The new trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi is here, and it is dark. We have been expecting another intense installment for the centerpiece of this trilogy, a la The Empire Strikes Back, but who knew the advertising would tease so much potential loss and tragedy for the Resistance? Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is concerned. General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) seems afraid. Rey (Daisy Ridley) looks torn.
Here are some of the highlights of the trailer, our favorite character moments and action set pieces and of course that bit with the Porg:
Right away, as Supreme Leader Snoke’s voiceover begins, we get a better look at the new AT-AT Walkers moving across a flat desert. They’re a bit different than the AT-ATs we’ve seen before — it’s like they’re dragging their knuckles. Later in the trailer, they return with more action, joined by TIE Fighters as First Order ships and the Resistance ships alike are taken down amidst bright red smoke. It’s one of many moments that spells doom for the good guys.
Just when we think Snoke is talking about Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and we’ll be seeing him wield his lightsaber, the trailer cuts to Rey (Daisy Ridley) as she unleashes her own. She’s still a natural with the Force and her futher scenes of solo lightsaber action are awesome. But as she trains with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), he realizes that she’s more powerful than he’d hope to see in another Jedi. Is he scared of her becoming like Kylo Ren?
One of the many big questions we have at the end of this trailer: does Kylo Ren kill his mother, too? The evil disciple of Snoke murdered his father, Han Solo, in The Force Awakens, and now it looks like he is going to destroy a Resistence ship with his mother, General Leia Organa, aboard. It’s a chilling moment, and especially heartbreaking because of Carrie Fisher’s passing after she filmed her role. Also there’s so much emotion on Fisher’s and Adam Driver’s faces here.
There are some slightly warm and fuzzy bits to be found in this trailer. One of them is the shot of Chewbacca and his new Porg friend in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. They’re adorable, of course, but they’re also screaming about something. Are they in danger? Did they just see something terrible happen? Chewie is obviously already in a place of sadness in this movie because his BFF Han Solo is gone, but the Porg seems to fill some void in his life.
Don’t call it a rematch, because they haven’t fought like this before, but the trailer shows us an intense combat sequence between Finn (John Boyega) and his old boss Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) from when he was a Stormtrooper. This is going to be a great moment for the fans for many reasons, one of them being that Phasma/Christie didn’t get to shine as a villainous badass in The Force Awakens. Finn can at least win this one for the good guys, though, right?
We’re worried about Leia and fearful about her being killed by her son, but we don’t actually see that happening, so we can have some hope that it’s not true. But we do explicitly see Rey tortured by Snoke, and we feel her pain. Surely she doesn’t get killed, because they wouldn’t dare, but it reminds us of the Emperor torturing Luke in Return of the Jedi, and it’s just hard to watch. Will someone else save her? Will it be Kylo Ren? Will she be able to save herself from such agony?
Of all the big questions we have after watching this trailer, this is the biggest: does Rey join Kylo Ren and go to the Dark Side? The whole trailer, we’re teased about how her power is like his, we’re shown her in a scene with Snoke, and we’re finally shown her about to take his hand as she says, “I need someone to show me my place in all this.” Did Luke let her down and abandon her in that time of need? We need someone to tell us everything is going to be ok. Until we find out the answer, we’re going to be very anxious.
Watch the full trailer below. Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15. Tickets are now on sale at Fandango.
