Star Wars: The Force Awakens marked a new era for the space opera franchise, with a new set of characters taking over the lead. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the film remains the highest-grossing entry in the franchise. However, Abrams admitted that the film has elements he did not want to add in the first place.
During an interview, Abrams spoke about changing the script for the first installment of the sequel trilogy to set up the next installment. While Abrams did not specify the elements he disagreed with, loyal fans will agree that numerous plot points did not fit well with the overarching narrative, and here is why.
J.J. Abrams Was Forced to Add Unwanted Plot Points to Star Wars: The Force Awakens
J.J. Abrams directed 2015’s The Force Awakens, the first installment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The film starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Issac in the lead roles started a new chapter in the saga, with two further installments further fleshing out the story.
During an interview with /Film in 2015, Abrams spoke about steering the franchise in a new direction, with a new set of characters. At the same time, Abrams also spoke about having to set up the franchise’s second installment.
The director admitted that he had to do a balancing act since the sequel trilogy wasn’t entirely mapped out at that point.
Some were very easy to do, and some things were things that I didn’t want to do for other reasons, but I tried to be as accommodating as I could.
Abrams made the above statement about the changes he had to make to the script of The Force Awakens to plant the seeds for the Rian Johnson-directed Episode 8.
Abrams’ words implied that while he tried to accommodate as many things as he could to help the director stepping in for the sequel, he did not agree with all of them. As a result, it is easy to understand why the sequel trilogy remains the most uneven in terms of storytelling in the franchise.
Diehard Star Wars Fans Will Agree The Force Awakens Had Unwanted Elements
Although Abrams did not specify the exact plot points he disagreed with but still incorporated them in the final film, fans will agree that The Force Awakens had several unwanted elements.
One of the film’s most common criticism has been its lack of originality as its plot is reminiscent of the original 1977 film. The fall of the New Republic and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance lacked the stakes of the original and felt like a knock-off.
On the other hand, legacy characters such as Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker were mostly sidelined, with the latter only showing up in the final moments. The addition of Supreme Leader Snoke and his quick demise in the sequel has also been a widely talked-about plot point among the fanbase.
As a result, looking back at The Force Awakens, the film failed to truly separate itself from Episode 4’s shadow. At the same time, the follow-up installments became even more convoluted with the plots, proving that Abrams was likely right to disagree with some of the things he was forced to add to the movie.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is streaming on Disney+.
