Movies - TV
How George Lucas’ Earliest Star Wars Drafts Set Up The Force Awakens
By BRYAN YOUNG
While some fans criticized “The Force Awakens” for deviating from George Lucas’s vision, it draws heavily from his earliest drafts of the continuation of the Skywalker Saga.
Many key elements, including Luke’s turn from the Force and the character of Rey, originated from Lucas’ early concepts for “Star Wars: A New Hope.”
Mirroring the format of “The Phantom Menace” and “A New Hope,” the film has a desert planet setting, a force-sensitive whizkid, and a wise mentor's death by a red lightsaber.
The film draws inspiration from older drafts of “A New Hope,” with parallels between Darth Vader sensing an awakening in the Force and Supreme Leader Snoke's similar words.
The movie also incorporates Ralph McQuarrie’s creative designs, the notion of midi-chlorians, and a nod to Luke Skywalker’s original name through the building of Starkiller Base.
Lucas describes Lucasfilm’s inspired parallel storytelling best in the original prequel’s “making of” documentary titled “The Beginning,” stating that “It's poetry, it rhymes.”