REACTION PAPER ON “STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS”

Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century

Joice Marjonelle Q. dela Cruz Grade 12 – HUMSS January 18, 2018

Star Wars: The Force Awakens began its setting on the planet Jakku with Poe
Dameron, a Resistance pilot, conversing with Lor San Tekka as he gave a map to the pilot
that leads to the lost Luke Skywalker. Kylo Ren and his stormtroopers suddenly fired the
village of Jakku. Poe entrusted the map to BB-8 and told the droid to escape. Poe was
captured by the troops and Tekka, on the other hand, was killed by Kylo Ren.
A female scavenger named Rey met BB-8 nearby the planet’s junkyard. Kylo Ren
found out about the map through Poe. Stormtrooper FN-2187 or Finn escaped with Poe,
however they crashed on Jakku. Finn survived meanwhile Poe was believed to be dead from
the crash. Finn found Rey and BB-8 and were conversing until the First Order tracked them
and so aimed to attack the three. They used the aged Millennium Falcon and successfully
escaped from the First Order.
Han Solo and Chewie found the Millennium Falcon; there they met Finn, Rey, and
BB-8. They found out that the map with BB-8 is incomplete and went to Takodana to meet
with Maz Kanata. Maz helped the team to get the droid back to the Resistance. A robot
informed the Resistance about the droid, while a random human reported to the First Order
that she found BB-8. Rey found a lightsaber as she witnessed disturbing flashbacks and
images and ran away into the woods. Maz then handed the lightsaber to Finn.
Takodana was later attacked by the First Order as they searched for BB-8. The
Resistance rescued Han Solo, Chewie, and Finn. Poe and Finn met once again as the former
explained how he survived the crash. Rey, on the other hand, was taken by Kylo Ren to
Starkiller Base. Kylo Ren used his Force on the scavenger to acquire answers about BB-8 and
the map. However, he failed for Rey used her Force and escaped the base by tricking a
random stormtrooper who was watching over her.
Starkiller Base prepared to set an attack on D'Qar, a planet wherein the base of the
Resistance can be found. The Resistance planned on how to destroy the First Order. Han
Solo, Chewie, and Finn went to search for Rey and planted explosives on the Starkiller Base.
Han Solo met his son Kylo Ren and persuaded him to leave the Dark Side. Unfortunately, his
son rejected and killed him with his lightsaber. Chewie shot Kylo Ren out of anger and
enabled the explosives they implanted earlier.
The Resistance attacked the base while Kylo Ren chased Finn and Rey. Finn was
wounded, but Rey took the lightsaber and used her Force to fight Kylo Ren. Rey successfully
defeated him and she, Chewie, and Finn escaped and headed back to D’Qar. The Starkiller
Base was then abolished. On the Resistance Base, R2-D2 and BB-8 revealed the map to Luke
Skywalker’s location. Rey searched for him on the planet Ahch-To and handed the lightsaber
that she found on Takodana to Luke.
What I find misogynistic about the film was how the characters reacted each time they
find out that BB-8 is with a girl. Their reactions were like “What? A girl? You’ve got to be
kidding me”—according to how I have observed it. Also, the scene when Snoke found out
that Kylo Ren was resisted by a female scavenger seemed misogynistic to me. It is like it was
expected for a male to be much stronger than a female.
 I have read online critics about the film and many viewers and fans reacted to Rey
being a strong Force-sensitive female. Haters were triggered since a woman made a huge
impact in the movie. Nevertheless, this episode of Star Wars is still the bomb because it
showed that even a mysterious woman can be truly powerful than the rest. I love the part
when Rey defeated Kylo Ren on their duel and Leia Organa being the founding general of the
Resistance. My favorite line told by Rey to Finn was: “I know how to run without you
holding my hand!” Rey showed so much feminist acts in the film and I loved them all. She
constantly saved Finn, though the latter is capable, too. Rey was just a scavenger, yet she was
able to handle and save herself. Queen.
The production team of Star Wars are opening the eyes of the viewers to the reality
that a woman is capable of taking over a position like Leia’s—that women are not just child-
bearers, that women can be strong as males. It was my first time watching Star Wars and it is
good that it now promotes women empowerment.