If you've clicked through to this page, it should go without saying that there are major spoilers ahead. But we'll say it anyway.
Major spoilers ahead!
A cornucopia of spoilers for "Star Wars: Episode VII" have hit the Internet today, and the stuff they reveal only continues to raise our already super high anticipation levels. They come from various sources, so let's break them down.
First up, Latino Review tackles the next-gen Stormtrooper pictures that circulated yesterday, confirming that they are in fact the real deal. LR also says that the Snowtrooper design from that same news is not only real, but will be accompanied in the film by flamethrowers. Think about that: Snowtroopers, in the snow, wielding flame throwers. We're calling it now: J.J. Abrams is going all out on the crazy/cool factor, and classic Star Wars fans are going to lose their minds (in a good way). Latino Review goes on to reveal that a third Stormtrooper variant will appear in the film: a chrome Stormtrooper with the ability to cloak. Whoa.
Next, Indie Revolver, who yesterday scored the exclusive reveal of the new Stormtrooper design, returned today with another design. This time, IR showed off concept sketches of what Harrison Ford's Han Solo will wear in "Episode VII." Since this is merely concept art, the final garments could turn out differently. But if this is the direction the design department was going in, it looks spot-on. It takes Han's old costume and updates it to reflect his age and perhaps a slightly more noble standing in the universe. Most intriguingly, the cold weather costume appears to have an Imperial rank insignia on the chest. Hmm.
That was all preamble, though. Latino Review returned today to drop the biggest bombshell of all. This one goes way beyond character designs and deep into the plot of the film, claiming to reveal the main villains of the movie and with them, the overall thrust of the story. (This is your last chance to turn back.)
The rumored plot of "Star Wars: Episode VII," which may or may not be subtitled "The Ancient Evil," goes something like this. Remember at the end of "The Empire Strikes Back" when Luke Skywalker's hand was cut off? Of course you do. That hand was holding his lightsaber (formerly his father's lightsaber), the loss of which forced Luke to later fashion a new weapon of his own. That plot thread was lost to history, but it sounds as if "Episode VII" is going to pick it up and run with it.
Rumors suggest that Luke's old lightsaber is found in the new movie, on a planet where new characters played by Daisy Ridley and John Boyega find it. Ridley's character was once rumored to be the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia, but that may not be the case. Boyega's character could be a villain-turned-hero due to his exposure to Ridley, and he may even eventually become a Jedi. Anyway, these two find the lightsaber and cross paths with Han Solo and Chewbacca, who set out on a search for the long, lost Luke Skywalker.
Badass Digest interjects here that Han and Chewie are not piloting the Millennium Falcon when we first meet them. Shockingly, they're at the helm of an Imperial Super Star Destroyer! (That Imperial insignia on Han's jacket in the concept art we mentioned before no doubt ties into this.) The Millennium Falcon has fallen into the hands of Oscar Isaac's character (lost in a card game, perhaps?).
So back to Luke Skywalker. It's rumored that Luke disappeared sometime shortly after the events of "Return of the Jedi," and has been missing ever since. The bombshell that Latino Review reveals is that Luke isn't just missing, he's a captive of the main villains of "Episode VII." And those villains are...
The Inquisitors. As in, the same evil order that the villain from "Star Wars Rebels" is a part of. This would make the Inquisitors the "Ancient Evil" from the rumored subtitle. Latino Review says that the Inquisitors are a group who exist with the mandate of defending and preserving the Sith Order. The movie reveals that the Inquisitors have been around for centuries, maybe millennia, dating all the way back to the formation of the Sith Order itself. Which would mean they were working behind the scenes during the six previous movies and beyond, and maybe even pulling some of the strings all along. Flashbacks will reportedly show the Inquisitors working for/with Darth Vader.
Badass Digest verifies this report and adds that the mechanical hand seen in that recent tweet from J.J. Abrams belongs to the main Inquisitor villain. BD doesn't have a name for this villain, but reveals that he's some kind of cyborg with a half skin/half metal face. He wears a black robe and has red eyes.
If this Inquisitors stuff is true, this kind of retcon is a very bold move for Abrams and Lucasfilm. Fans tend to love this sort of "tie everything together" kind of thing, and it bears all the hallmarks of Abrams' handiwork as well, but it runs the risk of turning off hardcore classicists. It will probably all come down to how it's portrayed in the film.
It's also very cool news for "Star Wars Rebels," giving that series a much bigger importance in the mythology than indications have given so far.
On the other hand, the idea of Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion, being held prisoner for 30 long years is disheartening to say the least. It's hard to believe that Han, Leia, Chewie and the rest of the good guys wouldn't turn the galaxy upside down to find their missing friend. And where's Leia in all this, anyway? Is she on the Star Destroyer with Han? Did they get married? How has the 30-year absence of her newly-revealed brother affected her, and why couldn't she sense his location the way she has in the past?
All will (hopefully) be revealed Christmas 2015.
