Thursday was a big day for “Star Wars” fans as the franchise's annual celebration event kicked off in Anaheim, California. To get the weekend started, director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy gave all the information fans could want about the next installment, “The Force Awakens,” as well as sharing a new teaser trailer.

Previously, the only available footage from the upcoming film was an 88-second teaser that dropped in November. Likewise, the new footage is only a teaser trailer, so there isn’t much in the way of plot. But there will be plenty of new footage to whet our appetites in the months leading up to the film's release on Dec. 18.

Meanwhile, to help make sure true “Star Wars” fans didn’t miss a moment, below is a rundown of some of the most important new footage from “Star Wars: the Force Awakens.”

Destroyed Destroyer

The teaser opens on a vast desert landscape, likely Jakku if the spoilers that the director dropped are any indication. It sets the stage quite nicely as it reveals a completely grounded and broken Star Destroyer off in the distance. There’s no clue as to what brought down the mighty spaceship, but it’s certainly potent imagery given that many fans will remember the iconic opening shot of the very first movie.

Darth Vader’s Helmet

Speaking of the original trilogy, it looks like someone kept a souvenir from the destruction of the Death Star in “Return of the Jedi.” It’s unclear from the trailer who held on to the keepsake, but given the timing of the trailer’s line about “my father,” odds are good Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is the one holding on to memories of the past. In any case, it seems clear that fans shouldn’t expect a return of Anakin Skywalker.

A New Bad Guy

It’s was revealed quite some time ago that the character wielding a broadsword lightsaber in the 88-second teaser is the new villain of “The Force Awakens.” Entertainment Weekly revealed his name, Kylo Ren. What wasn’t revealed, until now, is what exactly this character looks like from the front. Now, thanks to the new teaser, we get a full look at his facemask -- and a bonus glimpse of him in action.

A New Character With An Old Face

Odds are good that the Venn Diagram of “Star Wars” fans and “Game of Thrones” fans has a pretty dense cross-section. As a result, many were thrilled to learn that Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) would play a character named Captain Phasm. It’s worth mentioning that her role in the film isn’t exactly confirmed, but the character above certainly looks an awful lot like how she was described in the alleged leaks. Actually, it would almost be more fun if this weren’t her, because we’d get to see her plus this awesome-looking storm trooper variant.

They’re Home

Last but not least, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) made their triumphant return to the franchise. While their ship, the Millennium Falcon, had appeared in previous teasers, this was the first time that everyone’s favorite smuggling duo, or any of the principal cast from the original trilogy, has appeared on screen in Episode VII. Solo mentions that the two of them are home, but… where is home?

Check out the action-packed trailer below and tweet your thoughts to @TylerMcCarthy.

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