"Star Wars Episode VII" officially has a name: "The Force Awakens."

The name is rather vanilla in many respects and actually breaks away from basic patterns of previous franchise films. The original movie was subtitled "A New Hope," and the first film in the prequel trilogy, "The Phantom Menace," also followed the grammatical structure of "A New Hope" with an article followed by an adjective and a noun. In this case, both titles were ambiguous but pointed to a major character or story in the film.

"A New Hope" signified the rebels hopes of taking down the Empire, but more importantly signaled the arrival of Luke Skywalker as the one to redeem the world from the darkness of the empire.

"The Phantom Menace" was even more ambiguous. On one hand, it hinted at the impending threat of the Sith, whose presence in this film upsets the peace that has reigned in the galaxy for ages. But like "Episode IV," it pointed to the trilogy's central character: Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader. Anakin was a child in the first prequel film. But the audience knew where his story was headed, and thus he was an unseen threat to the peace of the galaxy as well.

"The Force Awakens" does not have the same grammatical structure. In fact, it diverges greatly from other titles in the franchise. The second episodes in each franchise are generally dominated by an action from the "Empire" or the "Clones," while the final piece in each trilogy also starts with an action word (Revenge, Return) and ends with the two opposing factions of the force (Jedi and Sith).

The Force, which is a major part of "Star Wars," has never been used in a title, and its meaning is all the more shocking. Does this mean that the force has been dormant? One rumor going around claims that Luke is actually hidden away on a distant planet. Some rumors claim that he is an evil cyborg, while others simply state that he is grappling with his own powers.

This title seems to hint that this rumor is correct in some way shape or form. And it could imply that Luke, possibly the only remaining practitioner of the force, has not been able to pass on the tradition to others. In essence, the Jedi Council has not been reinstated, and there are no other Jedi helping to maintain the peace.

Without Luke, the world has probably forgotten about the existence of the force, and it is possible that his absence is so great that he has become a mere legend that some believe and others do not. The film might showcase a world much like our own -- with religious skepticism abundant while technology and science have come to the fore. If this is the case, then it would be the first time the franchise actually attempts to take on such weighty themes of traditional science fiction since "Episode IV" and "V."

But what would the "Awakens" part imply? The return of Luke to the forefront to help vanquish the darkness? Or would it imply that he has found an heir to continue the tradition for him? Could it be "Kira," the character many claim to be the protagonist?

The title has been the latest piece in the "Star Wars Episode VII" puzzle. In over a year, fans will get all the answers they seek.

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