Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer 2 Analysis

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An in-depth analysis of the most amazing teaser trailer of 2015.

At long last, Star Wars fans get a decent post-Return of the Jedi look at the galaxy far, far away. In fact, this two-minute trailer is full of details; let’s have a look!

The total trailer time is 1:59, however the true trailer doesn’t begin until 0:16. Prior to that, we see the green approval screen, the Lucasfilm logo, and a black screen.

0:16
The Force theme plays as the barren desert landscape of Jakku fades in. Rey’s speeder flies from left to right as the camera tracks with her in parallax. An old-style X-wing, crashed, is in the foreground. Rey is far away. Even further in the distance, a dune appears on the right that is much larger than the rest. It is mountainous. It is monolithic. It is a crashed star destroyer, and you can tell from the haze that it is distant, yet oppressively enormous.

0:32

Screen cuts to black; a single piano key intones. It feels hopeful.

After much analysis, the following dialogue from Luke Skywalker is absolutely a direct lift from Return of the Jedi. I am of the opinion that this dialogue was specifically picked for this trailer, in the style of a tone poem, and will not feature in the film.

“The Force is strong in my family.”
[A heavily processed whisper of Luke’s line proceeds, as if it is coming through a distant tunnel of time, or memory.]

0:37

The melted helmet of Darth Vader rises from the blackness. It appears to be empty, as if Anakin’s body truly did become one with the Force. We are looking over the left shoulder of a hooded figure in black, who is looking at the helmet. Underneath the charred mask appears to be a geometric, styled pedestal, as if the helmet were a museum showpiece. Vader’s classic breathing echoes in the background.

“My father has it”
[My father has it, whispers…]

0:44

Screen cuts to black.

0:45

A hooded figure in black sits, facing left, next to Artoo Detoo, while something burns off screen to the left. Sparks flutter by the characters. The robed figure raises a futuristic robotic right hand to Artoo and gently puts it on his dome. The character is undoubtedly Luke Skywalker. The hood is black, his sleeve is white. Has Luke’s hand been upgraded quite a bit, or has the flesh covering gone.

An interesting question was posed on a recent edition of Geek Out Loud:

Is this a campfire, or is this a funeral pyre? Is Luke showing sympathy for Artoo because Threepio is gone?

“I have it”
[I have it, whispered, barely noticeable]

0:50

Screen cuts to black.

0:51

A person wearing blue clothes and bracelets on their left hand hands Anakin’s lightsaber to Leia (confirmed).

“My sister has it.”
[My sister has it.]

0:52

In the top right hand corner, it is clear the person’s face is not human. There looks to be a cityscape in the background with lights and skyscraper structures. Leia is much taller than the humanoid. they are both wearing rings of unknown purpose. Leia is wearing dark, more common clothing. Is the galaxy more apocalyptic in light of constant all out war for the past 30 years?

0:56

Screen cuts to black.

“You have that power too.”
[No whisper this time. This phrase is new, and not from RotJ. It is current with TFA. The ever-brilliant Jesse Tschopp points out that this line was also a direct lift from RotJ.]

WHO IS LUKE TALKING TO?!

In context is this still directed at Leia? We could assume it is another member of the Skywalker family. But who?

1:01

“This Christmas” comes into view.

1:05

Eight new X-Wings scream across that body of water from the first trailer again, this time from a  different vantage point. They fly by the stationary camera.

1:07

Oscar Issac looks fired up in the cockpit, much less serious than in the first trailer.

“Wooo-oooh!”

1:08

Cut to Kylo Ren on a fiery background, swinging his lightsaber with two hands, from top to bottom. Two stormtroopers with a red pauldrons can be seen in the background. It looks like structures were set on fire.

Cut to Rey, Finn, and BB-8 on Jakku running from a TIE fighter blast at the scrap yard from the first trailer. Finn is wearing civilian clothes and a jacket. A TIE fighter can be seen screaming in top left.

1:10

Peasant-looking people are being kept back by stormtroopers. Perhaps a moisture farm on fire? Kylo Ren turns to the camera and we see his mask. His lightsaber is in his left hand, and he is using the force with his right on something past and behind the camera.

1:12

A snowy planet. The First Order (an antagonistic faction), replete with a red Nazi-esque banner with a modified Imperial cog. On a dais are more stormtroopers with red pauldrons, many people in grey uniforms, one leader in a black uniform front and center, and the Chrometrooper (Captain Phasma) to the right of the leader. Many stormtroopers of various kinds turn to the camera in formation. There are tie fighters on the left. They are black, but their wing-foils are white and vaguely translucent. Gun turrets litter the snowy hilltop in back. There’s a flashlight built right into the stormtrooper helmet’s jaw now.

1:13

Screen fades to Rey looking disheveled, looking up at something seriously. She looks so much like young Padmé. She appears to be somewhere semi-enclosed on Jakku.

1:14

Two black TIE fighters scream through the air. There is smoke.

1:15

A TIE fighter hangar. One TIE fighter is blowing up stormtroopers and TIE fighters. There is smoke and fire. The attacking TIE fighter ball cockpit looks modified. It has red paint, a different design, and a Boba Fett-style windowpane.

1:16

Finn in a stormtrooper uniform. His helmet is smeared with bloody finger streaks. He takes off his helmet, looking rattled. He may be on a ship or in that destroyed hangar.

1:18

A glimpse at a new star destroyer in space. It’s more streamlined. We see new shuttles and winged fighters. The shuttle looks like a flying bird, frozen in space. The other accompanying vehicles look like pods with thrusters.

1:19

Captain Phasma walks toward the camera in a black and red cape. The Chrometrooper armor is amazing. Imperial looking windows and setting. There is a rock fascade on the left side.

1:21

BB-8 is in the Millennium Falcon, sheepishly staring from beyond a corner.

1:22

We cut back to Rey again on Jakku, breathlessly looking at something inquisitively. Her reaches down to Finn, who is on the ground. Finn is breathless, and takes her hand. This must be after the TIE fighter attack.

1:25

The Millennium Falcon is evading TIE fighters above a junk pile. It is heading into the dead, crashed thruster of a Super Star Destroyer.  A TIE fighter is chasing it into the superstructure. There is a smash zoom on the action.

1:29

We see a new-style TIE fighter pilot, in black. More red line art is featured on the helmet. The TIE fighter chases the Falcon more into the superstructure, and a missed hit blasts the way open for the Falcon.

1:30

Screen cuts to black.

1:34

Screen fades in to Han Solo and Chewbacca. “Chewie, we’re home.” Chewie roars. The bowcaster and Han’s gun are drawn. Han is smiling. Chewie looks pleased; his eyes look more of an old dog’s glassy black eyes. Han is wearing real lather. Are those medals that he’s wearing on his left side? They are on the Millennium Falcon, of course–the one place they’d ever truly call home. It appears they have been looking for it for a long time.

Did they ever get it back after Lando took it?

1:37

Cut to Star Wars logo.

1:45

December
Available in RealD 3d and IMAX 3d

The rest of the trailer time is YouTube adverts for the Star Wars channel.

I’m not going to speculate on anything I haven’t officially seen, or any info that hasn’t been revealed through official channels. All I do know is that this truly does feel like home to me, and I’m glad we’re going back.