Star Wars The Force Awakens gezien?

(http://screencrush.com/star-wars-force-awakens-opening-crawl/)
(www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2015/03/potential-description-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens-teaser-trailer-2.html, www.cbc.ca/news/arts/review-star-wars-force-awakens-1.3366150)

We know he did, and he struggles with the pull of the light side. But what set him on the path in the first place? Was it Snoke, or did the seemingly massive being find him after he already killed Luke’s younglings? It could be simple jealousy, and a lack of control over his emotions — something we know from Yoda’s teachings in previous movies is a path to the dark side — but maybe there was some other inciting incident.

We hear them mentioned, and potentially see them standing in the rain during Rey’s vision; but who are they? Are they also dark side force users like Kylo, or someone/something else? (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext) However, in Kylo’s case it isn’t at all a necessity, but simply an affectation he has contrived because he’s essentially a Vader fanboy. When Kylo takes the mask off the first time mid-way through the film as he talks to Rey, his regular speaking voice is fairly soft and non-menacing. This might disappoint some, but it only emphasises how much Kylo worships Vader (http://whatculture.com/film/17-wtf-moments-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/5).

Maar hoe zit het met The Dark Side?

"Darth Plagueis had once remarked that 'the Force can strike back.'"
―Palpatine, musing on an utterance made by Plagueis
Darth Plagueis was first referenced on-screen in the 2005 movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the third installment in the prequel trilogy of Star Wars. However, the actual first mention of Plagueis was in the novel Labyrinth of Evil, which was released four months before the movie. Although Palpatine was never confirmed to be Plagueis' apprentice in the movie itself, a link to the official encyclopedia on StarWars.com did refer to Sidious as having been "trained by Darth Plagueis."
The character was created by George Lucas as early as the first draft of Revenge of the Sith—dated April 2003—and possibly earlier than that. His story was massively expanded upon in the 2012 novel Darth Plagueis, written by James Luceno. However, that story is part of the Star Wars legends continuity, formerly known as the "Expanded Universe," and is therefore not official canon. The novel Tarkin, also by Luceno, includes a number of references to Plagueis and canonizes certain elements that had been introduced in the Darth Plagueis novel.
...
Darth Plagueis was a male Dark Lord of the Sith who, at some point, chose Sheev Palpatine [Darth Sidious], a human from Naboo, as his apprentice. As master and disciple, Plagueis and Palpatine—who took the Sith moniker Darth Sidious—worked together, trying to unlock the secrets of immortality and to execute their order's long-percolating plan of supplanting the Galactic Republic with a new Sith Empire.
According to Sidious, Plagueis was powerful enough that he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life and keep those he cared about from dying, a precious knowledge that awarded him the epithet of "the Wise."...At some point Sidious had learned everything he needed from his master. Moreover, he had acquired his own pupil in the Nightsister Mother Talzin's son, Darth Maul, a young Dathomirian Zabrak whom Sidious had kidnapped from Talzin when he was only a child. As the Rule of Two mandated that only two Sith—a master and an apprentice—could exist at any given time, one of them had to die. Now that he had no further use for a teacher, Sidious disposed of Plagueis, killing him in his sleep. With the death of Plagueis, Sidious ... gained the status of Master (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Plagueis).

Once Darth Plagueis died, Sidious experienced a huge disturbance in the Force. He interpreted the shift as a sign that the Force had anointed him the sole remaining Master of the Dark Side. However, he also experienced sadness and loss in the Force.
Sidious feared that the cause of his unrest, was a sign that his former Master’s experiments had succeeded after all, that Plagueis’ spirit had somehow survived his earthly body’s death. He was afraid that Plagueis would return to exact vengeance upon his treacherous apprentice....
“TWO THERE SHOULD BE; NO MORE, NO LESS. ONE TO EMBODY POWER, THE OTHER TO CRAVE IT.“ (http://dorksideoftheforce.com/2015/04/24/who-is-darth-plagueis-and-will-he-be-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens/).

Wacht even... 'the Rule of Two'?
Sidious tasked Vader, Skywalker's father, with either destroying or turning the boy, and Vader ultimately brought Skywalker before his master during the Battle of Endor. There, Sidious attempted to turn Skywalker to the dark side, but Skywalker refused. As Sidious attempted to kill Luke, Vader was redeemed and turned on his master, killing himself and Sidious in the process. Through redemption, Anakin Skywalker destroyed the Sith, while the Rebels successfully destroyed the Death Star II (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Sidious). Wat als Vader geslaagd was om Luke over te halen naar de Dark Side? Had Sidious dan Vader of Luke omgebracht? Of had Vader dan Sidious omgebracht zoals hij voorstelde aan Luke? De vader-zoon-situaties komen wel erg regelmatig terug in het verhaal...

...Later, after taking Darth Vader [na Count Dooku; Darth Tyranus] as his apprentice, he reformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire and declared himself Emperor. In the years that followed his rise to Emperor, Sidious came to genuinely, if posthumously, appreciate Plagueis for the planner and prophet he had been. Sometimes, he mused about how his late master would have reacted when confronted with the trivial, day-to-day matters of Imperial politics (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Plagueis). Uiteindelijk worden Darth Maul, Darth Vader en Palpatine verslagen. Zou het mogelijk zijn dat (misschien door toedoen van Kylo Ren?; zie http://dorksideoftheforce.com/2015/04/24/who-is-darth-plagueis-and-will-he-be-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens/) Plagueis is teruggekomen?

"Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will."
―Yoda, to Luke Skywalke (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Sidious)

Ook Tarkin is via boekuitgave geïntroduceerd in het Disney-universum (zie http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tarkin_(novel)). Zou het kunnen dat we in deze film nog niet alle slechteriken te zien hebben gekregen?

Kylo Ren is not a Sith Lord. He is part of the Knights of Ren and will play a role in this movie very a kin to that of Darth Maul's character in The Phantom Menace. He is a weapon wielded by the First Order. He is not in charge either. He is a Soldier, I commander of sorts. He will answer to General Hux, Supreme Leader Snoke (http://moviepilot.com/posts/3632443?lt_source=external,manual,manual). Hij heeft, net zoals Finn en Rey een relatie tot de Skywalkerfamilie!?


Not since Boba Fett was warned off disintegration has Star Wars had such an effortlessly bad-ass character as the Chrometrooper. ...That may not be true, but the Chrometrooper is still awesome enough that it’s easy to ignore what’s in the rest of this shot because of its focus’ reflective allure (http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens-10-things-everybody-missed-in-the-new-trailer.php/9). Nu weten we de naam voor die Chrometrooper...

(www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/one-small-change-force-awakens-850277?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_821714).

Tja, ik kon ook niet kijken zonder te denken aan Syrië:

Luke Skywalker's Fictitious Planet in Star Wars is now an Isis Stronghold
In Star Wars, the dune filled desert planet of Tatooine is so isolated that even the Jedi knights and the Dark Forces keep away from it and hence it served as safe haven for young Luke Skywalker for a very long time. But not anymore, today the filming location of the movie in Tunisia has turned into an Islamic State (IS) hotbed.
George Lucas filmed three of the Star Wars sci-fi movies in the Tunisian desert town of Tataouine,which also inspired the name of fictitious planet. According to a CNN report the area in southern Tunisia,which once was the most favourite destination for Star Wars fan,is now a jihadi hotbed.
Tataouine,which is located at Tunisian border close to Libya is now an IS stronghold and the film sets,one of which was young Luke Skywalker's home is being used as place to store weapons and ammunition.
Recently the Tunisian counter terrorism forces found two arms caches in the area, including one that contained rocket-propelled grenade launchers and more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition.
The town is located some 96 kms from the Libyan border,where Isis has established a strong base and has some 4000 recruits in its training camps. The area has become a way-point for IS supporters. Recently following the Bardo Museum attack in Tunisia, the country issued a directive asking all tourists to avoid the area completely (www.ibtimes.co.in/luke-skywalkers-fictious-planet-star-wars-now-isis-stronghold-627314).
Maar goed, tot zo ver de realiteit laten we terug gaan naar de fictie:

Why did Finn go out to battle if he worked sanitation?
Obviously there’s thousands, if not millions of stormtroopers working on Starkiller Base. I’m not doubting that Finn would know the ins and outs of it, having worked sanitation — but why would he be on Captain Phasma’s (presumably) elite squad of troopers? She’s, as far as we can tell, third in command after Hux and Kylo Ren, so were they so short staffed that day they needed to get the garbage man to help track down a dangerous rebel? (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext)


Knowing he isn’t just wearing that armour in a homage to Luke and Han’s rescue plan from A New Hope opens up the opportunity for the exploration of something Star Wars has thus far skirted around (in cinemas at least); the ethics of the Empire and the morality of its loyal rank-and-file. Clearly something’s going to push Finn over the edge, and it’s not going to be anything pretty (http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens-10-things-everybody-missed-in-the-new-trailer.php/8). Het was van een collega (een vriend?) stormtrooper, en geen onschuldige burger of verzetsstrijder...

Finn Isn’t Finn’s Real Name
It’s naturally assumed that AWOL stormtrooper Finn is simply dubbed as that from birth, but he actually goes by a designated codename, FN-2187, given to him after being snatched from his family and brainwashed (or as the First Order call it, “conditioned”) for years.
Finn abandons his post after seeing the atrocities the Order commits up close, and rescues an imprisoned Dameron, Dameron decides that the “FN” in his codename means he should be named Finn, and so the character’s name is born forever more (http://whatculture.com/film/17-wtf-moments-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/2). Hij kan goed overweg met BB-8 (http://whatculture.com/film/17-wtf-moments-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/4).

Wie is de vader van Finn?

Lando I don’t think is finished in any way, shape, or form (www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/05/lawrence-kasdan-star-wars-force-awakens).

Master Windu is the only black jedi we know (http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/111264/who-is-finns-father). It cannot possibly be Mace Windu, because Mace died at the end of Clone wars, at the year 32BBY, and the events of TFA happen 66 years after that, meaning that Finn would have to be at least 65 years old in the film (barring artificial insemination after father's death).....
My theory, Finn's is Lando's son. Part of the EU, Lando and Han flee and become smugglers once again. It's been rumored that Lando will make an appearance in the next film, but more importantly, there are character parallels between Finn and Lando. They were both supporting the Empire/first order until a major event occurred. they both were self centered an opportunistic in the beginning, looking for an easy way out (helping darth vader/ only looking for a way to escape the empire) and both came back to help fight against the forces of evil (http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/111264/who-is-finns-father) (www.newsarama.com/25540-what-s-in-a-star-wars-name-a-surprising-finn-theory.html). Maar er zijn ook overeenkomsten met Han Solo:


Sana Starros was a human female who lived during the time of the Galactic Civil War. She claimed to be married to Han Solo, though he denied it, and regardless they were not on good terms in the time after the Battle of Yavin. She traveled across the galaxy in search of Han, from Tatooine to the Monsua Nebula, in order to confront him (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sana_Starros) (https://jordanbinkerd.wordpress.com/tag/sana-starros/). Was dat echt of oplichterij? (zie www.movienewsguide.com/star-wars-recap-spoilers-sana-expect-next-installment/121032)? A former wife of Han Solo almost certainly wasn’t introduced willy-nilly by Marvel under Lucasfilm’s nose as a throwaway subplot and if we can assume she was introduced in coordination with or via the direction of Lucasfilm, we can further assume this surprising addition to again – official movie continuity – was introduced for a specific purpose.
And while [Finn] would likely be too young to be Han and Sana’s child given the nearly four decades between A New Hope and The Force Awakens (barring a post-Return of the Jedi reconciliation), Finn seem to be exactly the right age to be Han’s grandson, the son of a child Sana maybe never told him about born prior to the events of A New Hope.....Family is of course an important part of the Star Wars mythos, with the original trilogy, and even the prequels carrying the bonds of blood and kin as a central theme. Luke and Leia’s secret relationship was one of the original trilogy’s most climactic reveals. Could fans be looking at a similar dynamic and even more surprising relationship between Finn and Rey? (www.newsarama.com/25540-what-s-in-a-star-wars-name-a-surprising-finn-theory.html) Het introduceren van karakters voorafgaand aan de film is vaker gedaan (zie http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Plagueis).


There’s a curious little misdirect that happens in the movie, which at first seems to suggest that Finn is powerful in the force — given that he’s gone through the biggest change, right before Snoke tells Kylo Ren that “there’s been an awakening.” Not only that, but Finn breaking through his conditioning during the initial attack that captures Poe seems to be beyond what your run of the mill storm trooper can do (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=
zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext, www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/28/star-wars-the-force-awakens-footage-shows-lightsaber-wielding-john-boyega).

Wacht eens... Als Lando Calrissian en Han Solo niet Jedi zijn, dan zou dat dus niet kunnen... Maar stel dat Han Solo en Sana Starros wel een stel waren, dat zou een bedrog betekenen ten opzichte van Leia en Ben Solo. En dat zou diens woede verklaren... Het past ook in de omschrijving van George Lucas (Star Wars is eigenlijk een soapserie)


Reys independence is a simply beautiful thing. The way she consistently kicks butt and saves herself before anyone else can save her is fun and entertaining. The beauty continues when Finn tries to grab her hand to guide her away from danger. She\u0027s not having it, and it's hilarious (http://comicbook.com/2015/12/18/five-best-lines-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens/5).

When we first meet her, she is a ship parts-hunting scavenger who lives inside an AT-AT on the desert planet Jakku, and by the end she is holding a lightsaber and getting face time with Luke Skywalker (a guy who has existed to her practically on the same mythical character level that he exists to you or me). And the fact that she is the one holding the meeting says a lot about how far she has come and the path that she is on for Star Wars: Episode VIII and beyond (www.cinemablend.com/new/Star-Wars-Force-Awakens-Ending-What-It-Means-Episode-8-100997-p2.html). We’re definitely led to believe — given the vision she has in Maz Kanata’s basement — that her destiny is directly connected with Kylo Ren’s slaughter of Luke’s apprentices. So could she, like Luke before her, have been dropped on a desert planet to save her life, and protect her from the dark side that is seeking to wipe her out?
Bigger question, is her father Obi-Wan — like was rumored before filming started — or Luke? Or someone else we know (I’m thinking Yoda?) (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext).


According to our official Star Wars Post, Handy Dandy Timeline we can see how Rey, who is 19 years old during The Force Awakens is born, you guessed it 19 years into our timeline. Kylo Ren, aka Ben Solo, who is 29-30 in The Force Awakens is also born 29 years into our timeline. One of the key important moments for our character Rey is when she was abandoned on Jakku in the care of Unkar Plutt. A moment we witness during Rey’s flashback when she touched Luke’s old lightsaber in the catacombs of Maz’s castle. It has been confirmed that Rey was five when she was left on Jakku by her parents which put that date on our timeline at fourteen years in.
Fourteen years in could potentially be a big deal for some of the speculation that is going around. There are debates that Rey was a padawan at Luke’s fledgling academy when it was attacked by the traitorous Kylo Ren. aka Ben Solo and The Knights Of Ren. Rey’s outfit looks to be the garb of a Jedi Padawan when she holds the hand of Unkar Plutt. If this is true then, according to the timeline, Kylo Ren would be fifteen years old when he betrayed Luke and his fellow Padawans. Looking at that menacing image of the Knights of Ren in the movie, standing a wet field with bodies everywhere, there is a possibility there is a fifteen year old in that costume (www.starwarspost.com/reys-lineage-and-a-timeline-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens/).

It’s all a little much. Screenwriter and vocal Twitter user Max Landis recently drew a lot of heat for describing Rey as a ‘Mary Sue’, which refers to a trope wherein characters are over-powered and learn intense skills far too quickly, or easily. The point he makes is perfectly valid, in that there are no stakes for Rey; she’s never really in danger because she is somehow really adept at using the Force when she doesn’t even really know what it is.
When she’s been captured by the First Order, she uses the Jedi mind trick on a stormtrooper (James Bond himself, no less) to persuade him to release her. The only thing is, no one in the context of the movie has told her that such a thing even exists, let alone how to perform it (http://whatculture.com/film/8-problems-nobody-wants-to-admit-about-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/4, http://whatculture.com/film/8-problems-nobody-wants-to-admit-about-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/5).



...They’re running to get a ship, it blows up, and you turn and there’s the back-up – the Millennium Falcon.”...When they find R2 beneath that dust cloth, the heroes already have a piece of a holographic map, but they lack the larger section of this uncharted region of space that will allow them to track down Luke. That’s where R2 became a useful storytelling device: he could be the missing framework. The story group’s thinking went back to the 1977 original movie, when R2-D2 accessed the Empire’s mainframe as the heroes searched for the captured Princess Leia. “We had the idea about R2 plugging into the information base of the Death Star, and that’s how he was able to get the full map and find where the Jedi temples are,”..[they] chose to spell this out indirectly in the movie because he didn’t want the story to get bogged down in “how s–t happened 30 years ago.”
“But the idea was that in that scene where R2 plugged in, he downloaded the archives of the Empire, which was referenced by Kylo Ren,” Abrams said. Thirty-eight years later, in both our own and galactic time, that data becomes useful in The Force Awakens when a new droid approaches the dormant R2.
“BB-8 comes up and says something to him, which is basically, ‘I’ve got this piece of a map, do you happen to have the rest?’” Abrams said. “The idea was, R2 who has been all over the galaxy, is still in his coma, but he hears this. And it triggers something that would ultimately wake him up.” (www.ew.com/article/2015/12/20/jj-abrams-answers-burning-question-about-r2-d2-star-wars-force-awakens?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_822545&xid=partner_zergnet).

Deze had ik inderdaad door. 

They definitely set Finn and Rey up to have a bit of romantic banter back and forth, but they work so much better as friends who respect each other — a la Luke and Leia — than the eventually consummated flirtation of Leia and Han (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext). It’s clear when watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens ... was heavily inspired by A New Hope, and the filmmaker pays homage to that in numerous ways, most notably with the obvious parallels between the stories of the two movies. However, a real fan pleasing Easter Egg comes in the form of the training remote Obi-Wan Kenobi used to teach Luke how to use his father’s lightsaber. It was clearly left aboard the Millennium Falcon and forgotten about after Luke and Han helped Leia escape from the Death Star because we see Finn come across it in The Force Awakens only to quickly throw it aside after ever so briefly studying the odd looking device. It’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment, but truly brilliant! (www.heyuguys.com/10-best-star-wars-force-awakens-easter-eggs/4/) Luke’s training remote isn’t the only throwback to A New Hope which Finn comes across aboard the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. One of the funniest moments in George Lucas’ first trip to a Galaxy Far, Far Away came when C-3PO took on Chewbacca in a game of Holochess and learned that it’s always best to let the Wookie win. When Finn leans on what appears to be just a normal table, the game is once again activated and recreated in precisely the same way it was all those years ago in A New Hope. This is a moment which is likely to be meaningless to anyone who isn’t familiar with that movie, but for fans, it’s a clever nod to what’s come before and nice way of paying homage to that (www.heyuguys.com/10-best-star-wars-force-awakens-easter-eggs/7/).


Why do the bad guys keep building giant bases with one minor, exploitable flaw?
This is the third time they’ve built an overwhelmingly powerful base that can be destroyed by one ship, and/or a team of rebels ready to blow up a shield generator. TBH, I was half expecting the First Order to have learned from the Empire’s mistakes and be setting a trap for the Resistance. But nope, they spent the time to hollow out a planet, only to forget basic protection (www.mtv.com/news/2689627/star-wars-the-force-awakens-spoilers-burning-questions/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_819509&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext).
http://whatculture.com/film/8-problems-nobody-wants-to-admit-about-star-wars-the-force-awakens.php/7



In a galaxy far away...
Most of us have heard or seen these words since "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" was released in 1977. This hit film was directed by George Lucas. It starred Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), and Harrison Ford (Han Solo). Two more films were released in the following years; "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983). By the early 2000s, these three Star Wars films were referred to as the originals.
In 1999, the first of the Star Wars prequels was released. "The Phantom Menace" explained Anakin Skywalker's childhood and how the alliance formed. 2002, "Attack of the Clones" hit the box office. We saw Anakin and Padame's relationship bloom and saw Obi-Won teach young Skywalker the ways of the force. The last of the prequels was released in 2005, "Revenge of the Sith." This movie showed the audience how Anakin was trying to be a part of the alliance but saved his lovely wife Padame. In the end, he allied himself with the dark side and became Darth Vader.
Since the prequels, there has been an animated Star Wars movie "The Clone Wars"(2008). This movie explained what happened in the war between the alliance and the clones. There also have been animated television series about the clone wars.
Fans of Star Wars were excited when they heard another film was being created. "Episode VII: The Force Awakens" was announced to hit the box office on Dec. 18,2015. This film is going to show a new generation of Jedi knights and new storm troopers. There is going to be a new villian since the Emperor and Vader were killed in "Return of the Jedi." One surprise is that some of the original cast is returning. There will be appearances made by Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca (http://theodysseyonline.com/uni-akron/star-wars-episode-vii-force-awakens/244096).


Maar goed, even terug naar het bier...

Wit’s End Star Wars Beers:
Darth Malt | Black Imperial Amber Ale
Luke, I Am Your Pater | Belgian-Style Patersbier
Imperial Rye Fighter | Rye Imperial Dry Stout
Old Jedi Mind Trick | Session Old Ale brewed with Brown Sugar and Oak chips
Mai The Fourth (Awakens) | Maibock Inspired Ale
For those not in the Denver Metro Area and without a Millennium Falcon to get you there from anywhere in the galaxy in “less than 12 parcecs,” you can search out these craft beers.
Imperial Stout Trooper | New England Brewing Co. | Woodbridge, CT
Light Speed Pale Ale | Toppling Goliath | Decorah, IA
Dark Helmet Imperial Schwarzbier | The Brew Kettle, Strongsville, OH
(www.craftbeer.com/brewers_banter/star-wars-beers-come-out-in-force)

Ik heb al vaker Star Wars in verband gebracht met bier (http://biervat.blogspot.nl/2013/09/star-wars-bier.html, http://biervat.blogspot.nl/2015/12/its-la-trappe.html).

A good stout is definitely one ‘Dark Side’ effort we can get behind. Over the years a number of breweries have created some pretty epic beers inspired by Star Wars. Now that The Force Awakens is finally in theaters, see if you can get your hands on one of these brews for the ultimate pre-game before you head out to see it for the first (or 10th – no judgement!) time (www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/12/beers-inspired-by-star-wars.html).




In a recent issue of All About Beer Magazine, with a comic book-themed cover exclaiming “Beer Saves the Day!” two reporters—Jeff Cioletti and Mark Peters—drew out and explained the confluent geekiness of beer and comic books. Star Wars, while also sporting that connection, has even deeper links to beer in both its construction and its audience, ties that go beyond new star Daisy Ridley’s familiarity with the grapefruit and hoppy notes of beer from her job as a former pub hand.
Similar to how beer has reinvigorated, popularized and even updated traditional styles in the last few decades (see goses and gruits), Star Wars took old cinematic devices from the samurai movies of Akira Kurosawa, as well as classic Shakespearean tropes of father-son tales of redemption, ghosts demanding society’s salvation and confused protagonist twins, then brought them into a futuristic setting.
For further clarification, turn to the seemingly oxymoronic opening credits of every Star Wars movie. The space age setting exists “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away” because past influences are what brought the future and present trappings of intergalactic travel and reinvented beer to light.
Secondly, there’s audience. In 2014 the Brewers Association said that more and more millennials are drinking craft beer. Many of them, like me, were children or teens for Episodes I, II and III. In that same announcement, the association kept the description of the median craft beer drinker as being 39-54 years old (the 39 number came from 2001). Those folks would have been children or teens when the original Star Wars trilogy came out, the exact demographic that New Yorker writer Ian Crouch—despite my vehement disagreement—believes Star Wars most captivated and continues to carry (he believes Star Wars is only for kids and nostalgic adults).
...
Dan Carrico, a co-owner and operator of Thorn St. Brewing in San Diego, doesn’t consider himself a Star Wars fanatic, but the original trilogy were some of his favorite movies while growing up. His co-workers, for the most part, he says, are of the same age and interest in the movies.
Thorn St. has multiple Star Wars-themed beers, from the year-round Far Far Away IPA (named aptly for its Galaxy hops), to the seasonal Chewbacca Doppelbacca and the limited Menace Imperial IPA.
“Far Far Away is a very, very popular one; the hops that go into it are not ones that are super easy to get,” says Carrico. “The Menace, we run out of it in about a week; it’s one of our best beers.” (http://allaboutbeer.com/star-wars-beers/).


Two other breweries with Star Wars-themed beers that I talked to also had a deep love for the movies that a cease-and-desist letter and a lawsuit from Lucas Films couldn’t even throw off.
“Basically the letter suggested that our label resembled some character from the movies,” says Matt Westfall, head brewer of New England Brewing in Woodbridge, Connecticut, which makes the Imperial Stout Trooper Russian imperial stout.
To respond, the brewery put Groucho Marx glasses on the label.
“In addition to being nerds, we’re also smartasses. And we thought the best way to handle that situation was to be funny about it and disguise it with classic humor,” Westfall says. “We never heard another word.”
Empire Brewing Co. in Syracuse, New York, had a few more legal hoops to jump through than New England. After Lucas Films sued the company over its Empire Strikes Bock maibock, Empire had to change the beer’s name to Strikes Bock by Empire Brewing Co. in a legal agreement.
“I understand where they’re coming from. It’s a huge brand that they have, and there’s a reason there’s copyright laws and trademarks,” said Tim Butler, Empire’s brewmaster. “Everyone walked away happy.” (http://allaboutbeer.com/star-wars-beers/).



Regina pub brews up Star Wars beer
Darth Malt Imperial Stout on tap tonight at Brewster's locations
A short time ago in a brew pub not too far, far away, some Star Wars-themed beer was brewed up.
Starting tonight, Regina Brewster's pubs will be serving up some Darth Malt Imperial Stout.
It's just in time for the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens...
Brewsters has been working on the dark beer, named after devil-faced villain Darth Maul, for about a month and a half.
Head brewer Brant Ross says he has only ever mixed sci-fi and beer before "in his wildest dreams" (www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/regina-pub-brews-up-star-wars-beer-1.3369861).