J.J. Abrams Admits There's One Big Mistake In 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

That Leia/Rey hug never should've happened that way.
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One "Force Awakens" theory just took a hit worse than Starkiller Base, and it's all J.J. Abrams' fault.

In "Star Wars: Episode VII," there's a moment where, after the survivors return from taking out the First Order's planet-destroying weapon, Leia seemingly ignores Chewbacca to hug Rey instead (a person she's supposedly never met before). Fans have cited this as pretty substantial evidence that Leia might be related to Rey or know her somehow, especially since (spoiler alert) Han Solo just died and Leia and Chewbacca would probably want to console each other. But alas, that isn't the case according to Abrams.

While talking with SlashFilm, the "Force Awakens" director called the scene one of the "mistakes" of the film.

(And then it was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out, "Nooooooooo!")

Abrams said his thinking was that Chewbacca was more focused on trying to save Finn, who had been injured by Kylo Ren. He would then have "Rey find Leia and Leia find Rey."

"The idea being that both of them being strong with the Force and never having met, would know about each other -- that Leia would have been told about her beyond what we saw on screen and Rey of course would have learned about Leia. And that reunion would be a meeting and a reunion all in one, and a sort of commiseration of their mutual loss," said Abrams.

He adds that the real mistake was how the shot was set up.

"Had Chewbacca not been where he was, you probably wouldn’t have thought of it. But because he was right there, passed by Leia, it felt almost like a slight, which was definitely not the intention," the director explained.

So the hug was just a "mistake" after all. It's cool. There's still plenty of other evidence that shows Leia and Rey could be related. Like, why does Luke's lightsaber appear to call to Rey? How is Rey so strong with the Force? And, like, how Leia used to wear her hair in those side "buns" and Rey eats that weird green bread stuff, right?

How about you explain that one, J.J. Abrams! 

 

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Before You Go

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'
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Chewbacca and Han Solo. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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BB8 peeks around a corner. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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A First Order TIE Fighter chases the Millennium Falcon into the remains of a starship. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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The passing of a lightsaber. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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A troubled Finn in First Order stormtrooper armor. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Kylo Ren attacks. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Rey, Finn and BB8 on the run from TIE Fighters on Jakku. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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A hooded figure places a hand on R2-D2. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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The First Order assembles. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Kylo Ren leads First Order stormtroopers. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Rey helps Finn on Jakku. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Rey and Finn run from First Order stormtroopers. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Captain Phasma walks menacingly. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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C-3PO (with his new red arm) and R2-D2. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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The Finalizer, a First Order Star Destroyer reminiscent of Imperial Battleships. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Rey readies BB-8 for transport with the scavenger and his semi-mechanical Luggabeast. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Poe Dameron walks from his X-wing. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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A First Order TIE Fighter chases the Millennium Falcon. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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General Hux of the First Order. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Finn arrives at a crashed TIE Fighter. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Captain Phasma of the First Order. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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First Order stormtroopers gather. (credit:Lucasfilm)
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Rey looks determined on Jakku. (credit:Lucasfilm)