The Star Wars Refresher: What has happened before Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The first official teaser-trailer for the new Star Wars movie "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is out now. This upcoming epic sequel is directed by J.J. Abrams, stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker, along with new cast members John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, and Daisy Ridley, and is set for release December 18, 2015.  with this in mind, perhaps it is time to look back at the original trilogy (and forget that the awful prequels ever existed). Just as a refresher, we've listed some notes about what we know so far, after the events in the last movie "Return of the Jedi" [hit the jump to continue]

First, let's check out the teaser for "The Force Awakens"...

In "Return of the Jedi" we got to see the great big battle of Endor that eventually led to the death of Darth Vader, the Emperor, and the downfall of the evil Empire.

Luke is the only existing Jedi alive. So says Yoda in his deathbed "when gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be" But since the story will move forward with an aging Luke, we can assume the possibility of Luke re-establishing the foundations of the Jedi Order.

Han Solo and Leia Skywalker begins a happy-ever-after life. The bounty on Solo's head has been terminated with the death of Jabba the Hutt and the downfall of his gang, well, not unless a linked family gangster continues the contract hit in order to avenge Jabba's death. But I doubt that will happen. Han is now part of the Rebellion that toppled the existing Empire, that presumably means they're representing the big government now, and may even be considered as heroes that paved the way to a new democracy in the galactic state. I don't think that some petty syndicate is still bent on keeping a hit on them.

The Emperor is dead... or is he? Personally I don't want to see an Emperor returns storyline. But his death in Return of the Jedi, which is being thrown in some kind of exhaust shaft, is the kind of movie death that allows for these characters to survive from. This was the storyline detail that allowed the Expanded Universe novels and comicbooks to revive this character from. But going back to the main question and answer, Vader killed the Emperor. He could have survived, but as an opinion, I prefer that he stays dead. New villains, please! (By the way, in the original trilogy, the name Palpatine was never mentioned. He is only referred to as The Emperor. And because I would like to stay as far away from Prequel stuff as much as I can, I dont think we should acknowledge that name either)

The Empire apparently was defeated. At the end of Return of the Jedi, the Empire lost its big aces: their super, planet-destroying weapon The Death Star, their secondary, "mystical" leader Darth Vader, and their big man on top The Emperor. Sure, there may have been tiny factions of the Empire may have survived and have fought on against the victorious Rebellion (just like in the Expanded Universe), but we all follow the tone of the end of Episode 6, that yes, the Rebellion was successful in crushing the reign of the Empire.

R2D2, C3PO, and Chewbacca. Well, this is the trick. R2D2 and C3PO were utility droids. Do they now become "Royal" utility droids? With Han Solo being a family man to Leia and presumably their children, does Chewbacca go and have his own family now? Or does he become some sort of political leader as well? Maybe in the military. This part is something the new movie/s can answer.

Check out this trailer refresher for the Original Trilogy...

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