Line #49 YMMV/TheForceAwakens


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6	* {{Adorkable}}:
7	** Finn tends to be pretty nervous and uncertain in a very endearing way. How does he answer when Rey asks if he's with the Resistance? Dust himself off and say "Obviously. Yes, I am. I'm with the Resistance, yeah. ''I am with the Resistance.''" Then he asks BB-8 where the base is in hushed tones. Later while fighting stormtroopers on Takodana, he cheers while watching Poe in his X-Wing shoot down TIE fighters when the Resistance forces arrive.
8	** One of the first things we see Rey do is eat her dinner while wearing an old Rebel pilot's helmet. She displays barely contained childish glee when she tells Han that she bypassed the compressor to fix the ''Falcon''. In the tie-in comics, Rey practically squees when she learns that Leia knew Luke Skywalker.
9	** Some consider Liutenant Mitaka this, due to his touch of PrettyBoy mixed with his geeky side as he nervously has to tell Kylo Ren about the failure to capture BB-8.
10	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/TheForceAwakens Has its own page]].
11	* AlternativeJokeInterpretation: The gag of Finn shooting BB-8 a thankful thumbs-up followed by BB-8 flicking out a tiny blowtorch arm is supposed to be a simple, cute show of friendship, but considering the context -- Finn just strong-armed BB-8 to play along with his lie to Rey that he's part of the Resistance in order to escape to their base -- some viewers interpreted BB-8's gesture as not a playful show of "Don't worry, I got your back!", but instead as him FlippingTheBird. Funnily enough, while it was confirmed to be a sincere thumbs-up, this confusion inspired a gag in ''ComicBook/StarWarsPoeDameron'' where BB-8 does the same gesture, only the context makes it clear ''he really is'' giving a proverbial, but insulting middle finger.
12	* AmericansHateTingle: The film caused a strong BrokenBase in Spain as opposed to the general acclaim it received everywhere else, in no small part due to the Prequel Trilogy (whose downplaying was a point meant by the producers, marketing and everything related to ''The Force Awakens'') being famously well regarded there. The film's perceived shortcomings, particularly its derivative nature and Kylo Ren' and Rey's characterizations, rampaged through Spanish forums for months after its release, and it became an issue that only decreased after ''Film/RogueOne'' turned out a much more unanimous success in the country (although it came back with the release of ''Film/TheLastJedi'', a movie whose reception had its own problems).
13	* AngstWhatAngst:
14	** Finn spends a good chunk of the movie fighting and killing ChildSoldiers that he's trained alongside his entire life, but he never expresses any particular feelings about this. Then again he's busy going through a TraumaCongaLine, and the novelization shows Finn having some regrets over killing his former comrades. Unfortunately, the film itself does not at all cover this, leaving it tonally inconsistent.
15	** This even applies to one of the most striking visuals from the film, the stormtrooper who leaves the bloody handprint on Finn's helmet was shot by Poe, a fact which is never addressed in the trilogy. This is even more damning as the expanded universe establishes that the trooper, FN-2003, was someone Finn knew personally.
16	** Everyone in the Resistance seems remarkably unfazed by the Hosnian system's destruction - [[HistoryRepeats General Leia above all]] - despite massive casualties and the total loss of government infrastructure.
17	* AntiClimaxBoss: Captain Phasma is anticlimactically hit with a surprise tackle from Chewbacca and is then thrown into the garbage chute. Thankfully, the novels surrounding the movie rectify this by giving her a larger role.
18	* {{Applicability}}:
19	** Fans have read a number of different meanings into the film, from the relationship between Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Millennials, to meta-commentary on the franchise itself and its fans.
20	** The First Order have been interpreted as Neo-Fascists, religious terrorists, {{Right Wing Militia Fanatic}}s, and more.
21	* AwardSnub: ''TFA'' proved one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2015, not to mention its record-bruising box office performance. But [[SciFiGhetto as per usual for speculative fiction films]], along with all ''Star Wars'' films barring the first, it only received Oscar nominations for technical categories and failed to win any of its nominations, pairing it with the prequel trilogy as the only ''Star Wars'' films to not have won any Academy Awards.
22	* BaseBreakingCharacter:
23	** Rey has viewers divided on how interesting she actually is as a character and whether she was "[[InvincibleHero too perfect]]" in the knowledge, skills, and abilities she demonstrates or was realistic and justified by the environment and opportunities she had.
24	** Kylo Ren. As a heavily flawed PsychopathicManchild, he's a ''different'' ''Star Wars'' villain from the norm, to say the least, especially since he was hyped up as the MascotVillain and Vader's successor. The split is broadly three ways between those who find him [[EvilIsCool a cool, unique villain]], those who see him as an amusing MemeticLoser, and those who consider him a disappointment compared to the legendary Sith Lord that he tries so desperately to [[ToughActToFollow live up to]]. Supporters find him to be CreepyAwesome and find that his instability and unpredictability make him scarier, a dark character done right, with his various failures making him a good (or at least entertaining) villain. Detractors find him annoying, underwhelming, overly childish and a very lackluster fighter for his rank, and a {{w\|angst}}hiny Vader fanboy with [[InformedFlaw poorly-written]] internal conflict and inadequately-explained backstory and motivation, making him a very disappointing follow-up to one of cinema’s most iconic villains.
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27	%%Do not add any Complete Monster entries without going to the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=gsjp7dldjh2dwdelcha2hu17 thread]].
28	%%Canon Sue and Mary Sue tropes are Flame Bait by order of mods. Stop putting Rey as one.
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31	* BrokenBase: Shares a [[BrokenBase/StarWars page with the rest of the franchise]].
32	* CaptainObviousReveal: For some people, TheReveal that Kylo Ren is Han and Leia’s son. In his first scene, Lor San Tekka states he didn’t originate from the Dark Side and cannot deny "the truth that is your family". He’s obviously a powerful Force-user and strength in the Force has been shown to be hereditary in some cases (most prominently with the Skywalker family), Han and Leia had become an OfficialCouple at the end of ''Return of the Jedi'' and any kids they had would likely be grown up by the events of ''The Force Awakens'', it wouldn’t be the first time Han and Leia’s son turned evil [[note]] in the Legends continuity, their son Jacen becomes Darth Caedus [[/note]] and, let’s face it, ''Star Wars'' just loves a good family drama. TheReveal is actually unveiled less than halfway through the film. Additionally, just to hammer it in, when Snoke mentions that Ben's father is onboard the ''Millennium Falcon,'' there's a dramatic pause, and then he adds, "Han Solo." Given that no one else onboard the ''Falcon'' at the time [[note]]Rey, Finn, BB-8 and Chewie[[/note]] could possibly be Ren's father, the last two words are just {{narm}}.
33	* CompleteMonster: Captain Phasma makes her cinematic debut here. Look at her entry [[Monster/StarWars here]].
34	* ContestedSequel: It's ''Star Wars'', what did you expect? Like the rest of the Sequel Trilogy, this movie has proven to be extremely controversial. Some see it as a major improvement over the prequels, or the best installment after the original trilogy or even ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Meanwhile, some see it as [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks an uninspired rehash of]] ''[[ItsTheSameNowItSucks A New Hope]]'' and point out that the prequels at least did something different, or even straight up think the prequels were better. Even amongst those who feel ''TFA'' is superior to the prequels, the fanbase is more divided as to how it stacks up compared to the [[FirstInstallmentWins original trilogy]]; some people consider the originals to be dated and appreciate that ''TFA'' gives a more modernized take on ''Star Wars'' without having as many pitfalls as the prequels, while others attest that the original trilogy [[ToughActToFollow is too legendary and genre-defining to be topped]], often bringing up that ''TFA'' had to rehash a lot of elements from ''A New Hope'' to please the crowd.
35	* CommonKnowledge: In the aftermath of ''The Last Jedi'', many fans of that film justified what seemed to be a repeated arc on paper with the interpretation that Finn only cared about Rey in ''The Force Awakens'', with his only other actions being undertaken from self-preservation. This clearly ignores the fact that Finn's defection from the First Order is based on the fact that he didn't want to kill innocent people - which wouldn't have been an issue if he never cared about them. It also ignores how he intended to defend Rey from harassers before they even met and, even though he went to Starkiller Base to help Rey, still destroyed it after she was found safe. Between the fact that it drives his personal arc and the plot, caring about random people he hasn't met, especially civilians, is a trait of Finn's from the very start, something that the second film didn't need to drill into him.
36	* CreepyAwesome:
37	** Kylo Ren is obviously mentally unstable and very disturbing to watch; quite a few people find that this makes him a more interesting and effective villain.
38	** Supreme Leader Snoke, with his {{creepy\|Monotone}} [[EvilSoundsDeep voice]] and intimidating presence. The ethereal, [[EvilIsBigger sixty-foot tall hologram]] he appears as helps too.
39	* DracoInLeatherPants:
40	** Kylo Ren has a significant fandom. Given that he's a tall, [[BlackAndWhiteBeauty pale skinned, dark haired]] PrettyBoy JerkassWoobie with obvious daddy issues, it was pretty much inevitable. It doesn't help that we see him privately admit that he still feels pulled towards the Light Side, never mind that he fought against the pull so viciously that he was willing to kill his own father to lessen the temptation. It also doesn't help that the novel [[labelnote:*]]which is based on an earlier screenplay of the film and therefore of ambiguous canonicity[[/labelnote]] is explicit in portraying him as a much more tragic and sympathetic figure, muddying things further. Many fans even {{ship\|ping}} him with Rey, a woman that he abducted and tortured.
41	** Hux has amassed a large female fanbase, largely due to his youthful appearance, despite being ANaziByAnyOtherName and causing the destruction of several planets leading to ''billions'' of deaths. However, most of them dropped him like a bad habit after he was revealed to actually be the First Order's ButtMonkey in ''Film/TheLastJedi''.
42	** Even Lt. Dopheld Mitaka... the officer who reports to Kylo Ren that Finn and Rey [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaZ0L7aDx50 evaded capture]] has fans squeeing over his timidity, small size, baby-faced cuteness, [[{{Adorkable}} nerdy awkwardness]] and general [[TheWoobie woobieness]], despite him being a First Order officer and the guy who shot at Poe and Finn's TIE-fighter during their escape.
43	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
44	** An unnamed, aesthetically unremarkable First Order Stormtrooper whose first instinct upon seeing a lightsaber-armed Finn was to throw down his blaster, whip out a shock baton, and [[CurbStompBattle beat the hell out of Finn with it]] struck an instant chord with fans. Many of them immediately began theorizing ways this ballsy trooper can return in the sequels, even though Han blew a giant hole in him [[note]]It ''definitely'' doesn't help that there have been [[https://www.starwars.com/news/meet-fn-2199-a-k-a-tr-8r-the-stormtrooper-behind-the-meme hints he may have survived]][[/note]]. The fandom has even given him the Stormtrooper call sign of [=TR-8R=] or [=TR8-T0R=] ("Traitor", after his sole word of dialogue in the film). [[http://www.starwars.com/news/meet-fn-2199-a-k-a-tr-8r-the-stormtrooper-behind-the-meme/ His official designation is FN-2199]], and it turns out [[ItsPersonal they grew up together and Finn was his squad leader before he defected]].
45	** Poe's wingmates, Temmin "Snap" Wexley and Jess Pava, have attracted attention from the Website/{{Tumblr}} ''Star Wars'' fandom; the latter is especially popular for adding more representation (an Asian woman) to the franchise.
46	** Poe himself. Many fans agree that Poe did not get nearly enough screentime in the movie (thanks to a last-minute save from death on Jakku, he does little for the rest of the film). Possibly because of this, Poe got his own comic series set before the film and received [[AscendedExtra an extended role]] in ''Film/TheLastJedi''.
47	** Sidon Ithano, aka the Crimson Corsair, the red-armored alien Finn speaks to about a ride to the Outer Rim with a metallic voice, has won several fans thanks to his cool, slick design and even cooler voice.
48	** Harter Kalonia, the CoolOldLady medic who treats Chewbacca and Finn, appears only very briefly but makes a strong impression with her combination of kindness and sarcasm.
49	** "Matt" the Radar Technician, Kylo Ren's PaperThinDisguise on a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' parody skit featuring Creator/AdamDriver. Despite being a one-off joke, fans are begging for "Matt" and the skit to be acknowledged as canon at some point within the sequel trilogy. "Matt" has even inspired fanmade merchandise and cosplays.
50	** Lor San Tekka, thanks to Creator/MaxVonSydow's imposing appearance, epic voice, and film resume more impressive than the rest of the cast (Original Trilogy cast included) combined.
51	* EpilepticTrees:
52	** With Creator/JJAbrams's "mystery box" philosophy, and the fact that this is the first entry in a trilogy, this was prone to happen. See [[WMG/TheForceAwakens the WMG page]] for many of them.
53	** Rey's true identity, or if she even has one, is a particularly heated topic. By far the most popular theory is that she's Luke's daughter, which has naturally created a counter-argument that this is way too obvious to remain unrevealed in the first film, and that it is simply a RedHerring. Believe it or not, this has extended to her being of Solo descent, or even ''Kenobi'' descent.
54	** Some fans go above and beyond with the last and wonder if she is Obi-Wan's ''daughter''! Though someone else is always quick to mention that she was born roughly 11 years after ''Endor'', at which point Obi-Wan had obviously been dead for quite a while. The usual answer to this is to have her as Kenobi's ''grand''daughter via a theoretical child that somehow managed to avoid appearing at any point in the franchise.
55	** One theory that's picking up steam is that she's somehow a reincarnated form of Anakin Skywalker, pointing out that his lightsaber triggered memories in her of things he experienced in life; it would provide a very plausible answer for how Rey already knows several skills unique to a trained Jedi despite never being under the direct tutelage of one, and, considering the unnatural circumstances of Anakin's own birth, it wouldn't be ''totally'' out of left field in the established ''Star Wars'' canon, either. It would also explain why [[FridgeLogic Anakin's ghost never appeared to Kylo Ren to tell him "hey, the Dark Side sucks, don't touch it!"]] Some even argue that both she and Anakin are but two reincarnations of the Chosen One, and a fake leaked plot summary for ''Film/TheLastJedi'' had a scene where the ghosts of Anakin and other incarnations of the Chosen One throughout history would appear before Rey to reveal her nature to her.
56	** Finn's parentage hasn't generated quite as much speculation as Rey's but one popular theory is that he is royalty of some kind. This is mostly based on the fact that there is a Legends-continuity character named Finn Galfridian who is actually a prince. Another is that he's the son of Lando Calrissian.
57	* EstrogenBrigade: Aside from the obvious consequences of Rey as a breakout female lead for the series, Kylo Ren attracts a ton of fangirls - often of the MisaimedMarketing variety - for being a TallDarkAndHandsome PrettyBoy and a highly insecure and [[NightmareFetishist creepier]] take on Anakin/Vader.
58	* EvilIsCool:
59	** While not as unique or interesting as in [[Film/TheLastJedi the sequel]], Kylo Ren has a cool design, puts up quite a fight and pulls some flashy stunts with the Force. He intentionally seeks the style of Vader and ends up being a unique villain, not without attractive flaws.
60	** Hux gained quite a few fans for his NewEraSpeech to his men prior to using Starkiller Base to destroy the New Republic's capital.
61	* FanartAtFirstSight: When the movie was coming up and the new characters were previewed, there was much fanart for Kylo, Rey, and Captain Phasma just based on looks alone.
62	* FanNickname:
63	** Some fans have joked that the title should be ''Star Wars Episode VII: [[CashCowFranchise The Search for More Money]]'' after ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}''.
64	** Because Creator/JJAbrams is involved with both franchises, some call this "[=NuWars=]" to [[Film/StarTrek2009 parallel]] "[[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness NuTrek]]".
65	** The alien from the Force for Change video (Bobbajo) was dubbed "Bob the Turkle" by fans.
66	** Before it was officially named "happabore" the pig-like alien seen in leaked set photos was called "Hogsquaddle".
67	** Before BB-8's name was officially released, he was often called "FIFA Droid" or some variation thereof to allude to its resemblance to a soccer ball with a droid head on top. Some have even given it actual designations, such a G7-B1 (Germany 7 - Brazil 1) after certain well-known games.
68	** Prior to the reveal that Ridley's character was named Rey, "Kira" was discovered to be an on-set code name Ridley's character, and was subsequently adopted by the fandom whenever the character came into discussion.
69	** Kylo Ren:
70	*** "The Grave-robber" due to a scene in leaked concept art, which shows the character holding Darth Vader's burned helmet after retrieving it from Endor.
71	*** Some even called the character "[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Revan]]".
72	*** In light of his MemeticLoser status, some fans call him "Darth Pissbaby", "Darth Poser", "Dork Vader", "Darth Angst", "Darth Tantrum", or "Crylo Ren". Sometimes on Tumblr, he is also called "Kyle Ron" or "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylie_Jenner Kylie Renner]]".
73	** The name of the Knights of Ren have led to jokes about them being [[WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow "the Knights of Ren Hoek" or "the Knights of Stimpy"]].
74	** Hux gets General Weasley due to Gleeson portraying Bill Weasley in ''Film/HarryPotter''.
75	** Captain Phasma:
76	*** "Chrome Trooper" due to her chrome armor.
77	*** "[[Series/GameOfThrones Brienne of Darth]]", since she's played by Christie.
78	** Creator/GregGrunberg's character has been given the nickname "Son of [[Film/ANewHope Porkins]]", given that both are overweight Rebel pilots.
79	** Before he was revealed as FN-2199 from ''Before the Awakening'', the MemeticBadass Stormtrooper that shouts "Traitor!" and fights Finn is jokingly referred to under the designation of "[[PunnyName TR-8R]]". Another nickname for him is "Loyal Stormtrooper" or simply "Loyal Trooper".
80	** Creator/DanielCraig's [[TheCameo Stormtrooper character]] has been dubbed [[Film/JamesBond JB-007]] by fans. It's reached the point where some sites actually reported that as his official designation, but WordOfGod [[https://twitter.com/pablohidalgo/status/716353991999787008 says otherwise]]. It's eventually confirmed that his name is [[https://twitter.com/pablohidalgo/status/749616406245699584 FN-1824]] as in ''VideoGame/LEGOStarWars''.
81	** A lot of people took more than a little notice of [=C3PO=]'s red left arm and have started to calling him [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain Punished C3PO]] because of it.
82	** The Internet has taken to calling Poe "Bro Dameron" thanks to his rather enthusiastic affection for his BB-8 droid and his budding bromance with Finn.
83	** Many people have dubbed Supreme Leader Snoke "Darth [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Gollum]]" because of their similar appearance and being played by Creator/AndySerkis. Others compare him to [[Franchise/HarryPotter Voldemort]]
84	** Tumblr has given the PowerTrio nicknames that are usually used together.
85	*** Rey is "Rey of Sunshine".
86	*** Finn is "Finnamon Roll".
87	*** Poe is "Poe Hot Damneron".
88	** Even bit-character, Lieutenant Mitaka gets a nickname, "Teeny Tiny Taka" and "Blueberry".
89	* FandomRivalry:
90	** There's a decent-sized ''intra''-fandom rivalry between ''Force Awakens'' fans and Prequel Trilogy fans. ''Force Awakens'' fans say the film has much better writing, characters, and special effects; Prequel fans fire back that the prequels have [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks more original plots]], better music, and setpieces.
91	** Much like the rivalry with Prequel Trilogy fans, there's also one between ''Force Awakens'' fans and ''Film/RogueOne'' fans. Arguments range from which film has better directing, characters, writing, originality, and etc.
92	* FanficFuel:
93	** We don't get so much as a single line about what Lando Calrissian has been up to since the original trilogy, unlike every other surviving major character.
94	** The time between ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' and ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is fodder for fic writers as the timeline of the events described remains vague.
95	* {{Fanon}}:
96	** There are fans who believe that Poe Dameron was Kylo Ren's childhood friend. Not hard to see why considering that Poe's parents fought alongside Ren's during the Battle of Endor and were good friends afterwards. Puts the torture scene in a much different light, and also gives a possible explanation for why Poe had the audacity to joke around Kylo while he was being captured.
97	** There are many who say that the sand where Kylo puts his helmet is actually Anakin's ashes.
98	** Many fans see Poe as gay since Oscar Isaac has said he played the character as having a crush on Finn. The ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary'' adds to this: Poe wants to give his late mother's wedding band to his future lover, but the description uses the unisex term "partner."
99	** Hux owns a ginger cat named Millicent due to some [[http://nerdist.com/the-best-force-awakens-fan-fiction-yet-general-huxs-a-pet-cat/ tweets]] from Pablo Hidalgo.
100	** The timeline of Kylo Ren's betrayal and turn to the Dark Side is vague. However, it is widely assumed that Kylo Ren was a teenager when he slaughtered Luke's other apprentices due to a questionably canonical moment in [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/04/14/star-wars-the-force-awakens-12-things-they-cut-from-the-film/ the script]] which states that Han's meeting with Kylo on Starkiller Base was the first time he'd seen his son as a man. ''Literature/StarWarsBloodline'' addresses this theory by jossing it, confirming that Kylo did not betray Luke until he was in his twenties.
101	** The above is made even further complicated when this was brought to Pablo Hidalgo's attention by a fan. Since the author of ''Literature/StarWarsBloodline'' has openly said that she didn't have time to read the script or watch the film before she wrote the book, Hidalgo has said that the main films are the main canon, casting doubt on how much of ''Bloodline'' is canon.
102	** The pull towards the Light Kylo Ren feels is Anakin's spirit trying to get through to him. Popular because it's both ironic and it's implied in the film that Obi-Wan's spirit is still around.
103	* FanonDiscontinuity: It begins the CanonDiscontinuity of [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends many popular stories]], and it even invokes HappyEndingOverride on ''Return of the Jedi''. Naturally, some fans chose to ignore it.
104	* FirstInstallmentWins: This was the most commercially and critically successful of the Sequel Trilogy in general; those who don't hate the whole trilogy usually point to this one as the best, with the other two being contested at best.
105	* FoeYayShipping: Some interpret Kylo Ren and Rey's interactions this way, or at least interpret his behavior toward her as a VillainousCrush. When he's with her he's generally both [[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace creepy]] (he tends to invade her personal space, speaks to her in an unnervingly soft-spoken and intimate way, and at one point makes a comment that sounds an awful lot like a rape threat) and [[PetTheDog nicer than he is to anyone else]]. The novelization takes it a step further by having him remove her restraints when she wakes up and apologize to her, and Snoke accuses him of feeling compassion for her.
106	* FountainOfMemes: Pretty much every line from the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOSCASqLsE SNL skit]] parodying ''The Force Awakens'' has become popular in its own right.
107	* FranchiseOriginalSin: When it came to the sequel trilogy, ''The Force Awakens'' at the time of release was seen as a great start with some fun characters and big action. The cooler, even divisive, reception of ''The Last Jedi'' and ''Rise of Skywalker'' could be traced down to a large number of decisions made in this film. Most notably was the ambiguity of so many plotlines and characters, Rey's dedication to her family is just dropped halfway and most of the climax and epilogue was a long series of {{Sequel Hook}}s, including finding Luke Skywalker at the absolute last moment. This forced TLJ to be an ImmediateSequel done by a different director and bound to have some major stylistic and thematic differences despite taking place the next day, having to come up with satisfying answers to half the questions TFA left in the air. This also meant the characters had no opportunity for offscreen CharacterDevelopment, especially Poe given his limited screentime in TFA. By ROS the trilogy felt like it was still in the introductory phase despite being the GrandFinale. A common sentiment when TFA came out was basically "They had to prove they could make a Star Wars movie, the sequels will fix that problem."
108	* FriendlyFandoms:
109	** Small, but with ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' because of the similarities between respective protagonists Korra and Rey.
110	** And ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', thanks to both films featuring prominent ActionGirl protagonists hailing from a desert setting who oppose masked villains, and both being strong contenders for the Best Film nomination at the 2015 Oscars. As well, both are franchises that made successful comebacks in 2015.
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:G-M]]
114	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The Force Awakens is the highest grossing film of all time in the United Kingdom, grossing £123.2 million (at least $165 million USD).
115	* GirlShowGhetto:
116	** Toy manufacturers for the film have been accused of thinking in this mindset (though ''Star Wars'' fans are traditionally male, the franchise is known for its [[PeripheryDemographic substantial female demographic]]) due to Rey-based merchandise being short in stock -- especially in comparison to Kylo Ren -- despite Rey being one of the main heroes. One notable instance of this was Rey's absence from a ''Monopoly'' board based on the movie, which was quickly rectified in response to the backlash.
117	** In general, ''TFA'' shattered this trope for the franchise just as quickly as it raised discussion of it. Since the movie's release, female protagonists have become more common in ''Star Wars'' material, such as ''Film/RogueOne'' and ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefrontII2017''. Rey is regarded by some as a very successful BreakoutCharacter heroine in modern sci-fi/fantasy media, joining the ranks of [[Film/MadMaxFuryRoad Imperator Furiosa]] and [[Series/GameOfThrones Daenerys Targaryen]].
118	* HarsherInHindsight:
119	** Creator/CarrieFisher joked about the studios making her lose weight to return as Leia, because they only wanted three-fourths of her and so the [[{{Pun}} fourth]] couldn't be with her. It got harsher after Fisher's death from "an interplay of sleep apnea, drug use, and heart disease" (rapid weight gain/loss can increase complications of heart disease). Furthermore, Leia's death in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' was because she was weakened from using the ''Force''.
120	** A lot of the Starkiller Base scenes, and especially its eventual destruction, are slightly harder to watch knowing that the base was formerly Ilum, the most sacred world to the Jedi.
121	* HeartwarmingInHindsight:
122	** Leia's final scene in the film, triumphant after the Resistance's victory over the First Order, and her encouraging "May The Force be with you" to Rey is particularly comforting in the wake of Creator/CarrieFisher's death. The Oscars used it in the In Memoriam montage following her passing.
123	** Harrison Ford would go on to reprise another of his iconic Lucasfilm characters who [[spoiler: lost his son and separated from his wife]] in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'' in 2023. [[spoiler: Unlike this film, however, Ford's character has a somewhat happier ending in the latter, as Indiana survives the film and reunites with Marion]].
124	* HesJustHiding: More than a few people have this opinion about Han Solo's apparent death. Given that at least three different things happened that should each individually be fatal (getting impaled by a lightsaber, falling hundreds of meters off a bridge and ''[[EarthShatteringKaboom having the planet blow up underneath him]]''), that would be an impressive job of hiding.
125	* HilariousInHindsight:
126	** Finn's initially false claims that he's a "big deal" in the Resistance, due to not wanting anyone to know he's an ex-stormtrooper. In ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', he gets promoted to the rank of general and co-leads the Resistance with Poe.
127	** Both [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex1UuIMhSnA General Hux]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7_syvqnBkg Kylo Ren]] have endorsed Burberry.
128	* HoYay: Finn and Poe ''instantly'' develop a tight rapport and work amazingly well together despite neither of them ever being in a TIE fighter before, with Poe even giving Finn a name that he promptly adopts as his own. Later in the movie they reunite [[MeadowRun running across a landing zone]] into a huge mutual [[TheGlomp glomp]] and Poe telling Finn to keep [[HerBoyfriendsJacket his jacket because it looks good on him]]. [[http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/12/23/tales-from-the-four-color-closet-by-the-force-let-poe-dameron-be-gay/ Even Oscar Isaacs seemed to hint at it during an interview with Ellen.]] [[https://out-there-on-the-maroon.tumblr.com/post/135807182340/rey-this-is-my-boyfriend-finn-and-this-is To say fans noticed this dynamic]] [[https://i.imgur.com/pt0RK6c.gif is to undersell it. ]]
129	* IKnewIt:
130	** Fans were speculating that Driver was going to be playing [[TheHeavy Kylo Ren]] long before it was officially announced. In the same line of thinking, people figured out that Christie was going to play a character named Captain Phasma based on Disney copyrighting the name.
131	** Many fans speculated that Kylo Ren was a title akin to "Darth Vader", something that was later confirmed in and an ''[[http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/12/this-weeks-cover-star-wars-force-awakens-exclusive-ew Entertainment Weekly]]'' article.
132	** Quite a few people correctly guessed that Darth Vader was Kylo Ren's grandfather.
133	** Many predicted that Han would be the SacrificialLion for the film. They were right.
134	** Everyone called that [[PaperThinDisguise the hooded figure with the artificial hand who lovingly pats R2-D2 in the trailers was Luke]].
135	** The Stormtrooper with the riot-control baton who calls out Finn, is actually one of his former squad mates, [[http://www.starwars.com/news/meet-fn-2199-a-k-a-tr-8r-the-stormtrooper-behind-the-meme/ FN-2199]]. Fans had been speculating that the two were connected somehow than more than just some random mook recognizing Finn. Their history is told in the ''[=TFA=]'' prequel novel ''Before the Awakening'', written by Greg Rucka. The trooper has been given the nickname [[FanNickname [=TR-8R=]]], based on his one line, which was delivered by long-time Skywalker Sound [[http://www.slashgear.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-tr-8rs-identity-revealed-07422082/ editor]] David Acord.
136	* ImprovedSecondAttempt: See the franchise [[ImprovedSecondAttempt/StarWars page]].
137	* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: The biggest and most common criticism of the movie, even by those that love it, is that the plot bears far too many similarities to ''A New Hope'', and also takes elements from the other two originals. Namely: the desert planet opening, the search for a droid, a cantina scene, finding a pilot, defeating a giant sphere that can blow up planets, a rescue mission on said giant sphere that ends in the mentor dying, and a parental reveal. There is also a vision of a Sith while underground, complete with a small alien lecturing about the nature of the Force (''Empire Strikes Back'') and Han destroying a shield generator so the good guys can fly a ship into the aforementioned sphere and blow it up (''Return of the Jedi''), after multiple X-Wings are shot down in a turret infested trench (''A New Hope''). This could also be a case of BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, as there were many complaints that the Prequel Trilogy [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks was "too different"]].
138	* ItWasHisSled:
139	** Finn is a DecoyProtagonist. While promotional materials played up Finn as the primary protagonist, just about everyone now knows Rey is the actual Force-sensitive protagonist of the film and the trilogy as a whole (whether or not Finn is Force-Sensitive is ambiguous).
140	** Likewise, Kylo Ren being Darth Vader's grandson (and by extension, Han and Leia's son) was kept heavily under-wraps during production and before the release of the film, but has since been casually spoiled in other promotional material released since then.
141	** And finally, the fact that Han is killed by Kylo Ren is an inescapable fact on the internet and is generally considered common knowledge at this point. Non-''Star Wars'' articles casually mention Han's death without so much as a spoiler warning.
142	* JerkassWoobie: Kylo Ren, despite being a dedicated warrior for the Dark Side, is shown to be a tormented, insecure individual, desperately trying to live up to Darth Vader's legacy. His confrontation with his father, Han, and, [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation depending on how you interpret the scene]], may feature Kylo asking his father to kill him before giving in to darkness and murdering him. His desperate, dishevelled state during the finale makes him look like he's on the verge of a psychotic breakdown.
143	* JustHereForGodzilla: Plenty of people came to the movie to see the OT characters, and a lot of people have admitted, controversy surrounding her character notwithstanding, that they only care about Rey because it would lead them to Luke Skywalker.
144	* LauncherOfAThousandShips:
145	** Kylo Ren, who is shipped with every main character, General Hux, Snoke, Phasma, his own father and uncle, [[Series/SaturdayNightLive himself]], and Ebony of ''Fanfic/MyImmortal''.
146	** The same can also be said of Rey, who's been paired off with Poe, [[LoveAtFirstSight Finn]], [[OneTrueThreesome both Poe and Finn]], Han, Leia, [[FoeYayShipping Kylo Ren]], [[FoeYayShipping General Hux]], and even [[HoYay Jess Pava]]. This despite the fact that [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight Rey, Hux, Poe and Jess never interact with each other in the film itself]].
147	* LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt
148	** Poe Dameron is presumed dead after the TIE fighter crashes on Jakku and Finn cannot find him; however, since a major actor like Oscar Isaac plays him combined with a dose of NeverFoundTheBody, few believed he was truly dead. Sure enough, he shows up fine later in the film. Though ironically enough, Poe was meant to stay dead but the crew's appreciation of Oscar's acting talents and Oscar just plain asking to not have one of his characters get killed off again spared Poe.
149	** Played with the death of Han Solo. They really did go through with killing him, and it's one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the saga, if not cinema itself. However, those who are familiar with the behind the scenes of the original trilogy know that Harrison Ford has wanted Han dead since Empire, and many hardcore fans fully expected him not to make it.
150	** At the end of the film Finn is put into a coma after tangling with Kylo Ren, but it seems highly unlikely it'll be permanent.
151	* LostInMediasRes: A couple of plot points are quickly glossed over, like the Republic fighting the First Order through the Resistance, without explaining ''why'' the Republic itself can’t fight the First Order in a direct war. Another example is how the First Order, which the opening crawl states was formed from the [[TheRemnant ashes of the Galactic Empire]], got the resources to convert an ''entire planet'' into a massive battle station. Nothing important is learned about the man who gave Poe the map to Luke Skywalker. The lack of explanations for these story elements can make some audience members feel like a whole movie was skipped over.
152	* LoveToHate: Kylo Ren - he has some [[EvilIsCool cool]] aspects, is very dangerous and has complex and interesting characterization, but his glaring inability to live up to his more powerful predecessor Darth Vader makes him as hilarious as he is despicable, to the point that his inadequacies are frequently PlayedForLaughs in-universe. Murdering his own father, Han Solo, drives him even further into this trope.
153	%%
154	%%
155	%% Mary Sue is Flame Bait catalogued trope and is not to be used as an entry on any page.
156	%%
157	%%
158	* MemeticBadass: [[http://i.imgur.com/kHn7Bwc.gif The unidentified First Order Stormtrooper]] who challenges Finn to a melee duel with a riot control shock baton. He is specialized in riot control, yet he almost kills a guy wielding a ''lightsaber'' (though, admittedly, said guy had absolutely zero lightsaber training whatsoever). After the film's premiere, people started calling him the "Boba Fett of ''The Force Awakens''". He's since been christened "TR-8R", Tray Tor, or [="TR8-T0R"=] (strictly speaking, the variation which makes the most phonetic sense is [=TR8-0R=]), after his one spoken line of dialogue. He was later [[WordOfGod revealed in an article]] to be Finn's former squad-mate FN-2199, or Nines. Hounding the traitorous Finn or references to Nines' "sick spins" and loyalty are common usages of the meme.
159	* MemeticLoser: Kylo Ren, for being a {{Wangst}}y PsychopathicManchild who was defeated by two untrained lightsaber wielders during the movie's climax, ignoring the fact that he'd been badly wounded beforehand - especially compared to his awesomely stoic and badass progenitor, [[LoonyFan idol]], and grandfather Darth Vader. Some fans find that this ''adds'' to the charm of his character, mostly because it's [[{{Deconstruction}} a reflection of what happens when an obsessed immature geek tries too hard to be like Vader]] despite not being as [[TheDreaded powerful]], [[GeniusBruiser intelligent]] or [[TranquilFury unshakable]] as the legendary Dark Lord.
160	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/TheForceAwakens Has its own page]]
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:N-S]]
164	* {{Narm}}: It just wouldn't be ''Star Wars'' without it. [[Narm/StarWars See here for examples.]]
165	* NarmCharm:
166	** General Hux's NewEraSpeech, while it may be a little ''too'' expressive, can come across as rousing and flat-out ''terrifying'' with his LargeHam delivery. It helps that it preludes an EarthShatteringKaboom.
167	--->'''Creator/DomhnallGleeson:''' JJ [Abrams] wanted it big. “We didn’t even talk about how far to push it,” he told us. “We just said ‘let's try it at a couple of different levels’, and [JJ] just said ‘that’s the one I want it to be’.
168	** Kylo Ren's {{wangst}}iness has endeared him to a number of people. It seems the Skywalker Whining Gene theory has become such an accepted part of ''Star Wars'' fanlore that the sight of him throwing hissy fits elicited less annoyance and more a bemused "Yep, he's a Skywalker alright". The fact that Kylo's tantrums are treated in-universe as somewhat ridiculous mitigates the narminess as well.
169	*** Also those hissy fits themselves. They are REALLY awkward to watch (since any sense of composition and civility goes out the window and it's hard to picture someone his age acting like that) and it turns into near-CringeComedy the second time he does it but you can't deny they do a good job of painting what a mess his mind is.
170	** Stormtroopers once again rarely hit anything that shoots back, despite these ones being trained their entire lives. However, it wouldn't be ''Star Wars'' if the Stormtroopers were actually [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy good at their jobs.]]
171	** A Stormtrooper wielding a stun baton and then kicking a lightsaber-wielder's ass should by all means look comical, yet the appearance of FN-2199 aka "TR-8R" ended up being one of the most well-received parts of the film.
172	* NauseaFuel: A desperately thirsty Finn drinking from a happabore trough on Jakku, which he almost immediately gags on. Not only is the water likely not very clean to begin with, but imagine what the backwash from an enormous pig monster with a huge, snuffling nose tastes like.
173	* NoYay: While Kylo Ren/Rey is a very popular pairing there are many fans uncomfortable with it, given the amount of hate and fear Kylo inspires in Rey throughout the film and his behavior towards her, which leads them to think the two ending up together would be unhealthy, or require "weakening" Rey by having her act out of character.
174	* OlderThanTheyThink:
175	** As [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW5VYS3GQFM this video]] would tell you, Starkiller Base is ''far'' from the first Post-''ROTJ'' "Death Star clone". In the Old EU, building planet-destroying superweapons was practically the Empire's hobby.
176	** The crossguard lightsaber was actually created for a Creator/DarkHorseComics series (albeit with two blades instead of three) and is not original to this film, despite the complaints to the contrary.
177	** The death of Han Solo, which Harrison Ford had suggested before filming ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Ford even mentioned several times in the years after ''Jedi'' that he'd likely only come back to kill off Han for good.
178	** Captain Phasma being called the new Boba Fett met a lot of push back from fans because of Phasma ending up as little more than an extra. It seems these fans don't recall that in the Original Trilogy, Boba did very little and like Phasma, both of them were characters who happened to wear cool armors and had an aura of mystery, but in the end both of them failed to do anything badass or even remotely memorable.
179	** Some disliked Han landing the ''Falcon'' on Starkiller Base with lightspeed, since lightspeed travel is supposed to require precise coordinates. The original script of ''The Phantom Menace'', had Anakin land the Queen's ship in the same manner on Naboo, in order to evade detection by the Trade Federation blockade. However that scene was meant to showcase how precise Anakin's Force-intuition was, and while Han might've come to accept the existence of the Force, he's not sensitive to it.
180	** One of the biggest complaints about the movie is that it relies too much on pointless nostalgic callbacks and references. Many forget however that these pointless callbacks existed as far back as the prequel trilogy (Chewbacca, Grand Moff Tarkin, and the Death Star in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', C-3PO being built by Anakin in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' etc.)
181	** Whoever was disappointed by the HappyEndingOverride should not forget that for many years, the Expanded Universe (now Legends) was exactly that: the original heroes were lucky if their victories stuck for more than a few years before a new menace appeared and brought new chaos to the galaxy.
182	** In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'', Luke and Mara have a son named Ben, while Han and Leia have Jacen and Jaina. Jacen turns to the dark side while Jaina becomes an ace pilot, similar to Kylo and Rey.
183	** Anakin's lightsaber was recovered from Bespin in ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy''.
184	** Some of the more nitpicky fans who don't like the sequels as a whole use Rey and Finn activating Anakin's lightsaber by pressing the bronze button beneath the emitter rather than the box-shaped "activation matrix" Luke used in ''A New Hope'' as proof that Disney doesn't care about continuity. The bronze button has been frequently used to activate Anakin's lightsaber in the pre-Disney era, most prominent in several episodes of ''The Clone Wars.''
185	* OneSceneWonder:
186	** Lor San Tekka gets only a few minutes of screentime, but since he's played by acting legend Max von Sydow and stands up to Kylo Ren, he makes every moment count.
187	** Creator/MarkHamill's appearance as Luke Skywalker at the end of the film.
188	** The Stormtrooper Rey uses the Jedi Mind Trick on. What makes him even more memorable is that he's played by Creator/DanielCraig in an uncredited cameo. What makes it better? His Stormtrooper name was [[Franchise/JamesBond JB007]].
189	** Upon noticing and recognizing Finn, a First Order riot control Stormtrooper yells "Traitor!", drops his rifle on the ground and charges at Finn with a riot control shock baton, and ''almost kills him'' in the ensuing bout. Why is this so interesting? Finn was wielding a ''lightsaber'' at the time, and the weapon this riot trooper used actually allowed him to go toe-to-toe against Finn and nearly kill him! He instantly became one of the most [[EnsembleDarkhorse popular]] and {{memetic\|Badass}} characters of the movie, referred to as [[IronicName TR-8R]].
190	** The two gangs Han has a run-in with... especially The Guavian Death Gang, a bunch of mysterious silent red guys that look like ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} led by the wily young [[JustForFun/RecycledINSPACE outer space]]-[[ViolentGlaswegian Scot, Bala-Tik]], a guy with a Scottish accent so thick that you could stir it with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spurtle a spurtle]].
191	** Lieutenant Dopheld Mitaka for some. His getting throttled by Kylo Ren has given him adorable [[TheWoobie Woobie]] status.
192	** The two stormtroopers who nonchalantly turn around and leave when they come near the sounds of Kylo Ren tearing apart a room.
193	** An ordinary stormtrooper who reports to Kylo Ren to inform him of their progress in locating Rey has gained noteworthy attention for being ''female!'' [[note]] the first female stormtrooper in standard armor to be shown onscreen [[/note]]
194	** Sidon Ithano, aka [[RedBaron The Crimson Corsair]], the space pirate in red armor whose crew Finn briefly considers joining, mostly because of his cool voice and ''awesome'' costume design.
195	** Harter Kalonia, the Resistance doctor who treats both Chewie and Finn after their respective injuries, teasing the former and reassuring Rey about the latter.
196	* OneTrueThreesome:
197	** Surprising no-one, "[=OT3=]" fanart of the new trio (Rey, Finn, and Poe, also known as [=JediStormPilot=]) turned up within days of release (with Finn and Poe being bisexual, of course).
198	** Phasma, Kylo Ren, and Hux are also getting this treatment, although in a more platonic way than an outright romantic one. Usually, the latter two are depicted as bickering kids with Phasma as the exasperated one looking after them, acquiring the FanNickname "Phasmom" as a result.
199	** And then there's [[http://reyluxnetwork.tumblr.com/ Reylux]], the trio of Rey, Hux and Kylo Ren. This one is ''definitely'' on the romantic side, with the scenario usually being Rey defecting/being captured by the First Order, then gradually developing feelings for Hux and Ren as they train her (while fighting their own attractions to Rey and each other). This fandom is relatively smaller than the others, but [[https://36.media.tumblr.com/5e467e293cdbbe40ad242688d76a8182/tumblr_o3dsfu1eEc1r2tsi5o2_1280.jpg they're popular enough to have cosplayers]]!
200	* RecurringFanonCharacter: Creator/{{Lucasfilm}} creative executive Pablo Hidalgo [[https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2016/02/12/general-huxs-cat-millicent-is-fan-fiction-at-its-finest/ tweeted a joke]] about [[TheDragon General Hux]] having a cat named Millicent. It took off on Website/{{Tumblr}} and, as of April 2020, Millicent the Cat is tagged as a character in over 800 works on Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn.
201	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Many fans who disliked Kylo Ren's portrayal as a villain in the movie itself were sold on him by Creator/AdamDriver reprising the role on SNL in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOSCASqLsE Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base]] as "Matt the Radar Technician", where his more contentious traits are played for laughs.
202	* RetroactiveRecognition:
203	** The X-Wing pilot Bastian (with the sole line "Direct hit!") is played by Creator/TosinCole, some years before he would debut as {{deuteragonist}} Ryan Sinclair in series 11 of ''Series/DoctorWho''.
204	** [[Creator/MaisieRichardsonSellers Maisie Richardson-Sellers]] appears briefly as part of the crowd in the Hosnian System (with a larger role in the manual), months before becoming the IconicSequelCharacter of ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow''.
205	** Young Rey is played by Creator/CaileyFleming, a few years before her role as Judith Grimes in AMC's ''Series/{{The Walking Dead\|2010}}''.
206	* RonTheDeathEater: A RunningGag on Website/ThisVeryWiki's CompleteMonster cleanup thread involves a theory about how behind his cute exterior BB-8 is a violent psychopath at heart. He got more upvotes than any character actually approved as a CM.
207	* TheShipsMotor:
208	** The idea that Rey and Finn are both sexually and romantically inexperienced due to their unusual childhood is popular among fans who ship [[OneTrueThreesome Rey×Finn×Poe]]. This allows Poe to be introduced to an established Rey×Finn relationship in the process of [[PracticeKiss "teaching" them how to kiss]] and so on. It also has some support through WordOfSaintPaul, with John Boyega (who plays Finn) stating that he believes Finn is a virgin.
209	** One popular-ish example of this trope is the pairing of Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron. Typically, fanfics for the ship requiring the two having a past connection, usually being childhood-friends-turned-lovers-turned-enemies. The fact that the Damerons and Solos were quite close also helps matters.
210	* ShipsThatPassInTheNight:
211	** Jessika Pava has a minor role and doesn't interact with Rey at all, and yet the together have surprisingly been getting a nice amount of fanart and fanfictions dedicated to them, often being ShipMates to the Poe/Finn ship. Many fans are hoping for the two to meet come the future films due to Jessika being an EnsembleDarkhorse. Amusingly, even Jessica Henwick, Pava's actress, [[http://reyfinndameron.tumblr.com/post/136686156008/ahhh-jessica-henwick-replied-to-my-tweet-in ships it.]]
212	** Poe/Rey also has a decent following, despite having no interactions in the film. This is partially because the novelization gives them a proper meeting and provides some ShipTease, and partially because of a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1stwnj944mA video]] depicting Oscar Isaac and Daisy Ridley singing "''Baby, It's Cold Outside''" together.
213	* ShipToShipCombat:
214	** Mainly between [[FoeYayShipping Kylo Ren/Rey]] and [[LoveAtFirstSight Finn/Rey]] or non-shippers of Kylo/Rey. Finn/Rey fans and non-shippers who dislike Kylo/Rey usually believe the ship is incestuous (prior to ''The Rise of Skywalker'' based on the [[WildMassGuessing theories]] that Rey is Luke's or Leia and Han's daughter and the two are cousins or siblings), and/or abusive (because of on-screen dynamics that match real-life abuse), and/or racist (due to it replacing Rey's more obvious {{Love Interest\|s}}, who is black, with a white man). Kylo/Rey fans who dislike Finn/Rey usually believe it's boring (being a standard Hero Protagonist/Hero Protagonist ship), and/or believe that an enemies-to-lovers ship would be more satisfying, and/or believe Rey has more subjective romantic chemistry with Kylo than with Finn, and/or believe that ship opponents are engaging in morality policing. Shippers on both sides and non-shippers have accused the other of bullying them out of the ''Star Wars'' fandom, with bad players indeed engaging in that behavior, and trolls have flamed the fans higher.
215	** Finn/Rey fans are also occasionally at odds with Finn/Poe fans, though with nowhere near the vitriol reserved for Kylo/Rey. Much of the debate is political in nature, with Finn/Poe fans arguing that having a gay relationship (especially an interracial one with both being minorities) would be far more progressive than the standard "hetero" romance, while Finn/Rey fans point out that an interracial romance between a black man and a white woman is quite progressive in its own right.
216	* ShipMates:
217	** Despite the above combat, there are shippers who mesh quite well; Kylo/Rey and Finn/Poe are often seen shipped together. There's also an overall lack of DieForOurShip, which helps lessen tensions.
218	** Rey/Jessika and Finn/Poe seem to go together, and some [=JediStormPiloters=] also ship Kylux on the villain side.
219	* ShockingMoments:
220	** Kylo Ren ''stopping a blaster bolt in mid-air'' and ''holding it there'' for an extended period of time ''without looking''.
221	** The First Order using Starkiller Base to destroy an entire inhabited star system; five planets, from hyper-space distance, at the same time.
222	** Any time Rey uses the Force, but ''especially'' when she grabs Anakin's lightsaber and lights it up to fight Kylo Ren.
223	* SignatureScene: Han Solo's death, easily the biggest shock of the series since "[[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack I am]] your [[LukeIAmYourFather father.]]"
224	* SpecialEffectFailure:
225	** As BB-8 flees the massacre of the Jakku village near the beginning of the film, a ''very'' obvious puppet alien pops its head out of the sand to look at him. [[WordOfGod According to J.J. Abrams]], everyone knew how bad it looked but [[ThrowItIn decided to keep it in anyway]] because [[NarmCharm they thought it was cute]].
226	** The Rathtars are terrifying in concept, but the CGI used to render them looks rather conspicuous and accentuates the ball rolling movement in an unfavorable manner.
227	** The vulture-like creature that Rey rides past near the beginning of the film, looks like it was taken from Disneyland's "Jungle Cruise" ride.
228	* StoicWoobie: General Leia, despite going through even ''more'' misery since the original trilogy (with her divorce and her son turning evil) doesn't complain one bit.
229	* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Some fans feel this way about the movie in comparison to [[ContestedSequel the Prequel Trilogy]]. The sentiment is far from universal however.
230	[[/folder]]
231
232	[[folder:T-Z]]
233	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Shares a [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter/StarWars page]] with the rest of the films.
234	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Shares a [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/StarWars page]] with the rest of the franchise.
235	* {{Wangst}}: Kylo Ren's whining reached MemeticMutation levels just one week after the film was released. It also served to support the "Skywalker Whining Gene" theory.
236	* WinBackTheCrowd: At the end of its opening weekend it was sitting at a 95% critical rating and a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and [[http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/20/media/star-wars-the-force-awakens-opening-weekend-box-office/ had the best opening week in cinema history for its time]] (It would be beaten later by two Avengers movies and ''[[Film/SpidermanNoWayHome Spider-Man: No Way Home]]'').
237	* TheWoobie:
238	** According to the [[AllThereInTheManual Visual Dictionary]], the Stormtrooper who leaves a BloodyHandprint on Finn's helmet was so inadequate at being a soldier, the rest of his squad sans Finn made fun of him. Not only that, it was so bad that ''Phasma ordered Finn to just let him die the next time he gets in trouble''.
239	** Rey was abandoned on a desert planet that is considered little more than a junkyard when she was ''five'', and has spent most of her life barely surviving, with only the vague hope that her family will one day come back for her to keep her going. Even after leaving Jakku, she endures the apparent departure of her only friend, a horrifying vision through the Force, kidnap and torture by Kylo Ren, the loss of Han, who had become a Parental Substitute for her, and is nearly killed fighting Ren after seeing Finn get struck down too. Yet through it all, despite clearly being weary on Jakku and terrified while battling the First Order, [[IronWoobie Rey never breaks]].
240	-->'''Rey:''' I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy.
241	** Finn was taken from his family as a child to be raised as a soldier for the First Order, experiences the atrocities of his superiors up close, is left believing that one of his first real friends is dead, spends most of the movie terrified of what the First Order is capable of, is helpless to stop Kylo Ren from kidnapping Rey, watches Han Solo die, and is so badly wounded by Ren that he ends up in a coma.
242	** All three of the original PowerTrio have had some ''very'' hard times since ''Return of the Jedi'':
243	*** Luke, despite his best efforts, failed to rebuild the Jedi Order because his apprentice and nephew Ben was corrupted by Snoke, became Kylo Ren, and helped the Knights of Ren massacre the rest of Luke's Jedi pupils. By the time of this film, Luke is in exile as a broken man.
244	*** Leia lost her son to the Dark Side, lost her brother when he went into exile, lost her husband when he left her to deal with his own grief, and is leading the fight against the First Order with very little support from the Republic that she helped build. Even after reuniting with Han and expressing faith that Ben can be redeemed, Leia still loses them both when Han is killed by Ben, who dedicates himself to the Dark Side of the Force. The way she slumps down, exhausted, while everyone else celebrates the destruction of Starkiller Base says it all.
245	*** Han, like Leia, lost his son to Snoke's corruption, became estranged from his wife (whom he clearly still loves and who still loves him), returning to a life of smuggling and even being robbed of his beloved ''Millennium Falcon'' in the process. Despite the ray of hope that comes when he meets Finn and Rey and gets the ''Falcon'' back, Han ends up being killed by his own son while trying to convince Ben to turn away from the Dark Side.
246	** Chewbacca loses his best friend, Han Solo, who is murdered while Chewie stands there helpless to save him.
247	** R2-D2 became this when he shut himself down due to the sadness of Luke's disappearance, with even his old friend C-3PO doubting that he will ever wake up.
248	** Arguably, the biggest woobie doesn't even appear in the film, and that is Anakin Skywalker. Knowing that he's a force ghost makes what Kylo Ren does all the more harsher. He's probably horrified and broken-hearted by this, as if he didn't go through enough already. And his daughter still thinks of him as "Darth Vader".
249	[[/folder]]
250

Context YMMV / TheForceAwakens