Could This Be the Entire Plot of Star Wars Episode 8?
Earlier today, our Bothan spies alerted us to a trending topic on the Holonet…. someone has supposedly obtained the script and leaked the entire plot of Star Wars Episode VIII.
This alleged leak not only has the title of Episode VIII, it also features massive plot twists bigger than a Star Destroyer.
If you really want to spoil yourself, read on.
WARNING: Once you cross this line, it will be like the dark side. There will be no going back.
The camera pans down on a green-brown planet, pockmarked and mottled with toxic pollution. It is eclipsed by a looming shadow, either a massive ship or an orbiting base of some kind. A lone shuttle is seen making its way to this immense construct.
The camera then turns out the window. Outside, we see a massive battle fleet assembling. Scores of Star Destroyers and other capital ships are converging from all points of First Order territory to strike the final blow against the weakened Republic.
We pick up on the last scene in The Force Awakens. Luke takes the lightsaber, then hands it back to Rey. It is a symbolic passing of the torch, where Rey becomes the latest force wielder and Luke is the Jedi Master.
In a flashback, Luke reveals that Snoke was able to seduce Kylo Ren and some of the other students to the dark side. Snoke then ordered them to massacre the entire Jedi academy. Only Luke and a few others survived, including a young Rey who was subsequently dumped on Jakku to hide her from the growing First Order.
Rey is angry at Luke, not just for abandoning her but because she guesses that he is her father. Luke turns to her and says, "No, you are my father".
It turns out that Rey is the reincarnation of Anakin Skywalker, or more specifically "the Chosen One". Luke found that the spirit of the chosen one is reincarnated by the Force every time the universe is thrown out of balance, which apparently happens on a regular basis.
Luke learned all these after isolating himself from the galaxy. He searched for the first Jedi temple to understand how it works, and in the process discovered the cyclic history of the Jedi throughout the millenia. The first Jedi temple itself has the same layout as the one on Coruscant, based on these leaked photos of the set being constructed.
There's another reason for Luke walking away from the galaxy: seeing the brutal death of his students nearly made him succumb to the dark side, which may have been one of Snoke's aims. After all, if you want to get rid of the galaxy's last Jedi, there are other ways to achieve it besides killing them.
The reported "space casino" scene is actually a flashback from when Luke was running from the First Order and searching for hints of the Jedi homeworld.
Rey was the product of a virgin birth — Luke says "you are a child of the Force". This explains how she was able to mind-control the stormtrooper, wield a lightsaber and almost kill Kylo Ren without Jedi training.
Luke faces an internal struggle whether to train Rey or not. Based on what he learned of the Jedi's history, the chosen one always struggles between the light and dark side of the Force. He is afraid that Rey could become another Darth Vader and do more damage to the galaxy than Kylo or even Snoke could ever hope to accomplish.
The ghosts of Yoda, Obi-wan and Anakin appear (hence why Hayden and Frank Oz were spotted filming). This makes Luke change his mind and decide to train Rey.
Onboard a cruiser, Finn and Poe receive their new orders: Accompany General Leia Organa to the Republic's new seat of government and bolster their plea for war against the First Order. We are then introduced to Laura Dern's character, a Resistance officer who is distrustful of Finn. Poe staunchly defends his friend, and we see the friction between Poe the intrepid pilot and Laura the straight-rule officer.
The Republic's temporary government has relocated to an old city (which is why the crew filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia). The elegant but sinister city echoes Bespin's Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back.
The Republic is in turmoil, and Lord Vikram (played by Benicio Del Toro) is the interim leader. It is implied that he isn't the best choice as leader, and only got promoted because he happened to be offworld during the capital's destruction. There is a memorial service of sorts for all of the victims (which includes much of the Republic leadership) who were killed in the Hosnian system.
Leia pushes for war while Vikram argues they need more time. The Hosnian system's annihilation disrupted galactic communications, and they aren't able to contact the majority of the Republic. Ships have already been dispatched to the rest of the galaxy, and they anxiously await the response of the member worlds.
Vikram wants to wait for communications to be restored and for an army to be assembled, which will take time. Leia disagrees and wants to take the war to the First Order now while they are still reeling from the destruction of Starkiller Base. Both argue their case before the Senate, or what remains of it.
Vikram effectively shuts Leia down by telling her she's letting her personal emotions over Han's death rule her need for revenge. The Senate is swayed by his argument.
After the stormy scene, Finn and Poe are tasked by Leia to poke around the city. One of Leia's contacts says the First Order have spies embedded in the upper reaches of the Republic, and Leia strongly suspects it to be Vikram.
Leia's contact turns out to be Chala (played by Kelly Marie Tran). She tags along with the Finn/Poe bro-ship, and Finn quickly warms on to her.
One of the subplots has Finn and Chala having a flirty adventure in the underbelly of the urban planet. This develops the relationship between the two, and it's probably where the that alien horse in the Dubrovnik filming fits in.
Afterwards, Poe, Finn and Chala corner an aide of Vikram, who has evidence of contact between Vikram and the First Order.
Leia and the Resistance confront Vikram. Vikram denies everything, and Leia orders him jailed for treason. The Republic leadership is stunned — Leia has effectively carried out a coup. She orders the system to prepare for war.
Poe suits up for battle, while Finn is put in charge of planetary defense due to his knowledge of First Order offensive doctrine. He is also entrusted with the shield codes.
Before the impending battle, Finn and Chala have a tender moment alone. Finn wonders why Vikram didn't just lower the shields for the First Order, since he was the Republic's temporary leader. They walk into a room and suddenly we see Captain Phasma! Chala then pulls a gun on Finn, subdues him and takes the shield codes.
It was Chala who was the First Order spy all along. She planted the evidence incriminating Vikram, and used Finn to get the codes. To add insult to injury, Chala tells him what she really think of Finn: that's he's a sickening traitor. And if that wasn't bad enough, Captain Phasma steps in to ruin Finn's day even more. She returns Finn's favor from TFA and makes him lower the shields.
The shield is deactivated just as a massive First Order fleet jumps out of hyperspace. Laura takes the opportunity to swipe at Finn's distrustful character, while Poe says Finn wouldn't have done it unless he was under duress. Their exchange is cut short as the orbital bombardment begins. Poe runs with the other pilots to their ships.
The entire planet is thrown into chaos — it is a full-scale invasion. The Republic only has a token fleet to defend the planet, since most of the armada was wiped out on Hosnian Prime. Meanwhile, the First Order brought along its entire weight. While the capital ships slug it out, a motley assortment of starfighters led by Poe defend the planet and the ensuing evacuation. This is where the X-wing and the modified A-wing from Pinewood studios come in.
In a montage of brutal battles in space, over the city and on the ground, the Republic defenders struggle against the full might of the First Order. Kylo Ren lands on the city and goes to Vikram's holding cell. Kylo asks him for Leia's location, and Vikram replies saying that while he hates Leia, he respects her and cannot believe she sired a monster like Kylo Ren. Kylo decapitates him in response.
While all hell breaks loose, Finn tries to escape from Captain Phasma and Chala. In the ensuing chase scene, Phasma taunts Finn, calling FN-2187 a traitor to the First Order and a disgrace to the Resistance. He replies "My name is FINN!" and lunges at Phasma. However, he is no match for her. Phasma knocks him out just as First Order troopers arrive, and Finn is taken into custody.
What is left of the Republic and the Resistance crumble under the assault and flee the planet. Leia is able to escape, however she ends up gravely wounded. Command of the Resistance then falls to Laura Dern. The remainder of the fleet, a ragtag group of battle-worn cruisers, scorched corvettes and snubfighters, retreat from the battle and jump to hyperspace.
In the aftermath, Laura tells the assembled fighters that they are effectively the last of the Resistance. She then butts heads with Poe on their course of action, which leads to a tense standoff. Laura wants to hunker down and consolidate forces for the long term. Poe wishes to rescue Finn and take the fight to the First Order, as Leia had intended.
Having failed to capture Leia and draw Luke out of hiding, Snoke falls on a backup plan. Finn is taken before Kylo Ren, who starts to torture him knowing that it will be felt by Rey.
Across the galaxy, Rey feels Finn's distress. Just like ESB, she says she needs to go and rescue her friend. Luke had also felt Leia's peril through the Force. He tells Rey she isn't ready yet, and how he abandoned his training with Yoda and rushed into a trap to save his own friends.
Luke then says he isn't Yoda, and he has his own way of doing things. Instead of remaining behind, he goes along with Rey to help.
Holy nerf herder! We're still reeling from the (possible) revelation that Rey is Anakin reincarnate! And even if all these isn't true, that (possible) ending is enough to make us excited for Episode IX!
What do you think of this (supposed) leak? Does it really "echo with the Force", or is it as hollow as a Gamorrean's brain? I guess we won't find out until December 2017!
If you can't wait until then for more Star Wars action, then read this short story why FN-2187, Finn, has a conscience.