All the wait is over . “ The Force Awakens ” has been released , and now many viewers are looking for answers about how it connect to the other film in the “ Star Wars ” saga . Many of the most important measure to the original three films — “ A New Hope ” “ The Empire Strikes Back ” and “ Return of the Jedi ” — seem obvious to most viewers . What ’s much more subtle is the incorporation of component from the prequels into the new film . Here are 10 of the dependable nods “ The Force Awakens ” throw to the prequel trilogy .
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1. The Clone Army
Perhaps the easy prequel consultation to pick out advert to “ Attack of the Clones . ” betimes in the film , Kylo Ren chides General Hux for the treasonous activeness of his state trooper , FN-2187 , and asks if a clone USA would n’t be better suited for their oeuvre . The clone army was commission in secret by the Sith and employed by the Jedi and the Republic until Darth Sidious called upon decree 66 . Kylo Ren ’s allusion to like for a clone United States Army is particularly touching when one considers that Ren worships his grandfather , Darth Vader , who fought alongside the ringer and used them to eliminate the Jedi .
2. The Voice of Young Obi-Wan
During Rey ’s Force vision at Maz Kanata ’s castle , the voice of former Jedi masters can be heard . Frank Oz ’s Yoda mouth of the Force , Alec Guinness himself call out Rey ’s name , but it ’s Ewan McGregor , the actor who played Obi - Wan Kenobi in Episodes I through III , who recorded new dialogue for the film . take heed carefully during this view and you ’ll listen Obi - Wan , in Ewan ’s voice , narrate Rey at the end of her vision , “ These are your first step . ”
3. The Prophecy of the Chosen One
Probably the first spoken reference to the prequels in “ The Force Awakens ” is when Max Von Sydow ’s character , Lor San Tekka , mentions the balance of the Force . This was a construct that was speak of at length in “ The Phantom Menace . ” Anakin Skywalker was the choose one , thought to be the person who would bring that symmetry to the Force . His slaying of the Jedi did n’t contribute the counterpoise the galaxy was looking for , and the remain Jedi felt as though they may have misread that prophecy in their lordliness . It ’s a concept that ’s been explore even further on the animated television show “ The Clone Wars . ”
4. Echoes of Anakin Skywalker
At least three of the graphic symbol in “ The Force Awakens ” are descendants of Anakin Skywalker , so it ’s no coincidence that there would be details that hearken back to the Jedi who magnificently , disastrously miss his room . Kylo Ren , playact by Adam Driver , has a uncivilised mane of a hairdo that blend the hair coloring and texture of his sire , Han Solo , and the “ Revenge of the Sith ” dash of his grandfather , Anakin Skywalker . Driver even brings an push to some of his line deliveries that meet Hayden Christensen ’s performance . Compare his yelling of “ Traitor ! ” to Anakin ’s “ Liar ! ” in “ Revenge of the Sith , ” and you could see that Kylo Ren is channeling his grandfather . By the end of the moving-picture show , he also make headway a facial scar eerily similar to Anakin ’s .
Luke Skywalker partake the shaggy-coated hairstyle of his beginner and nephew , but he also has another prequel cite about him . The heavy , automatonlike hand he had in the original trilogy has been replaced with a metallic one that looks fantastically similar to Anakin ’s prequel prosthetic .
5. Stolen at Birth
In “ The Phantom Menace , ” we ascertain that Jedi were taken at birthing to learn the way of the Force . In “ The Force Awakens , ” we find out that the First Order utilize the same method for build up up their Stormtrooper army , computer programing and training them from nativity . This latitude adds an extra dimension to the Jedi Order as well , forcing the audience to reassess the practice completely .
6. Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma might be one of the most visually striking villains in the “ Star Wars ” saga thanks to her dressed metal armor . But according to the official ocular dictionary of “ The Force Awakens , ” it , too , is a prequel reference . Her armor was crafted from the Isaac Hull of a Naboo spaceship once owned by Emperor Palpatine . Remember the silver ship Padme and Anakin used to criss - crossed the galaxy ? Now every time you appear at Captain Phasma , you ’ll be reminded of that more refined time in space travel .
7. Unkar Plutt
Simon Pegg plays Unkar Plutt , the junk - dealing jerked meat who buy slice of scrap from scavenger like Rey for a pittance of solid food . The stereotype of his greedy desert debris dealer on a desert planet straight off evoke images of Watto , the Toydarian gambler who possess Shmi and Anakin Skywalker in “ The Phantom Menace . ” Rey ’s Force vision even implies that Rey came into Plutt ’s custody when she was only a year or two older than Anakin was when he became Watto ’s striver . ( you may see what seems to be Plutt ’s meaty , stubby - fingered script grasping the child ’s limb as she scream out to the spaceship leaving the planet . )
“ Star Wars ” picture have always rhymed , and now Pegg shares a stanza with “ The Phantom Menace . ”
8. Rey
This brings us to the heroine of the latest pic : Rey . Her account mirrors that of both Anakin and Luke Skywalker , though we have no well-defined knowledge of whether she ’s a Skywalker just yet . Rey is leave on Jakku , a desert planet very much like Tatooine , has the uttermost technological abilities Anakin had in “ The Phantom Menace , ” and is a talented pilot like both Anakin and Luke . Who but a user of the Force could pilot a podracer , an XTC - wing , or the Millennium Falcon as aptly as Anakin , Luke and Rey ? As we mentioned before , she ’s also at the mercy of Unkar Plutt , a Watto - similar character , for her very livelihood . Rey ’s entire living at the beginning of the film is one elaborate reference to the fosterage of two of the most powerful Jedi ever , lead us to go for Rey stick with those footsteps as well .
9. The Senate
Although mentioned briefly in “ A New Hope , ” the prequel moving-picture show pass on us a tone at the inner workings of the Galactic Senate and showed us the transition from Republic to Empire . The commonwealth faded , apparently forever , in “ Revenge of the Sith . ”
With the wipeout of the Empire , the New Republic form and is the rein political science in the era of “ The Force Awakens . ” Before the Hosnian System , where the politics is seated , is destroy , we enchant a glimpse of the chancellor of the New Republic , a position we ’ve not seen in a “ Star Wars ” motion picture since Palpatine declare himself Emperor in “ Revenge of the Sith . ” But as Starkiller Base seal off their fate , you could also blob another prequel - cite character on the same balcony as the chancellor : a senator from the planet of Naboo , which was feature in all three of the prequel cinema . Both Palpatine and Padme Amidala ( who was Luke and Leia ’s mother , you ’ll recall ) held the position of Naboo senator for a issue of years before the dissolution of the Republic .
10. Execute Order 66
The most visceral reference to the prequels in “ The Force Awakens ” come at one of the most impactful minute in the film . Prior to the events of the film , Kylo Ren turned against the Jedi , and all of Luke Skywalker ’s apprentices were kill . During Rey ’s Force vision , we glimpse the grizzly destruction and , although it does n’t take place in a Jedi Temple , the eubstance scattered around , killed by lightsabers , certainly evoke one of the most disgraceful episode in the prequel trilogy , the execution of edict 66 , which give the clones the Good Book to pass over out all the Jedi in the galaxy . With a worshiper of Darth Vader in tutelage , emulation of his most grizzly act is a foregone conclusion , and this reference to the close of the new Jedi only enhance the repeat cycles of the films .
There are many more reference to the prequels in the films , from podracer flags and background element to thematic similarity and history structure , but this list sums up the salutary of the best .
