I’ll give you a second to clean yourself off after watching the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer a few dozen times. Thankfully, after it’s premiere during the San Francisco Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles game during Monday Night Football, the trailer arrived online in beautiful HD before any rebel scum could leak a lesser quality version.

Who are you? What are you fighting for? Is following in the footsteps of a Sith Lord whom I’ve never met a solid life plan? Star Wars: The Force Awakens is asking the big existential questions. While the original Star Wars trilogy told a tale of good versus evil, and the prequel trilogy a more politically driven love story, it would appear that our heroes in the start of this new chapter of the most epic space opera are seeking purpose in a galaxy thrown into chaos.

This new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer doesn’t give away many details about the plot, but rather the film sells itself on the direction of its main characters. Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) come across as folks who have lost their way, seeking something greater than themselves. And it seems as though they’ll find what they’re looking for after they meet an aged Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

I’m loving the shades of depth emitted from our protagonists, the aerial battle sequences look phenomenal, and the sweeping score by John Williams is immensely emotional, but somehow I remain cautiously optimistic. I think this trailer does everything right to bring Star Wars back into the good graces of every fanboy and girl who was burned by the prequels, I just can’t put my guard down quite yet.

We’re led to believe that Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is hoping to carry out Darth Vader’s wishes, but something tells me the editing in the trailer is misleading and he may be talking to someone else – not the extra crispy helmet of the once great Sith Lord. We also have no idea where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is in all of this. And then there’s a ton of cast members who have yet to be revealed, such as Domhnall Gleeson or Andy Serkis.

The pace at which they are rolling out details is fantastic. The less the better, but just enough to appease my interest. I’ve already bought my ticket for a true IMAX 3D experience, which went on sale earlier today. Now all that’s left is the waiting game.

What’s interesting about the promotion of this trailer leading up to its release is that the teasers had footage not shown in the final cut. In the first teaser below there is a stoic shot of Oscar Isaac’s Poe and in the second is Daisy Ridley’s Rey looking up at fighters flying across the sky.

Here’s the official theatrical movie poster that released yesterday with the teasers (click on the image to enlarge):

Source: StarWars.com

That’s no moon. Would The First Order really attempt a third time to make a planet killer after two failed goes at it? Perhaps J.J. Abrams is obsessed with spacecrafts that can blow up planets? Maybe The Rebel Alliance built this one and are giving The First Order a taste of their own medicine? Where’s Luke in the poster? What’s that little creature standing in between R2-D2 and BB-8? Is it symbolic that Kylo Ren and Rey’s weapons mirror each other? Are they brother and sister?

(Click on any thumbnail below to begin the image gallery)

Directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa [Solo?] Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, and Kenny Baker as R2-D2. The film is set to release on December 18, 2015.

Source: StarWars YouTube