What were you expectations for TFA prior to seeing it?

I'm just curious did you have any expectations over TFA?Were you spoiled or did you just go watching unspoiled?If you were speculating prior to its release who did you think Kylo and Rey would be or what the story is going to be about?

Unspoiled!

Had doubts about continuing the Star Wars saga, tbh. I grew up loving both the PT and OT, and loved how complete ROTJ left you feeling. Everyone was happy, the story was over. I thought Disney would make it cheesy and lame. I saw the trailer maybe once or twice and then left it alone.

I teach middle school and some of my students would talk to me about it. One little squirt told me he read a spoiler that Luke was Kylo Ren. I was so upset at him I threatened to give him an F  but seriously, I didn't want to know anything about it.

Being a loyal Star Wars fan, I went to see it opening weekend with low expectations. I saw it with my sisters. We looked at each other after it was over and were like "That...was the best movie I've ever seen."

One sister caught Reylo vibes right away. We walked out of the theatre and I said it to her in the parking lot as a joke: "When he carried her though, I ship it" and she agreed! We left it alone at that.

I liked Rey right away. I didn't know she'd be the main character, the trailers definitely did make it look like she was Han Solo's daughter and that's who I thought she'd be. After the first viewing I no longer thought that, but speculated that perhaps she could be Luke's. After further speculating I thought that'd be too obvious so I dropped that theory early on.

Funny thing is...I actually despised Kylo the first two times I saw it! Only because I was expecting a full-on Darth Vader or Darth Maul scary bad guy. He was a disappointing villain which I soon realized, was all according to plan in fact I got a Kylo beach towel for Christmas because my wonderful aunt saw something Star Wars and bought it and I actually returned it   because I hated him! If you had told me in Dec that I'd end up where I am now with Kylo obsession, I would've sent you off to the moon! I wish I still had that blasted towel!

I didn't have any, just a prayer of "please don't let this s***!"

I was pretty much unspoiled. I knew that Kylo was the new Darth Vader because I have young children that love Star Wars. I knew about finn being a stormtrooper. That was about it. I just hoped that the movie wasn't bad.

I had such low expectations that I didn't go see it until late February because I didn't feel like going to the gym on Saturday. I knew Han and Leia had a kid who went to the DS and killed his dad. Also that the marketing had been a fake out and that instead of filling the "cute and way more competent hero's girl sidekick" trope, that Rey was actually the heroine. Otherwise I went in expecting a total re-hash of the original movie. Which is definitely was, but once those two started glaring at each other (and having lived/traveled outside of the US, I knew that there was no way that Disney/LF could market a movie to the rest of the world with a young woman and man in that scene and not have it be interpreted as anything other than romantic/sexual), I was like "WTF is going on here? My friends took their small kids to this?! I thought this was family friendly?!" That was the huge shock/spoiler to me and after a second of processing it, then I figured out what was going on and was impressed. Both with coming up with that angle and sneaking it in the middle of a magic trick where most viewers are distracted by all of the nostalgia callbacks to the first movie.

Second part was being curious, going online and seeing so many crap theories on places like Reddit, insistence that she's Luke's daughter, and nastiness/condescending/sexist comments elsewhere from fanboys about how this was silly fantasies. I love to fight/argue (I was a teenage punk and captain of my high school debate team), so the last part is what made me engage because Hell no is somebody going to tell me that I didn't see what I know that I saw. Especially condescending dudebros. Fortunately I found this group therapy session place to help confirm that suspicion which kept nagging at my mind of "I know what I saw there."

Maybe the factor is that people who think she's Luke's daughter had a certain mindset going into the movie, that he's still the central character. In comparison I can just say my experience was that I had ZERO expectations. And while I was watching and then afterwards, I was like "WTF did I see there? I know that I saw something going on that's a clue but not overt yet." So it's been more going through the movie and reading here on tropes/classics of film and literature/fairytales/mythology/religious origin stories to see the parallels, plus where standard tropes/expectations have been subverted.

I was unspoiled, but I loved what JJ did with the first Trek reboot, so I had faith that it would be good. Went and seen it on DEC 18, had to wait 3 hours in the cold, thank god it was a mild winter here in NYC.... 

I had no expectations whatsoever. I hadn't read any spoilers or reviews, I didn't even know the cast, apart from a glance at the poster and wondering where Luke was. I even had my doubts whether I wanted to see the sequel at all, as my track record with sequels to things I've loved isn't exactly stellar, and the PT hadn't exactly left a great impression either. But in the end my curiosity won and when the opening crawl came on I felt positively giddy. STAR WARS!!!!!!! A NEW STAR WARS FILM!!!!!!! IN 2015!!!! WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!!!!!

But yeah, that was the extent of my expectations. I wanted something Star Wars-y. Lightsabers, spaceships, all that jazz. I got that and a lot more

I knew nothing about the characters or story before watching it about a week after release, but I honestly expected it to be a good watch based on what a few other people had told me. I knew the main character was a girl, but other than that... nothing. The film itself was basically exactly what I expected: really enjoyable. It left me excited for the sequel because I knew we'd be getting awesome Jedi lore and Kylo's incredible redemption arc.

I had no expectations. My husband lined up in the downtown Seattle rain for hours to get tickets and I refused to go with him, I just didn't care. I was like yeah sure, I'll see it...I guess. It's funny to think about it now, because TFA got me really back into Star Wars in a big way since I was a kid. Since December I've read ton of EU stuff, watched the clone wars, watched Rebels, rewatched the other 6 films and obviously spent a lot of time here discussing with you lovely people.

TFA is not a perfect film, but JJ and co did a fantastic job at rebooting the saga and getting a whole new generation to fall in love with the GFFA.

I went unspoiled. The only reason I watched it was because we were bored on a Saturday evening and the radio kept playing Star Wars adverts. I didn't see the trailer, didn't read anything about it, didn't even know George Lucas had sold the rights to Star Wars to Disney and had to persuade my friend to drive us there (who actually hated Star Wars; she had seen the movies and thought they were boring; I could only watch the prequels without yawning). In fact the only thing we checked were the times the movie was played in the cinema in the next city.

Therefore, I had no expectations whatsoever, I was just internally praying that the movie wouldn't be boring or badly written.
After the movie ended my friend just turned to me and said "Now I love Star Wars. Damn you.", and we've been hooked ever since. I'm quite glad I'm back in an active fandom again, before Star Wars (which I only read some stuff about while browsing Wookieepedia on occasion) I'd been in the Elder Scrolls fandom since the last game came out in 2011, but it was starting to die down/get inactive again. The next game isn't expected before 2019, when the current trilogy ends - and after it ends I'll be in the Elder Scrolls fandom again. Nice way to pass the waiting time between each movie and game.

Since I was disappointed by the PT, I tried to have no expectations at all on TFA. I also tried to remain unspoiled, so I only watched the trailers and saw some of the promotional photos, but unfortunately just a day before I went to see the film, someone spoiled that Han would be killed by his child (which confused me because I thought Rey was his daughter and I couldn't think of a reason why the heroine would kill Han). Before that I never would have expected him to die, because Han seems like a survivor who can get out of any situation. He was also the only thing I was really looking forward to, because he is my favourite character and even if the film would be disappointing, at least there'd be scenes with Han. I had hoped he and Leia would still be together (because they were my OTP) and that they would still be in contact with Luke.

Before seeing the film, I was annoyed about BB-8 because all the marketing was about his cuteness and seemed so forced. I didn't understand why a droid had to be cute, why he was such a big deal and why everyone loved him before the film was even out. So I expected to hate or not care for him, but was surprised that I actually liked him in the film.

I assumed Rey was be the new Skywalker/Solo because I thought she looked a bit like Padmé and Anakin and that it would be a waste to cast someone who looks like them but is not related to them. Besides, I knew she was the main character, and in the OT and PT the protagonists were Skywalkers. For the same reason I expected her to be the next Jedi, even when they tried to mislead people by showing Finn with the lightsaber. I also thought the trailer with Luke's voiceover "The force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. My sister has it. You have that power too." was about Rey.

I didn't have too many expectations on Kylo because we hadn't seen much of him in the trailers. But since he was wearing a mask, I expected that he would be a boring Darth Vader clone. When I saw the film for the first time, I thought Kylo was lame, whiny and not a good villain. I was also very surprised when he took off his mask because I had expected him to look older and disfigured, not young and with such an innocent, unmarred face. Then he killed Han and at first I hated him for it and thought he didn't deserve redemption. But he was the only character that occupied my thoughts for some time after seeing the film. At first, I disliked him for being too much like Vader and being too different from Vader at the same time, but then I noticed that doesn't really make sense, so I reconsidered my opinion of him. I realized that Kylo wasn't a failed Vader copy due to bad writing but that he was supposed to be the way he is in the film and that he is a very complex and interesting character. And even though I wanted to hate him for killing Han, I couldn't because he doesn't seem evil and he looks so sad when he kills his father.

I assumed there would be a romance in the new trilogy and that it might be Rey and Finn because they were the new heroes, but I wasn't sure because there wasn't anything established in the first film except for friendship. I certainly did not expect to ship Reylo because after Snoke revealed that Kylo is Han's son, I thought Kylo and Rey would be either siblings or cousins. So when I noticed all those Reylo hints I was confused, thought I was imagining things and that it would never happen. I couldn't unsee it when I watched the film for the second and third time. So I went online and found out I wasn't the only one who had noticed those things, that people were shipping them and that not everyone thought Rey and Kylo were related. Somehow, Reylo became my new OTP and thanks to that, unlike with TFA, I will go to see episode VIII with lots of expectations

Forsythia wrote:
Before seeing the film, I was annoyed about BB-8 because all the marketing was about his cuteness and seemed so forced. I didn't understand why a droid had to be cute, why he was such a big deal and why everyone loved him before the film was even out. So I expected to hate or not care for him, but was surprised that I actually liked him in the film.

@Forsythia

LOL. Me too! I was convinced that BB-8 would be this annoying, but cute-and-for-the-kids character. I wasn't expecting him to be anywhere near as adorable or charming as he actually was. I figured that he was the droid version of an Ewok.

Good thing, too, because as far as my 4-year-old is concerned, BB-8 is the new Olaf. Of the Star Wars movies that she's seen, she likes TFA the best because "it has BB-8 in it."

I expected TFA to be a safe, nostalgia-driven rehash of the original trilogy. Because of JJ's involvement I also expected good casting, acting and character interactions since it's what he tends to excel at, but the plot/story I suspected would be quite weak. From the little promo material I've seen I expected Kylo to be a boring Vader clone. I felt I turned out to be right about the first two points, but to my surprise and delight I was so so wrong about Kylo, and the male villain/female hero dynamic and its story potential is something that is genuinely new in the Star Wars movies.

I was completely unspoiled, I had only watched the trailers before seeing the film.

As a OT SW fan I didn't have high expectations as I was disappointed in the PT.

Since this film has come out however, my love for the franchise has grown - I've watched the Clone Wars and will be watching Rebels soon too.

I knew nothing about it except for the big spoiler that was getting copy/pasted everywhere online. Hadn't watched the original trilogy since I was a teen and had never seen the prequels. Only reason I went to see TFA at all was Kylo Ren. I was intrigued by his costume and the actor who plays him. Hadn't ever heard of Adam Driver before, either. Lol.

Anyway. My actual expectation? I figured I would get bored and walk out. I so rarely go to the movies, and it's become a tendency of mine to just leave if I'm not enjoying myself. Well, that was not the case this time, I was practically glued to my seat and couldn't believe it when two hours had flashed by and the movie was somehow already over. I've been obsessed ever since.

As a fan of the OT, didn't want to see it at all, especially when I found out my favourite all time movie character was going to bite the dust at the hands of someone I firmly thought was 'weird' (never saw any proper pictures of Adam, just shadowy glimpses).

But eventually I succumbed and got it on blu ray - and had a thoroughly deserved a*** kicking of the emotional kind. I absolutely was hooked from start to finish, and yes there are similarities to ANH but as someone I spoke to said, not a 'rip off' but a 'history repeating itself' kind of similarity.

It was wonderful to see the OC again, especially Han - I admit I had a tear in my eye when he boarded the Falcon again. Abrams managed to recapture the magic of the originals in a way the prequels, although worth seeing, never did. The script was terrific, the effects great but they didn't saturate it with computer graphics, and the film had an interesting moral ambiguity which is what we need these days.
The real surprise for me was the cast - so many claimed Rey was a 'Mary Sue' but I loved her character; she was brave, capable and independant but also vulnerable and kind. Finn was an absolute joy to watch, and Boyega's comic timing spot on. But the most memorable character was Kylo, who appeared at first to be a Vader 'rip off' but from the moment he smashed up that computer console I knew we were dealing with someone very different. The unmasking was a shock not only because he looked sad and lost rather than menacing, but also because Driver is frankly stunning looking - not in a conventional way, but mesmerising just the same.
Add to that Isaac's cheerfully cocky pilot and we have something I never thought I'd see - characters that are every bit as memorable as the originals. Let's hope the sequels are even better.

I didn't really have many expectations. I followed the lead up and was really in love with Rey and BB-8 the first time I saw them in the very first teaser. Then when we saw BB-8 appear at Celebration and we had Daisy talk about Rey for the first time I was like, "I already love her and this droid is like adorables". The only expectation I had going into TFA was a hope that Rey would be my favourite character in it. She became that and more! Not just with her but the movie as a whole was an enjoyable experience and one that inspired me. Especially when Rey used the lightsaber for the first time.

Went in blind with no expectations. I grew up loving both the OT and the PT, but not quite to the same extent that I loved other coming-of-age fantasy stories like Harry Potter, Naruto and Lord of the Rings. I was never obsessed, nor did I have any kind of overwhelming attachment to any of the characters. I watched TFA's trailer maybe twice before the movie came out, so I knew the main protagonist was a girl and that the story would feature a rogue Stormtrooper, but that's pretty much all. I don't remember even noticing Kylo in the trailer.  

Needless to say, I walked out of my first viewing with my mind absolutely reeling. It ended too soon. I wanted more. I didn't take note of any of the similarities to ANH that fanboys like to whine about besides Starkiller Base because for me the film was just following the coming-of-age hero's journey structure I expected it to. What I did notice was the completely enchanting dynamic between the young, beautiful, fiery heroine and the young, princely, tormented, teary eyed villain that reminded me even during those first two hours of so many characters and stories I hold near and dear to my heart. I noticed Reylo right away and hoped with all my heart that the Star Wars people really were setting up a transformational hero/villain romance between the last Skywalker and a nobody girl. After repeated viewings, discussions with my sister and members of this board, Reygate, Boyegate, and various tweets from Matt and Pablo, I decided that Rey was a nobody and more importantly that a transformational love story between Rey and Kylo Ren was without a doubt the story the ST was telling.

The best thing is TLJ is exactly the movie I would've wanted to see immediately following my first viewing of TFA. At that early point, I wasn't sure what they were going for. I just knew what I felt the natural extension of the story would be and what I felt was being set up. Upon reflection, I think I would've fainted in the theater during the smut hut without the two years of preparation.    

Okay...I thought I would hate it. I thought I would hate Kylo - who is this weirdo who kills my favourite movie character ever - for what purpose? What changed my mind was the Reylo community. So much love for Kylo. I wanted to know why and I saw the film. And the moment the 'weirdo' removed his helmet I was hooked. No weirdo but a sad, beautiful kid. A compassionate stormtrooper, a heroine who was 'ordinary', and the most amazing 'villain'. And Han's end, although tragic, actually made his character, because at the end the mercenary was the best of them. TFA introduced this old fan to a new generation of heroes. And I'm loving them!

I'm not sure where to post this, but I can say the person who made this poster had very different expectations of what TFA would be.
(And now I'm curious and want to watch this movie.)


https://clairen45.tumblr.com/post/179863565463/therealkrkrause-esperanza-y-el-sol

Hux with a lightsabre - wow!

Wow! TFA must have thrown that guy/girl for a loop!