J.J. Abrams has stated that history will repeat itself in the upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

During an interview with USA Today, the director of the new space movie stated that, "Part of the story of this movie is history repeats itself, and part of it is who is going to tell your history and what do people know about what has come before," he stated.

Knowing Abrams' history as a kind of filmmaker who makes overt references to previous films, it should be no surprise that this film will undeniably show some clear cut references or reinterpretations of past "Star Wars" movies. After all, George Lucas himself did just that with his prequel movies in many ways.

So how will history repeat itself in the new movie? Let's look at some possible motifs.

Rey will use the force in ways unseen

Rey is the main character in the new film and it is her journey that we will follow for the balance of the trilogy. She is this trilogy's Luke and Anakin. And like those two heroes, she will use the force in an unexpected way at some point in the film.

Luke uses the force at the climax of "A New Hope" when he blows up the Death Star and Anakin's connect with the force is best exemplified when he engages in a thrilling podrace that no other human is capable of. Rey seems to be rejecting the force as some trailer voiceovers hint, but she is bound to use the force at some point in this movie.

Those who have been privy to online spoilers know that she will wield a legendary weapon at some point in the film as well.

A Major Battle Station will get blown up

We have all seen the space battle imagery throughout the trailers and there are even hints of a trench run that is rather similar to the original film back in 1977. Even the picture on the main poster hints at yet another Death Star look alike. If history tells us anything in the "Star Wars" universe, it is that the heroes win the day in the opening film before the villains come back and show them how useless that victory was to begin with. So in keeping with tradition, it is likely that the heroes blow up the new battle station or weapon, but there will also be a twist here as well. It will not be Rey but Poe Dameron who is the only hero thus far to be shown in an X-Wing. Moreover Oscar Isaac has noted that his character is the best pilot in the galaxy.

A mentor dies

This one is pretty easy to conclude. In the original film that was released in 1977, Obi-Wan Kenobi was a victim during a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. In the 1999 "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," the first film of its respective trilogy, Qui-Gon Jinn, that movie's major mentor, also dies in a lightsaber duel.

What does this suggest? That a mentor will also die, likely at the hands of a lightsaber. But here is the twist: we have yet to see Luke Skywalker, the most obvious mentor. Instead we have seen another mentor altogether -- Han Solo. Solo has been the main hero communicating with the new generation of heroes. He flies Finn and Rey on the Millennium Falcon. He even has his own passing the baton moment when he hands Rey his blaster; it undoubtedly hints at Obi-Wan handing Luke the lightsaber in the original moment.

So that likely puts Solo as the mentor who could die. But how would he die at the hands of a lightsaber? It is likely that Kylo Ren, the only antagonist to sport a saber thus far, will be the murderer.

There will be a romance, but probably not in this film

Romance is an inherent part of the Star Wars saga. Anakin and Padme's relationship drove the prequels while Han, Luke and Leia's triangle added some "fun" to the original films. It is likely that there will be some romance of some kind in the new movie, though the angle is yet to be clear. Will Finn and Rey have a relationship? Will it be Poe and Rey? Will it be any of these three with new characters from Episode VIII?

The romance angle of the other two trilogies was hinted at in the first episode, but was not fully fleshed until the ensuing episode. Expect more of the same in this movie with hints about who might get whom later on.

Rey and Finn will be the surrogates for the Two Droids and Two Jedi

"A New Hope" and "The Phantom Menace" were both stories told from the perspective of a team of characters. C-3PO and R2-D2 were the pair in the original film while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were the team in the prequel.

In both cases, the pair were general outsiders to the main conflict. The Jedi were neither a part of the trade federation or the Naboo while the droids were not leaders of either the rebels or empire. From the looks of it, Finn and Rey are both outsiders and rejects from the current conflict and the story will probably be told from their perspective throughout. It seems that like those other duos from the other films, the audience is learning the events through their eyes. Finn and Rey are both ignorant of the force and the Jedi and are taught it by Han Solo.

It adds an interesting twist to the formula as the main character has never been part of the duo through which the main story is told.

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