Warning: spoilers follow. Rey, who is your father? In a galaxy far, far away, the force has awakened once more. Everyone’s fan favorites are back to fight against a new evil threat.

The most recent installment of the Star Wars saga, The Force Awakens (Episode VII), was released worldwide on Dec. 18. This was the first film in the series since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, excluding the 2008 animated movie The Clone Wars. It is the first film in 33 years to feature the main characters from the original trilogy, Han, Luke and Leia. The film was well-received by critics worldwide and broke numerous box office records, including the fastest film to gross one billion dollars and the biggest worldwide opening weekend. While some critics and fans have complained that Episode VII was a complete remake of A New Hope (Episode IV), this is not true.

The idea of a droid carrying secret plans for a rebellion group, crash landing on a desert planet, meeting a force-sensitive human who ends up stopping a planet-destroying weapon or a cantina full of tough intergalactic aliens were reused elements from Episode IV. This sounds a lot like the plot of Episode IV, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It has been proven that this formula works based upon the success of The Force Awakens. Besides that, it is not like the entire film is dedicated to copying Episode IV. A lot of other important things happen as well.

Episode VII is meant to introduce the Star Wars saga to a new generation of children, especially with Disney now involved. What better way than to call back to the original movie that started it all? Rey has, essentially, become a female Luke Skywalker. Is this really bad, though? Think about it. Almost every kid who grew up in the late 70s and early 80s watched the original trilogy. Boys would reenact intense Jedi battles on playgrounds, usually Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. Now, girls have a powerful female character to look up to and imitate on the playground – Daisy Ridley’s Rey.

Diversity is a big deal when it comes to a film series that has left an incredible mark on the world. Rey is the leading character of Star Wars now. Finn, an ex-stormtrooper-turned-sidekick is portrayed by John Boyega, an up-and-coming Black British actor. Guatemalan-American actor Oscar Isaac’s character, fighter pilot Poe Dameron, completes the new trio of heroes. These characters are not perfect.

It is somewhat strange how Rey managed to become a master pilot/Jedi/combat fighter when she spent all of her life as a scavenger. However, if that is what you are going to question in a movie where extraterrestrial beings can manipulate gravity and control minds, so be it.

Plot holes have been another big concern for critics of the film. That is a bit pointless, however, as this is the first movie in a new trilogy. Obviously, the audience is not going to get all of the answers at the beginning. By the end, everything should be clear. A lot of the questions that fans are asking can be answered by materials other than the movie. Disney has made it a lot easier than it used to be to determine what is canon (i.e. – the factual history of events that occurred in the saga) in Star Wars. According to Disney, the movies are the definitive authority on what has happened in the Star Wars universe. Among six books and two TV series that expand what happened before and after the original trilogy, fans are caught up to The Force Awakens.

As far as theories go, there are only a few that are comprehensible. There is a theory circulating around the internet that Jar Jar Binks is Supreme Leader Snoke, the intended villain for the new trilogy. There are numerous reasons as to why this idea makes no sense whatsoever. Here is the main one: Everyone hates Jar Jar Binks. You will not find a single Star Wars fan that truly enjoyed the character. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, but most of the time people only like the character of Jar Jar Binks ironically. He is the worst character ever created in the entire saga, and Disney would not let someone who is as universally hated as Jar Jar Binks become a main villain. It would ruin Star Wars forever, and Disney would lose a lot of money.

One plausible theory suggests that Rey is a descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Judging from the timeline of the movies, she could easily be his granddaughter. There is not much wrong with this theory. It would explain why Rey is so naturally talented at using the Force and why she heard Obi-Wan’s voice in her vision when she held Luke’s lightsaber. The only issue has to do with Obi-Wan himself. He was incredibly dedicated to the Jedi way of life, which forbids any sort of romantic attachment. Would he be willing to go against what he was taught? Only time will tell.

Unfortunately, Episode VIII was pushed back seven months from its original release date in May to December, approximately two years from when Episode VII came out. Rey, Finn and Poe are all expected to return, so make sure to buy your tickets in advance and watch the earliest screening to avoid spoilers.