On December 15, the eighth chapter of the Star Wars saga – The Last Jedi – hits theaters nationwide, bringing an end to our two-year wait to see what’s next for Rey, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, and more. For some fans, that means marathoning through Episodes I-VII and Rogue One so everything’s fresh in their minds when they arrive at the theater on opening night. However, not all of us have 20-ish hours to spare, which means there are those of us who need to pick and choose what we watch in preparation for the upcoming film.
If you fall into the latter category, then here are 7 scenes from The Force Awakens you should re-watch before seeing The Last Jedi:
The Introduction Of Snoke
While we didn’t get much of Supreme Leader Snoke in The Force Awakens, it certainly seems as though he’ll be more of threat in The Last Jedi (at the very least, we know he won’t be a hologram and that he’ll confront Rey). When we first meet Snoke in TFA, though, we get some pretty decent insight into his relationship with Kylo Ren. After General Hux exits, Snoke reveals to Kylo Ren that the missing piece of the map to Luke Skywalker is aboard the Millennium Falcon, which gives us a pretty solid idea of his powerful Force abilities, but he also expresses concern for Kylo’s ability to not be seduced by the light due to his father’s presence. The trailers appear to tease some sort of tension between Kylo and Snoke, so revisiting the start of their on-screen relationship is a great way to prepare for their possible butting of heads in The Last Jedi.
Han Recounting Kylo Ren’s Descent
From what we’ve seen in the trailers, it appears we’re poised to witness a more detailed account of Kylo Ren betraying Luke Skywalker – or at least the immediate aftermath of his betrayal – when The Last Jedi arrives. That being said, it’s probably worthwhile to revisit the scene from The Force Awakens in which Han Solo tells Rey and Finn the tale of Kylo turning on his master. It’s here that we learn how Kylo turned to the dark side and destroyed everything Luke had built in his attempt to restore the Jedi Order. What’s more, it’s also where we learn that Luke’s self-imposed exile was allegedly to seek out the first Jedi Temple, which promises to be a major plot point in The Last Jedi.
Kylo Ren Seeking Guidance From Darth Vader
It’s no secret that despite how he carries himself, Kylo Ren has something of an identity crisis. His characterization flips the script on what we’ve come to expect from Star Wars films because rather than feeling the pull of the dark side, Kylo is fighting the pull of the light. His monologue in the first full trailer is a perfect example of this, but aside from Kylo’s aforementioned meeting with Snoke, the best example of his confliction in The Force Awakens is his “discussion” with the charred helmet of his grandfather, Darth Vader. “Forgive me. I feel it again... the pull to the light,” Kylo says. “Supreme Leader senses it. Show me again, the power of the darkness, and I will let nothing stand in our way. Show me, Grandfather, and I will finish what you started.” This is very much in line with what we hear from Kylo in the trailer, making it an excellent pit stop to visit on the road to The Last Jedi.
Rey’s Visions
We knew early on in The Force Awakens that Rey was special, but it isn’t until she retrieves the lightsaber that once belonged to both Luke and Anakin Skywalker from Maz’s Wroshyr wood chest that we realize just how special she truly is. Upon touching the Jedi weapon, Rey is flooded with a series of visions, from Cloud City to Luke reaching for R2-D2 while his Jedi Temple burns. The hallucinations continue with Rey finding herself surrounded by the victims of the Knights of Ren, as well as a memory of when she was abandoned on Jakku. The visions then culminate with a foreshadowing of Rey’s climactic battle with Kylo Ren in the snowy forest of the Starkiller base, as we faintly hear the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi as he says, “Rey… these are your first steps.” We already know we’ll see Rey training with Luke on Ahch-To, so returning to her “first steps” makes perfect sense.
Kylo Ren Interrogating Rey
Rey’s Force abilities manifested themselves fast and furiously in The Force Awakens, but arguably her most impressive feat is when she’s able to not only stop Kylo Ren from probing her mind but to turn the tables on him. After being captured by Kylo on Takodana, Kylo attempts to use the Force to find out the location of Luke Skywalker since Rey has seen the map possessed by BB8. However, after mentioning an island surrounded by water (presumably Ahch-To), Rey is able to push Kylo out of her head while simultaneously jumping into his, revealing she can sense his fear that he’ll never be as powerful as Darth Vader. The dynamic between Kylo and Rey will certainly be a major aspect of The Last Jedi, so why not prepare for the film by returning to where it all began?
The Rey/Kylo Ren Duel
This one falls in the same vein as the previous entry. While the battle between Kylo Ren and Finn is entertaining in its own right, the real chills begin when Kylo attempts to summon Luke’s lightsaber, only for it to zoom straight past him and into the outstretched arm of Rey. From there, we get a taste of Rey’s impressive lightsaber prowess, but it’s Kylo’s remark that she needs a teacher that makes this scene a must-watch heading into The Last Jedi. After all, the first trailer hints at something of an uneasy alliance between Kylo and Rey, and while it could certainly be a case of clever editing, it’s always possible that it’s actually payoff from a moment that was first alluded to in The Force Awakens.
Rey Finding Luke
Thus far, each sequel in the Star Wars saga has taken place months, if not years after its predecessor. However, that’s all going to change in The Last Jedi because it appears as though the film is going to pick up exactly where The Force Awakens left off – with Rey offering Luke his old lightsaber on Ahch-To. With that being said, re-watching the final scene of TFA would make for a perfectly smooth transition into TLJ, so it’s absolutely worthwhile to revisit this moment before you head to the theater on December 15.