In terms of excitement generated from Star Wars Celebration 2015 in Anaheim, I would say the second development right behind the JJ Abrams/Kathleen Kennedy panel the opening morning and release of the new trailer for The Force Awakens is the exhibition of props, costumes, and models from the all-new film installment to the franchise. On the upper floor of the Anaheim Convention Center is space dedication to the display of artifacts from the upcoming Episode VII, due in December 2015. This feature includes about 130 quality photos from this exhibit.
Those trying to avoid spoilers best skip the exhibit and photos below, as there are many clues about the characters and story developments found within.
It would appear that Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) are the principal new leading characters in the new film, with new droid BB-8. The new main villain is Kylo Ren, and what is being called the Chrometrooper from the trailer appears to be another bad guy (the latter had no costume on display here).
Presumably, Rey is a scavenger on the Tatooine-like planet of Jakku, Finn is a stormtrooper turned hero (or at least disguised as a stormtrooper in the film), and Poe is an X-Wing pilot on some kind of mission orchestrated by Leia.
The exhibit includes the very familiar – a slightly modified rendition of the Millennium Falcon, in scale model form (with new radar dish on top, since the original got lost with Lando’s run on the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. Beside it is what appears to be an X-Wing Fighter, only now the is called a Resistance X-Wing Fighter. Within is presumably pilot Poe and riding in the back new droid BB-8.
And that leads into one of the framing elements of the new film… the Imperial-type enemy is now “The First Order”, and the Rebel-like good guys are “The Resistance”.
New villain Kylo Ken borrows an overall look from Darth Vader (including the rear dome of the helmet) and maybe, literally, his lightsaber, which in some ways appears to be a Frankenstein resurrection of Vader’s lightsaber from Return of the Jedi (though may just have an overall similar look).
The lightsaber and some of the other props are noted as “3D Prints” on the accompanying placards, which, from an original prop collecting standpoint, would likely do away with the endless sale of resin “stunt” lightsabers into the collectors market (as seen with the Prequels), as props in this day and age can be duplicated via a readily available machine, making the distinction between original and replica very blurry indeed.
The Stormtroopers and Snowtroopers are obviously a fantastic evolution of the same from the Original Trilogy (and very McQuarrie-esque), and the new Stormtrooper blaster is an evolution of the E-11 blaster (changed enough so that the found parts don’t exactly match… the original found parts).
Rey has a staff that appears to have parts like the emitters seen in Darth Maul’s lightsaber…
Finn (the guy who seems to be taking a Stormtrooper helmet off in every teaser trailer, played by John Boyega) appears to be carrying Luke’s ANH-style lightsaber (believed lost when Darth Vader cut off Luke’s hand in Cloud City on Bespin) on his belt in the illustration set next to the costume in the display case.
In the illustration set next to Rey’s costume, she is holding a DL-44 blaster like Han Solo.
In any event, below are photos I took of the exhibit (click any image for higher resolutions versions of each photo)…
Resistance X-Wing Fighter & Millenium Falcon Models
BB-8
Finn
Rey
Desert Nomad
Junkyard Thug
First Order Stormtroopers
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Flametrooper
Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren Lightsaber
Jason DeBord