We received our first look at some of the new characters being introduced into the Star Wars universe via the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer, but now we finally know their names. And their identities have been revealed in the most nostalgia-inducing way.
Co-writer and director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy officially revealed the names of the characters via a set of images that frame various scenes from the teaser footage as classic Topps trading cards. Among other elements from the teaser, the “cards” feature the characters played by Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaacs, John Boyega, and even that mysterious figure wielding a triple-bladed lightsaber and the “ball droid” that have prompted so much discussion.
Here’s what the cards tell us about the characters:
- The “ball droid” character is named BB-8.
- Isaacs’ character, who’s seen piloting an X-Wing (pictured above), is named Poe Dameron.
- The cloaked-and-hooded character seen wielding the sparking lightsaber with three blades is named Kylo Ren.
- Daisy Ridley’s character, who’s seen riding some kind landspeeder/speeder bike hybrid across a desert, is named Rey.
- The character played by John Boyega, who’s seen wearing a Stormtrooper uniform, is named Finn.
There are three more “cards” in the set of images identifying the Stormtroopers, X-Wings, and Millennium Falcon, but anyone familiar with the Star Wars universe is probably well aware of each of those elements already.
Given that next week will put us exactly one year away from the film’s premiere, it’s reasonable to expect the occasion might be marked by another announcement or additional news of some sort — but another set of trading-card images could certainly be in the mix (and welcomed), too.
It’s also worth noting that we still haven’t officially seen the characters played by Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, or any of the other new additions to the Star Wars universe — though one of them could be the mysterious cloaked character. We also have yet to see returning cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, or any of the costumed actors reprising their roles from the original trilogy.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters December 18, 2015. The trading card for Kylo Ren is posted below, and the rest can be seen at EW.
