'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Theories Rundown Ahead Of Film's Official Premiere

With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” just days away from finally hitting theaters, it’s hard to find anything to complain about this week if you consider yourself a “Star Wars” fan. However, the one negative side to the release of J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens” is the fact that all of people’s theories about the movie are about to be proven either correct or false.

Although Abrams has done his very best to keep the key details of “The Force Awakens” under wraps, thanks to a cavalcade of promotional material and some possibly credible leaks from the set of the film, fans have been able to connect some dots and develop some pretty interesting theories about what’s in store for the “Star Wars” universe in “Episode 7.” In celebration of the final hours before theory becomes either fact or fiction, below is a rundown of some of the best “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” theories:

Who Is Rey?

This rumor picked up steam when Mirror UK reported that actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the upcoming film, was teasing details about her origin story that indicated she is the daughter of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia (Carrie Fisher). Those rumors were backed up by the recently released international teaser trailer for the film in which the character confirms that her family's backstory will be a main plot point in the film. However, it’s still unclear if rumors about her being the estranged daughter of the two original trilogy heroes is what’s in store for audiences when “The Force Awakens” hits theaters.

Where Is Luke Skywalker?

Mark Hamill is reprising his role as Skywalker after all these years, but Abrams has made a bit of a show out of keeping him completely out of any and all promotional material for the upcoming movie. While there’s obviously some kind of surprise in store for the big reveal of Skywalker after all these years, the people at MakingStarWars believe they’ve uncovered the secret. According to their theory, Luke has placed himself in exile when the movie begins after his powers grew beyond his own control. Tortured by his loneliness and personal demons, the hero is a weathered and delusional old man when he’s reintroduced in “The Force Awakens.”

If the rumor turns out to be true, many fans have speculated that this will mean the hero could very well be a villain in the new movie. Then again, the other prevailing theory about Luke’s lack of inclusion in “The Force Awakens” thus far has to do with his role being limited. While Han Solo and Leia will obviously have big roles in the film, based on their inclusion in the trailers, it’s possible that Luke’s role is tiny. Perhaps the real crux of Skywalker’s story will come up in “Episode 8,” which Hamill previously teased he’s a part of.

The Death Of Solo

Many may not know that actor Harrison Ford previously lobbied for his iconic character to be killed off in the early moments of “Return of the Jedi” in 1983. However, series creator George Lucas didn’t want the film’s eventually happy ending to be marred by the loss of a friend, so he nixed the idea. However, many believe that Abrams won’t be so apprehensive in “The Force Awakens.” According to some leaks from the set of the movie, many believe that Solo will face a moment in the upcoming film in which he has to possibly sacrifice himself to the villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in the same way that Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) did in “A New Hope” in order to usher in the next generation of stars. While these reports are completely unconfirmed, it would make sense given the actor’s age, his previous desire to leave the franchise and the fact that the new trilogy cannot rely on the old guard forever.

What are your thoughts on these “Star Wars” theories? Comment below or tweet your thoughts to @TylerMcCarthy.