but their expressions say it all.
  • Just seeing Luke, looking on the mysterious, wise, and regal presence that the anxious farm boy from Tatooine grew up to become. He looks like Obi-Wan when we first meet him. The circle is now complete.
  • Just hearing the Force theme playing as we see Luke again, which brings to mind the famous "Binary Sunset" scene from A New Hope; it's like seeing an old friend.
• As heartbreaking as what happens to Han at the end is, his character arc over the course of the film is a prolonged moment of heartwarming. At the beginning, he has clearly reached a real low point in his life, fallen back into all his bad habits, and even lost his beloved ship, his home. But then he gets the Falcon back, reconciles with his wife, and leads a daring, reckless mission to stop the bad guys and save the galaxy one last time. And his monument: a star that will illuminate the galaxy for perhaps billions of years to come.
  • A very subtle but very powerful one, when Finn admits he has no idea how to shut down Starkiller Base's shields and just came to save Rey, Han's response is a borderline-outraged "People are counting on us. The galaxy is counting on us!" Contrast this with his attitude at the end of A New Hope, where he just wants to get paid and get gone before the Empire shows up. Even with all the bad things that happened to Han since we last saw him, the Character Development he got in the Original Trilogy stuck.
  • Speaking of Han's Character Development, what else did he say back in A New Hope? "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side." He had no reason to believe in the Force or the Jedi. He even refers back to this when telling Rey and Finn how he refused to believe at first. And now? "The crazy thing is...it's all true. The Force...the Jedi...all of it. It's all true." The stubborn skeptic is now a true believer.
• Finn, in spite of being a mere nameless number in the First Order but a day ago, is the only one standing between an unconscious Rey and the looming shadow of Kylo Ren. He defiantly draws Anakin's lightsaber, inheriting the fallen Jedi's courage and warrior's soul, then charges Ren to defend Rey. A mere Stormtrooper finally regains his humanity and earns the courage to defy evil incarnate because of his unbreakable love for his friend.
• In a Deleted Scene set when the First Order attacks the Jakku village, FN-2187 finds a villager trying to escape, and he lowers his blaster and allows her to escape. Because of this, she was not a part of the massacre.
  • It's also implied that Poe witnessed this, which stops him from shooting FN-2187/Finn.
• Leia has a very large and very obvious ring on her finger when everyone returns from Starkiller Base. Whatever her problems with Han, she still loves him and, more importantly, kept the wedding (or engagement) ring as proof of it. Till death do us part, be damned; she is Leia Solo.

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