Post Your Theories On Why We Haven't Seen Luke In SWTFA Trailers

[The Wormhole]

No, it's more than just STAR+WARS. This is different from "The Phantom Menace" and movies of its ilk.

Not really, at least not from the perspective of average Joe Public, who might not even be aware of the fact Luke isn't in the trailers yet. Besides, that trailer released back in the spring that ended with Han and Chewbacca with Han saying "Chewie, we're home." has drummed up the most interest in the movie so far, and if anything that scene alone will plant butts in seats. Hell, even co-workers of mine who aren't really SW fans are still going on about that scene alone. There are internet memes using a screencap and declaring "that moment when nothing else in life mattered."

 

[JD]

I think the main reason we haven't seen Luke is just because his reveal is going to be the big moment the whole movie builds to up to that point.
As for the in universe reason, I think that some of the rumors that went around for a while about the Force somehow going dormant are true, and once he realized that there weren't any more Force users coming into their powers Luke went off by himself to try to figure out what is going on.
The would explain why the title is The Force Awakens, because the movie starts as people suddenly start being able to use the Force again, and why Snoke's voice over in the first trailer was about there being an Awakening. At first I wasn't really thrilled with the theory, but it has seemed more and more likely to me as we've learned more about the movie.

 

[sojourner]

I think the whole "force being dormant" line of thought is just taking the movie title too literally.

 

[davejames]

Yeah I think the title is basically just referencing how both Rey and Finn come to realize they have force powers.

Or maybe just Rey. I'm starting to get the impression Finn starts out thinking he's the new Jedi savior and heir apparent to Luke, only for it to be revealed at the end that it's actually Rey...

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Yeah I think the title is basically just referencing how both Rey and Finn come to realize they have force powers.

Based on the ending of Shattered Empire, I might also include Poe Dameron in that.

I was thinking about this this morning -- what if "the Force awakens" means that Force powers start sprouting everywhere? Maybe the Force senses that there aren't "enough" Force users in the GFFA, and suddenly Force users start to "awaken," like Mutants in the X-Men suddenly manifesting their powers, to restore balance to the Force.

 

[sojourner]

^Again, taking the title too literally.

I doubt even Finn will think he's force sensitive. I think he's just a disillusioned former stormtrooper searching for a new path. Too many jedi ruin the story.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I think the whole "force being dormant" line of thought is just taking the movie title too literally.

It's not just the title. In the first teaser trailer, Kylo Ren's boss, Supreme Leader Snoke said (in the narration): "There's been an awakening. Have you felt it? The dark side... and the light."

So unless they've dropped that dialogue completely from the film (which does happen sometimes with scenes and dialogue from early teasers and trailers), it implies that the Force is somehow growing in power by the time of the film. Whether it's through the creation of new Force users or just a general increase in the mystical energy field that surrounds us and binds us (or both) remains to be seen.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

^Again, taking the title too literally.

On the one hand, the Star Wars film series has a tradition of meaningless titles; I've never heard a good explanation of what "The Phantom Menace" was meant to signify. On the other hand, an "awakening" of Force users would develop and continue the themes of the prequels; what if "bringing balance to the Force" didn't mean what Darths Sidious and Vader thought? The gripping hand is that right now we don't know, so it's all harmless speculation.

I doubt even Finn will think he's force sensitive. I think he's just a disillusioned former stormtrooper searching for a new path. Too many jedi ruin the story.

It's all in how they're used. Clone Wars worked, and it's chock full of Jedi.

 

[sojourner]

I think the whole "force being dormant" line of thought is just taking the movie title too literally.

It's not just the title. In the first teaser trailer, Kylo Ren's boss, Supreme Leader Snoke said (in the narration): "There's been an awakening. Have you felt it? The dark side... and the light."

But even that can be less literal than most are taking it. It might just be akin to saying "the planets are aligning in our favor". I don't think it translates to a sudden outburst of new force users being created.

<mental images of Oprah, "You get to be a jedi and you get to be a jedi! and you do! You all get to be jedi!!!">

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I've never heard a good explanation of what "The Phantom Menace" was meant to signify.

The Sith who was eventually revealed to be Darth Sidious/Palpatine, but whose identity was shrouded from the Jedi.

Yoda and Mace Windu talk about whether they killed the Master or the Apprentice Sith at Qui-Gon's funeral and then the camera ominously pans over to Palpatine's smirking face.

 

[Richard Baker]

I remember the 'Phantom Menace' being described as the Trade Federation blockade/invasion of Naboo.
It was not a real menace, but a subterfuge intended to set wheels in motion for the eventual Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire.

 

[Campe]

I think all the titles are just fine. They're cheesy as all get out but they fit their movies. Maybe I'm looking too much into The Force Awakens, but are we sure it's the Force with a capital "F"? Or just a force, perhaps the First Order? Or the Resistance?

Yes, it's probably THE Force, I know. But I'm just throwing out a theory.

 

[Kor]

I vaguely remember the words "phantom menace" actually being spoken in dialog in one of the tie-in comics around the time the movie was released, perhaps the one that tells the story from Obi-Wan's perspective. I think Yoda used the expression... something like "investigate this phantom menace, you must."

Kor

 

[Timby]

=
It is kind of surprising that Disney is allowing something like to stay a secret. Having Luke Skywalker in the trailers must have made someone salivate uncontrollably while jizzing their pants, yet they're missing out just so Abrams could have his mystery box? Besides, the guy should know better after the STID fiasco.

After the most recent Batman v. Superman trailer basically gave away the entire movie, I'd think people would be grateful for Abrams' desire to keep secrets.

 

[The Wormhole]

=
It is kind of surprising that Disney is allowing something like to stay a secret. Having Luke Skywalker in the trailers must have made someone salivate uncontrollably while jizzing their pants, yet they're missing out just so Abrams could have his mystery box? Besides, the guy should know better after the STID fiasco.

After the most recent Batman v. Superman trailer basically gave away the entire movie, I'd think people would be grateful for Abrams' desire to keep secrets.

I was never big on secrets to begin with, but the whole STID Fiasco has definitely turned me off them completely. The Batman v Superman is a breath of fresh air, IMO. Hell, eve though I criticized the BBC for giving away the plot twist of the Doctor Who finale arc in their official plot descriptions, I'll admit, that is preferable to the Abrams approach.